Virginia orders plans to address artificial intelligence cyber threats

Virginia will make plans to prevent cyberattacks involving artificial intelligence (AI) and respond if they happen. The state will also send an independent team to check connected state computer systems for security weaknesses, The Center Square reported.

Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered these steps in Executive Directive 6, which she signed on Friday. The directive does not say how much the work will cost or when it must be completed. The order comes after a review by state lawmakers on October 13 found gaps in how Virginia oversees the government's use of AI.

The secretary of public safety and homeland security must create a Cyber Consortium. This group must develop a statewide plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks and another plan to make important computer systems more secure. Separately, the state's AI Task Force must send an independent team to review privacy and security. Spanberger said AI agents made by Anthropic had sent fake Freedom of Information Act requests through the Virginia Department of Education's website. Officials understood that no sensitive information had been accessed.