You are only as good as your network….This was one of the first things we learned when we started offering cloud services to help engineering teams leverage computer-aided design (CAD) software. The funny thing is, the context of that lesson was solely about performance. Of course, PDM and CAD file security was an important topic then, but nothing like today after the rise of malware and ransom attacks. Manufacturers and engineering firms are increasingly looking for cloud solutions to enable remote collaboration with engineers on staff, product design contractors, consultants, and suppliers globally. As you can imagine, the security and performance challenges that go along with this can be overwhelming. Never mind the complexity of putting it all together in a single solution.
This blog will explore some things you should consider for PDM and CAD security within remote teams. We’ll also talk about how our new Next Generation A/I Powered Cybersecurity Solution by Sophos connects our global data centers into a single secure global hybrid cloud solution to enable secure collaboration of a global manufacturing and product design operation.
How Can Your Product Design Team Avoid Ransom and Malware?
The landscape of cloud solutions and security changed dramatically a couple of years back for most industries, and manufacturing is no exception. The pandemic created a huge demand for solutions to support a remote workforce while simultaneously threats of ransomware and other malicious attacks were rampant. As we began our search for a new network and security solution to support our manufacturing customers, it was imperative that we confidently address these risks to our customers’ product data. After extensive research, we landed on the Sophos Cyber Security Solution. This superior solution features A/I powered deep learning anti-malware, next-generation firewall endpoint signaling, and CryptoGuard file encryption rollback to keep your product data and CAD solution safe. It answers every data security concern our engineering customers might have about their product data security.
Do You Need To Focus More on Product Design Work and Less on Your Network Security and Performance?
We understand that most manufacturers have global teams collaborating daily; therefore, global resource availability was a key requirement for our new engineering and CAD in the cloud solution. To help global product design teams do what they do best, we expanded our offerings to include MS Azure in various regions worldwide. Though this expansion of services resolved resource availability for CAD in the cloud solutions, it also further solidified the challenge of connecting global data centers into a single solution while maintaining the network performance and low latencies required by our customers creating and sharing large CAD files. Using XG firewalls in each data center, we have created a single global mesh, low-latency network. Leveraging key Sophos features such as Application Acceleration, we have optimized the solution for common CAD data and applications used by our engineering and manufacturing customers to help them focus more on their CAD and product design work and less on managing their network security and performance.
How Can One Network Across Data Centers Mitigate PDM and CAD Security Concerns?
Creating a single, secure, global, low latency network that connects various private and public data centers for securing CAD files in the cloud is no easy task. However, Sophos offered all the building blocks needed to architect a security solution and enable us to centrally manage and monitor your global product data and keep it safe. This end-to-end solution starts with Sophos InterceptX EP on every point within our CAD in the cloud solution. These EPs work together with XG firewalls and leverage A/I powered deep learning control technology to detect and block malicious attacks and ransomware before they impact your CAD files and systems. Sophos Synchronized Security connects all Intercept X endpoints and Sophos Firewalls to Sophos Central. Our team has full visibility as threats are automatically detected, isolated, neutralized, and restored with our intervention. Together these components create the industry’s best cybersecurity security solution that protects your manufacturing company’s most valued data assets, including CAD files and PDM vaults.
What Are Three Questions To Ask Any IT Company With an Engineering Industry Focus About PDM and CAD Security?
If you are nervous about your CAD data falling into the wrong hands, here are three questions we suggest you ask your engineering-centric network provider:
Question 1: Can they provide secure access to global hybrid cloud resources to enable your team of engineers and product designers to work efficiently?
Question 2: What measures are they taking to protect your product data vault from Ransom attacks?
Question 3: How do they reduce network latency to ensure optimum performance and user experience for globally distributed engineering and product design teams?
If their answers don’t help you feel at ease about your product data, check out our page regarding our new Sophos Next-Gen A/I Powered Cybersecurity global network to keep your CAD solution safe and secure. Also, follow us as we talk about how we leverage this global solution and other technologies, such as CryptoGuard and Sophos Application Acceleration, to create new solutions, such as RansomGuard, the manufacturing and engineering industry’s first CAD security and data redundancy solution against ransomware attacks. If your IT company doesn’t have a manufacturing and product design focus, you may want to work with a team of experts who can manage your cloud configuration seamlessly.
