Swisscom Provides Managed Security Services to Financial Institutions Through A Deep Technical Partnership with Forcepoint

Challenges

• Provide stable, enterprisegrade managed firewall services to commercial entities across Switzerland.

Approach

• Forcepoint NGFW for unmatched security efficacy and blocking of evasions.

Results

• Stable, high-availability service to Swisscom’s managed firewall customers, including a large portion of the country’s financial institutions.
• Ongoing cooperative relationship, including regular communications with research and development.
   

As the number one internet and mobile services provider in Switzerland, part of Swisscom’s mission is to help the country’s citizens and businesses embrace the opportunities of a networked future. As a partner to so many critical industries in Switzerland, Swisscom functions as an integral part of the country’s connectivity, owning 67% of the country’s business-critical broadband network market and more than half of its mobile networks.

As broadband and mobile connectivity edge closer to commodity status throughout the world, the company has leveraged its technological prowess to take its place in the fast-growing managed IT services business, notably in security. As companies move to cloud-based and hybrid infrastructures, digitization and new technologies are creating new avenues for cyberattack. This, at a time when an IT talent shortage makes staff security experts hard to find. This explains why, according to an ICT Security Study 2018 by MSM Research Ltd, fully half of IT security spending in Switzerland flows into the managed services sector. Of surveyed companies, 64% want to expand their collaboration with external service providers further.

Managed security service providers (MSSPs) like Swisscom function as a single point of client contact with vendors and offer an experienced team for knowledge and risk management. The company promises “alwayson security for an always-on world,” a promise that has strong appeal to Swiss financial institutions, a large number of which rely on Swisscom’s managed firewall services. In 2016, Swisscom was crowned the leading MSSP in Switzerland by Experton Group, an independent technology insights, market intelligence, and advisory services company. And working together with Forcepoint helped get it there.

Together, developing a NGFW that’s the best of its generation

Swisscom needed airtight security with protection against malware and evasions with zero downtime to keep Switzerland’s economy—as well as the world’s—operating without a hitch. A security failure could lead to a network outage, hindering thousands of financial transactions for customer banks and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Worse, a security breach could disrupt or even crash worldwide financial markets.

To provide its managed firewall services, Swisscom partnered with Forcepoint. “Our relationship with Swisscom has created a deep technical partnership between our two companies,” says Francesco Fucile, Forcepoint’s Senior Business Development Manager and Country Head in Switzerland. “Swisscom’s needs required it to work closely with our R&D group in Helsinki, and the input was instrumental in helping us make Forcepoint NGFW the solution it is today.” The rapid, collaborative response convinced Swisscom that it had chosen the right partner—one that would be there to address issues whenever they occur.

Protecting the always-on Swiss economy

Forcepoint NGFW proved a stable and reliable answer to Swisscom’s needs, with unmatched security efficacy. Based on a 2018 NGFW test from security analyst NSS Labs, Forcepoint’s next generation firewall stopped 99.7% of attacks and blocked 100% of evasions, achieving the highest security efficacy score among NGFWs tested. Its stability is also well documented. An IDC Research report showed customers that switched to Forcepoint NGFW reduced maintenance-related downtime by 70% on average, through advanced clustering and software updates that can be deployed to all NGFW devices in minutes, not hours.

Consistent input from Swisscom on service and performance helps Forcepoint stay at the top of its game. “Working with Swisscom is an amazing experience for us,” claims Fucile. “Whenever they ask for a new feature or improvement, we listen closely. We’ve learned that what Swisscom needs now, 90% of the market will want in the future.” Forcepoint is in frequent communication with the MSSP to ensure it has the latest appliances and upgrades, and that all its service needs are being met. From biweekly calls and monthly supplier meetings to an annual “feature request” meeting, Swisscom helps to make Forcepoint NGFW an ever-better product, just as Forcepoint helps Swisscom to provide the very best service to its customers.

Creating a lasting impact to help secure a connected country

After more than six years working together, Swisscom is satisfied and optimistic about the relationship, as Forcepoint NGFW continues to deliver airtight, always-on security. “Eliminating downtime is crucial for Swisscom, and it’s why the team has chosen our technology—because of the stability and high availability,” said Fucile. In addition, Forcepoint continues to offer quick responses to any issues and meet new needs through research and development.

Swisscom is a critically important piece of the country’s infrastructure. Swiss business relies on Swisscom—and Swisscom relies on Forcepoint to help keep it up and running.

“We’ve learned that what Swisscom needs now, 90% of the market will want in the future,”
- Francesco Fucile, Forcepoint Sr. Business Development Manager