Case Study

How a Village Government Took a Proactive Approach to Cybersecurity

Rather than wait for a problem, a village government asked TCI for an independent look at its cybersecurity. TCI assessed the village’s risks, tested its defenses with vulnerability scans and penetration testing, and then put layered protection in place, from managed threat detection and firewall and email security to staff training and Microsoft 365 backups.

Organization: Village government

Size: About 25–75 employees and users

Services: Risk assessment, vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, Huntress, managed firewall and email security, security awareness training, Microsoft 365 backup

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local government IT services
Proactive
review, not a reaction to an incident
4
new layers of protection added
24/7
threat monitoring

The Challenge

Local governments hold sensitive resident information and run services the community depends on, which makes them an attractive target for attackers.

No Independent Review

The village wanted an outside, objective assessment of how well its systems and data were really protected.

Unknown Weak Spots

Without testing, it was impossible to know which vulnerabilities an attacker could actually exploit.

Limited Threat Visibility

The village needed better insight into suspicious activity on its computers, accounts and network.

People and Data at Risk

Staff needed help recognizing phishing, and Microsoft 365 email and files needed dedicated backup.

penetration testing cyber security vulnerability scanning

What TCI Did

First assess and test, then protect.

Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

A review of the village’s systems, accounts, data and security practices to identify and prioritize risks.

Included: assessment of current security controls and a prioritized list of recommendations.

Vulnerability Scans

Scanning of computers, servers and network devices to find missing updates, misconfigurations and known weaknesses.

Included: internal and external vulnerability scanning.

Penetration Testing

Controlled, simulated attacks to see whether real-world attack techniques could get through the village’s defenses.

Included: penetration testing with findings and remediation guidance.

Managed Threat Detection (Huntress)

Endpoint and identity protection with continuous monitoring for suspicious activity on computers and Microsoft 365 accounts.

Included: Huntress EDR, ITDR and SIEM, backed by Huntress’s 24/7 security operations center.

Firewall & Email Security

Network and email protection to block threats before they reach village staff and systems.

Included: managed firewall, secure remote access (SASE) and email security.

Training & Backup

Staff learned to spot and report phishing, and Microsoft 365 data is now backed up so it can be restored if needed.

Included: security awareness training and Microsoft 365 backup.

Before & After

Before

  • ✕No recent independent security assessment
  • ✕Unknown vulnerabilities in systems and network
  • ✕Limited visibility into threats and suspicious sign-ins
  • ✕No dedicated backup of Microsoft 365 email and files

After

  • ✓A documented risk assessment and prioritized security plan
  • ✓Vulnerabilities identified through scanning and penetration testing, with clear remediation guidance
  • ✓Huntress EDR, ITDR and SIEM with 24/7 monitoring, plus managed network and email protection
  • ✓Trained staff and backed-up Microsoft 365 data

The Results

The village now has a clear picture of its cyber risk and multiple layers of protection working together.

A Clear Picture of Risk

Leadership understands where the village stood and what was done about it.

Layered Protection

Network, email, endpoint and identity protection working together, rather than relying on a single tool.

Continuous Monitoring

Suspicious activity on computers and accounts is detected and investigated around the clock.

A Stronger Human Firewall

Employees are better prepared to recognize and report phishing and scams.

Recoverable Data

Microsoft 365 email and files are backed up and can be restored if something goes wrong.

Ready for What’s Next

A stronger foundation for growing cybersecurity expectations from insurers and government requirements.

The Business Impact

By taking a proactive approach, the village didn’t wait for an incident to find out where it was vulnerable. TCI’s assessment and testing gave leadership a clear, prioritized picture of its cyber risk, and the protections that followed, including Huntress managed detection and response, managed firewall and email security, staff training and Microsoft 365 backup, now help keep resident data and village services protected.

Planning a Similar Project?

Learn more about our IT services for state and local government and cybersecurity solutions, or talk to our team about a security review for your organization.

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