Telecom Argentina Strengthens Cybersecurity Stance

Telecom Argentina is a company in constant evolution, with the aim of empowering its 33 million customers through technology. It offers an ecosystem of digital services and solutions based on at-home and mobile connectivity, including entertainment, financial digital services, and technological solutions for businesses. As it transforms from a traditional telco to a “techco,” it is pursuing new businesses and a digital platform development model related to the Internet of Things, fintech, cybersecurity, and smart homes, among others. As a company that is delivering far-reaching infrastructure and services, Telecom Argentina contends with an ever-widening attack surface. To gain better visibility and security for sensitive information, it chose Akamai Guardicore Segmentation.

Telecom Argentina delivers the critical infrastructure and services that connect companies and users. The complexity, interconnectedness, and distribution of the company broadens its attack surface and exposes it to a greater risk of cyberattacks and internet vulnerabilities. In addition, the company’s diverse service portfolio introduces unique security challenges.

Considering the vast amount of sensitive customer and user data the company is responsible for, Telecom Argentina needed to implement a comprehensive, multifaceted, and multilayered risk management system. The growing threat of ransomware and its potential for violating the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and the corresponding information systems prompted the company to prioritize its cybersecurity efforts to protect data.

As Adrián Judzik, Chief Security Officer at Telecom Argentina, explained, "Although a solid foundation has been laid, it is crucial to continue working on awareness and education, as the risks to which we are exposed and attacker tactics are constantly evolving.”

Knowing that perimeter security is necessary but no longer sufficient, Telecom Argentina turned its sights to microsegmentation. Understanding the importance of this security approach, the company chose Akamai Guardicore Segmentation to protect its infrastructure from ransomware and data theft.

Telecom Argentina was impressed with the support Akamai provided for adoption of the solution, including training on how to make optimal use of specific features. Said Judzik, “We were able to take advantage of the Akamai solution from day one, with little customization, allowing us to realize results quickly.”

The implementation of Akamai Guardicore Segmentation resulted in a significant process improvement, providing greater visibility for security monitoring. Now Telecom Argentina enjoys a broader view of what is happening across its networks, and can implement measures and restrictions that, according to Judzik, it cannot achieve solely with hardware rules. More specifically, the company can contain attacks on applications and workloads in hybrid cloud and Kubernetes environments, while gaining the same visibility and policy controls it enjoys in its on-premises environment.

"With this solution, we can easily visualize what is happening through a dashboard. We can detect and prevent incidents, such as identifying and stopping lateral movements, and malicious attempts within our networks," continued Judzik.

Today, Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is an integral part of Telecom Argentina’s security structure. In addition to enabling robust microsegmentation, the solution allows the company to define controls that support its security certifications, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, and the International Organization for Standardization.

In an environment where telecommunications, technology, and cyberthreats are constantly evolving, Telecom Argentina believes in continually harnessing cutting-edge technology as needed. To that end, it is invested in relationships with strategic partners like Akamai.

“We will expand the use of Akamai Guardicore Segmentation in our networks, and explore other Akamai solutions that can help us ensure a safe environment,” Judzik concluded.

We are Telecom Argentina, a company in constant evolution, that offers connectivity experiences, entertainment, and technological solutions throughout the country. We enhance the digital life of our more than 30 million customers, with a flexible and dynamic service on all their devices through high-speed fixed and mobile connections, and a live and on-demand content platform that integrates series, movies, gaming, music, and TV shows.