A global export agency has been working with risual for almost a decade, working in partnership to transform its business. Part of the partnership involves risual aiding in both tactical and strategic engagements, all with the aim of supporting the client’s £50 billion export commitment.

The client’s organisation is over 100 years old so it’s inevitable they are still working with legacy systems, often this prevented optimal ways of working, and halted further technology or system progression. During the organisation’s lifetime, they’d also acquired multiple Managed Services providers, all maintaining different sections of the business’s security and applications.

Along with the restriction of several security tools our client feared that the “walled garden” approach to security including corporate firewalls as the main line of defense wouldn’t be sufficient if the security features weren’t up to date. The restriction of several security tools led to the app being withdrawn, exposing the organisation to risk, and frustrated staff spending significant time on manual processes that could be automated.

As a trusted partner and strategic advisor, risual was approach to aid in keeping the business secure without impacting or hindering end-users or client services. A five pillared ‘Zero Trust’ security strategy was presented to the client, covering complete coverage in the following pillars:

  • Identity
  • Infrastructure
  • Data
  • Apps
  • Devices

Current security processes pain points were identified in discussions between risual and the client, allowing the client’s goals, desires, and objectives to be confirmed clearly. Compared against risual’s base Zero Trust model serious improvements were identified as priority. Based on compliance principles risual looked to increase the client’s security maturity across the business through the key Zero Trust pillars.

Workshops were held on each strategy recommendation, to further confirm risual’s implementation approach and create designs the client was satisfied with. Guidance, best practices, and compliance recommendations were provided on the following:

  • Identity governance and automation
  • Modern password management
  • Cloud managed corporate laptops
  • Bring your own device (mobile device management)
  • Information architecture
  • Data loss prevention
  • Single sign on to enterprise apps
  • Security information and event management

Existing Microsoft licensing investments were leveraged, providing all the features needed to implement the agreed strategy. Using Microsoft as a single vendor also allowed the IT department and Security Operations team to use their existing skills and knowledge as well as benefit from a familiar management environment as they’d previously worked with Microsoft through risual. Legacy infrastructure was easily decommissioned, and all security and optimisation management stood under one partner, risual.

External communications and collaborations were made slicker and more secure with specific protected areas that allowed for easy communication and collaboration on documents. End-users were continuing to use familiar Microsoft tools as they had always done, whilst integrating some new Microsoft technologies to enhance their experience. The pilot of the new cloud managed devices allowed for more flexible working environments. risual’s successful engagement had not only increased end-user’s productivity but also kept the business secure through frictionless solutions.

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