Strengthening cybersecurity in the public sector: how MDR and XDR help

In an increasingly interconnected digital landscape, safeguarding sensitive data and critical infrastructure has become a key concern for companies and institutions active in the public sector. As the threat landscape continuously evolves, adopting a proactive cybersecurity strategy is crucial to protect yourself against the growing number of sophisticated cyberattacks.

The synergy of managed detection and response (MDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) approach offers a robust defence mechanism against a multitude of cyber threats, ensuring real-time threat detection and response. In this article, we will have a closer look at a couple of sectors in the public domain and delve deeper into the significance of MDR and XDR when it comes to successfully tackling cyber threats, meeting European compliance regulations, and adhering to ISO 27001 standards.

Protection of our treasures of knowledge: Education and cybersecurity

In educational institutions, protecting student data, research findings, and academic resources is paramount. Especially with the NIS2 (Network and Information Systems) directive coming into force, education sectors must ensure comprehensive cybersecurity measures. The exposure of sensitive data in educational institutions has made them an attractive target for cybercriminals. In 2022, the education sector experienced a 44% increase in cyberattacks when compared to 2021.

Maastricht University (Netherlands), the University of Hertfordshire (United Kingdom), Howard University (United States), the University of California (United States) and Michigan State University (United States) are all examples of educational institutes that fell victim to cyberattacks in recent years.

The combination of MDR and XDR offers schools and universities holistic visibility into both IT and laboratory environments, enabling early detection of threats that might originate from various endpoints. It consolidates security data from multiple sources, such as firewalls, endpoints and network devices, allowing you to create a unified view of your cybersecurity posture and respond proactively to potential threats.

Safely managing sensitive patient information: Healthcare and cybersecurity

The healthcare sector handles an abundance of sensitive patient information and confidential medical records. The NIS2 directive emphasises the necessity for robust cybersecurity to safeguard patient privacy and ensure continuous healthcare services. As healthcare organisations increasingly rely on interconnected medical devices and digital health records (e-health), the risk of cyberattacks on critical medical infrastructure becomes all the more severe. In 2023 alone, millions of people have already been affected by major healthcare data breaches. Personal health information (PHI) is more valuable on the black market than credit card credentials or regular personally identifiable information (PII). Therefore, there is a higher incentive for cybercriminals to target medical databases. For healthcare agencies, the average cost per stolen record is $355.

Using the complementary features of MDR and XDR allows hospitals and other healthcare providers to enhance threat visibility and respond promptly to potential breaches. MDR improves your incident response and threat-hunting capabilities because it allows you to quickly assess and contain cyber incidents, minimising the impact on government operations and citizen services.