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How Rapac Energy Saves Weeks of Work by Securing Their OT Systems with Cyolo


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Secure global access for business continuity

A leading power plant operator, Rapac Energy was looking to provide secure access to their OT and SCADA systems for external suppliers, global support teams and customers. The new solution had to provide multiple security features that comply with stringent requirements, both regulatory and directed by Rapac Energy’s CISO.

Rapac Energy’s network is isolated and disconnected from the public internet. Yet, employees need to connect with external global support teams and customers. Rapac partners with Siemens Energy service teams in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic. These teams provide online support to the power plants. In addition, Rapac’s customers need visibility into the plant’s data, for example to monitor their levels of electricity consumption.

These needs became especially pressing during Covid-19. Support teams that used to fly in from Europe to visit the plants on-premises were grounded. Yet, Rapac Energy’s operation team still required a continuous line of communication with them and the ability to work simultaneously.

The solutions they were using in the meantime, like video calls, were slow and unreliable. Actions and changes took days instead of seconds.

Therefore, Rapac’s network security access requirements were both external and internal: including features like 2FA before entering the network, and auditing and session recording inside the network.

"No solution gives me so much control and security like Cyolo. It’s everything I need in one solution."

Shlomo Kamilyan, CISO and CIO, Rapac Energy

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An agile VPN replacement for secure remote access

Rapac Energy had used a VPN in the past. But access was slow, usage was bulky and the employees were not happy with using it.

Prior to discovering Cyolo, Rapac’s CISO believed he would have to build the solution he needed from multiple applications and systems that he would string together. From his past experience, he knew this created a lot of friction and would not always work.

A simple and complete zero trust solution

Cyolo was chosen as a single complete, extensive and simple solution for Rapac Energy. Cyolo provides zero trust secure access from Rapac Energy’s isolated networks to external users, including global support teams and customers. In addition, Cyolo is used internally to ensure Zero Trust secure access between systems and applications for employees.

Rapac Energy’s system cannot be connected to the internet, for security reasons and due to regulations. Regulations require 2FA authentication, recording abilities and control over each connection. This is where Cyolo comes in. The external support teams and users connect to Rapac Energy’s external network through a VPN. From the external network they pass through Cyolo, where they are authenticated. Only devices and identities that have been authorized enter Rapac Energy’s network. No tunneling takes place and no other incoming traffic enters the isolated network.

Rapac uses Cyolo’s many features for a variety of needs

  • New applications - Admins can build and operate new applications for systems in five minutes.

  • Requesting access - Users can clearly view which applications they have access to. If they need access to another app, they can easily request access.

  • Providing access - Admins can quickly and easily manage user access and policies to connect employees to applications. The process is quick and easy, and the employees are satisfied, ensuring business continuity.

  • Monitoring - CISOs and security managers use Cyolo’s dashboard to get a clear view of metrics. They monitor logins, user locations, app usage,
    access logs, and more.

  • Auditing and recording - The recording of any users can be accessed and viewed. For example, they can view which actions the support member from Germany did inside their system.

  • Secure signup - Cyolo’s 2FA was set to ensure only authorized users can enter the network. Zero trust is used to ensure the security of the internal systems and apps as well.

  • Easy usage - Cyolo is accessible through a web app. This is simple and convenient. Employees are exhilarated about being able to connect through a URL link.

"The Cyolo team is doing a great job building a comprehensive security solution that is very easy to use."

Shlomo Kamilyan, CISO and CIO, Rapac Energy

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Benefits

Quickest Implementation in Rapac History

The entire implementation process, including systems training and cyber supporters at Rapac Energy, took only one day. This was the shortest implementation Rapac Energy had ever experienced. User training for remote work took place via a clear and concise email.

Happy global users and hundreds of thousands dollars saved

Cyolo is deployed globally among a large number of users. These include third parties, customers and employees, who enjoy the security of zero trust access to Rapac Energy’s network, without affecting business continuity. Cyolo is used on a daily basis among users, who report high levels of satisfaction and ease of use.

Results

By implementing Cyolo, Rapac Energy’s CISO was able to save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Instead of buying multiple systems, Cyolo provides an all-in-one solution. The need for international flights has been cut significantly.

Weeks and months of work have been reduced into minutes.

In addition, the ease of use ensures all Rapac Energy’s employees and partners use it, significantly improving the company’s security posture.

Discover how Cyolo can bring similar results to your organization.