FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Kentucky lawmakers say they want to figure out ways to mitigate threats to the state's critical infrastructure and economy. But experts say in order to do that, the state needs to figure out what its vulnerabilities are.
Retired Rear Admiral Gene Price, a cybersecurity and intelligence expert, told Kentucky lawmakers on Thursday that there are a lot of foreign hackers looking for weaknesses in important American systems.
"There are groups that are dedicated to get into our critical infrastructure and the critical infrastructure security agency - CISA - has now asked the states and utilities to get ready to operate in isolation in an emergency," Price said.
Price said luckily a lot of Kentucky's systems are not hooked up to the internet. But he pointed out that some utilities in other states have found themselves victims in foreign hacks.
He also said conflict in other parts of the world could cause big impacts for Kentucky's economy.
Representative Scott Sharp proposed that Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security conduct a stress test to figure out how possible future conflicts could leave Kentucky hurting.
"Let's say that Taiwan gets invaded - how will that economically effect the Commonwealth of Kentucky?" Sharp said.
Sharp said this is important to figure out because a lot of Kentucky's industries depend on parts from other regions of the world. He said the stress test would help lawmakers figure out a plan to minimize any disruptions to Kentucky.
"When we understand where the issues are, [we] as the General Assembly can craft policy to help mitigate those threats, those effects economically," Sharp said.
Sharp said Kentucky already got a taste of this type of disruption during COVID, and the state can't leave itself open to problems like that again.
