Data can be a powerful tool for driving informed decisions to drive modernization and improve customer experiences. However, optimizing data accessibility while prioritizing cybersecurity can be challenging. To overcome these challenges, leaders from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Maximus came together in a recent GovExec webinar to discuss strategies for balancing data accessibility and cybersecurity. Here are the top three takeaways that all federal agencies can implement to balance data access and cybersecurity.
- Upskilling Workforce to Understand Data Literacy
In 2019 the Evidence Act was signed into law and established the idea of data-driven decision making, treating data as an asset. Since then, federal agencies have looked for ways that they can optimize data accessibility while prioritizing security. Scott Beliveau, Director of Enterprise Data Architecture and Chief of Enterprise Advanced Analytics, Office of the CIO at the USPTO, explained how data literacy training can help employees to gain a better understanding of data as an asset.
“A lot of the activity that we’ve been doing within the USPTO … [is upskilling our employees] to understand data literacy, the role of data within the organization, [and] … the role of protecting that particular asset,” he said. Educating employees on data literacy helps to ensure the protection of data assets and gives them the ability to better utilize data to improve constituent services, modernization efforts, and mission outcomes.
- Building Data Architectures Supported by Zero Trust
There are many federal initiatives that have been driving the conversation on which data architecture is best, such as the executive order to advance Zero Trust. Sunil Pentapati, Vice President of Technology Strategy and Solutions at Maximus, explained how his team is researching use cases for what type of data architecture best supports these initiatives. While there are many use cases around using a centralized data lake, there are some newer processes, such as using a data fabric or data mesh, that show potential. Each method has its own strengths and capabilities for supporting different analytical workloads to support data-driven decision making.
Pentapati explained that Zero Trust plays a critical role in an agency’s ability to share data securely. Zero Trust enables agencies to prioritize identity, data, and application protection while optimizing visibility and accessibility. By integrating Zero Trust when building data architectures, agencies can build scalable, interconnected systems “… and create these open architectures that allow these agencies to … [securely] expose the data, knowing that enough controls are in place so that it cannot be misused,” he said.
- Developing Products at Scale with DevSecOps
When developing and deploying products, agencies should integrate cybersecurity and data governance methodologies from the beginning. Otherwise, agencies run the risk of deploying products and data elements that are vulnerable to exploitation. Pentapati discussed how DevSecOps can play an important role in an agency’s ability to manage risk.
“For you to really embrace the concept of developing these products at scale with security built in, you need to have a well-structured approach to how you develop, deliver, deploy, and make these products available to your customers,” Pentapati said. “The biggest challenge in each of these layers is the handshakes between various systems, handshakes between various users, and the handshakes between various products.” With DevSecOps, agencies can standardize operational processes and use automation to streamline processes in a way that optimizes cybersecurity and data access.
Data plays a key role in an agency’s ability to drive mission success. By implementing these strategies for balancing data accessibility and cybersecurity, agencies can deploy products that meet modernization expectations and improve user experience.
To learn more strategies for balancing data accessibility and cybersecurity, watch the full webinar here.