local government

Secure and resilient operation of cities, municipalities and regional authorities

Cities, municipalities and regional authorities provide services used every day by residents, organisations and businesses. Their operation increasingly depends on the availability of information systems, communication infrastructure, data, digital services and external technology suppliers.

Local-government environments often consist of applications from different generations, separate administrative systems, extensive documentation, large numbers of user accounts and a diverse range of subsidiary or publicly funded organisations. The technological environment may be complex, while internal professional resources and budgets remain limited.

A cyber incident, failure of a critical application or the unavailability of a supplier may affect communication with residents, administrative procedures, financial processes, asset management and the delivery of other public services.

We help local-government organisations manage cybersecurity, technological, operational and regulatory risks as an interconnected whole. Our services include cybersecurity, compliance, sensitive information protection, risk management, information technology and digital transformation.

We design solutions with consideration for the size of the authority, the systems used, the organisational structure, available resources and the actual priorities of management and individual departments.

Cybersecurity of authorities and public organisations

Local-government information environments include administrative systems, financial applications, records-management systems, document repositories, communication infrastructure, endpoint devices, cloud services and systems operated by external suppliers.

We conduct security management audits focused on the actual effectiveness of technical and organisational measures. We assess system administration, access management, privileged accounts, remote access, updates, backups, the allocation of responsibilities and the organisation’s readiness to respond to security incidents.

The audit does not assess only the existence of internal policies. We also verify whether established rules correspond to actual operations and whether employees, management and external administrators are able to follow them.

Vulnerability assessments combine automated tools with expert manual verification of identified weaknesses. We focus on servers, communication infrastructure, web applications, endpoint devices and other parts of the environment whose compromise could affect service availability or information protection.

We can also test organisational resilience through controlled simulations of cyberattacks. Red Team Operations assess technological security, the ability to detect an attack, employee response and the effectiveness of established security processes.

The outcome is an overview of actual weaknesses and practical recommendations prioritised according to risk, potential impact and the complexity of remediation.

Management of user and supplier access

Authorities and their organisations use large numbers of user accounts, roles and permissions. Employees change positions, move between departments or leave the organisation. External administrators and suppliers also require access to the applications and infrastructure they support.

Inadequately managed permissions may result in users retaining access to information or functions they no longer require. Shared accounts, outdated administrator permissions and remote access without sufficient control also represent significant risks.

We help organisations establish rules for creating, changing, reviewing and removing user permissions. We assess the allocation of roles, management of privileged accounts, access granted to external suppliers and the way organisations regularly verify whether permissions remain appropriate.

The objective is to create a transparent system that reduces security risk without burdening employees and administrators with unnecessarily complex procedures.

Risk management and continuity of public services

Local-government organisations must be prepared for situations in which information systems, data, buildings, communication channels or the services of a critical supplier are temporarily unavailable.

The impact of an incident cannot be assessed solely according to the value of damaged technology. It is also necessary to consider restrictions affecting administrative procedures, communication with residents, financial processes, emergency management and services provided through subsidiary organisations.

We help cities, municipalities and regional authorities identify and classify assets, evaluate threats and vulnerabilities and establish risk-management priorities. We assess cybersecurity, technological, operational, supplier, regulatory, financial and project risks and their possible interdependencies.

A Business Impact Analysis identifies critical processes, their technological, personnel and supplier dependencies and the maximum acceptable duration of operational disruption.

Based on the results, we design Business Continuity Management and Disaster Recovery systems. We prepare responsibilities, communication procedures, recovery scenarios and practical plans for cyberattacks, infrastructure outages, data loss, the unavailability of a building or the failure of a major supplier.

Plans must reflect the actual operation of the authority and the capabilities of individual departments. We therefore focus on their practical usability, regular testing and continuous updating.

Readiness for security incidents

During a cyber or technological incident, it is necessary to quickly determine who evaluates the situation, who decides on the next steps and who communicates with management, employees, suppliers or the public.

