AT&T has won a contract from the Texas Department of Resources to provide managed security services statewide. The services include security monitoring and device management, risk and compliance testing, and incident response.
The state of Texas and AT&T are hardly strangers, as the telco has spent 10 years addressing cybersecurity and data privacy issues for the state.
This new arrangement enables additional state agencies, higher education institutions, cities and counties, special districts and school systems to access the telco’s security products.
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The contract also helps agencies comply with the recently enacted Texas Cybersecurity Act. Under the new law, there are calls to audit Texas systems, training on how to respond to risks and attacks, a review of state digital data storage and a state response plan in case of a cyberattack.
AT&T cybersecurity solutions and services will help state agencies securely support their device, application and network operations. The solutions include analytics and security expertise to help reduce risk and offer more end-to-end security.
Additionally, AT&T’s cybersecurity tools and technologies can help state agencies detect, prevent and respond to threats quickly. While the state of Texas is just one contract, it represents the growing emphasis enterprise customers are placing on working with providers on cybersecurity protection.
AT&T told investors earlier this year that it plans to ramp investments in building out AT&T Threat Intellect to improve its processes and tools, while continuing to equip its security experts with necessary security training.
The service provider said that its cybersecurity effort will “improve [its] data-powered analytics and virtualized security capabilities, and facilitate the innovation of new security approaches and solutions within [its] AT&T Foundry locations.”
Cybersecurity is part of its 2-year, $40 billion capex budget to invest in integrated wireless and wireline solutions for business customers. More than 40% of the telco’s 2-year total will be dedicated to helping AT&T expand and enhance its global portfolio of mobile and integrated business solutions. Specifically, the service provider will expand services across six main domains: software-centric solutions, cybersecurity, internet of things, collaboration, connectivity, and Wi-Fi.