As public sector leaders navigating today’s cybersecurity climate, it can be difficult to know where to start. Most of us are familiar with the basics, we complete audit checks, carry out mandatory training, and tick the compliance boxes.

But with attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, and new government guidance calling for more modern, streamlined approaches, the question is clear:

Are your processes simply preventative, or are you building a truly resilient organisation?

Why Defence Alone No Longer Works

A quick glance at the news shows how even large, well-established organisations are falling victim to this new wave of cyberattacks. These incidents are not only more frequent but also more disruptive, causing outages and supply chain issues that can last months and threaten critical infrastructure. In response, the UK Government is raising the bar with new standards, such as the proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, urging public sector organisations to go beyond traditional defence. The priority is building strategies that anticipate, withstand, respond to, and recover from attacks, embedding true resilience across the organisation.

Modernising Systems & Tackling Legacy Infrastructure

The nature of the public sector is that overtime organisations merge, change and evolve however often the technology and systems used don’t keep up pace. Many teams are left managing outdated systems, fragmented infrastructure and legacy tools adding unnecessary complexity which can slow the shift to modern cybersecurity. A more effective approach starts with a comprehensive review of existing systems and engagement with key stakeholders to identify challenges and vulnerabilities. Collaborating with suppliers helps assess the benefits of both cloud and security technologies. These insights should inform the development of a strategic improvement plan, rather than treating cloud adoption as a one-size-fits-all solution.

Building a Security Focused Culture

Human error remains the biggest vulnerability in any organisation. That’s why building a culture of resilience is such a critical part of your cybersecurity strategy. This starts with ongoing staff training, equipping people with the latest knowledge and skills to play their part in protecting the organisation. Just as importantly, it requires strong leadership buy-in. Cybersecurity can no longer sit solely with the IT team; it must be embedded into the culture of the entire organisation.

Managing Supply Chain Risk

In today’s workplace, organisations rely on numerous external partners, many of which handle your data, connect to your systems, or even access your premises. The proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, specifically identifies third-party suppliers as a key risk and introduces legislation to mitigate it. It’s essential to conduct regular supplier assessments and maintain clear visibility of who has access to what within your organisation. This oversight is key to ensuring your teams can adequately prepare and respond to cyber threats without being blindsided by unknown weak spots.

Rethinking Access & Identity Security

Adopting a zero-trust approach, combined with multi-factor authentication, strong identity and access management, continuous monitoring, and regular reviews, helps ensure that only verified users can access your systems. As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, continuously authenticating and re-authenticating users is essential for maintaining organisational resilience. Beyond security, these solutions also provide staff with seamless access to applications and workflows, while contributing towards mitigating unknown threats. By combining robust authentication with user-friendly integrations, organisations can strengthen security without compromising productivity.

Resilience in Action

As we know, cyber incidents are inevitable, which makes defence-only approaches insufficient. Having well-defined processes in place for when an incident occurs ensures your organisation remains resilient. Frameworks such as the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) provide a solid foundation to help organisations strengthen and demonstrate cyber resilience in relation to their most critical functions. Partnering with experts who can design organisation-specific plans ensures you stay one step ahead of potential threats.

Building a Future-Ready Public Sector

The shift from defence to resilience requires cultural, technical, and strategic change, none of which happen overnight. However, you can begin taking meaningful steps today to secure the future of your organisation. By following best practices and implementing tailored strategies, you can modernise systems, strengthen security, and future-proof your organisation against evolving cyber threats.