Event recap: VITA Security Services Fair – preemptive cybersecurity
At the June Security Services Fair, attendees explored a future vision of the Commonwealth where preemptive cybersecurity measures are implemented to strengthen preparedness and resilience.
VITA's 2026 Security Services Fair series theme is Envision and Empower. These in-person, quarterly events provide agency partners with the opportunity to learn about VITA's current security focus or how agencies can optimize their own security systems.
Held onsite at VITA, the customer-facing event emphasized the importance of anticipating security and data breaches rather than passively reacting to them. Speakers urged agencies to consider compliance only the baseline and go beyond the minimum requirement to ensure effective cybersecurity.
Key points on preemptive cybersecurity highlighted by Commonwealth security and risk management (CSRM) and Office of Data Governance and Analytics (ODGA) included:
-
Keeping in mind that AI requires a delicate balancing act of benefits with potential risks
-
Taking advantage of preemptive measures like using COV Ramp to conduct cloud security assessments
-
Strengthening communication and accountability within agencies to achieve state-wide goals of cybersecurity
-
Continued agency cooperation in alignment with the Zero Trust threat defense model
We look forward to future events covering ways VITA can empower and inform agencies.