Chambers County Bolsters Cybersecurity with Advanced Email Protection

By Derek Parish, Director of Information Technology, Chambers County

In response to the growing threat of cyber-attacks, Chambers County, Texas has taken a proactive stance by upgrading its cybersecurity measures, with a focus on strengthening its defenses against email-based threats. This initiative reflects the county's understanding of the critical role email security plays in the broader cybersecurity landscape.

Initiating a Proactive Approach

A partnership between Chambers County and Recon Infosec was sparked during the SolarWinds supply chain attack. While Chambers County was not directly impacted by the attack, this event was seen as a wake-up call to tighten security.  The County opted to engage Recon Infosec for its Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service. This decision was based on prior positive interactions and a comprehensive evaluation of available options.

Upgrading Email Security

To address the specific challenge of email-based cyber threats, Chambers County implemented Recon's Advanced Email Protection (AEP) service. This service employs modern Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) technology to detect a wide array of email threats, including sophisticated phishing attempts and malware. Features like the detection of malicious QR codes and fraudulent DocuSign requests represent key components of this strategy, aimed at preventing business email compromise (BEC) and similar attacks.

Combining AEP with Recon’s MDR service allows emails to be correlated with the full range of telemetry available (EDR, Firewall, VPN, Sysmon).  Previously, dealing with increased alerts and information placed a heavier workload on the county's staff. However, with Recon, senior analysts utilize the entire Recon technology stack to handle tasks such as data correlation and enrichment.  They take necessary actions for day-to-day operations and involve Chambers County staff when escalation is needed.

From Manual Processes to Enhanced Visibility

Before this cybersecurity overhaul, handling user-reported emails was a manual process conducted by Chambers County IT, which was too time consuming and much less efficient. The adoption of Recon's AEP service has significantly changed this approach. Now, county IT is augmented with a dedicated team for monitoring and response, improving its ability to manage potential security incidents. This shift has increased visibility across Chambers County's digital infrastructure and has also allowed the IT staff to allocate more time to other critical tasks.

Achieving a Comprehensive Cybersecurity Framework

The integration of advanced email protection into Chambers County's cybersecurity strategy has strengthened the county's overall security posture. This effort highlights Chambers County's commitment to protecting its digital environment against emerging threats. By working with Recon Infosec and leveraging the latest in security technology, Chambers County has established a more secure and resilient digital infrastructure.

Chambers County's actions in enhancing its cybersecurity defenses demonstrate a pragmatic approach to addressing the modern cyber threat landscape. Through its partnership with Recon Infosec and the adoption of advanced security measures, the County has taken significant steps to safeguard its digital assets and the privacy of its residents and employees.