Governor Jay Nixon says more than 100 countries have tried to hack into the state’s computer network at various times.
He hosted the first-ever Missouri Governor’s Cyber Security Summit yesterday, which drew nearly 500 attendees to Jefferson City from business, government, and education. Nixon noted the cyber-attacks this week that targeted the election systems in Illinois and Arizona.
“We are working very hard through the Office of Administration, not only with the Secretary of State’s office, but also to assist and work with local election authorities, some of which were here today getting additional training, to make sure that we keep those records safe and that we can protect and guarantee the sanctity of the vote,” says Nixon.
Nixon says it’s crucial for the state to go on the offensive by finding hackers and holding them accountable. The summit also held workshops on several topics, including what small businesses can do to protect themselves from cyber-attacks.