Cybersecurity services for central, regional and local governments
Increase your cyber resilience to protect sensitive data
> Industries > Public Sector > Central, regional and local governments
20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Expert in BIO, NIS2 and other regulations.
Dozens of government agencies and independent governing bodies as clients.
Within the public sector, information security and data protection are critical. Many organizations in this sector manage large amounts of privacy- and fraud-sensitive data. This data must be well protected from the standpoint of confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA).
Protecting public data is not an easy task. The attack surface is large. Hackers can attack public information systems from different angles, with a variety of targets. Cybercriminals force victims to pay ransom or use data to blackmail people. Others may simply want to expose confidential data to the public. Nation states are also active: to influence elections or frustrate society in another country or continent. There are many serious threats against which public organizations must defend themselves.
Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity has the knowledge and experience to address these challenges with you. We perform research into the backbone of Dutch government IT and help keep the Netherlands cyber-secure.
How do we secure the public sector?
Human
Recent serious cases of phishing and social engineering are proof that organizations are still vulnerable to the human factor. Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) increasingly recognize the need to address the human factor through continuous attention. Employees access important data and exchange files brimming with confidential and or privacy-sensitive data.... Many times they have the knowledge and are aware of security issues, but getting them to actually behave that way requires an applied security awareness and behavior program.
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HOW TO SECURE THE PUBLIC SECTOR?
PEOPLE
Security is a matter of people, processes and technology. Recent major cases of phishing and social engineering prove that even established organizations are still vulnerable to weak human factors. Organizations with Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in charge of security must face the reality that the human factor needs constant attention. Employees access important data, exchange files containing confidential data. They may even be knowledgeable and aware of security issues. However, getting them to behave accordingly requires a comprehensive security awareness and behavior program.
PROCESS
From a process perspective, an Information Security Management System (ISMS) is required by law. Most of these are based on processes and controls as defined in ISO 27001. The Dutch government uses the "Baseline Information Security Overheid" (BIO), schools and universities rely on SURF guidelines , and Dutch healthcare providers use NEN 7510 as a baseline for information security. It is important to have these systems in place and act accordingly. Especially when it comes to sensitive public data, annual assessments are required for DigiD / ENSIA / Suwinet / VIPP / NVZ / NEN 7510. As well as up-to-date privacy/GDPR/DPIA agreements.
TECHNOLOGY
When it comes to technology, public organizations use a wide variety of systems and technologies. From legacy legacy systems, applications and infrastructure to software hosted by a cloud service provider and mobile apps, each of these may contain undiscovered vulnerabilities that need to be (pen)tested. Our Red Team thoroughly assesses security in both information technology and operational technology environments (for building, bridge and traffic management). Even with SIEM/SOCs, these systems cannot be blindly trusted. For the common good, it is important that these systems be continuously tested and monitored.
Maurice House Sessions
Annually, we host our Mauritshuis Cyber Sessions where we join government agencies to discuss relevant topics currently in play within cybersecurity in the public sector. Would you like to attend these as well? Let us know using the form below.
HONORABLE WORK
Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity employees working on government projects usually make a conscious choice to do so. A survey of our employees revealed the following motivations:
- Employees describe their work on behalf of the government as socially relevant because it affects the security of the Netherlands as a whole, rather than individual companies.
- Employees feel proud to work on government projects - they also use the word "honorable.
- Working on government projects is more challenging because it involves more customized systems.
One of the Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity pentesters put it this way, "I'd rather prevent a state actor from flooding part of the Netherlands or stealing the identities of thousands of people than uphold a company's reputation. Her colleague added, "The variety of work is enormous: from trash garbage can sensors to supercomputers. And, "The fact that a document can be made public through the Freedom of Information Act makes the work extra challenging. It requires a good understanding of the administrative and social context in which our clients conduct business.
Get in touch
Want to learn more about cybersecurity services for your organization? Fill out the form and we will contact you within one business day.
Why choose Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity
Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity is your expert partner in cybersecurity. We help organizations identify risks, strengthen defenses and comply with cybersecurity standards and regulations. Our services cover people, processes and technology, ranging from awareness training and social engineering to security advice, compliance and penetration testing.
We operate across IT, OT and IoT environments, supporting both digital systems and connected products. With over 300 cybersecurity professionals worldwide, we combine deep technical expertise with a global presence. Bureau Veritas Cybersecurity is part of the Bureau Veritas Group, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification.