The Need for Modern Data Protection
Why Public Sector Data Is a Prime Target
Public sector data is a prime target for cyberattacks due to the sensitive nature of the information it holds, including personal identification details, health records, and critical infrastructure data, as well as the visible role many agencies play in the everyday lives of citizens. As is true in the commercial sector, so too in the government sector, the increasing digitization of government services has expanded the attack surface, making robust data protection essential.
Adding to the challenge is the growing complexity of data sovereignty laws, which dictate how and where data must be stored and managed. For example, regional regulatory requirements like FedRAMP in the U.S., GDPR in the EU, or specific data protection laws across EMEA and APAC enforce stringent standards for compliance. This means public sector organizations adopting cloud services must ensure that their cloud service providers (or SaaS platforms) meet these requirements, as non-compliance can lead to legal penalties, reputational damage, or potential loss of public trust.
The Limitations of Traditional On-Premise Infrastructure
On-premise IT infrastructure can pose significant risks for public sector organizations if not properly secured. Traditional data protection solutions, which are part of this infrastructure, have been targeted by ransomware actors because they provide the only means by which an organization can recover or respond to a ransomware attack. According to a 2024 Sophos report:
99% of state and local governments hit by ransomware reported that threat actors attempted to compromise their backups.
51% of attempts to compromise backups were successful in state and local governments
The challenge facing many organizations today is that traditional, on-premises data protection approaches require a secure-by-implementation approach. It is incumbent on the organization to understand how to configure and monitor the security of this environment.
Additionally, maintaining these infrastructures often leads to high operational costs and frustrating inefficiencies. For agile, forward-thinking public sector organizations, the shift to the cloud is more than an upgrade; it’s a requirement for a future with stronger data security.
Challenges of Cloud Adoption in the Public Sector
Public sector organizations, including those in government, have been moving to cloud at a pace almost on par with other sectors of the economy. One common question is whether you should follow the same approach when moving core infrastructure and security services like data protection to the cloud. Do you work with a service provider to transition an existing application or service to the cloud and leverage an infrastructure-as-a-service model? Or do you seek to leverage either a different cloud computing model, such as SaaS? The following are key considerations that public sector organizations must evaluate when adopting cloud services:
Regulatory Compliance: Public sector organizations operate under strict regulations and data protection laws. Meeting standards like FedRAMP can be daunting and requires partnering with cloud providers that demonstrate proven compliance capabilities.
Data Security and Privacy: Protecting sensitive government data is a critical priority. Robust security measures are essential to safeguard against breaches and unauthorized access, ensuring data remains private and secure.
Legacy System Migration: Transitioning outdated infrastructure to the cloud is often complex. Challenges such as compatibility issues, extended timelines, and technical hurdles frequently arise when migrating legacy systems.
Data Sovereignty: Legal and operational requirements may mandate sensitive data stay within specific geographic boundaries, adding complexity to cloud adoption, and requiring careful planning to address sovereignty concerns.
Vendor Lock-In: Overreliance on a single cloud provider can limit flexibility and pose risks if the organization needs to switch vendors. This challenge underscores the importance of maintaining strategic options and avoiding long-term dependency. Does your provider offer the ability to store or move data to another cloud?
Budget Constraints: Although cloud solutions can offer significant cost savings over time, you should differentiate between “lift-n-shift” solutions, which can require migration, implementation, and training, to SaaS based solutions, which offer a more fully-managed solution.
Skill Gap: Many public sector teams lack the technical expertise to manage and implement cloud technologies effectively. Bridging this gap requires significant investments in workforce training and upskilling.
Internal Resistance to Change: Cultural resistance to adopting new technologies is a common challenge in the public sector. Success often depends on effective change management strategies and clear communication to align stakeholders.
Tailored Solutions: Despite these challenges, the right cloud provider can transform the process. Providers with expertise in public sector needs can deliver customized solutions that ensure compliance, address security concerns, and facilitate seamless migration.
