Jane Edwards
A new Unisys survey has found that 59 percent of federal information technology executives said they think IT modernization programs at their agencies have led to a rise in security challenges.
Unisys said Wednesday it commissioned research firm Market Connections to poll 200 IT leaders at federal civilian and defense agencies and found that 43 percent of them graded government modernization programs “satisfactory†or assigned lower grades when it comes to efforts that seek to build up cybersecurity.
“The results of this survey tell us that many federal agencies may not have adequate staff and resources to manage security challenges in today’s more complex and modernized IT environments, which in our view explains the feedback about modernization efforts exacerbating security challenges,” said PV Puvvada, president of Unisys’ federal systems business.
“To achieve successful digital transformation, agencies must make security a priority and embark on projects that enhance security at the core, as well as boost operational efficiency to meet mission-critical goals,” added Puvvada, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2017.
The survey also showed that 62 percent of respondents said they consider cybersecurity as their top priority for IT modernization over the next year and that 47 percent cited the federal acquisition process as a concern as their agencies work on tech modernization programs.
Forty-six percent of surveyed individuals said they think regulatory mandates and deadlines result in a “check-the-box” approach to IT compliance.
