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Risk-free Travel: Swiss Re's Journey to Secure Data with IoT
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Identity & Authentication Management
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Applicable Industries
- Finance & Insurance
- National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Tamper Detection
- Voice Biometrics
Services
- System Integration
- Testing & Certification
The Challenge
Swiss Re, a leading reinsurance company, faced a significant challenge in protecting critical data on the 4,500 notebooks used by its employees. These laptops were used by employees who frequently traveled, commuted between different locations, or occasionally worked from home. The existing password protection in Windows XP was deemed inadequate, as notebooks protected in this way were vulnerable to misuse within minutes with easily available hacking tools. The company needed a solution that would prevent unauthorized persons from reading the data on these notebooks. The solution had to be compatible with the existing server infrastructure, the application components on the laptops, and the software distribution mechanism. It also had to be installable automatically during operation without the need for support employees on site.
About The Customer
Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading reinsurance companies and the biggest reinsurance company for life insurance and health insurance. With more than 70 group companies and agencies, the company is present in over 30 countries. Since its formation in 1863 in Zurich, the Group has been active in reinsurance. With its three Business Groups, Property & Casualty, Life & Health and Financial Services, Swiss Re offers a wide range of products for capital and risk management. Traditional reinsurance products such as miscellaneous property cover and liability, accident and motor vehicle cover, life and health insurance and associated services are supplemented by insurance-based corporate finance solutions and solutions for extensive risk management.
The Solution
Swiss Re decided on the Pointsec solution after a detailed evaluation of several offerings. The Pointsec solution met all the requirements set by Swiss Re. It provided complete encryption of notebook hard disks, including the operating system and data, preventing unauthorized access to the data. The solution was compatible with the existing server infrastructure, the application components on the laptops, and the software distribution mechanism. It could also be installed automatically during operation without the need for support employees on site. The encryption algorithm used in the Pointsec solution was AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), a symmetrical procedure that offered variable key lengths up to 256 bits. The algorithm also supported the challenge-response authentication required by Swiss Re. The rollout of the solution lasted almost six months, with the encryption software distributed to an average of 150 users per week as a normal software update.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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