The client for the project
is KVART JSC, one of Russia's largest and most established manufacturers of
rubber products.
For an extended period, the client had relied on a foreign vendor's firewall to protect their network traffic and secure internet connections. The solution addressed multiple business challenges simultaneously:— Secure internet access was ensured for three hundred company employees.
— Access to specific resources and downloadable content was restricted for various user categories. The firewall also filtered incoming traffic and facilitated a VPN with multiple company branches.
— Additionally, the firewall filtered incoming traffic and supported a VPN connection across several company branches.
However, the company later revised its information security and security solution functionality requirements, and the existing solution could not accommodate them. A need arose to manage network access through directory service integration. Having an intrusion detection system became crucial to block suspicious incoming and outgoing traffic.
ICL Services was tasked with finding an optimal and balanced replacement solution.
Key Challenges
- Conduct an audit of the existing infrastructure to identify potential vulnerabilities.
- Develop requirements for the new solution and select the appropriate one.
- Design and obtain client approval for the new infrastructure.
- Develop a migration plan to minimize disruption to company operations.
- Perform tests with pilot user groups and execute the firewall replacement.
Implemented our solution
- The project was executed from October to December 2023. We began by examining the existing infrastructure, the number of devices, and their operational characteristics.
Following the audit, a series of interviews were conducted to gather and formalize detailed requirements for the potential solution. An optimal solution in terms of cost and functionality was developed and proposed based on the existing infrastructure information and the requirements for a potential solution.
The decision was made to base the new infrastructure on Ideco NGFW. This choice was deemed optimal for the infrastructure and client in terms of affordability, functionality, and responsive technical support, which was crucial for the client.
After designing the new infrastructure and coordinating the work schedule with the client (including changes to directory service settings, DHCP for dynamic IP addressing, etc.), we modified the infrastructure on-site, initially setting up a test group of approximately 10 devices.
Once the processes were refined and local technical delays resolved, the team proceeded with the full-scale firewall migration.
The transition not only achieved import substitution but also provided a domestic solution with much broader functionality than the previous one. For instance, besides responsive technical support, Ideco features an anomalous traffic detection module that can identify hacker intrusions early on. Ideco also offers a more flexible access system. Internet access rights are now assigned based on user login and password, rather than by device as it was before.
Lastly, the Ideco-based solution is more scalable, simplifying future expansions of the device fleet or infrastructure compared to the previous solution.
Products and technologies
- Ideco NGFW
Results
- Successful migration from a foreign firewall to a domestic one for 300+ devices.
- Enhanced protection against cyberattacks; improved network access system.
- Increased solution scalability.