Case Study

Cybersecurity Technology Assessment: Strengthening Security for Multinational Manufacturer

By September 10, 2024 No Comments

Cybersecurity Technology Assessment for a Global Optical and Photonic Manufacturer

Cybersecurity Technology Assessment: Strengthening Security for Multinational Manufacturer.
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Challenge

Strengthen cybersecurity posture across a complex, multi-location IT environment while ensuring compliance with industry standards and improving visibility into vulnerabilities.

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Solution

A comprehensive cybersecurity technology assessment using industry best practices that covered key security domains and provided a detailed remediation plan to address gaps.

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Result

Identifying legacy configuration issues and violations led to a significantly improved security posture, greater compliance, and a clear roadmap for ongoing security enhancements.

Summary

As a global leader in innovative optical and photonic products, this multinational manufacturer recognized the growing need to fortify its cybersecurity posture amidst a rapidly evolving threat landscape. With over 5,600 employees, 19+ locations, and 100+ business-critical applications, our client sought to address potential vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with stringent industry standards. To achieve this, the company engaged SDG, leveraging its expertise to conduct a comprehensive Cybersecurity Technology Assessment.

In Depth

Challenge

The organization faced several significant challenges, including identifying and addressing vulnerabilities across a vast number of devices, managing the constant release of patches and updates, and ensuring the efficient deployment and upgrade of applications. Additionally, they needed to reduce installation failures and streamline their application package creation and deployment process.

Specific challenges to overcome:

Vulnerability Identification: The organization had a vast number of devices, each posing significant vulnerabilities that needed to be identified and addressed.

Deployment and Upgrades: Ensuring the smooth deployment and upgrade of applications on remote systems was challenging due to the company’s size.

Patch Management: Keeping up with the constant release of new patches and updates was a major challenge.

Installation Failures: There was a need to reduce the instances of application package installation failures in the production environment.

Application Publishing: Managing and streamlining the publishing of applications for a large number of users was complex and resource-intensive.

Solution

SDG responded to these challenges by designing and implementing a thorough Cybersecurity Technology Assessment, utilizing a multi-faceted approach:

Comprehensive Assessment Framework: SDG tailored the assessment to align with the organization’s industry requirements and risk profile, ensuring relevance and effectiveness. Industry-leading cybersecurity frameworks like NIST were also used to evaluate security controls and practices.

Multi-Domain Coverage: The assessment covered several key security domains crucial for a robust defense:

• Network Security: Assessed the strength of network defenses, including firewall configurations, intrusion detection systems, and secure remote access mechanisms. SDG reviewed the network architecture to identify any potential security gaps.

• Endpoint Security: Evaluated the effectiveness of endpoint security measures, including antivirus software, EDR solutions, and patch management processes, ensuring robust protection across all endpoints.

• Email Security: Analyzed the security of the company’s email systems, focusing on spam filtering, phishing protection, and email encryption practices.

Data Collection and Analysis: Utilized a combination of automated vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, log analysis, and configuration reviews to gather data on the company’s security technologies and practices. Interviews with key personnel provided additional insights into security processes and awareness levels within the organization.

Application Packaging: Packages of client-provided applications were created and deployed in lab systems using Intune, ensuring they were ready for rollout.

Gap Analysis and Remediation Planning: SDG conducted a gap analysis to identify discrepancies between the current security posture and industry best practices. A prioritized remediation plan was developed, offering specific, actionable recommendations to address identified vulnerabilities.

Results

The Cybersecurity Technology Assessment delivered significant improvements in the manufacturer’s security posture:

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Enhanced Security Posture: The assessment identified and addressed critical vulnerabilities, significantly strengthening the company’s ability to defend against cyber threats and protect its critical assets.
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Improved Compliance: Ensured alignment with relevant compliance standards and regulations, reducing the risk of penalties and enhancing customer trust.
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Clear Roadmap for Improvement: The remediation plan provided a structured approach to prioritize security investments and guide the implementation of necessary improvements.
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Increased Visibility and Control: The assessment process gave the company a comprehensive view of its security posture, enabling better-informed decisions on security strategies and resource allocation.

Conclusion

By partnering with SDG, our client was able to gain visibility into its vulnerabilities and proactively address its cybersecurity challenges. The Cybersecurity Technology Assessment gave the organization a clear understanding of its security posture, delivered a solid foundation for a more mature and resilient security program, and equipped our client to defend against new and evolving threats. This engagement underscores SDG’s commitment to delivering effective, scalable, and business-valued solutions for its clients.

About SDG

SDG is a leading provider of technology, consulting, and managed services that enable organizations to confidently execute cybersecurity, identity, and risk management solutions to mitigate risk, protect assets, and grow securely. To learn how SDG can help your organization, visit SDGC.com or call us, +1 203.866.8886.

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