CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order for a Colorado National Guard cyber team with six Soldiers and Airmen to provide defensive cyber support to the Colorado Secretary of State during the national and state elections in November.
Team members from the CONG Cyber Protection Team, the 140th Communications Flight, and the Defense Cyber Operations Element, as part of a Cyber Task Force, are providing network monitoring during the elections to prevent cyber-attacks and enhance integration across state agencies.
“This cyber defense support is a perfect example of how the training and resources we receive for our warfight mission directly informs our homeland response capability,” The Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan said. “Our cyber teams are always ready, always there for both state and federal missions.”
CONG members assisted the Colorado SOS and Office of Information Technology during the Presidential Primary in March and the State Primary in June of 2020.
For the past eight years, during eight state-wide elections, Colorado has led the way in the nation by providing Colorado National Guard Cyber Teams to assist the Secretary of State’s office to help monitor key systems for possible malicious activity.
National Guard cyber protection units are part of service-specific requirements to provide cyber capabilities for the warfight.