2024 - Honorable Mention for Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts

The Government Operations and Key Infrastructure Toolkit (GO-KIT) is a proactive cybersecurity solution designed to help Washington State County Election Offices swiftly and securely restore critical election operations in the event of a cyber incident. By establishing a logically separated, trusted network, the GO-KIT ensures continued access to essential election systems, even if a countys primary network is compromised. Developed by the Washington Office of the Secretary of States Information Security and Response Division (ISR), the GO-KIT was created in response to real-world cyber threats, including a 2023 ransomware attack that disrupted a countys election operations. The solution prioritizes rapid deployment, affordability, and ease of use, particularly for counties with limited IT resources. ISR maintains six fully operational GO-KITs that can be deployed statewide, while counties can also procure their own kits using election security funding provided by the Office of the Secretary of State. The initiative has been widely adopted and continues to strengthen Washingtons election security, ensuring resilience against evolving cyber threats and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process.