Otsego County & Vircom
Ostego County a glance
Company Profile: Ostego County
Location: Otsego County, New York
Company Type: Direct Client
Product(s) Used: Upgraded from modusGate to Proofpoint Essentials (2019),Vircom Portal, Security Awareness Training, OnDMARC
Trusted Partnership: Since 2008
Pre-Vircom
Challenges
- Rising threat of ransomware and targeted attacks on local governments
- Limited IT resources to manage security at scale
- False positives slowing down critical services
Post-Vircom
Key Benefits from Vircom
- Proven protection against advanced threats
- Hands-off management with expert customization and support
- Accurate filtering that reduces disruption and increases productivity
“Implement Vircom’s solutions and walk away. Let them do their thing – I’ve tried to beat the system and just can’t. These guys know what they’re doing."
Director of IT, Otsego County, New York
Success story snapshot Otsego County
Otsego County, New York, delivers a wide range of critical services, from law enforcement and courts to emergency response and finance. With just a small IT team managing over 450 users, Director of IT Brian Pokorny needed an email security solution that was strong, reliable, and low-maintenance.
The partnership with Vircom began in 2008 with modusGate. In 2019, they upgraded to Vircom’s cloud-based email security with Proofpoint Essentials (modusCloud).
Since then, Otsego County has continued to grow its partnership:
2023: Added Proofpoint Email Security Advanced (PESA)
2023: Upgraded to Proofpoint Essentials Pro Plus for enhanced protection
2024: Added OnDMARC for domain authentication
2025: Renewed under Vircom’s bundle SKU and added Managed Services
Otsego County relies on Vircom as its trusted security partner, protecting internal operations and now extending secure email services to local minicipalities.
Cybersecurity Challenges in Local Government
Cyber threats targeting public infrastructure have grown more advanced, and local governments like Otsego County face increasing pressure to protect sensitive communications, including the District attorney, Sheriff’s office and more critical county functions.
With limited IT resources, Otsego County needed:
- A secure, low-touch email filtering system
- Minimal false positives and easy quarantine management
- Fast, reliable support for issue resolution
Vircom Solution - Advanced Email Defense Built for Security and Simplicity
Vircom provided Otsego County with a cloud-first, fully managed email security suite through Proofpoint Essentials (modusCloud). The system was tailored to meet local government needs, offering powerful protection without adding complexity.
“We ultimately found Vircom’s offerings to be the most comprehensive — no stone is left unturned, and we’re able to be hands off and let their customizations do the work.”
Time-Saving Email Security Management
With Vircom, Brian’s team gained back valuable time. The platform’s automation and responsiveness led to fewer support tickets and easier admin workflows.
“The easy management of the solution and the quarantine, along with Vircom’s quick response to all support issues, leads to surprisingly low volume for our help desk.”
Responsive Email Support You Can Trust
Whether fine-tuning filters or adapting to new threats, Vircom’s expert support team was only a call away.
“If anything does get through to your users, Vircom’s help desk is one phone call away to resolve your issues, tweak your settings and meet your unique needs.”
Enabling Broader Community Protection
With Vircom’s powerful stack, Otsego County is now positioned to provide secure email as a service to surrounding municipalities, expanding the value of their investment.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable offering this service without modusCloud (Proofpoint Essentials), but with all the risks out there today, our communities need all the help they can get.”
The Results – Scalable Email Security for Local Government IT Teams
Vircom didn’t just secure Otsego County’s internal systems. It became the foundation for broader municipal support.
The combination of powerful security solutions and Vircom’s Managed Services provides the confidence, compliance and control needed to protect critical public functions without overburdening IT. With each year, Otsego County continues to expand its security posture, knowing Vircom has the expertise, tools, and flexibility to grow alongside them.
“With Vircom, we have one less provider to worry about.”
Note: This case study was originally completed in 2019, shortly after Otsego County migrated to Vircom’s cloud-based solution (modusCloud / Proofpoint Essentials). Since then, their security stack has evolved significantly with additional services and ongoing partnership milestones through 2025.
