Most people prefer government and technology services that are fast, reliable, and unobtrusive  in their lives. Yet, both governments and technology providers have a responsibility to do what matters and serve their citizens and customers in a way that is secure.

Cybersecurity sits at the intersection of technology and government . Not just as part of the IT department defending against data breaches, but in every aspect of technology government agencies rely on.

Because of competing agendas and constraints in budgets and staff – especially around the pandemic – investment in cybersecurity has fallen off for many public sector organizations. A paucity of money and skills is left to the CIO to manage, and the IT team is in danger of having to bring a knife to a gun fight.

What if that knife was a Swiss army knife, capable of deploying all kinds of clever tools and gadgets that might avert a stand-off against a well-armed foe? And what if you discovered you already have that knife in your pocket?

Government and public service agencies running on the Microsoft platform do indeed have hidden tools and gadgets at their disposal. When deployed, the built-in features and setting within Microsoft technologies can bolster security without a lot of extra investment and third-party solutions. And, once you’ve deployed all the features you already own, you can prioritize and optimize investments in the solutions and people you need to create an environment that is fast, safe, and unobtrusive.

Part of the fun of getting a new Swiss army knife is figuring out what all the different gadgets are for. (That thick pointy thing with the hole in it? Turns out that is meant to be a big needle, for seaming tarps or sacks. Who knew.) But how many of us turn to the knife for its primary use – maybe deploying the scissors or corkscrew every now and again – and leave lots of potential in our pockets?

So, it is with Microsoft and cybersecurity. Except all the features and tools are not folded into one neat package, they are deployed throughout the platform. Having a trusted partner to go through your systems and look at things through a security lens has several benefits.

1. Microsoft partners like Avanade know the capabilities of each solution. Our work with the full Microsoft suite – both collaborating on its development and implementing with organizations of various sizes and goals – accelerates our ability to see what’s possible and make the changes to deploy underutilized tools.
2. Examining systems can uncover cost savings and efficiencies. How often have you gone in search of something and found yourself saying, “Wow! I forgot I had this.” Or “Why in the world do I still have this?” In that same way, combing through systems for security features might also uncover unused licenses or apps and data cluttering up the system and eating up budget on licensing fees.
3. Knowing exactly what you have and what you need helps you do more with less. Amidst budget constraints and staffing shortages, everyone is looking for ways to work smarter. For governments seeking to improve their cybersecurity, this is a good path to start down.

Make no mistake—cybersecurity demands immediate and thoughtful attention. According to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023 Insight Report developed by World Economic Forum and Accenture, “91% of all respondents believe that a far-reaching, catastrophic cyber event is at least somewhat likely in the next two years,” and 43% of organizational leaders foresee a cyberattack within the next two years will “materially affect their own organization.” The public sector is already under siege, as the number of attacks targeting the public sector increased 95% for the last half of 2022 compared to 2021.

Our objective is to help government agencies rethink and respond to their cybersecurity needs, rather than react when things go wrong. Get in touch to learn more and take a read of our new point of view: Flip the switch on cybersecurity.