Sen. Warner Proposes Bill to Restore MS-ISAC Funding Amid Cybersecurity Concerns

Severity: Medium (Score: 54.6)

Sources: Statescoop, www.cisecurity.org

Published: 2026-06-05 · Updated: 2026-06-05

Keywords: mark, warner, bill, restore, ms-isac, funding, federal

Severity indicators: critical, critical infrastructure

Summary

On June 5, 2026, Sen. Mark Warner introduced the 'Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act' to restore and increase federal funding for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) to $50 million annually. This funding aims to support over 18,000 state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in defending against cyberattacks. The MS-ISAC had its funding significantly reduced in March 2025, impacting its ability to provide critical cybersecurity services. The organization had previously offered free resources to various sectors, including public hospitals and schools. Warner's bill seeks to address the gaps in cybersecurity protections left by the funding cuts, which left many organizations vulnerable. The MS-ISAC's funding was cut from an annual budget of $27 million to a fee-based membership model due to the defunding. The urgency for restored funding is underscored by the increasing volume and complexity of cyber threats faced by these organizations. Key Points: • Sen. Warner's bill proposes $50 million annual funding for MS-ISAC to enhance cybersecurity. • MS-ISAC supports over 18,000 government organizations, crucial for protecting critical infrastructure. • Funding cuts in 2025 left many organizations vulnerable to cyber threats, prompting the need for restoration.

Detailed Analysis

**Impact** More than 18,000 state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) government organizations across the United States are affected, including public hospitals, public utilities, K-12 schools, and law enforcement agencies. The defunding of MS-ISAC has increased vulnerability to cyberattacks, potentially exposing critical infrastructure to foreign adversaries. The average cost of cyberattacks on SLTT governments ranges from $2.83 million to $9.5 million per incident, with some breaches incurring higher costs. The loss of federal funding disrupted free cybersecurity resources and monitoring, forcing many smaller and rural communities to bear unanticipated costs or lose access entirely. **Technical Details** The articles do not provide specific information on attack vectors, TTPs, malware, exploited CVEs, or infrastructure details related to incidents. The MS-ISAC’s services include cyber threat intelligence sharing, incident response support, endpoint protection, and protective DNS blocking an average of 3.3 million malicious domain requests per member annually. The defunding affected the interoperability and formal agreements between MS-ISAC and CISA, limiting coordinated defense capabilities at the federal and SLTT levels. **Recommended Response** Defenders should prioritize restoring access to MS-ISAC services, including threat intelligence sharing, endpoint protection, and protective DNS filtering. Organizations should monitor for increased cyber threat activity and maintain communication with federal and regional cybersecurity partners. Without specific technical indicators provided, defenders should focus on maintaining baseline cybersecurity hygiene and reporting incidents promptly to MS-ISAC or equivalent bodies once funding and support are restored.

Source articles (2)

• Sen. Mark Warner introduces bill to restore MS-ISAC funding, boosting federal cyber support ... — Statescoop · 2026-06-05
  Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced a bill Friday that would restore federal funding support to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and, in a letter sent to Department of Homeland…
• Defending Americas Critical Infrastructure — www.cisecurity.org · 2026-06-05
  The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) provides vital cybersecurity services to more than 18,000 state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) government organizations suppor…

Timeline

• 2025-03-01 — MS-ISAC funding cut announced: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem partially defunded MS-ISAC, impacting $8.3 million of its budget.
• 2025-09-01 — CISA declines to renew MS-ISAC agreement: CISA's decision ended the formal collaboration with MS-ISAC, affecting threat intelligence sharing.
• 2026-06-05 — Warner introduces cybersecurity funding bill: Sen. Warner's bill aims to restore MS-ISAC funding to $50 million annually to bolster cybersecurity efforts.

Related entities

• Ransomware (Attack Type)
• Government (Industry)