WACIRC Washington Computer Incident Response Center

Since most of Washington’s state government is interconnected through the state government network, the security vulnerabilities or risks accepted by one are ultimately shared by all. Timely, accurate information sharing among agencies aids prevention and recovery from cyber incidents against government networks. WACIRC was created in 2002 to support this reality.

WACIRC also responds to Gov. Gary Locke’s 2001 request to the Information Services Board chair to “take decisive actions to ensure that the security of our technology stays ahead of any potential cyber terrorists,” and “work with the Board, the Department of Information Services and other state agencies to make state computer and telecommunications systems secure.”

With a membership of more than 60 state agencies and local government partners, WACIRC consists of authorized security contacts that share the State Government Network. It serves as the focal point for meeting the following statewide goals:

• Establish a reliable process for reporting computer security related emergencies
• Coordinate the timely incident response capabilities of state agencies.
• Provide the means for communication of alert and advisory information about potential threats and emerging incidents.
• Promote incident response handling awareness within state government,
• Facilitate timely sharing among state agencies for references to technical security-related information, tools, techniques and methods.
• Foster cooperation among state agencies for the effective prevention, detection, containment, eradication, recovery and follow-up from computer security incidents.
• Provide a forum for learning and sharing information.