Using a Digital Transformation to Improve Enterprise Security—A Case Study

In this case study, I review a specific digital transformation of the Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE), over the time period from September 2017 to July 2021. While security was not a specific focus of the transformation, the transformation enabled the move to a single-sign-on authentication mechanism, which had substantial cybersecurity benefits. It facilitated investigations and substantially simplified both granting and revoking entitlements to sensitive systems. These systems had, among other concerns, major fiscal impact, and Federally mandated privacy requirements. These improvements occurred across the largest state agency in Hawai‘i, serving more than 40,000 employees and approximately 175,000 students, with 257 schools, with at least one school on every island in the state with a permanent human population.