6 Essential Features of Secure Data Communication for UK Gov

For central government departments, the fallout from a data breach could be enormous. You could face legal repercussions, lose the public’s trust, and weaken the nation’s cyber resilience – a key focus of the UK’s Government Cyber Security Strategy.

To prevent these risks, government agencies should invest in these six secure data communication essentials.

1. A One-stop-shop for Secure Data Sharing

Many departments rely on homegrown legacy systems that are no longer fit for purpose, yet expensive to overhaul. Some even rely on multiple, disparate systems that leave data siloed and vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

To increase security, consider an outsourced solution that can handle your data sharing needs in one place – from email encryption to managed file transfer (MFT). It should also scale as your needs do with automated processes that free up time for your employees.

2. Full Oversight of Your Content and Communications

With large supply chains, central government agencies can be vulnerable to third-party risk. Monitoring and standardising how third parties handle data can be a challenge, with little control over who has access to what.

A centralised data sharing platform can reduce these risks by giving you full visibility of your vendor communication. You’ll have one hub to receive and send content, with greater control over its security standards and access.

3. Compliant with the Appropriate Regulation

Alongside being accountable to the public, governments are heavily regulated. Keeping up with regulatory responsibilities across departments can become a struggle, especially if legacy systems aren’t working together to provide oversight.

To streamline compliance, consider a secure data communication solution that is purpose-built for cross-department regulations like GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act. A solution that provides audit trails can also help you keep departments accountable.

4. Simplified Secure Data Communication

If your data sharing solutions are complicated, there’s a risk that some employees will sidestep them altogether, and leave your data vulnerable to cyber-attack.

You can prevent shortcuts like these by simplifying the process, but without compromising on security. Look for solutions that offer single sign-on and automated web forms that guide people through the process of accessing data, while making sure that only those with the correct permissions can do so.

5. Full Access Control

Governmental data can vary in volume and sensitivity across departments – from mission-critical weather data to personal health information. People without the correct authorisation mustn’t be able to access it, and neither should the provider of the platform it’s being shared by.

With digital rights management (DRM), you can share content without it ever leaving your digital environment. This helps you retain control, without blocking authorised people from accessing the data they need.

6. Automated Data Sharing Processes

Not all government data is sensitive, but it’s often mission critical. This requires a solution that can process and transfer high volumes of data quickly, without compromising on its security.

Additionally, it’s important to work with a solution provider that keeps your data sharing processes running smoothly as a priority. Consider providers with a tier 1 recovery and support service (with short response times) so that your data always gets where it needs to go.

Kiteworks: Secure Data Communication for Governments

With the Kiteworks Private Content Network (PCN), already trusted by two major UK government agencies, you can protect your data across communication channels and supply chains. With a variety of secure data communication features, from email encryption to managed file transfer, our PCN is a one-stop-shop. What’s more, we provide a tier 1 service with 24/7 support, an objective recovery time of under 15 minutes, and 99.99% availability.

To learn more about secure data sharing for central government departments, check out 4 UK government use cases for secure file transfer, complete with real-world examples of our PCN in action.