Top Telecom provider defends Large complex environment against evolving threats with Check Point Next Generation Firewalls

“Check Point Next Generation firewalls are critical to our infrastructure. In my experience, they are second to none”
– Senior Manager, IT Network Management, Top Telecom Provider

Overview

Telecom Provider
This telecom provider operates one of the largest LTE networks in the US and serves more than 80 million customers. It relies on Check Point firewalls to secure a growing amount of diverse network environments and the traffic they support.

Business Challenge

Securing a Rapidly Changing Network
Almost every kind of traffic runs on a 4G LTE network these days. From simple voice calls to text and email, all the way to streaming video—the traffic mix and bandwidth requirements change daily. A large telecom provider must be able to secure a growing attack surface with traffic entering the network from handsets, the Internet, and point-to-point vendor connections.

At the same time, cyber attacks are ramping up in volume, diversity, and sophistication. In the past several years, service providers have been victims of highly visible DDoS attacks that took networks down and disrupted service. Attackers also frequently steal credentials and try to gain access via brute force attacks. This telecom provider needed network security defenses that could handle rapid growth—of its customer base, traffic volumes, and the global cyber attack landscape.

“We handle communications on a scale that most companies are not used to seeing,” said the Senior Manager of the company’s IT Network Management team. “Our team originally focused on network ‘break-fix’ operations to maintain high service availability. Now we also manage cybersecurity measures to prevent attackers from disrupting services, stealing information, and accessing customers’ assets.”

Solutions

Advanced Firewall Defenses
Because of its diverse traffic requirements, the telecom company uses numerous firewalls to defend network perimeters and segments against bad actors. It has deployed Check Point 23000 and the 26000 Series data center and high-end enterprise firewalls with data center-grade hardware to maximize uptime and performance. Check Point 44000 firewalls provide multi-blade, chassis-based solutions that scale up to 66,000 SPU to handle the company’s continuous growth. The firewalls also provide IDS and IPS capabilities used as additional preventive measures.

“Check Point firewalls are critical to our infrastructure,” said the Senior Manager. “In my experience, they are second to none.”

Results

Effectively Preventing A Range of cyber Attacks
Check Point firewalls have done a fantastic job of protecting the telecom provider against DDoS attacks. When other types of attacks were detected, the firewalls immediately notified the IT team.

“We can easily see what is blocked and what is allowed,” said the Senior Manager, “and we can adjust on the fly as new threats emerge. We have confidence that any changes we make will not cause a problem or affect our levels of service to customers.”

The IT manager’s team also relies on Check Point to help them develop defenses along with the evolving threat landscape. From the firewall hardware to new capabilities, incident response features, and support, the Check Point team is committed to the telecom provider’s success.

“Check Point people and products are outstanding,” said the Senior Manager. “Quite frankly, there simply is no better value on the market. Without Check Point expertise, we certainly wouldn’t be where we are today.”

For more information, visit: www.checkpoint.com/products/cyber-security-management/