Partnering with a Cellular Carrier to Help Protect Public Sector Data

Public sector agencies collect, manage and transmit highly sensitive data, making cybersecurity a priority. That’s why it’s important to choose a partner who provides you the maximum level of security.

Most cellular carriers have security measures in place to protect consumer, prepaid and government devices. But having a mobile device manager (MDM) on your public sector device is critical.

MDM allows an agency to control what gets used on a device and can block information transmitted to a government-issue device. If a device is hacked or used inappropriately, a government agency can be held liable, so MDM allows sensitive data to be controlled—typically be an IT department or person.

As federal, state or local measures are implemented, MDM gives an agency full control of whatever measure gets put into place. Tik Tok is a really good example. Even though it's federally banned, it's up to the state and local agencies to enforce it, which can be difficult if a mobile device manager is not in place. You would then either have to trust your users to take the necessary safety measures or implement some other policy that emphasizes not downloading or using that application.

But without a mobile device manager, you leave devices unprotected for hackers. Anyone attempting to infiltrate an agency or department would have a better opportunity for success over an agency that uses a mobile device manager.

There have been a number of examples, from a security risk standpoint, that we have seen like ransomware and ransom attackers. Hackers infiltrate either a data system through devices like a computer or a mobile device and gain access to extremely personal information that they will hold for ransom. If agencies don’t pay, hackers distribute that information. We have seen both scenarios where an agency has paid and regained their content and also where they have not and where the ransom attackers have distributed that information publicly.

So, there's a reason why, from a government perspective, layers of security measures are so important.

There are multiple organizations that provide managed services to public sector customers and private entities, with options to write security policies and layer them in through technology in accordance with agency standards.

Implementing appropriate security measures can prove even more difficult for smaller or more rural agencies. Let’s say you’re a small-town sheriff. You may use MDM, but you don’t know how to protect your team and you have no full-time IT person. I tell these smaller government agencies to call on their cellular carrier to implement security policies—whether coaching or guiding a team to use it, or letting their partner manage these services for them.

Most cellular carriers offer services so that a local or small agency doesn’t have to physically do anything. They just have to communicate to the managed services partner to adjust the technology policies on their devices. 

UScellular^® works closely with government organizations to implement safety standards and provide CIPA compliance for education agencies and HIPAA compliance for medical organizations, for example. We help manage standard or customized protections to execute higher standards of security that protect government employees. And we help you take a proactive measure to prevent cyber-attacks. You’re also able to demonstrate that you are following in alignment with the Freedom of Information Act, should documents or information from a user's device be requested.

To implement a security solution, speak with your local government account representative, visit Mobile Device Management or phone 866-616-5587.