Global Food Processing Organization Increases Online Connectivity Speeds by Up to 12 Times to Empower Rapid Innovation

Challenges

• Support collaboration in the cloud and security for roaming users for global workforce efficiency
• Protect users from common human security errors online and in email
• Roll out to and standardize protection of newly acquired companies quickly

Approach

• Cloud implementation of Forcepoint Web and Email Security with direct connect endpoint

Results

• 70% improvement of user web experience in China
• 12x improvement in user web experience in Brazil
• Better protection of cloud applications, including their Office 365 environment
• Greater control and scalability of the security environment
   

The world population will grow from seven billion to over nine billion people by 2050. This means we need to produce more, while using fewer resources, and do it more sustainably—using less nitrogen fertilizer and antibiotics, without destroying even more of the planet’s vital rainforests and savannahs than we already have.

This global leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed is urgently trying to do something about it. With thousands of employees across multiple countries, the company translates world-class research into practical, innovative solutions, supporting customers in 90 countries. Acutely aware of the challenges in food production supply, the enterprise dedicates a portion of its operational profit to research and innovation for sustainable solutions that move the industry forward, in industrialized countries as well as the developing world.

The only solution that matched its unique criteria

While driving forward innovation, this enterprise is also growing with the acquisition of several smaller companies around the world per year. This complicates security matters, as new systems are brought into their network that may not always have strong cybersecurity in place. Also, because of their size and prominence, the company is a hot target for C-level spoofing and phishing attempts targeting revenue exfiltration. The company was determined to reduce the potential for risky user web browsing or the opening of bogus or malware-riddled emails.

As its source of innovation, the company’s global employee base is one of its greatest assets. But its Manager of Network Services also found that employees were one of the company’s biggest potential vulnerabilities. “What I’ve learned is that it’s very difficult to predict common human error,” the manager said.

“It’s crucial we have a security solution in place that embraces our users.”
- Manager of Network Services

To secure the cloud without impacting work and allow users to collaborate and innovate quickly, the enterprise needed to upgrade its web and email protection. It chose the Forcepoint Cloud Web and Email Security solution to deliver a powerful first line of defense to prevent potential threats without slowing down the business. “A high-level proof of concept (POC) with Forcepoint showed us we didn’t need to evaluate another solution,” said the manager. “We were ready to roll out Forcepoint because they were the only vendor that matched all of our criteria, and then some. It was a no-brainer for us.”

With the help of on-site Forcepoint engineers, the company was able to deploy Forcepoint Web Security Cloud and Email Security Cloud in a matter of days. “We set up the first environment and the first policy very quickly,” said the manager. “From there, we gradually rolled it out to our users in each location so that they could start running on the new solution.”

A safe environment that doesn’t interfere with how people work

With Forcepoint, the company now has effective security with coordinated defense controls in the cloud, freeing the enterprise to focus on value creation in strategic areas. Aligning with the company’s user-centric focus, Forcepoint’s solution better protects users as they interact with web and email, including cloud environments like Office 365.

“Malicious emails and links are being caught, captured, and analyzed automatically while giving us better control,” the manager said. His team also has greater flexibility and scalability in this environment. As the next step, Forcepoint and the company’s security leadership are examining how a CASB solution could help the enterprise gain visibility over shadow IT.

“We finally feel in control of our users’ browsing behavior and have much more visibility of what is entering our environment through the cloud. Compared to any other solution I’ve ever worked with, I now have the tools necessary to tweak controls in the best way that fits our environment,”
 - Manager

In other words, a solution that provides the safety the company needs, without creating obstacles to how people work.

Removing roadblocks for a growing global workforce

Further improving the experience of users globally, Forcepoint’s unique direct connect endpoint reduced latency, particularly at locations in Vietnam, China, and Brazil, to foster greater workforce efficiency. Specifically, the company garnered a 70% user experience improvement. In Brazil, the company’s previous solution took 40 network hops, or egress points, for workers to reach a website. Forcepoint was able to reduce that to five egress points, improving speed by a factor of 12, making a huge difference in efficiency of users.

The cloud-based deployment of the Forcepoint solution allows for the extension of security to new subsidiaries, and the direct connect endpoint enables a fast, seamless, secure internet user experience regardless of location. Email Security filters out executable files before they enter the organization to reduce the possibility of human error causing a security impact. And with Forcepoint’s unified solution, the company is able to provide consistent web and email security for all its globally distributed locations, managed from a single console.

“Malicious emails and links are being caught, captured, and analyzed automatically while giving us better control.” ​​​​​​
- Manager of Network Services