Shifting Cyber Rules Complicate Endpoint Management; AI Can Help

When changes in government administrations occur, the cybersecurity regulatory landscape also shifts. New administrations may introduce new mandates for stricter compliance requirements or they may seek to deregulate, by easing enforcement or rolling back existing standards. These shifts create uncertainty for agencies, especially those managing vast networks of endpoints such as laptops, mobile devices and servers. Compounding the challenge, state-level regulations can conflict with federal laws, resulting in complex compliance requirements that municipalities must navigate.

Without a robust endpoint management strategy, agencies are vulnerable to breaches and non-compliance. Relying on outdated or reactive approaches to endpoint security is no longer sufficient. Now more than ever, agencies need scalable, proactive endpoint management solutions that ensure devices are consistently secured, updated and aligned with ever-changing regulatory standards. Budgetary constraints also add to the complexity. Local governments know that operating with stricter resources requires them to do more with less. The tools and solutions they implement need to adhere to shifting compliance regulations and capitalize on the advantages that innovative technologies like AI bring to the table, such as implementing autonomous solutions to free up resources.

Let’s look at the moving parts of the cybersecurity compliance landscape under new administrations and ways for state and local governments to future-proof their endpoint security strategies against regulatory change.

STAYING COMPLIANT IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE PRIORITY

Compliance is critical across the board, but is especially urgent for government agencies, where failing to comply with regulations can lead to severe consequences, including hefty fines, lawsuits and revoked operational licenses under frameworks like the California Consumer Privacy Act. It also increases cybersecurity risks, as unpatched vulnerabilities and weak access controls become targets for cyber criminals. Beyond financial and security concerns, non-compliance damages reputation, eroding customer or patient trust and brand loyalty. With stakes so high, even one misstep can result in millions of dollars in losses.

CURRENT TACTICS AREN'T ENOUGH

Historically, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), along with organizations like the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Federal Trade Commission, and the International Organization for Standardization, have played a critical role in sharing compliance alerts, updates and best practices to help agencies stay informed about regulatory changes and emerging threats. Since its inception, one of CISA’s key initiatives is the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, promoting timely alerts on vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks.

According to annual research by the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), 28,831 vulnerabilities were documented in 2023, reflecting a rise of over 14 percent compared to 2022. The growing volume and increasing sophistication of vulnerability exploits this year have led to a reporting backlog for the NVD, which is still being addressed. Given the sheer number of vulnerabilities, automation has become essential for swiftly patching and mitigating threats. 

While these are valuable resources, many agencies still struggle to keep up with vulnerabilities and compliance in real time. That’s because the alerts and guidance from these agencies often require manual intervention for adjustments or updates, which can lead to delays, errors and gaps in protection. As such, automation is helping agencies stay on top of security and manage budget restrictions by handling the busy work, allowing agencies to reserve valuable human hours for investigating and patching only the most critical threats.
 

AUTOMATION: A GAME-CHANGER

As compliance standards evolve and new threats emerge, agencies need a more agile solution so they can apply real-time updates and enforce compliance policies across all devices without relying solely on periodic alerts or slow manual processes. Enter: endpoint management platforms with built-in automation capabilities, which enable agencies to achieve and maintain compliance with far greater efficiency and accuracy. Here are a few ways automation can be applied to endpoint management to increase compliance:

• Real-Time Policy Updates: Regulations can change rapidly, and while automation helps deploy and enforce compliance policies in real time across all endpoint locations at scale, IT teams still play a critical role in defining and initiating those changes. Whether managing 100 or 10,000 devices, automation eliminates the need for manual configuration of each device, saving time and reducing errors while ensuring IT teams can focus on strategic oversight.
• Centralized Visibility and Reporting: Endpoint management platforms provide a single dashboard for monitoring compliance. Agencies can track device status, identify non-compliant endpoints, and generate audit-ready reports with ease.
• Proactive Threat Mitigation: Automated patching, access controls and behavioral analytics ensure vulnerabilities are addressed before they lead to non-compliance. Platforms can even quarantine non-compliant devices automatically, preventing potential breaches.
• Audit Readiness: With automated record-keeping and reporting, agencies are always prepared for audits, even in the face of sudden regulatory changes.
  

As political and regulatory priorities change, automation is essential for agencies to remain agile and maintain consistent compliance. By embracing automation, agencies can navigate uncertainty with confidence and ensure their endpoints stay secure and compliant both now and in the future.

Deepak Kumar is founder and CEO of Adaptiva. The company’s 2025 State of Patch Management report is available now.