Unclear responsibilities and missing contacts may prolong recovery and increase the impact of the event. Dependence on a single individual who alone understands a specific system or maintains contact with its supplier may also represent a serious risk.

We help organisations establish processes for identifying, reporting, evaluating and managing security incidents. We define roles, responsibilities, escalation procedures and communication between IT, management, individual departments and external partners.

Readiness can be tested through model situations and practical exercises. The organisation can therefore verify whether contacts, decision-making authority, communication channels and recovery scenarios are genuinely usable.

The objective is to create an effective incident-response system supporting rapid decisions, impact reduction and the secure restoration of services.

Protection of personal and sensitive information

Local-government organisations process extensive volumes of personal, financial, property-related, legal and operational information. Data is stored in administrative systems, records-management systems, databases, document repositories, email communication and paper documentation.

In addition to information concerning residents and employees, organisations also work with contracts, procurement records, asset information, technical infrastructure, emergency management documentation and internal administrative information.

We help organisations identify and classify sensitive information and establish rules for its processing, storage, sharing, archiving and secure disposal.

We review access permissions, information transfers between departments and organisations, the use of shared repositories and risks associated with unauthorised disclosure, modification, loss or theft.

We design technical, organisational and procedural measures corresponding to the actual value of the information and the potential impact of its compromise. Services may include the development of a data loss prevention strategy, information lifecycle management or the external provision of Data Protection Officer services.

We design information protection so that it supports the lawful and efficient operation of the authority without creating unnecessary obstacles for employees or residents.

Compliance and regulatory readiness

Cities, municipalities and regional authorities must comply with a wide range of legislative, regulatory, contractual and internal requirements. These apply to cybersecurity, personal data protection, document management, risk management, operational continuity and supplier relationships.

We assess the current state and help organisations determine which requirements apply to their activities and technological environment. We identify gaps and recommend specific measures required to achieve and maintain compliance.

We support the implementation of processes, responsibilities, control mechanisms, internal policies and related documentation. We also help prepare for internal and external audits and verify whether implemented measures operate effectively in everyday practice.

We connect compliance with the management of risks, information technology, incidents and suppliers. Organisations therefore do not need to address individual obligations separately, but can create a common and sustainable management system.

Supplier risk management

Local-government organisations depend significantly on external suppliers of information systems, infrastructure, cloud services, connectivity, technical support and specialised professional activities.

Suppliers may administer important applications, store data or have remote access to the authority’s systems. Security weaknesses, personnel changes or service outages on the supplier’s side may therefore directly affect the organisation’s operation.

We help identify critical suppliers and assess risks associated with their services. We review access permissions, remote support arrangements, the allocation of responsibilities, contractual conditions, security requirements and the supplier’s readiness to respond to an incident or outage.

Supplier risk management is integrated with the organisation’s overall risk-management system. This makes it possible to distinguish ordinary suppliers from partners whose failure could significantly affect the operation of the authority or the availability of public services.

The result is a more transparent overview of dependencies and the ability to focus controls on services with the greatest impact.

Information technology audit

Local-government IT environments often develop gradually according to the needs of individual administrative areas and departments. The result may be a complex environment with overlapping applications, multiple suppliers, unclear responsibilities and technologies with limited support.

We conduct IT audits focused on operational risks, performance, security, technical debt and the long-term sustainability of existing solutions.

We assess applications, infrastructure, data centres, cloud services, communication environments, endpoint devices and the way IT services are delivered. We also evaluate contractual and technological dependencies on suppliers and the possibilities for further development.

The outcome is an independent overview of the current state, identification of principal risks and recommendations for further action. The organisation therefore gains a sound basis for investment decisions, system modernisation and development priorities.

IT strategy and operating model

Technology decisions in local government must reflect the long-term needs of the authority, the development of digital services, available budgets and the organisation’s ability to manage the new environment.

We help prepare an IT strategy connecting management objectives, the needs of individual departments and the actual capabilities of the technological environment. We design a target enterprise architecture describing the relationships between processes, applications, data and technology platforms.

