Lt. Gov. Hosemann forms cybersecurity committee to unify state agency protections JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi leaders say cybercriminals are targeting residents’ personal data and tax dollars, and a new Senate select committee is now tasked with finding ways to better protect both. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann announced the formation of the cybersecurity select committee, saying state agencies currently operate without a unified security standard. “Everybody has siloed their own security stuff, which is for self-protection. And I did it and everybody else does it. Now we wanna be able to have those protections done on a universal basis,” Hosemann said. Hundreds of millions at stake Hosemann said the financial toll on the state is significant. “We have hundreds of millions of dollars being stolen out of Mississippi,” he said. He pointed to last year’s cyberattack at the University of Mississippi Medical Center as an example of how even well-protected systems can be disrupted. “If somebody has to pay a ransomware demand — I don’t think the University Hospital did, but others may have — and when they pay that, that’s your tax dollars. So not only are they stealing from you individually, they’re stealing your tax money,” Hosemann said. Hosemann said he has firsthand experience with the threat, citing hacking attempts on election systems during his time as Secretary of State. Committee focus Sen. Tyler McCaughn is set to co-chair the select committee. He said an early focus will be on reporting requirements. “When an attack happens, even on a local level, how do you even know that it happened as far as the state level? How do we get our resources mobilized to help those locals?” McCaughn said. McCaughn said hospitals, schools, utilities and water systems are among the potential targets. “We’ve got to be prepared because they’re