Cybersecurity that connects agencies, institutions and communities
Whole-of-state is a collaborative approach to cybersecurity that strengthens defenses across the entire state ecosystem. Instead of securing state entities in isolation, it uses a shared framework to coordinate resources, standardize tools and align policies. The result is cybersecurity that protects agencies, institutions and the communities they serve.
Governments that take a whole-of-state approach can reduce risk, streamline operations and respond to threats more effectively. A focus on interoperability between new and legacy systems means they can also modernize securely. Beyond technology, whole-of-state cybersecurity builds a culture of trust and shared responsibility, helping attract talent and sustain momentum for initiatives.
Top considerations for adopting a whole-of-state cybersecurity strategy
Basics and Breakthroughs: How State and Local CISOs Can Walk the Line
How do I get started with whole-of-state cybersecurity?
Many governments are still navigating how to adopt a whole-of-state approach to cybersecurity. Our experts guide the process, from building consensus and shared policies to designing governance models and technology plans. Through a phased approach, we help clients align stakeholders, define a unified vision and establish frameworks that strengthen cybersecurity across the entire state ecosystem.
Labs and learning paths to accelerate adoption
Whole-of-state cybersecurity requires more than strategy alignment. For adoption to take hold, teams need practical experience with how security capabilities work across technology vendors and operating environments. Our labs and learning paths allow teams to gain a hands-on understanding of how solutions relate to the top areas of concern driving whole-of-state initiatives.
States are seeing a significant increase in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as bad actors increasingly target service availability as a way to disrupt public trust. Mitigation requires traffic management tools like DDoS protection and next-generation firewalls to ensure service continuity.
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Unpatched systems and misconfigured cloud environments weaken overall security posture. Regular vulnerability scanning, patch management, extended detection and response (XDR) and visibility tools help maintain resilience and visibility.
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- Tanium Proving Ground Lab
- Armis: To Catch a Hacker Lab
- Armis OT Security Learning Path
- Armis Foundation Lab
- SentinelOne Endpoint & AI SIEM Foundations Lab
- SentinelOne XDR Learning Path
- CrowdStrike and Zscaler Private Access Integrated Lab
- CrowdStrike Proving Ground Lab
- CrowdStrike EDR Learning Path
- Palo Alto Cortex XDR Proving Ground Lab
- Palo Alto Cortex XDR Learning Path
- Cisco XDR Foundations Lab
- Cisco XDR Learning Path
Excessive permissions and unmanaged third-party access can lead to data misuse. Zero trust network access (ZTNA), identity and access management (IAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and cloud access security broker (CASB) solutions enforce secure access controls.
Start learning:
- Zscaler Internet Access, CrowdStrike, and Okta Integration Lab
- Zscaler Zero Trust Lab
- CyberArk Privileged Account Management Lab
- Identify & Access Management with CyberArk Learning Path
- Okta Foundations Lab
- Okta Essentials Learning Path
- Identity & Access Management (IAM) Learning Series
- Zscaler Data Protection (SASE/Endpoint) Lab
- Zscaler Internet Access: Secure Brand SSE (SASE Lab Series)
- SASE - Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA)
Ransomware and system downtime can result in significant data and operational disruption for state and local agencies. Vaulting, backup, and recovery solutions are key to ensuring cyber resiliency and rapid restoration of services.
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Interactive training is critical to cybersecurity readiness across state and local organizations. The WWT Cyber Range provides IT practitioners with real-world, gamified scenarios that help them build the skills they need to be confident in day-to-day operations. By standardizing training and elevating cyber maturity across agencies, leaders can get teams moving in the same direction, a key success factor in whole-of-state adoption.
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