VEGA Consulting Services Ltd - Securing the Future > In Focus > Connecting to Secure Government Networks > LGC Survey

• Improving Data Handling
• UK National Security Strategy
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• Information Superiority
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• London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Safety and Security Strategy
• Managing Efficiency
• Connecting to Secure Government Networks
  • Government Secure Intranet (GSI) Connectivity
  • GCSX Connectivity
  • Gaining Compliance and Connectivity to Secure Government Networks
  • LGC Survey
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  • Secure Government Networks - Case Studies
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VEGA/LGC survey considers data security measures in local government

The express objective of the UK Government’s transformational agenda is to deliver improved public services efficiently – namely to do more with less. With information technology cited as being essential to achieving these efficiencies and improvements, securing the data being shared should be viewed as a strategic business enabler at board level.

 

And yet recent years have seen a spate of high profile data breaches which have caused public commendation of government and instigated a comprehensive review of Government security practices.

 

In light of such public criticism and ahead of the Information Commissioner’s Office new powers to fine organisations for any data breaches, VEGA commissioned the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) to carry out an independent survey of its readership to find out how well prepared front line government services were to meet the growing information assurance challenges.

 

The survey was of particular interest to VEGA, having worked extensively on the Government Connect programme which has established a private, secure, managed network for English and Welsh Local Authorities to share sensitive information online, quickly, easily, accurately and in real time. VEGA played a crucial role in assisting all Local Authorities throughout England and Wales in analysing and proving security compliance, to achieve technical configuration and initial take-up of the programme’s secure GCSx network.

 

The survey looked to understand:

 

• How important information security was viewed in enabling joined-up government
• If information security was seen as important to delivering improved services and cost efficiencies
• The level of seniority at which information security was managed
• The level of awareness of the latest security policy
• The steps organisations are taking to meet information security challenges
• How Local Authorities have responded to any recent data breaches

 

The results of the survey were published in the 22 April edition of LGC and make for interesting reading. There was a clear indication of just how common data breaches are, as well as awareness the latest security policies varies across Local Authorities. The results showed that although some Local Authorities are taking commendable steps to ensure the correct security policies are adopted, there is still much that can be done to improve the way in which sensitive public data is shared and stored.

 

You can read a PDF version of the full data security survey article, or register for the full survey report.

 

For more details about the survey and its results, please contact Mark Gunning at VEGA.