How and who helps you address these challenges will be determined by the type of cloud computing model you adopt. With the right strategy and partner, public sector organizations can unlock the full potential of cloud technology to drive efficiency, security, and innovation.
Druva A Cloud-Native Solution for the Public Sector
According to Forrester’s Total Economic Impact (TEI) report, Druva customers have seen a 224% return on investment (ROI) and experienced a complete solution payback within just six months. For example, the State of California achieved a 10.5x increase in global storage savings and reduced backup management complexity by 50% after implementing Druva. These improvements enabled seamless service delivery while minimizing costs. Read the full story
Druva delivers cloud-native data protection and cyber resilience tailored to the unique needs of the public sector with established government partners, such as Carahsoft in the US and Softcat in the UK. Built on a secure, scalable, and fully SaaS-based platform, Druva simplifies even the most complex IT environments, ensuring robust data protection, top-tier compliance, and the ability to recover quickly from cyber threats. Learn more about how Druva empowers public sector organizations with cyber resilience: Read the blog.
Public sector organizations must comply with stringent regulations like FedRAMP Moderate, FIPS 140-2, and StateRAMP certifications. Druva’s platform is designed to meet these benchmarks, but also exceed them, ensuring that data is both secure and in line with national and regional legal requirements. Explore Druva GovCloud.
Why Druva?
Ransomware Protection: Advanced AI mechanisms detect and mitigate ransomware attacks before they impact operations.
Cross-Cloud Backup: Ensure seamless data availability by enabling disaster recovery across multiple cloud providers.
Global Deduplication: Reduce storage needs by identifying and removing duplicate files, leading to cost savings and efficiency gains.
Automated Storage Tiering: Optimize data storage by automatically categorizing data based on usage, minimizing storage costs without compromising accessibility.
With Druva, public sector organizations can proactively address their IT and data protection challenges while setting themselves up for future growth.
Key Benefits
Cost Savings
Transitioning to Druva’s cloud-native solution for the public sector eliminates the need for expensive on-premise infrastructure and its associated maintenance costs. By reducing total ownership cost (TCO) by up to 40%, Druva enables the reallocation of resources toward other mission-critical projects.
Enhanced Security
Ransomware attacks can cripple public services and erode public trust. Druva’s comprehensive security infrastructure provides robust defenses to prevent breaches and ensures mission continuity even during a crisis.
Compliance Made Easy
Staying compliant with strict regulations often requires dedicated teams and tools. Druva simplifies this process with automated compliance reporting, helping organizations pass audits with ease.
Scalable and Efficient
Whether it’s safeguarding data for a small municipal office or a nationwide government agency, Druva’s cloud platform scales to meet demand without sacrificing performance or security. Its intuitive interface ensures efficient data management tailored to the specific needs of government and education sectors.
Expert Insights on Public Data and Protection
Predictions From the Experts
Data security and accessibility are evolving at a rapid pace. A Druva-sponsored State of Cybersecurity 2025 report highlights that public sector organizations prioritize proactive measures against ransomware and adaptive compliance frameworks. Lighthouse, a Druva partner, further emphasizes how cloud-native solutions reduce eDiscovery costs and minimize downtime during litigation events.
Strategic Takeaways
Incorporating AI-driven solutions like Druva ensures faster detection and response to cyber threats.
Automating data management is a long-term, cost-saving strategy that reduces manual labor and human error.
Transform Your Public Sector Operations With Druva
Smooth public service operations hinge on secure and efficient IT infrastructures. Druva offers cyber resilience for public sector data and the tools organizations need to modernize, protect, and scale their operations without compromise. Druva helps government and SLED organizations prevent and protect against cyber attacks, while securing data, minimizing downtime, and reducing TCO by up to 40%. By adopting Druva’s cloud-native solutions, public entities can reduce costs, enhance security, and lay the foundation for a resilient digital future.
Want to see Druva in action? Request your free demo today and start your organization’s transformation. Request a Demo
