Govplace Insights
Security & Compliance

In today’s interconnected world, data breaches and regulatory non-compliance pose significant risks to organizations. With nearly 30 years of experience in federal space, we at Govplace understand the importance of implementing robust approaches to safeguard sensitive information and ensure regulatory adherence.

Staying Abreast of Regulatory Requirements

At Govplace, we understand that compliance with industry regulations and standards is a top priority for organizations operating in multiple sectors. It is of outmost importance to regularly monitor and stay updated on applicable regulatory requirements, establishing robust processes to ensure ongoing compliance and maintaining accurate records to demonstrate adherence during audits. It is important to engage with a trusted advisor specializing in security and compliance to augment your organization’s capabilities. Listed below are some ways we develop strategies for increasing your agencies security posture and establishing compliance practices in enterprise environments:

Conducting Comprehensive Risk Assessments

A thorough understanding of potential risks is fundamental to designing effective security and compliance frameworks. We begin by conducting comprehensive risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and evaluate potential threats. This process can involve analyzing both external factors (such as evolving cyber threats) and internal factors (including data access controls, employee training, and physical security).

Developing Strong Security Architectures

Implementing a robust security architecture forms the backbone of an effective security program. This involves implementing a multi-layered defense strategy, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and data encryption mechanisms. Additionally, adopting advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and respond to emerging threats in real-time.

Enforcing Strong Access Controls

Controlling access to sensitive data is crucial in mitigating the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. Implementing strong access controls involves enforcing least privilege principles, where employees are granted access only to the data and systems they require to perform their duties. Incorporating multi-factor authentication (MFA) can add an extra layer of security, making it significantly harder for malicious actors to gain unauthorized access. 

Implementing Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response

Building a strong security posture goes beyond preventive measures. Continuous monitoring is essential to identify and respond to potential threats promptly. By implementing security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, organizations can centralize log data, monitor network traffic, and detect anomalies or suspicious activities. Additionally, establishing an incident response plan that outlines the steps to be taken during a security incident is crucial for minimizing the impact of breaches and ensuring a swift response. 

Conduct Regular Employee Training and Awareness Programs

Employees are often the weakest link in the security chain. Human error, such as falling victim to phishing attacks or mishandling sensitive data, can lead to severe security breaches. Developing comprehensive training programs is key to educate employees about the latest security threats, best practices for data protection, and the importance of compliance. It is important to regularly reinforce these training efforts and conduct simulated phishing exercises to assess employee readiness.

A Proven Process

As mentioned in our Observability and Cloud Solutions articles, our process closely relates to a DevSecOps process. DevSecOps has been a cultural shift which began decades ago and today has stood the test of time for organizations of all sizes, from the smallest to the largest. It aims to solve problems which exist in engineering, building, securing, maintaining, and improving technical environments. In a future blog we’ll step deeper into the detail behind this process, but to summarize: 

Discover
Our proven process begins with design thinking. This allows our team to fully understand the challenges of an existing process, application, or environment as well as the needs of new ones. Discovery is asking questions, gathering data, and leveraging tools to enrich that data.
Observe
Observation is key to providing actionable insights. Production applications under load may require changes to their scalability. Data may see new access patterns. Unforeseen issues may arise. Environments may need tuning down. Observation is the way in which these optimizations can be identified and applied to any environment.
Verify
A final round of testing is performed again to ensure that any changes made between the previous round of testing and implementation are accounted for. Testing will also confirm that mission objectives are achieved as expected.
Implement
Portions of the environment are implemented on a rolling schedule based on the plan.
Test
The environment is tested automatically by tools and by any specified tests created in the planning phase.
Build
Our team begins building the environment to the specifications required by the plan. We leverage the Well Architected Framework and implement automation such as using a CI/CD pipeline for Infrastructure as Code.
Plan
We develop a comprehensive plan which includes stakeholder inputs, goals, metrics for success, tests, timelines, design, and implementation plans. The plan is developed to minimize the overall impact to the agency.
  • Discover – Our proven process begins with design thinking. This allows our team to fully understand the challenges of an existing process, application, or environment as well as the needs of new ones. Discovery is asking questions, gathering data, and leveraging tools to enrich that data.
  • Plan –
    We develop a comprehensive plan which includes stakeholder inputs, goals, metrics for success, tests, timelines, design, and implementation plans. The plan is developed to minimize the overall impact to the agency.
  • Build –
    Our team begins building the environment to the specifications required by the plan. We leverage the Well Architected Framework and implement automation such as using a CI/CD pipeline for Infrastructure as Code.
  • Test –
    The environment is tested automatically by tools and by any specified tests created in the planning phase.
  • Implement –
    Portions of the environment are implemented on a rolling schedule based on the plan.
  • Verify –
    A final round of testing is performed again to ensure that any changes made between the previous round of testing and implementation are accounted for. Testing will also confirm that mission objectives are achieved as expected.
  • Observe –
    Observation is key to providing actionable insights. Production applications under load may require changes to their scalability. Data may see new access patterns. Unforeseen issues may arise. Environments may need tuning down. Observation is the way in which these optimizations can be identified and applied to any environment.

