Secure 24/7 emergency services response
A cybersecurity threat could seriously disrupt the delivery of 24/7 ambulance and fire services across DRK BOS’s region. Having previously relied on fragmented, local network security to safeguard its portfolio of almost 160 sites, DRK BOS required a consolidated approach that would:
- Improve threat visibility: Complex, siloed network security made it difficult to accurately create a complete picture of every incident – increasing operational risk.
- Increase resilience: Legacy firewalls lacked the visibility and adaptability to connect data across applications, content, and users. This exposed DRK BOS to known and unknown attacks.
- Reduce manual intervention: DRK BOS’s eight-person IT team was manually reacting to security events and physically travelling between sites to manage firewall devices – reducing operational efficiency.
“A ‘blue lights’ 24/7 emergency service demands complete and consistent network security. We needed to see and safeguard all connections to secure rapidly changing use cases.”
Michael Dolp
IT Architect, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Rettungsdienst Bodensee-Oberschwaben gGmbH
Palo Alto Networks ticks every box
DRK BOS standardised on a single, connected suite of almost 200 Palo Alto Networks hardware firewalls to safeguard data and applications in its data centre and 160 sites across southern Germany.
The organisation chose Palo Alto Networks for its firewalls’ Advanced Threat Prevention – including application identification and control (App-ID™) – and their ability to inspect encrypted traffic. Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention is the industry’s first IPS to stop zero-day attacks inline in real time. This provides DRK BOS with robust, real-time protection against zero-day and evasive threats, including 90% of unknown injection attacks.
“Palo Alto Networks ticks every box,” says Michael Dolp, DRK BOS IT Architect. “The platform is continually innovating, it is simple to manage, and it provides complete visibility. Whatever threat we face, I am confident Palo Alto Networks has us covered.”
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Supports 24/7 emergency services delivery
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This modern network security strategy strengthens DRK BOS’s security and helps ensure the delivery of around-the-clock emergency services.For example, the simple, consistent application of security policies unifies management across all sites to secure rapidly changing use cases, and Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) such as Advanced Threat Prevention and URL Filtering offer an extra, natively integrated layer of defence. PA-Series hardware firewalls also support DRK BOS’s high availability strategy with active/active and active/passive modes.
“Palo Alto Networks is our first line of defence against cyberthreats,” says Michael. “With other vendors, we could be waiting weeks for an update; with Palo Alto Networks, we have real-time prevention without signatures.”
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Ensures complete visibility
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Consistently enforcing policies specific to DRK BOS’s needs helps deliver assured protection, regardless of the environment. Strata™ Logging Service collects and integrates data from various sources, enabling advanced Threat Detection and analysis.
“The firewalls act as gatekeepers for all our network traffic, allowing us to monitor, analyse, and control everything that enters and leaves the network,” says Michael. -
Transforms agility
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The simple, connected network security environment adapts to what’s next, allowing DRK BOS to securely innovate and evolve with confidence.For example, DRK BOS can now detect and remediate incidents 99% faster than before. Some 90% of threats are also prevented automatically now, without the need for manual intervention.
“In the old, fragmented environment, it was sometimes difficult to tell whether an incident had occurred or not. Now, we have complete, instant insight and the vast majority of alerts are resolved without us even being involved,” adds Michael.
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Eliminates the silo effect
This consistent, unified Zero Trust approach to security in every environment helps DRK BOS eliminate the complexity of silos.
For example, the Panorama centralised firewall management suite provides DRK BOS with simplified network control across all its sites and domains.
“We can manage all the firewalls, wherever they are, from one console in a few clicks. Updates, configurations, software deployments – they are all so quick and easy,” says Michael.
This modern network security strategy strengthens DRK BOS’s security and helps ensure the delivery of around-the-clock emergency services.
Consistently enforcing policies specific to DRK BOS’s needs helps deliver assured protection, regardless of the environment. Strata™ Logging Service collects and integrates data from various sources, enabling advanced Threat Detection and analysis.
“The firewalls act as gatekeepers for all our network traffic, allowing us to monitor, analyse, and control everything that enters and leaves the network,” says Michael.
The simple, connected network security environment adapts to what’s next, allowing DRK BOS to securely innovate and evolve with confidence.Find out more about how Palo Alto Networks can accelerate your network transformation: Next-Generation Firewalls; Cloud-Delivered Security Services; Panorama.
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