About
OCS provides strategic direction for cybersecurity and protects the state government network from growing cyber threats. The office's team of cybersecurity experts, detect, block and respond to cyberattacks on state networks. The office helps prevent and mitigate threats before they can cause significant damage.
In addition, OCS works with state, local government and military agencies to build more secure networks and has teams that can respond to help state agencies deal with cyber threats.
Our office also is working to make everyone more aware of cyber threats through educational outreach, holding public forums and providing tips and advice about how to stay safe online.
Our Vision:
To make Washington state a national model for cybersecurity, building a secure digital environment that fosters a culture of security awareness, public trust, and supports the seamless operation of state services in a connected world.
Our Mission:
The Office of Cybersecurity is dedicated to safeguarding Washington State's information assets through comprehensive standards, proactive measures, and services designed to minimize cyber-attack impacts and enable operational continuity.
State Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Gwen Gann
Gwen Gann serves as Washington state’s Chief Information Security Officer, leading the State Office of Cybersecurity at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). In this role, she helps set the strategic direction for cybersecurity across state government and works with agencies and partners to strengthen Washington’s security posture, manage cyber risk and protect the systems and information Washingtonians rely on.
Gann brings more than 30 years of technology leadership experience across healthcare, financial management and health and human services organizations.
Before joining WaTech, she served as technology director at HealthFirst and previously spent more than six years as Chief Information Officer at Public Partnerships. Throughout her career, she has led technology organizations, built and strengthened security programs, managed complex technology environments and focused on using technology to improve organizational resilience and service delivery. Gann holds a Master of Business Administration from Clark University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and pre-law from Washington State University.
As State CISO, she is focused on collaboration, accountability and building a strong culture of security across Washington state government.
Directory of OCS services:
- Security Operations Center: The OCS Security Operations Center, using a suite of enterprise platforms works to proactively identify threats and alert agencies. The OCS Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) works with impacted agencies to determine the severity of the incident and assist with remediation and restoration of services. Contact: SOC@watech.wa.gov.
- Cybersecurity Risk Assessment: This service targets the need for a consistent, repeatable assessment methodology. Organizations use cybersecurity risk assessments to identify, estimate and prioritize risk resulting from the operation and use of information assets. The purpose of cybersecurity risk assessments is to inform decision-makers and support risk responses by identifying the potential impact of a threat exploiting an information system. Contact: ocs@watech.wa.gov