CASE STUDY
The acceleration of remote learning and digital transformation has significantly broadened the attack surface , emphasising the urgent need for proactive cybersecurity measures and heightened awareness to safeguard institutional operations and sensitive data .
Solution deployment
GBM has implemented a comprehensive cybersecurity solution for GEMS Education , designed to establish a robust defence strategy across 11 schools and their corporate office within their private network . The solution leverages Palo Alto ’ s next-generation firewalls , NGFW , integrated with advanced security features such as Intrusion Prevention System , IPS , spyware protection , advanced URL filtering , and DNS security .
These components work together to provide essential protection for Internet browsing and safeguard both students and faculty from online threats . Additionally , Palo Alto ’ s Precision AI Network Security further enhances the network ’ s defence capabilities , proactively identifying and mitigating potential risks in real time .
“ The deployment of Palo Alto ’ s next-generation firewalls through our collaboration with GBM represents a critical step in fortifying the cybersecurity framework across our schools . This advanced solution safeguards students , faculty , and corporate data , ensuring a secure and uninterrupted digital learning environment ,” says Bathrachalam .
The PA-3400 Series simplifies the deployment of large numbers of firewalls with Zero Touch Provisioning and supports centralised administration and management through Panorama , the network security management solution from Palo Alto which GEMS is currently using to enhance operational efficiency .
The controlling element of the PA-3400 Series is PAN- OS , the same software that runs all Palo Alto Networks NGFWs . PAN-OS natively classifies all traffic , inclusive of applications , threats , and content , and then ties that traffic to the user regardless of location or device type .
With its capacity to handle up to 2 million new sessions per second and support for up to 11 virtual systems , the PA-3420 is built to scale , making it a suitable choice for supporting GEMS ' business and growth . The device offers a wide array of connectivity options , including 1 , 2.5 , 5 , 10GBase-T and 1Gb , 10Gb Ethernet ports , alongside 25Gb Ethernet connections , ensuring highspeed access .
“ Seamlessly integrated with Palo Alto ’ s industry-leading NGFWs , the cloud-delivered security services leverage the network effect of 80,000 customers to instantly share intelligence and protect them against threats , from across all vectors ,” says Ercan Aydin , VP Middle East and Africa , Palo Alto Networks .
The main services and benefits included in this platform are :
The deployment followed a structured approach , starting with the integration of a centralised management and monitoring console . This system enables standardised control and oversight across all devices within schools , providing a unified view and role-based access to streamline operations .
While the deployment , across 11 schools and the corporate office , is nearing completion , the implementation has strengthened the overall cybersecurity posture of GEMS schools , providing a scalable and future-proof defence system .
Palo Alto ’ s modern firewall
Palo Alto Networks PA-3420 is a security appliance designed to meet the demands of modern network environments like GEMS . It is a machine learningpowered NGFW providing inline , signatureless attack prevention while identifying and immediately stopping previously unidentified phishing attempts .
This is made possible by integrating advanced encryption algorithms and using dedicated processing and memory for networking , security , threat prevention , and management .
Advanced Threat Prevention : Stops known exploits , malware , malicious URLs , spyware , and command and control , C2 .
WildFire + Malware Prevention : Ensures files are safe by automatically detecting and preventing unknown malware 180X faster with the industry ’ s largest threat intelligence and malware prevention engine .
Ercan Aydin , VP Middle East and Africa , Palo Alto Networks
THE DEPLOYMENT FOLLOWED A STRUCTURED
APPROACH , STARTING
WITH THE INTEGRATION OF A CENTRALISED MANAGEMENT AND
MONITORING CONSOLE .
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