Imperva > Case Studies > Financial Services Company Enhances Security with FireEye and Imperva

Financial Services Company Enhances Security with FireEye and Imperva

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Database Security
Cybersecurity & Privacy - Malware Protection

Applicable Industries

Finance & Insurance
National Security & Defense

Applicable Functions

Procurement
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Cybersecurity
Tamper Detection

Services

Cybersecurity Services
System Integration

About The Customer

PSCU is a credit union service organization (CUSO) that assists nearly 700 credit unions in providing competitive service offerings to their customers. These services include debit and credit cards, electronic banking, online bill payment, mobile banking, and more. With PSCU, credit unions can attain new revenue streams, reduce costs, and provide innovative servicing to their customers. As a financial institution, PSCU is part of one of the most targeted industries for data theft, often by organized, profit-driven cyber criminals seeking data that can be readily converted into cash. Therefore, they require the highest level of security for their regulated and sensitive information.

The Challenge

PSCU, a credit union service organization, was facing a significant challenge in protecting its sensitive data from advanced targeted attacks. These attacks are multi-phased and designed to bypass the security perimeter, often targeting company employees as an entry point. PSCU had tokenization and encryption technology in place, but they understood that monitoring all access to sensitive information and responding to suspicious activity in real-time was crucial for enhancing their security posture. They needed a solution to monitor privileged users, who are often the prime target of advanced attacks, and locate unauthorized copies of databases. Additionally, PSCU wanted a dedicated malware detection solution to add to its layered defense strategy.

The Solution

PSCU implemented the Imperva-FireEye joint security solution to address their security challenges. Imperva Data Security audits all access to sensitive data in real-time across PSCU’s database platforms, and uses security analytics to identify high-risk incidents. It automates compliance needs, locates sensitive data within databases to help PSCU focus their security efforts, and offers assessment tests to identify unpatched vulnerabilities or poorly configured security settings. PSCU also chose the FireEye malware detection solution for its robust virtual execution engine and easy-to-use interface. The FireEye Malware Protection System identifies infected hosts and passes that information to Imperva Data Security, which then prevents infected machines from accessing sensitive database information. This unique integration between Imperva Data Security and the FireEye Malware Protection System allowed PSCU to enhance their anti-malware security program.

Operational Impact

The implementation of the Imperva-FireEye joint security solution has significantly enhanced PSCU's security posture. The solution has enabled PSCU to achieve an end-to-end incident response process for malware. It has also allowed them to detect malware on endpoint devices and respond in real-time, thereby protecting PSCU’s regulated and sensitive data from advanced targeted attacks. The detailed audit trail provided by Imperva serves as a tool to perform forensic investigations and accelerate the incident response process. By monitoring database activity in real-time, Imperva establishes a baseline of normal user access patterns and responds to material variances in behavior as a second layer of coverage. The solution analyzes both user behaviour and data access activity to identify suspicious data access and prioritize critical threats. This has significantly reduced security risk while minimizing disruptions to the end-user and ongoing operations.

Quantitative Benefit

Real-time monitoring of all access to sensitive data
Automated compliance needs
Identification of unpatched vulnerabilities or poorly configured security settings