German Healthcare Provider KHWE Implements Powerful Endpoint Protection
ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
There is a clear improvement. We have noticed that the CPU and RAM load for our servers has become lower due to the new endpoint protection. And what I can say as project manager for endpoint protection is that I definitely feel better and can sleep more peacefully following the introduction of CylancePROTECT, because I know how good the product is.
Maik Hielscher IT System Administrator Infrastructure, Katholische Hospitalvereinigung Weser-Egge
In the project, everyone benefited from the trusting, long-standing cooperation in a spirit of partnership, so that after the rollout, the administration was completely and smoothly transferred into the hands of KHWE’s in-house IT department
Jens Haferbeck, Technical Manager at Gronemeyer IT
After a presentation of the CylancePROTECT® solution, the IT manager and our infrastructure team leaders were so enthusiastic that the decision to try the solution was quickly made
Maik Hielscher, IT System Administrator Infrastructure at KHWE
German Healthcare Provider KHWE Implements Powerful Endpoint Protection
KHWE (Katholische Hospitalvereinigung Weser-Egge), an association of hospitals and care facilities in East Westphalia-Lippe, Germany, takes pride in delivering the highest quality of care to its patients–and to their data. KHWE operates four hospitals, two medical care centers with nine specialist practices, five retirement homes, and five outpatient nursing services stations with a total of 3,000 employees. KHWE also trains employees in its own healthcare training facility for medical professionals. In addition, the association’s KEW Services subsidiary handles food supply, logistics, and cleaning services for buildings and sterile goods. Medical and personnel data for patients and staff are among KHWE’s digital assets that require special protection. Even before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, KHWE’s leadership team decided to concentrate on improving data security, which led them to install a modern system for endpoint security. It was a timely decision. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, the installation of this new endpoint security system had to take place under the new COVID-19 contact restrictions.
One recent incident in particular helped galvanize KHWE leaders’ resolve and contributed to their decisive actions. They had observed the enormous consequences of a successful cyberattack on another hospital network, based in Düsseldorf, where the IT system was compromised, and a patient died because her ambulance had to be diverted. It was a nightmare scenario that those responsible at KHWE wanted to ensure would never happen at their hospitals. KHWE’s IT leadership was also dissatisfied with the cybersecurity solution that was in use at the time, and whose subscription was about to expire. The old system combined firewall, endpoint protection, encryption, and other services in a single central interface. But since KHWE users did not feel optimally served, especially in view of the high resource consumption of the existing solution’s endpoint protection, KHWE’s IT team looked for alternatives. They sought advice from their local IT partner, Gronemeyer IT. “After a presentation of the CylancePROTECT® solution, the IT manager and our infrastructure team leaders were so enthusiastic that the decision to try the solution was quickly made,” recalls Maik Hielscher, IT System Administrator Infrastructure at KHWE. The CylancePROTECT solution’s ability to provide preventive endpoint security while running in tandem with multiple virus scanners made a particular impression.
Remote implementation ensures the safety of patients and staff
Following a successful proof of concept, Gronemeyer IT was commissioned with the introduction, rollout, and user training for the CylancePROTECT solution. The rollout, which began in January 2020, occurred completely remotely to protect KHWE’s patients and staff. “Within the planned project duration of three months, the main goal was to roll out 75% protection across the board,” says Hielscher. The deployment involved a large number of clients in KHWE’s four hospitals and other care facilities and had to be carried out under newly tightened COVID-19 contact conditions. KHWE needed to quickly protect their server infrastructure and Windows®, Mac®, and Linux® computers with CylancePROTECT, and their smartphones with CylancePROTECT® Mobile. The project’s managers benefited from the fact that CylancePROTECT and CylancePROTECT Mobile are solutions designed for easy implementation. In addition, the long history of trust and cooperation that the participants had built up over years of working together proved to be a great advantage. “In the project, everyone benefited from the trusting, long-standing cooperation in a spirit of partnership, so that after the rollout, the administration was completely and smoothly transferred into the hands of KHWE’s in-house IT department,” comments Jens Haferbeck, Technical Manager at Gronemeyer IT.
Since the successful rollout, users in KHWE’s head office, individual hospitals, and other care facilities can access the association’s network without risk, thanks to BlackBerry® prevention-first endpoint security solutions. User reaction has been extremely positive. “There is a clear improvement. We have noticed that the CPU and RAM load for our servers has become lower due to the new endpoint protection,” Maik Hielscher summarizes. “And what I can say as an IT System Administrator is that I definitely feel better and can sleep more peacefully following the introduction of CylancePROTECT, because I know how good the product is.”
Related Products
