*By Fernando Mellone
Technology represents one of the fundamental pillars in government transformation. It is clear that investment in digitalization is crucial to achieving significant results in public administration. However, with the increased digitalization of initiatives and processes, there is also an increase in the number and complexity of cyber attacks, presenting significant challenges in managing this innovative environment.
These challenges are amplified by the persistence of obsolete legacy systems, which require more effective strategic investments. In this context, innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and observability emerge as promising solutions, capable of revolutionizing the management of IT networks and infrastructures by public bodies. By adopting these innovations, it is possible to develop more intelligent and adaptable systems, equipped to deal with the adversities and demands of the modern world. Gartner predicts that more than 70% government agencies will use AI to enhance human administrative decision-making by 2026.
Currently, one of the biggest challenges for government networks and systems is the dependence on traditional security solutions, which are limited to defending against predictable risks. In a volatile and constantly evolving global landscape, it is vital that governments abandon ineffective solutions against new and unforeseen threats. It is essential to adopt dynamic technologies that adjust to the digital environment and provide a complete understanding of IT networks and assets, anticipating potential attacks and automatically responding to incidents.
Full visibility is essential to understand vulnerabilities, identify existing problems, resolve and prevent them. In this aspect, AI and observability play a central role. By integrating these technologies, public agencies can proactively detect vulnerabilities and react to threats in real time. Observability offers a detailed analysis of the current state of systems or networks, using a wide range of generated data. In complex and distributed environments, such as those native to the Cloud, it allows you to proactively identify and resolve problems. With observability, unknown aspects are eliminated.
When combined with Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps), observability becomes even more effective. Using AIOps to monitor events in digital ecosystems, it is possible to automate various security processes, including application monitoring, threat intelligence and incident response. This approach is crucial to automatically identify patterns of occurrences and their causes.
Additionally, IT teams can quickly assess the impact of updates on systems and applications, anticipating and resolving incidents before they become noticeable to end users. This allows for more agile innovations and guarantees maximum service availability, essential for the public sector, especially in the face of zero-day threats.
In the face of growing cybersecurity challenges, it is imperative that governments adopt a proactive approach based on AI and observability to protect their digital assets. A change in mindset is also needed regarding cybersecurity, treating it as a strategic priority rather than just an operational concern.
Success in protecting government networks and systems will depend on the bodies' ability to adapt and innovate in the face of a scenario of increasingly critical threats, with potential disastrous consequences, such as citizen data leaks. By protecting their infrastructure, governments also enhance the security of individuals. The necessary technologies are already available; Now, it is crucial to advance on the innovation journey.
*Fernando Mellone, Public Sector Sales Director at Dynatrace in Brazil
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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