Challenge

A sovereign tribal nation faced a critical and growing risk: its most sensitive digital information was not being secured. Everything from digital identities and tribal records to financial documents and operational paperwork was vulnerable to loss, theft, or corruption.

This situation left the nation exposed on multiple levels:

• Security Risk: Sensitive data could be compromised by cyberattacks or unauthorized access.
• Operational Risk: Without backups, critical documents and systems were at risk of permanent loss.
• Sovereignty Risk: Dependence on external systems or unsecured practices undermined the nation’s control over its own information.

Tribal leadership recognized the urgency of establishing a secure, sovereign, and sustainable data management framework that could be owned and operated by the tribe itself.

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Approach

DeSoto partnered with the tribe to design and implement a 3-2-1 Data Protection Strategy—a proven model adapted to the tribe’s specific needs. The plan included:

• Three Copies of Data: Ensuring multiple layers of redundancy across systems.
• Two Different Storage Mediums: Separating storage to mitigate risk of single-point failure.
• One Offsite Copy: Guaranteeing critical data is always recoverable even in the event of disaster.
• Training & Empowerment: Equipping the internal IT team with the tools, processes, and confidence to manage the system without outside dependency.
• Compliance & Security Standards: Aligning the strategy with best practices in cybersecurity while tailoring it to tribal sovereignty priorities.

By focusing on both technology and knowledge transfer, DeSoto ensured that the system would remain tribally managed, secure, and future-proof.

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Results

The project delivered immediate peace of mind and long-term resilience:

• Secured Tribal Data: Sensitive identities, financial information, and official documents are now fully protected.
• Sovereign Control: The tribe owns and operates its own backup and recovery systems.
• Operational Continuity: In the event of an incident, systems can be restored quickly and with minimal disruption.
• Empowered IT Team: Internal staff gained knowledge and processes to sustain the system independently.
• Lasting Confidence: Leadership can now operate with assurance that the nation’s most valuable data is no longer at risk.

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