The New Mexico state government has established a Cybersecurity Planning Committee to guide New Mexico’s initiatives to protect the state’s information security and privacy.

The planning committee comes into existence approximately nine months after a ransomware attack caused the temporary closure of county government buildings in New Mexico communities, including Albuquerque, Los Ranchos and Tijeras, and a cyberattack led to the temporary closure of Albuquerque Public Schools.

"It is more critical than ever to defend New Mexicans against the increasing threats of cyberattacks," said New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. "As hackers grow more sophisticated, it is vital for the state to safeguard private information and protect against threats to services and infrastructure."

The committee will work to plan and develop robust cyber infrastructure to address risks and threats to information systems owned by state and local governments. The committee will also advise the governor regarding necessary cybersecurity legislation and support applications to receive federal funding to address cybersecurity needs and challenges.

The committee will include cybersecurity professionals from state agencies, school districts, counties, cities and tribal communities.