A regional health organization, dedicated to delivering healthcare services to Indigenous communities in Western Canada, faced increasing cybersecurity challenges.
The Challenge
As their reliance on digital tools and cloud platforms grew, so did their recognition of the need for stronger governance and enhanced security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure service continuity.
The Opportunity
As the organization expanded its use of cloud-based services, the complexity of managing cybersecurity increased. Their internal teams were already stretched thin, dealing with staffing shortages and the challenges of balancing multiple IT priorities.
Key concerns included:
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Governance + clarity of roles: Ensuring clear responsibilities for managing security and IT operations across teams.
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Data protection: Safeguarding sensitive healthcare information while meeting national compliance regulations.
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Operational resilience: Strengthening their infrastructure to prevent cyber threats and minimize disruptions to critical healthcare services.
Considering these challenges, the organization sought to elevate its security posture while ensuring that its healthcare services would remain uninterrupted and compliant with regulatory standards.
The Solution
Leveraging a longstanding partnership, Compugen worked closely with the health organization to develop a tailored security strategy that addressed their specific challenges. By focusing on governance best practices, data protection, and operational resilience, Compugen implemented a comprehensive solution to improve the organization’s cybersecurity framework.
Key elements of the solution included:
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Implementing data protection policies to ensure compliance with national standards for safeguarding sensitive healthcare information.
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Conducting regular governance reviews, including:
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Monitoring non-global administrator role assignments weekly.
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Restricting external data sharing.
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Reviewing account provisioning activities.
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Auditing threat protection status on a weekly basis.
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Rolling out advanced security controls across critical platforms to safeguard data and operations.
The Outcome
The impact of the security enhancements was immediate and measurable. By the end of the project, the organization had seen significant improvements in key areas:
- Elevated Security Posture: The organization’s security score rose from 41% to 77%, a dramatic improvement that reflected enhanced risk management and governance.
- Minimal Service Disruption: Despite the sweeping changes, there were almost no service desk complaints during the implementation of tenant-wide security settings. The phased rollout ensured minimal operational disruption to healthcare staff.
- Data Protection Enhancements: The deployment of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies provided coverage for sensitive healthcare information, aligned with Canadian compliance regulations. This was particularly crucial in managing data security risks.
- Operational Resilience: Governance structures were strengthened through best practice recommendations, such as biweekly reviews of user and guest access and regular reviews of cloud app usage and account provisioning. These measures ensured that the organization could monitor and manage potential threats more effectively.
By implementing a robust cybersecurity framework, the health organization is now better equipped to protect sensitive data, mitigate risks, and maintain service continuity. The security posture improvements, backed by clear governance practices, have positioned the organization to focus on its mission: delivering critical healthcare services to Indigenous communities.
The Relationship
Compugen’s ability to deliver a seamless and effective security solution was supported by a partnership that spanned over a decade. Initially, Compugen worked with the organization to provide IT hardware and services, but over the years, the relationship evolved from vendor to trusted Technology Ally. This alliance helped Compugen meet the organization’s growing digital and security needs.
A major milestone in the relationship came in 2011, when Compugen supported the organization through the implementation of a secondary data center to address the fallout from the WannaCry virus.
This long-standing relationship allowed Compugen to approach the organization’s cybersecurity challenges with a deep understanding of their infrastructure and long-term goals. The trust built over the years enabled a solution that was both comprehensive and tailored to their unique needs.
Explore Compugen’s insights on Canada's Bill C-26 and its implications for cybersecurity in our C-26 Perspective Paper. Learn more about how Compugen can help protect your organization at Compugen Security.
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