FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA‘ Doing more with less’ Michael explains that Fairfax County, as a local authority, has had to do‘ more with less’ when it comes to funding. In order to maximise cybersecurity impact across the region, Michael says the organisation has had to drill down on strategy.
“ When resources are limited and they often are in local government, success comes down to focus, discipline and leadership alignment,” he says.“ We start by being strategic. We don’ t try to do everything at once. We prioritise the highest-impact areas, identity, access, resilience and visibility and ensure our investments are scalable, sustainable and aligned to our overall enterprise architecture.
“ Every dollar has to count, so we focus on capabilities that reduce risk across the board, not just point solutions.”
The county also makes sure to emphasise strong governance and accountability, viewing its cybersecurity programme as an integral part of the county’ s overall risk management strategy.
“ By embedding cybersecurity into procurement, budgeting and executive planning, we ensure that protection is baked into how we operate, not bolted on after the fact,” Michael explains.“ Collaboration is another key lever. We actively engage with regional and national partners, tap into threat intelligence sharing and participate in joint planning and exercises. That kind of coordination amplifies our internal efforts and gives us a clearer picture of what’ s coming over the horizon.”
To set itself apart, Fairfax County has also built a culture of ownership,
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