North Dakotans should be able to have secure access to high-speed Internet, though many do not, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said Friday in Grand Forks.
“When almost 80 percent of North Dakotans living on tribal lands still lack access, we are only exacerbating the pervasive poverty that has plagued many of these communities,” Heitkamp told community, cybersecurity and educational leaders.
The senator continued to push her Strong & Safe Communities Initiative, a campaign she launched in September as a way to address emerging challenges North Dakota residents face. Friday’s discussion focused on collective efforts to encourage cyber safety and increase access to high-speed Internet in the state.
Almost 40 percent of rural North Dakota residents lack access to high-speed Internet, Heitkamp said, adding that number doubles on tribal lands and puts those communities at an economic disadvantage.
She also said leaders cannot ignore the threat of cybersecurity breaches, bringing attention to the North Dakota University System and Anthem Inc., the second largest health insurer in the nation.
NDUS has taken steps to increase its cybersecurity after three breaches in an eight-month period, including one which left the records of about 15,000 students and faculty at the North Dakota State College of Sciences exposed in early October.
Hackers also broke into Anthem’s database between Dec. 10 and Jan. 27 to possibly steal individual and dependant information. The company sent letters to more than 27,000 North Dakotans and 300,000 Minnesotans who were affected by the recent data security breach.
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