What it Means to Choose Govplace

Long pedigree in working with federal agencies

  • Over 30 years of experience in the Public Sector
  • Advanced Partnership levels with leading Solution Providers

Security & Compliance Expertise

  • Management of critical CDM and HACS capabilities
  • Risk Assessment and Management
  • Development of Plans, Policies and Procedures

Solutions tied to compliance and regulation such as:

  • FedRamp 
  • CIS 
  • NIST CSF 
  • NIST 800-53 
  • HIPAA 
  • PCI DSS

Solutions built with modern frameworks:

  • Well Architected Framework 
  • Zero Trust 
  • DevSecOps

Solutions built using Infrastructure as Code (IAC)

  • Codifies the environment for consistency
  • Self-documents the environment for clear documentation
  • Increases the speed of deployments or changes
  • Eliminates configuration drift
  • Enables DevSecOps processes for peer review, static analysis, and best practice linting

Our Security & Compliance Offerings

Our expertise lies in offering tailored solution architecture, expert tool selection, seamless integration of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies, and actionable insights from leading technical experts to meet continuously changing federal mandates. Our modern security solutions are specifically designed to safeguard agencies against an ever-evolving threat landscape, detecting and preventing malicious activity, and ensuring ongoing compliance. At Govplace, we understand the unique needs of our customers and are committed to delivering unparalleled solutions that are tailored to their needs

  • Continuous Diagnostics & Mitigation Design

  • Identity Access Management

  • Endpoint Security & Response

  • Network Security

  • Cloud Security

  • Security Operations Center Solutions

  • Threat Intelligence, Analysis & Protection

  • DevSecOps

  • Risk Assessment

  • ATO Support

  • Continuous Diagnostics & Mitigation Design

  • Identity Access Management

  • Endpoint Security & Response

  • Network Security

  • Cloud Security

  • Security Operations Center Solutions

  • Threat Intelligence, Analysis & Protection

  • DevSecOps

  • Risk Assessment

  • ATO Support

In today’s ever-evolving threat landscape and stringent regulatory environment, adopting strong approaches to security and compliance is non-negotiable for enterprise environments. By conducting comprehensive risk assessments, developing robust security architectures, enforcing access controls, implementing continuous monitoring, staying compliant with regulations, conducting regular employee training, and partnering with a trusted advisor, organizations can fortify their defenses and safeguard sensitive data effectively. Remember, building a strong security and compliance foundation requires continuous effort, adaptation, and a commitment to staying ahead of emerging threats and regulatory changes. Reach out to partners like Govplace to analyze and implement strong security controls across your whole organization.

Speak with The Team!

Reach out to schedule an appointment with one of our certified engineers to discuss your technical environment’s most pressing challenges.

CONTACT US

About Govplace

At Govplace, our approach to design and implement secure IT transformation solutions is driven by our dynamic, people-first culture, allowing us to deliver unparalleled end-user experiences and mission-focused impact for our Federal Government customers. We possess an expansive portfolio of contracting vehicles to deliver integrated product and service solutions. Guided by a deep understanding of government contracting and reputable expertise of leading technologies, solutions and strategic partnerships, our capabilities cover Security and Compliance, Cloud Solutions and Observability.

Media Contact
Gabriela Miranda
Marketing Manager
gmiranda@govplace.com