Recently, the need for government organizations to enable employees to work from home and deliver digital services from remote locations have pushed traditional network access to increasingly more touch points. This new reality as well as the accelerated adoption of technologies like cloud-based applications and the Internet of Things (IoT) are widening the threat surface for cyber-attacks on government IT infrastructure, magnifying the already complex cybersecurity landscape.

Due to this paradigm shift in how technologies are fundamentally deployed and consumed, there is a clear and pressing need to reimagine our security approach. One that provides a distributed architectural model that enables security policies that are enforced throughout the expanse of the network.

Trustworthy networking solutions

Innovative advances in networking technologies, like SD-WAN, provide the foundational link to securing and scaling these transitions to cloud-first. Software-defined networking architectures simplify network management while providing critical prioritization of application traffic, enabling direct cloud and internet service access with security enforcement levers throughout the network.

However, government organizations in particular are on the hook to continuously think more strategically about security, privacy, and trust. One shining example of late includes the United States' recent and timely updates to key cybersecurity guidelines through its Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 initiative. The adoption of the TIC 3.0 is in response to the effects of the massive shift to remote work and digitally enabled services that have distributed network and perimeter security across the federal government agencies. According to a Government Business Council survey, many federal workers expect to remain at home or with limited office access throughout 2021. As such, secure technology infrastructure for remote and hybrid government work environments will continue to evolve.

Allowing government agencies to adapt to the pandemic environment has been critical. The latest policy for TIC 3.0 provides focus on increased flexibility and the need to consider diverse architectures for dispersed network environments rather than a singular approach for traditional fixed network perimeters. These updates accommodate new concepts, capabilities, and approaches that establish a more risk-tolerant foundation for network security. Such a shift demonstrates the imperative adaptation toward support for cloud adoption in an increasingly distributed deployment environment.

Designing for resiliency

Cisco is at the forefront of supporting the various architectural considerations for network security that strongly support policies like Trusted Internet Connection 3.0. Cisco continually invests in market-leading development for comprehensive security. As a part of the well-established Cisco Validated Design program, we map our architecture and solution capability in support of TIC 3.0 requirements and guidelines.

With Cisco, you can establish a platform approach of zero trust that provides a balance between security and usability. We're here to help you protect what's now and what's next.

Additional resources

TIC 3.0 Architecture Guide (PDF) 

TIC 3.0 Design Guide (PDF)

TIC 3.0 Cisco Overlay Guidance (PDF)