Alan Lawrence, vice president of federal at Dell Technologies‘ (NYSE: DELL) Boomi business, said government agencies should shift their focus from maintaining legacy information technology systems and applications to advancing IT modernization to improve data security, employee and customer engagement and mission outcomes.
“Data has become a valuable asset and protecting it requires a modernized approach to security that reflects the changing threat landscape,” Lawrence wrote.
He said agencies should protect government data from phishing attacks by determining individuals who need access to certain data and providing access to users when required.
“That strategy requires recognizing that all data is not created equal. Agencies should understand the data they have and the level of importance of different data — and tailor their security plans accordingly,” Lawrence said.
He also noted how the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could help agency employees improve interactions with citizens and focus on more complex tasks.
Lawrence called on agencies to work with cloud providers that have certification under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program and have credibility and stability in the market. He also reminded them to “always avoid letting their data travel through outside systems.”