This may also include the design of an IT operating model. We help define the responsibilities of internal employees, external administrators and suppliers of individual applications and services.

We establish processes for managing requests, changes, incidents, assets and supplier services so that the organisation has a better overview of responsibility for individual parts of the environment and the way operational problems are resolved.

The objective is to reduce dependence on individuals, improve control over suppliers and create an environment that can be developed and maintained over the long term.

Digital transformation of public and internal processes

Digital transformation in local government includes services for residents, administrative and financial procedures, document management, approval processes, asset management, communication between departments and cooperation with subsidiary organisations.

The implementation of a new application does not automatically result in a more efficient process. Unless the solution is integrated with existing systems and data, it may merely create additional administration, duplicate records and new dependencies on suppliers.

We help organisations analyse current processes and determine which activities should be modernised, automated or more effectively connected through data. We design target processes, workflows and integration solutions corresponding to the authority’s requirements.

We support the implementation of digital platforms, application solutions, DMS and ECM systems and electronic document-management tools. This also includes the establishment of data governance rules, responsibilities for data and requirements concerning data quality, availability and protection.

The objective is to simplify the work of employees, improve access to information and enable residents to use services with a lower administrative burden.

Preparation of procurement procedures

The selection of an information system or technology supplier is a long-term decision that may affect the organisation’s operation for many years. An inadequately prepared specification may result in bids that cannot be compared objectively or a solution that does not meet the authority’s actual requirements.

We help prepare functional and technical specifications, procurement documentation and requirements relating to security, integration, operational support and future development.

We support organisations when evaluating bids and assessing proposed architecture, licensing conditions, operating models and dependence on individual suppliers.

Our objective is to create a clear and technologically neutral specification corresponding to the organisation’s requirements and enabling a solution to be selected according to its actual quality, sustainability and total cost.

Project management and expert supervision

Digital transformation and technology projects often affect the work of multiple departments, external suppliers and existing information systems. Without clear management, projects may experience scope changes, delays, unclear responsibilities and difficulties during the transition into operation.

During implementation, we provide project management and expert technical supervision. We monitor compliance with requirements, architectural consistency, security parameters, integration with existing systems and alignment with the organisation’s long-term objectives.

We help coordinate communication between management, users, internal IT and suppliers. We continuously identify project, technical and operational risks and recommend how they should be addressed.

Support may also include the preparation of acceptance criteria, review of delivered documentation and arrangements for transitioning the system into routine operation.

The objective is to ensure that the organisation receives a solution corresponding to the specification while retaining control over its management, future development and operating costs.

Support for subsidiary and publicly funded organisations

Cities, municipalities and regional authorities often establish organisations with different sizes, activities and levels of technological security. Individual schools, cultural institutions, social-care facilities and other organisations may use their own systems, suppliers and security procedures.

This diversity makes central risk management more difficult and creates an environment in which it is challenging to obtain a complete overview of technologies, information and supplier dependencies.

We help establishing authorities create a common framework for managing security, risks, incidents and suppliers. The scope of requirements can be adapted to the size and importance of individual organisations so that the system is not disproportionately demanding for smaller entities.

This may also include a common methodology, baseline security standards, regular risk assessments and support in addressing shared technological or organisational issues.

The result is a better overview of the entire environment and the ability to focus resources and investment on the organisations and services of greatest importance.

Comprehensive support for local government

Cybersecurity, compliance, information technology and digital transformation cannot be addressed separately in local government. A new digital service may change the way personal data is processed, an external administrator may create a significant security dependency and changing an administrative system may affect service continuity.

Comsec combines expertise from individual areas and develops solutions corresponding to the size of the organisation, its structure, the technologies used and available internal resources.

Cooperation may include a one-off assessment of a selected area, resolution of a specific security or technological issue, preparation of a procurement procedure, support for a digital transformation project or long-term professional cooperation.