Securing Digital Government: Addressing five common security challenges for local government organizations

1. Limited Budgets and Resources:
   • Solution: Prioritize security investments based on risk assessments. Focus on critical systems and data first. Consider collaborating with other local governments to share resources and costs. Explore grant opportunities or public-private partnerships to fund security initiatives.
2. Legacy Systems and Infrastructure:
   • Solution: Develop a plan for modernizing outdated systems and hardware. Migrate to more secure platforms and regularly patch and update software. Isolate legacy systems from the rest of the network to limit exposure to vulnerabilities.
3. Data Protection and Privacy:
   • Solution: Implement strong data encryption practices. Develop and enforce data protection policies. Comply with relevant data protection laws, such as GDPR or HIPAA, depending on the type of data you handle. Conduct regular data privacy impact assessments.
4. Insider Threats:
   • Solution: Implement role-based access controls to restrict access to sensitive information. Conduct employee training on security best practices and the importance of reporting suspicious activities. Monitor user activity and implement auditing mechanisms to detect unauthorized access.
5. Cybersecurity Awareness and Training:
   • Solution: Develop a cybersecurity training program for employees and contractors. Train staff to recognize phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics. Conduct regular security drills and simulations to prepare for potential incidents.

In addition to these challenges, local government organizations should also consider the following best practices:

• Incident Response Plan: Create a robust incident response plan to handle security incidents effectively. Define roles and responsibilities, establish communication protocols, and conduct regular tabletop exercises.
• Collaboration and Information Sharing: Collaborate with other local government organizations and law enforcement agencies to share threat intelligence and best practices. Join or create regional cybersecurity alliances.
• Cloud Security: If using cloud services, ensure that proper security measures are in place, such as data encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments.
• Third-Party Vendors: Assess the security practices of third-party vendors and contractors who have access to your systems or data. Ensure they meet your security standards.
• Regular Audits and Assessments: Conduct regular security audits and assessments to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your systems. Use the results to make necessary improvements.
• Public Awareness: Educate the public about the importance of cybersecurity and encourage them to report any suspicious activities related to government services.

Securing digital government is an ongoing process that requires vigilance and adaptability. Local government organizations should stay informed about the latest cybersecurity threats and technologies to continuously improve their security posture.

How Can IP Consulting Help?

IP Consulting’s extensive security capability means we are uniquely positioned to meet your security requirements as an integral part of the network fabric, or through dedicated physical and virtual security appliances.

When developing a robust security architecture, it is helpful to think of a cyber attack as a continuum containing three main phases. IP Consulting has developed the simple mnemonic BDA, which represents the phases of before, during, and after an attack.

Before?

This is the phase where most security investment takes place and includes the deployment of defensive capabilities such as firewalls and anti-malware. It is vital to understand that defensive controls, while important, will be breached, and so investment should be spread more evenly across the remaining phases.

During

This is the phase where most security investment takes place and includes the deployment of defensive capabilities such as firewalls and anti-malware. It is vital to understand that defensive controls, while important,

After

The final phase of the continuum is concerned with rapid remediation. It also includes forensic controls that can help identify how an attack occurred and which systems may have been affected.

When following the BDA model, it is important to deploy capabilities that span the entire attack continuum, focusing not only on defensive technologies but also on essential elements that support rapid identification, containment, and remediation in the event of a security incident.

As the network represents the fabric of interconnectivity, it is uniquely positioned to deliver the increased visibility and control required to support rapid threat identification and containment. Technologies such as Cisco® NetFlow – a capability built into most Cisco network devices – provide real-time network telemetry revealing who is talking to whom, over what protocol, and for how long. Through careful analysis of this telemetry, unusual patterns of activity can quickly be identified and investigated. Such patterns include excessive one-way data transfer, which could be evidence of data being stolen, or data being transmitted between internal systems and Internet-based machines that are located in suspicious places.

Having a managed service provider like us is like hitting the “easy button” on securing your network and ensuring timely updates for your operating systems. It’s a peace-of-mind solution that allows you to focus on your core operations, knowing that your network is in expert hands.

If you’re not already working with a managed service provider, now is the perfect time to consider it. Contact us today, to discuss how we can enhance your network’s security and efficiency while giving you the peace of mind you deserve. Your network’s security is our top priority, and we’re here to make it as seamless and secure as possible.

We have earned the trust of various organizations that consider information technology a crucial asset in the Commercial Midmarket, State and Local Government, Education (SLED), Enterprise, and Federal sectors. Learn how the right solution saved the City of Lowell a fortune in this case study.