For local authorities attending the Cyber Secure Forum, endpoint security is no longer confined to a managed corporate network. Cloud adoption, hybrid working, shared services and a growing ecosystem of suppliers mean laptops, mobiles and unmanaged devices now sit on the front line of risk. As such, ‘anti-virus’ is best viewed as endpoint protection plus detection and response (AV/EDR) – and local government success depends on how well it is deployed and operated, not simply which product is chosen…
Start with coverage, not features
The most common weakness is inconsistent coverage: devices not enrolled, servers treated differently, or exceptions made for legacy applications. Best practice is to establish minimum endpoint security standards for every asset class (user devices, servers, kiosks, shared devices), then enforce them through central policy and device management.
Where local authorities operate mixed estates and inherited environments, prioritise visibility first: ensure telemetry is captured, devices are tagged correctly (department, site, risk level), and the SOC or security team can rapidly answer “what is exposed?”
Secure cloud-first endpoints with strong control points
As more services move to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and other cloud-hosted platforms, endpoints become the bridge between users and critical data. AV/EDR should be paired with:
- Strong identity controls (MFA everywhere, conditional access, least privilege)
- Device health checks (only compliant devices can access sensitive services)
- Patch and vulnerability management aligned to threat intelligence
- Application control for high-risk user groups and privileged devices
This is especially important in local government, where a single compromised endpoint can lead to lateral movement into shared systems, finance workflows or citizen data.
Design for remote and off-network reality
Assuming endpoints will be ‘on the LAN’ is a mistake. Policies need to work reliably off-network: cloud-based management, tamper protection, and consistent updating without VPN dependency. Ensure your endpoint platform can isolate a device, collect forensic data, and roll out containment actions even when users are remote.
For frontline and public-facing environments (libraries, customer service centres), consider hardened configurations and tighter controls, because these endpoints face different risk patterns and higher exposure.
Reduce noise and speed up response
Local authority security teams are often resource-constrained. AV/EDR success requires tuning: define what ‘high fidelity’ looks like, suppress known benign activity, and create playbooks for common events such as credential theft indicators, suspicious PowerShell, and ransomware precursors.
Automate where safe: isolate endpoints on confirmed malicious behaviour, enrich alerts with asset context, and route incidents to the right owner quickly.
Make it sustainable
Finally, build governance that survives staffing changes and supplier transitions: documented policies, regular coverage audits, and quarterly reviews that link endpoint metrics to real outcomes (incident dwell time, patch latency, high-risk device counts).
In a cloud-first local government environment, endpoint security is now essentially an operating model. That mindset is the difference between ‘installed’ and ‘protected’.
Are you searching for Anti-Virus solutions for your organisation? The Cyber Secure Forum can help!
Photo by litoon dev on Unsplash
