Zscaler > Case Studies > Sandvik's Transition to Zero Trust Network with Zscaler Private Access

Sandvik's Transition to Zero Trust Network with Zscaler Private Access

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud
Networks & Connectivity - Gateways

Applicable Industries

Mining
National Security & Defense

Use Cases

Cybersecurity
Tamper Detection

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

About The Customer

Sandvik Group is a global high-tech and engineering company with a strong commitment to enhancing customer productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Founded in 1862, Sandvik holds approximately 6,000 active patents in industrial tools and tooling, mining and construction equipment, and advanced stainless steel and special alloys. The company is a world leader in Manufacturing and Machining, Mining and Rock, Rock Processing, and Materials Technology. With 37,000 employees at nearly 600 sites in 140 countries, Sandvik is a significant player in the industrial engineering industry.

The Challenge

Sandvik Group, a global high-tech and engineering company, was facing significant challenges with its traditional virtual private network (VPN) approach to connecting and securing remote workers. The VPN technology was causing productivity and user experience hurdles, as it hadn't evolved much since its introduction. The company was looking for a technology that removed connectivity hurdles and reduced attack surfaces to improve its security posture. The challenge was further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a rapid transition to a work-from-anywhere (WFA) model. The company needed to establish zero-trust network access rapidly and smoothly to enable this transformation.

The Solution

Sandvik Group turned to Zscaler, a company they had previously partnered with, to implement a zero trust strategy. They conducted a proof of value with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), a cloud-driven solution that addressed their VPN concerns. The ZPA was tested with 30 users and was launched globally five days later, enabling all employees to work safely during the pandemic. The ZPA solution provided seamless, secure, VPN-free access for private applications running on public clouds and within Sandvik's data center. By adding ZPA to its existing deployment of Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Sandvik established a holistic WFA zero trust security environment called the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform. The ZPA solution also ensured that neither networks nor applications were ever exposed to the internet, making all of Sandvik’s infrastructure completely invisible to unauthorized users, while still granting authorized users least-privileged access.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Zscaler's solutions led to significant operational improvements for Sandvik. The company was able to provide seamless, secure, VPN-free access for private applications, improving user experiences and productivity. The solution also enabled Sandvik to effectively segment network access using policy-based tools to speed performance. The ZPA environment displayed all of the applications it discovered, significantly improving Sandvik's visibility into what applications needed protection and which users needed access to them. This, combined with ZPA’s customizable policy tools, enabled Sandvik to set and enforce granular policies for discovered applications to ensure least-privilege access, thereby minimizing exposure and reducing attack surfaces. The successful ZPA deployment eliminated access hurdles imposed by VPNs, resulting in exceptionally positive user responses.

Quantitative Benefit

Transitioned 20,000 global employees to zero-trust WFA network access in less than five days
Reduced time spent configuring security connectors from over an hour to seconds
Minimized attack surfaces and access barriers by reducing VPNs