National Bank: Web Browsing

This bank needed to balance the needs for user productivity and instant access to information with the requirement to repel cyberattacks from those intent on compromising its systems.

Business Challenge

Eliminate the Threat and Enhance Productivity

Users at the bank accessed the Web via a McAfee Web Gateway which enforced a range of security controls including detection-based anti-virus, user authentication, acceptable usage policies and URL filtering.

To combat the risk posed by malware concealed in files downloaded via the Web, the organisation had deployed a leading sandboxing solution and downloads were sent to the sandbox for checking before being delivered to the user.

There were two drawbacks to this approach. The sandboxing solution was not always effective and sometimes potentially malicious content concealed in documents was allowed into the network. The sandbox also impacted user productivity. It could take up to 15 minutes from the user clicking on a link to download a document, and them receiving it from the sandbox.

“The challenge was to balance the need for users to get rapid access to business content, with the absolute imperative that the content should be totally threat-free.”

Solution

Threat Removal for Web Gateways

The bank installed Deep Secure Threat Removal for Web Gateways alongside its McAfee Web Gateway.

The Web Gateway operates as before but now it passes digital content – Office documents, PDFs, and images to Threat Removal for Web Gateways. Using a unique process called transformation, the valid business information is extracted from the downloaded document or image, the original is discarded, and a brand-new document or image is created and handed back to the Web Gateway for onward delivery to the user. This approach maximises security. Every file that is transformed is guaranteed 100% threat-free.

The entire process from requesting a download to receiving the document on the desktop takes milliseconds and therefore far from adding latency into business processes it has accelerated workflows and enhanced productivity.

Results

Transparent to the User

The solution is now live across the organisation. The transformation process is totally transparent to the organisation’s users who receive information that is fully revisable and pixel perfect. Users can now access business information over the Web without delay, and open downloaded files without fear of compromise.

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