What CyIT Does and How South Carolina Uses It for Cybersecurity

CyIT is South Carolina's statewide cybersecurity incident response team

CyIT stands for Cyber Incident Team, and it is the state agency responsible for responding to cyberattacks and security breaches affecting South Carolina's government systems, critical infrastructure, and sometimes private organizations. When a ransomware attack, data breach, or other cyber incident occurs, CyIT coordinates the response—investigating what happened, containing the damage, and helping affected agencies or businesses recover.

CyIT operates under the South Carolina Office of Information Security, which sits within the state's Department of Administration. The team works with federal partners, law enforcement, and private-sector security experts to track threats, share intelligence about attacks happening across the state, and help organizations understand what they are facing and how to respond.

The team also works before incidents happen, offering guidance on how to prevent attacks in the first place. This includes security assessments, training, and recommendations for how to harden systems against common threats like phishing emails and unpatched software vulnerabilities.

Key Takeaways

• CyIT responds to cyberattacks and data breaches affecting South Carolina government systems and critical infrastructure, and sometimes assists private organizations.
• The team investigates incidents, contains damage, and helps organizations recover and report to law enforcement when needed.
• CyIT also provides preventive services including security assessments, vulnerability scanning, and staff training to reduce the risk of attacks.
• You can report a suspected cyber incident to CyIT through the South Carolina Office of Information Security, which coordinates the response.

How CyIT responds when an attack happens

When a government agency, school district, hospital, or other organization discovers a cyberattack or breach, the first step is to notify CyIT and law enforcement. CyIT then deploys a response team to the affected organization to assess the scope of the incident—what systems were compromised, what data was accessed, and whether the attacker is still inside the network.

The team works to isolate infected systems, preserve evidence for law enforcement investigation, and help restore clean backups so the organization can resume operations. Throughout the process, CyIT coordinates with the FBI, the Secret Service, and other federal agencies if the incident involves critical infrastructure or crosses state lines. They also advise on whether and how to notify the public or affected individuals, depending on what data was exposed.

CyIT maintains a secure communication channel for reporting incidents. Organizations can reach the South Carolina Office of Information Security to report suspected breaches or attacks. Response time depends on the severity of the incident and the resources available, but CyIT prioritizes threats to critical infrastructure like power systems, water treatment, and emergency services.

Preventive services CyIT offers to reduce attack risk

Beyond responding to active incidents, CyIT helps organizations reduce their risk of being attacked in the first place. The team conducts security assessments for state agencies, identifying weaknesses in networks, systems, and processes. These assessments often include vulnerability scanning—automated tests that look for unpatched software, weak passwords, and other common entry points attackers exploit.

CyIT also delivers cybersecurity training to government employees and contractors. This training covers how to recognize phishing emails, how to handle sensitive data securely, and what to do if you suspect a breach. Many cyberattacks succeed because someone clicks a malicious link or opens an infected attachment, so staff awareness is a critical layer of defense.

The team publishes alerts and advisories when new threats emerge or when vulnerabilities are discovered in widely used software. These notifications help organizations patch systems quickly before attackers can exploit the weakness. CyIT also shares threat intelligence—information about attack patterns, malware signatures, and attacker tactics—so other organizations can watch for the same threats.

Who CyIT works with and what they coordinate

CyIT does not work alone. The team coordinates with multiple partners including the FBI's Cyber Division, the U.S. Secret Service, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and state law enforcement. When an incident involves a ransom demand, extortion, or theft of data, law enforcement takes the lead on the criminal investigation while CyIT focuses on technical recovery.

CyIT also works with private-sector security firms and technology vendors. When a state agency is hit by a sophisticated attack, CyIT may bring in outside experts to help with forensics or recovery. The team maintains relationships with major software and hardware vendors so they can get patches and technical support quickly during an incident.

For critical infrastructure—power companies, water utilities, hospitals, and telecommunications providers—CyIT coordinates with sector-specific information sharing organizations and federal agencies. These partnerships help ensure that threats affecting one utility or hospital are quickly communicated to others so they can strengthen their defenses.

What to do if you suspect a cyber incident

If you work for a South Carolina government agency, school, or other public organization and suspect a cyberattack or data breach, the first action is to isolate affected systems from the network if possible—unplug the computer or disconnect it from Wi-Fi to prevent the attacker from spreading further. Do not shut down the system unless instructed to do so, because that can destroy evidence.

Contact your organization's IT department or security officer immediately. They will escalate the incident to CyIT and law enforcement. Provide as much detail as you can: when you first noticed something wrong, what systems or data appear to be affected, and whether you received any unusual emails or messages before the problem started.

If you work for a private business or nonprofit and experience a cyberattack, you can contact the South Carolina Office of Information Security to report it. While CyIT's primary mission is protecting state systems, they can provide guidance and may be able to connect you with federal resources or private incident response firms. You should also contact local law enforcement and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to report the incident.

How CyIT fits into South Carolina's broader security strategy

CyIT is one part of South Carolina's approach to cybersecurity. The state also has the South Carolina Information Security Office, which sets policies and standards for how government agencies protect data and systems. CyIT implements those standards and responds when they are breached.

The state has also established a Cybersecurity Advisory Council that brings together government, private industry, education, and law enforcement to share information and coordinate defenses. This council helps ensure that threats affecting one sector—like a ransomware attack on hospitals—are quickly communicated to other sectors so they can prepare.

South Carolina also participates in the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), a national network that shares threat intelligence across states. When a new malware variant or attack pattern emerges in another state, South Carolina learns about it quickly and can warn its own agencies and critical infrastructure operators.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I report a cyberattack or data breach to CyIT?

Contact the South Carolina Office of Information Security through your organization's IT department or security officer. If you work for a government agency, your IT team will know how to reach CyIT. For private organizations, you can reach out to the Office of Information Security directly, though CyIT's primary focus is state systems. You should also report to local law enforcement and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Does CyIT help private businesses that are attacked?

CyIT's primary mission is protecting South Carolina government systems and critical infrastructure. However, the team can provide guidance and may connect private businesses with federal resources or incident response firms. If your business is part of critical infrastructure—like a utility or healthcare provider—CyIT is more likely to provide direct support.

What should I do if I receive a suspicious email at work?

Do not click links or download attachments from emails you do not recognize or that seem unusual. Report the email to your organization's IT department or security team. They can analyze it safely and determine whether it is a phishing attempt. Many cyberattacks start with a single employee clicking a malicious link, so reporting suspicious emails helps protect your entire organization.

How long does it take CyIT to respond to an incident?

Response time depends on the severity of the incident and CyIT's available resources. Threats to critical infrastructure like power systems or emergency services are prioritized. For less critical incidents, response may take longer. When you report an incident, CyIT will give you an estimate of when a team can arrive or begin remote support.

Can CyIT prevent all cyberattacks?

No organization can prevent every attack. CyIT reduces risk through assessments, training, and threat intelligence, but attackers are constantly developing new techniques. The goal is to make attacks harder and more expensive, and to detect and respond to incidents quickly when they do occur. This is why both prevention and response capabilities matter.