Security In Our DNA: 5 Ways to Embrace Innovation Without Compromising Trust

Innovation moves fast, expanding the risk surface just as quickly. As organizations adopt cloud solutions, embrace artificial intelligence (AI), and integrate emerging technologies into core operations, one question remains constant: How do we advance with urgency while preserving trust and resilience? 

Security is still too often viewed as a gatekeeper. In reality, when it is embedded into design, development, operations, and governance, security becomes a strategic accelerator. It strengthens customer confidence, reduces rework, and enables continuous innovation. 

At Deltek, security is not an overlay — it is foundational to how we build, operate, and support our products. These five principles demonstrate how security can fuel innovation rather than constrain it. 

#1 The Cloud Conundrum: Security in Transition  

One of the most significant shifts underway is the move from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud. It’s a critical evolution, but if organizations fail to modernize their security model alongside it, they inherit new risks rather than mitigate old ones. The cloud provides sophisticated native controls, yet these differ fundamentally from those in traditional architectures. A lift-and-shift security model does not work. 

My guidance: approach cloud adoption with clear intent and measurable expectations. Assess your current posture, identify what your cloud provider offers, and establish a target utilization rate for native security controls. If you are paying for capabilities, build them into your baseline. This single metric can drive more mature, consistent, and secure cloud adoption. 

#2 Zero Trust: A Modern Imperative  

In a world where cloud-hosted applications are reachable from anywhere, Zero Trust is not optional — it is the minimum standard for responsible security. If a solution is exposed to the open internet, device assurance and strong identity verification must be non-negotiable. 

We begin with Zero Trust Network Access to restrict access to managed, validated devices, then layer identity governance to ensure we know who is accessing what, why, and with what level of privilege. These two pillars address a significant portion of cloud-era risk and form the foundation of a resilient access strategy. 

#3 Artificial Intelligence: A Transformative Force

AI represents the next major technology inflection point, one that requires both speed and discipline. Organizations must move quickly to capture value, but speed without governance introduces material risk. Start by defining what “AI” means within your environment. AI embedded in office tools carries different implications than AI integrated into financial systems or customer data workflows. Treat each use case according to its risk profile. 

Data classification becomes foundational. Low-risk public-facing content generation is not the same as models with access to regulated, confidential, or operational data. Understand how each AI capability is governed, what data it can access, and how outputs are retained or shared. 

For generative AI, we adopted approved enterprise tools with defined guardrails, monitoring, and retention controls. Such diligence ensures we enable innovation while preventing unintended data exposure or contribution to public model training. Responsible adoption is what keeps innovation sustainable. 

#4 AI + Human Expertise = Force Multiplier  

AI will not replace cybersecurity professionals, but will act as a force multiplier for their expertise. We’ve seen that pairing experienced analysts with the right AI tools accelerates triage, sharpens decision-making, and reduces operational fatigue. Whether embedded in our security stack or used for structured analysis, AI expands visibility and shortens response cycles. 

But value requires skill. AI is not an oracle; it is a partner. Analysts must validate, refine, and challenge outputs. When teams learn how to interrogate the model and apply their judgment, the outcome is consistently stronger. 

To build this capability, we host small-group AI working sessions where teams experiment, share approaches, and learn collaboratively. The goal isn’t just to master AI, it’s to elevate collective expertise. 

#5 Security as Customer Confidence  

One of the most impactful shifts we’ve made internally is reframing our mission from “compliance” to “customer confidence.” Compliance is an outcome; confidence is the value we deliver. Our goal is not to check boxes but to earn and protect trust. 

This mindset is embedded across Deltek. Our product and engineering teams partner closely with security to anticipate regulatory change and evolving customer expectations 12, 24, and 36 months out. Whether it’s CMMC, FedRAMP, GDPR, or sector-specific frameworks, we focus on proactive readiness, not reactive remediation. 

Security is not the responsibility of one team. It is a shared commitment and a core part of our culture. That collective ownership is what strengthens customer confidence every day. 

Security is part of who we are and what makes responsible innovation possible. From cloud adoption to Zero Trust, from AI governance to customer confidence, every advancement relies on a foundation of trust. 

Security is not a checklist. It is a mindset and a cultural discipline. When embedded into everyday decisions and processes, it does more than protect; it accelerates progress and strengthens relationships. Security is in our DNA, and it allows us to embrace new technologies without compromising the trust our customers place in us. 

The organizations that will thrive are those that treat security as a strategic capability, innovate with intention, and stay anchored in the responsibility to protect their customers. That is the future we are building at Deltek.