Security Considerations When Choosing a Public Sector Software

Nearly every day brings another news report of an organization being hit by a data breach or ransomware attack, and those incidents can be costly. In mid-2022, for example, a small Canadian town was the victim of a ransomware attack that locked administrators out of critical systems. Hackers gave the town a deadline by which to pay to have their systems unlocked or else see the data published online.

Although security experts were able to regain control of their systems without paying a ransom, such attacks can still be costly. According to IBM’s latest annual cost of data breach report, for example, the global average cost of a data breach has hit a record high of $4.35 million, up nearly 13% over the last two years.

When considering an investment in public sector software, organizations need to ask three critical questions:

Does the Software Use Cloud-Based Technology?

Although public sector agencies have the perception that their critical data and the data of their community are safer when they can touch and feel the servers on which that data is stored, the opposite is true. Most cloud providers follow best practices when it comes to security, actively taking steps to protect server security and performing the latest software security updates.

Where Is Your Data Being Stored?

If a public sector organization stores data on site and the community experiences a disaster, it may find itself unable to access that data for days, weeks, or even forever. A hurricane or tornado, for example, may result in a long-term power outage that may hamstring an organization’s ability to access information, while a fire in the building where those servers are stored may lead to the complete destruction of that data. Cloud servers, on the other hand, store multiple backups of critical data offsite, meaning that data is accessible no matter what’s happening in the community.

How Do Employees Access Data?

Although requiring multiple passwords or complicated login procedures may seem as if security is enhanced, the opposite may be true. If passwords are too difficult to remember, staffers may instead write them on a sticky note and tack them on the wall of their cubicle for all to see. Instead, a single sign-on and user-management launch point simplifies the login process and eliminates the hassle of remembering multiple passwords.