Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has signed a new executive directive aimed at combating cybersecurity threats. The new directive will implement cybersecurity guidelines first put forward by President Obama and attempt to protect sensitive information.
The Governor’s directive makes Virginia the first state to take executive action to ensure that consumer protection goals established by President Obama are adopted in the Commonwealth.
The directive will push state agencies to update and use new payment card technology that includes greater safeguards against skimming and fraud. Under the terms, state agencies will have until December of this year to have new payment cards with advanced chip security.
Upgrading payment card systems in the state will impact cards used by government officials as well as earned benefit programs and prepaid cards issued by the state.
“We must partner with the federal government, the private sector and other states to push innovation and adoption of enhanced electronic payment technologies – by our agencies, our merchants and our citizens – to help reduce credit card fraud. This directive will ensure the highest level of security for transactions conducted between citizens and state agencies,” the Governor said in a statement.
