Mississippi Businesses Confront Growing Cybersecurity Threats

Experts warn AI-powered attacks and cloud vulnerabilities pose major risks, call for proactive, risk-based security programs

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:22am

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Businesses across Mississippi are facing a surge in cybersecurity threats, from consumer-focused fraud to operational disruption, as AI-powered attacks and cloud vulnerabilities emerge as major risks. Industry leaders are urging companies to adopt proactive, risk-based security programs, strengthen workforce cybersecurity skills, and collaborate across organizations to address the evolving threat landscape.

Why it matters

Cybersecurity is a critical concern for businesses in Mississippi, as the state's ports, telecommunications networks, and other key infrastructure are vulnerable to cyber threats. Experts warn that the injection of AI into business processes and the widespread adoption of cloud technology have introduced new attack surfaces that many organizations are struggling to secure.

The details

According to Conrad Bell, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at C Spire, the most significant cybersecurity threats facing businesses in Mississippi fall into three broad categories: consumer-focused fraud, data compromise, and operational disruption. Bell noted that scams like phishing and account takeovers are becoming more sophisticated and automated, while attacks on critical infrastructure and supply chain vulnerabilities pose growing risks. Michel Medlin of Pileum, a cybersecurity consulting firm, emphasized the need for businesses to recognize cybersecurity as a core business enabler, not just an IT function, and to develop clear policies and governance around the use of AI-driven workflows.

  • In 2026, Forbes magazine reported that the year will be a pivotal juncture for cybersecurity.
  • In 2021, the Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) was created through collaborations between Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi National Guard, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Mississippi State University.

The players

Conrad Bell

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at C Spire, a telecommunications company in Mississippi.

Michel Medlin

Spokesman for Pileum, a cybersecurity consulting firm in Mississippi that has been pushing companies to recognize the need for proactive, risk-based cybersecurity programs.

Martin F. Rivera

Director of the Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI), a collaborative effort to address cybersecurity challenges in the state and position Mississippi as a leader in the field.

Kollin Napier

Executive Director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN), a group working to expand AI literacy, skills training, and applied use cases in the state.

Barrett Howell

Senior Vice President and Director of Strategy and Technology at Priority One Bank in Magee, Mississippi, who is focused on ensuring data breaches do not happen at the bank.

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What they’re saying

“The most significant threats we see today at C Spire fall into three broad categories: consumer-focused fraud, data compromise, and operational disruption.”

— Conrad Bell, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer

“Leadership at the board level needs to regularly be appraised of cyber risks to the organization in a way that makes it easy for them to understand and make good decisions about risk mitigation.”

— Michel Medlin, Spokesman

“MCI aims to be an economic development catalyst, leveraging collective expertise from academia, the private sector, law enforcement, state, federal, and local government, the Department of Defense, and the Mississippi National Guard to improve our state's cybersecurity posture.”

— Martin F. Rivera, Director of Mississippi Cyber Initiative

“The cybersecurity threats themselves are real, but the greatest risk I see is organizational readiness. Organizations are most exposed when they do not invest in workforce up-skilling, failure to modernize basic safeguards, or lack of clear policies for modern tools and workflows, including how AI-driven work is performed.”

— Kollin Napier, Executive Director of Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network

“As AI increases its cognitive reasoning abilities it will have the power to create attacks on infrastructure that has not been thought of by human beings. We are working to ensure that data breaches do not happen. We are providing training for our employees.”

— Barrett Howell, Senior Vice President and Director of Strategy and Technology

What’s next

The Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) and the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) will continue to work with businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions across the state to improve cybersecurity readiness and leverage AI technologies to enhance security measures.

The takeaway

Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical concern for businesses in Mississippi, with AI-powered attacks, cloud vulnerabilities, and a lack of organizational readiness posing significant risks. Experts emphasize the need for proactive, risk-based security programs, workforce upskilling, and cross-industry collaboration to address the evolving threat landscape and protect the state's key infrastructure and industries.