/resource%20-%20state%20of%20iowa%20case%20study/State_seal_of_Iowa.svg.png?width=1200&height=1208&name=State_seal_of_Iowa.svg.png)
With a hybrid Microsoft and Google infrastructure supporting operations across the state, Iowa's government handles vast amounts of sensitive citizen data daily. During a significant consolidation effort to streamline from 37 departments to 16—projected to save $214 million over four years—maintaining data security became a critical challenge.
Several key departments manage particularly sensitive information: Health & Human Services, Department of Natural Resources, Veterans Home, Insurance Division, and Workforce Development. These agencies routinely handle medical records, mental health information, prescription data, permits, payment details, insurance records, employment data, and proprietary business information. This sensitive data requires robust protection, especially when shared across department boundaries during consolidation.
The state previously relied on Zix Encryption, but found it difficult to use and inadequate for their security needs. As departments merged and staff migrated between platforms, they needed a solution that worked seamlessly across both Microsoft and Google environments without compromising security or hindering operational efficiency.
With Virtru, the State of Iowa was able to:
During a time of significant organizational change and fiscal optimization, Iowa needed a security solution that would support rather than hinder their consolidation efforts. Zix would create friction in their workflows—difficult to use and inadequately secure, it would become an obstacle rather than an enabler.
Virtru offered a fundamentally different approach, with intuitive design enabling employees to actually use it rather than seek workarounds.
This robust protection was crucial for departments handling sensitive health records, financial information, and personal data where security lapses could have serious consequences for Iowa citizens. Virtru's support for stringent compliance frameworks including HIPAA and CJIS standards further ensured that Iowa could meet regulatory requirements while streamlining operations.
Recommended Reading: Virtru vs. Zix: Choosing the Right Email Encryption Solution for Your Business
The agency consolidation required seamless communication between merging departments. With staff using different platforms and moving between systems, Virtru's consistent protection across Microsoft and Google environments removed security barriers that might otherwise have complicated these transitions.
Iowa's IT team gained unprecedented visibility through Virtru's granular audit trails, allowing them to see exactly where sensitive content was shared, who accessed it, and whether it was forwarded to others. This capability became particularly valuable during department mergers, providing security teams with the insights needed to ensure proper data handling during transitions.
The cloud-native architecture of Virtru's solution meant that Iowa could protect sensitive data wherever it moved across their IT ecosystem. This comprehensive protection created a security foundation that supported rather than hindered organizational change.
By deploying Virtru strategically to personnel handling the most sensitive information, Iowa optimized their investment while maintaining robust protection for critical data. This targeted approach aligned perfectly with the state's broader efficiency initiatives, enabling secure communication without unnecessary spending.
Recommended Reading: Domain-Wide Security for Peace of Mind: 6 Real-World Examples
For Iowa's citizens, the stakes couldn't be higher. The data protected by Virtru includes medical and mental health records, veterans' personal information, insurance details, employment records, and sensitive permit applications. A security failure wouldn't just mean regulatory penalties—it would mean betraying the trust of Iowans who depend on these essential services.
Virtru's end-to-end encryption ensures that this sensitive information remains secure throughout Iowa's transformation journey. The ability to revoke access to shared content at any time provides an additional layer of control, letting administrators instantly cut off access to sensitive information if needed—a valuable safeguard during complex organizational changes.
As departments continue to merge and operations become more streamlined, Virtru provides the security foundation that enables change while protecting what matters most—Iowa citizens' data.
By selecting Virtru, the State of Iowa demonstrated that enhancing security and driving efficiency aren't competing priorities—with the right solution, they go hand in hand.
/resource%20-%20carnegie%20hospital/carnegie.jpg)
/resource%20-%20BVU%20Authority/BVU-Authority-cover.webp)
