Federal support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center was confirmed by a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency spokesperson to have been halted after the agency terminated its $10 million deal with the Center for Internet Security, which handles both information-sharing centers, according to StateScoop.
Discontinuing such a partnership would enable CISA to prioritize "mission critical areas" and "eliminate redundancies," said the spokesperson in an emailed statement that emphasized the agency's commitment to manage taxpayer money.
Such a development comes weeks after the Department of Homeland Security asserted continued support for MS-ISAC as it disrupted funding for Elections Infrastructure ISAC.
MS-ISAC has been regarded by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers to be significantly helpful for state and local governments.
"The MS-ISAC services provided to local, tribal, and territorial governments are especially critical as these entities face high threats from bad actors yet generally have no or low budgets to combat cybersecurity threats," said a NASCIO spokesperson.
