Google launches Cybersecurity Action Team

Google announced this week the launch of its Cybersecurity Action Team, aimed at assisting governments, critical infrastructure organizations, enterprises and small businesses.  

The team’s goal will be to guide customers through the cycle of security transformation, including creating a road map, increasing cyber-resilience preparedness and engineering new solutions in response to changing circumstances.

The effort will begin within Google Cloud, eventually expanding to more organizations.

“Cybersecurity is at the top of every C-level and board agenda, given the increasing prominence of software supply chain exploits, ransomware, and other attacks. To address these unprecedented security challenges facing organizations in every industry today, we are announcing the creation of the Google Cybersecurity Action Team,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, in a statement.  

“The Google Cybersecurity Action Team is part of our ongoing commitment to be the best partner for our enterprise and government customers along their security transformation journey,” he said.  

WHY IT MATTERS  

The initiative is part of Google’s $10 billion pledge to strengthen cybersecurity. 

As outlined on its website, the action team will provide:

• Strategic advisory services for customers’ security strategies.
• Trust and compliance services.
• Security customer and solutions engineering.
• Threat intelligence and incident response services.

In addition to the above services, the team has released a security and resiliency framework – aligned to that of the National Institute of Standards and Technology – and a “Work Safer” offering, designed to facilitate secure communication in modern hybrid work environments.   

The team’s efforts will build on existing offerings from Google Cloud, such as autonomic security operations and web app and API protection.  

Stakeholders from the federal government applauded Google’s progress in the context of broader work seeking to enlist corporate assistance with cybersecurity.  

“The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently established the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “This initiative will unite government and private sector entities to enhance efforts to prevent and respond to malicious cyber activity against the nation’s critical infrastructure.”  

“It’s great to see a large company like Google Cloud orient itself to support the cybersecurity of all organizations large and small through its Cybersecurity Action Team, and, as part of the JCDC and other initiatives, we look forward to partnering with them and other tech companies in this vital effort,” added Easterly.  

THE LARGER TREND

As a tech giant, Google is well placed to assist with cybersecurity efforts, especially throughout the private spheres. (And it’s been doing so for a while: Way back in 2009 it joined the National Cyber Security Alliance board.)  

It’s not alone: In 2019, its competitor Microsoft announced the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative, teaming up with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and 10 other federal agencies to foster job growth in the cybersecurity sector.  

ON THE RECORD  

“Customers need a consistent approach to preparing for and defending against cybersecurity threats,” said Phil Venables, vice president and chief information security officer at Google Cloud and founder of the Google Cybersecurity Action Team, in a statement.   

“Our comprehensive suite of security solutions delivered through our platform and amplified by the Google Cybersecurity Action Team will help protect organizations against adverse cyber events with capabilities that address industry frameworks and standards,” he continued.

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Twitter: @kjercich
Email: kjercich@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.