The Florida Center for Cybersecurity (Cyber Florida) at the University of South Florida and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have agreed to collaborate on critical infrastructure cyber mitigation and workforce development.
INL and Cyber Florida signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the collaboration late last month.
One of INL’s primary focus areas is securing the nation’s critical infrastructure, while Cyber Florida positions Florida as a national leader in cybersecurity through education, research and outreach.
This agreement allows the state to use INL’s world-class critical infrastructure resiliency and cybersecurity capabilities focused on enhancing local, state and national preparedness in alignment with the Trump administration’s executive order titled, “Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness.” The collaboration will focus on cybersecurity risk mitigation, operational technology and industrial control systems, defense industrial base sector cyber risk, workforce development and more.
“Cyber Florida is committed to fostering innovation and developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals,” said retired Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie, executive director of Cyber Florida. “This partnership with the Idaho National Laboratory underscores our shared dedication to strengthening our nation’s critical infrastructure and advancing the workforce needed to meet emerging cyber threats. Together, we are preparing for the future of cybersecurity in both the public and private sectors.”
INL and the state of Florida have previously collaborated to enhance cybersecurity for critical infrastructure sectors such as energy and transportation. In 2023, Cyber Florida and INL implemented the Critical Infrastructure Risk Assessment, leveraging the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Security Evaluation Tool, developed by INL, to analyze the cyber readiness of Florida’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors. The study, conducted on behalf of the Florida Legislature, offered recommendations to improve risk-based decision-making, inform state-level policy and support funding. The same year, INL signed a separate agreement with the state of Florida’s Department of Management Services alongside Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez.
“As states increasingly take on the responsibility of protecting both physical and cyber infrastructure, INL is poised to support local risk-informed decision-making across the country,” said Zach Tudor, associate laboratory director for National and Homeland Security at INL. “Florida’s critical infrastructure network is vast and expansive, and our collaboration aims to enhance its resilience and security ensuring the state’s critical functions remain dependable.”
