
Smart Access July 2026 progress update
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Work continues to advance Smart Access 2026 priorities. Recent progress includes:
- Developing a Zero Trust framework for UW-Madison aligned with the CISA Zero Trust
- Maturity Model (ZTMM)
- Developing a dynamic Smart Access roadmap to track all in-flight program work
- Kicking off the Elastic Cloud migration and log management discovery
- Expanding device compliance testing, guidance, and user engagement
Zero Trust framework and program roadmap
Smart Access is developing a Zero Trust framework for UW-Madison consistent with the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model. The framework identifies the capabilities the university already has in place, along with the capabilities needed to advance zero trust maturity across the university.
To complement the framework, the team is developing a dynamic Smart Access roadmap that tracks all in-flight work. The roadmap will provide a single view of what is underway, what is coming next, and how each effort supports the university’s zero trust goals.
Service principle in action – Growth Through Measurable Impact: By mapping existing capabilities against the CISA ZTMM, the framework lets us prioritize zero trust work based on risk and measure progress against defined success criteria.
The program team plans to share more on both of these in the coming months.
Log management updates
Over the past two months, the team laid the groundwork for a university-wide understanding of log management needs:
- Hosted initial discovery sessions to establish a baseline understanding of current log management capabilities
- Drafted and finalized a work breakdown structure for requirements gathering
- Finalized the list of university IT areas to interview and drafted a timeline for log management analysis
- Formally kicked off the Elastic Cloud migration with Elastic professional services
- Performance tested ingestion of Palo Alto logs to Elastic Cloud
This work supports the Visibility and Analytics portion within our Smart Access Program. It will help inform how log management services need to be shaped to meet campus needs.
Service principle in action – We’re All in This Together: Discovery sessions and upcoming interviews with IT departments across the university ensure log management services are built with campus, not just for campus.
Device compliance updates
Device compliance work advanced on several fronts, from technical prototyping to user experience:
- Prototyped API-based creation and updates of Apple, Windows, and ChromeOS HIP objects
- Exploring options for shared definitions for compliant operating systems in Duo and GlobalProtect
- Finalized Linux antivirus compliance guidance
- Updated HIP notifications to reference new knowledge base resources
- Completed the WiscVPN notification impact assessment
- Began drafting a recommendation for leadership on next steps for possible HIP notifications on WiscVPN
- Sent a user experience survey, in coordination with DoIT Communications, to individuals receiving notifications. KB documentation updated based on early results.
- Expanded HIP testing in partnership with CALS
Service principle in action – User Experience and Sustainability: The user experience survey and updated knowledge base resources reflect our commitment to understanding the security burden on users and iterating based on their feedback.
Service principle in action – Adapt with Purpose: Completing an impact assessment and preparing a leadership recommendation before any broader WiscVPN notifications reflects our commitment to thoughtful timing and evidence-based decisions.
What’s next
Through late July, Log Management efforts will focus on:
- Finalizing the contact list for requirements gathering interviews and scheduling initial interviews
- Sending initial communications to the first interviewee groups
- Determining a communications and engagement strategy for broader campus involvement
Device Compliance work will focus on:
- Completing the draft recommendation for leadership on HIP notification next steps
- Reviewing user experience survey responses
- Prototyping the use of BigFix, Workspace ONE, and Qualys to report on device compliance as evaluated in GlobalProtect
Stay connected
Sign up for Smart Access updates via the Smart Access website or contact the Smart Access team.