Mumbai: Carving its niche in the competitive landscape, Pune-based digital marketing agency, Investronaut, has recently fortified its digital defenses through a strategic partnership with CyberArk, a global leader in identity security. This collaboration signifies more than just a union; it underscores Investronaut's dedication to delivering secure, innovative, and customer-focused digital solutions. As the agency embarks on a journey of global expansions, CyberArk's integrated security approach ensures not only data protection but also operational efficiency, fostering a culture of trust that resonates throughout the entire organisation.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with CyberArk India solutions engineering director Sumit Srivastava and Investronaut head of content and design Shriganesh Joshi to talk about Investronaut's inception story, their partnership, and much more…
Edited Excerpts:
On Investronaut's inception story and its stand-out aspect in the competitive digital marketing landscape
Investronaut is a full-stack marketing agency, powered by the twin engines of creativity and performance, based out of Pune, Maharashtra. What started as a consulting company about a decade ago is now a team of dynamic professionals that caters to end-to-end marketing and business solutions for brands. We believe in ‘investing’ in our clients through a healthy brand-agency relationship built on transparency, trust, and respect. Our prime objective is to maximise the impact of your brand by analysing the challenges at hand and strategically defining and meeting the subsequent objectives, both short- and long-term.
On the collaboration with CyberArk and the specific security challenges that you were aiming to address, especially considering the emphasis on third-party collaborations
Security first is the foundation of our organisation as we seek to improve our clients' business image through digital marketing strategies. Investronaut recognizes the importance of protecting sensitive information and ensuring the integrity of our operations and therefore strives to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
As a marketing agency, Investronaut’s success relied heavily on third-party collaborations which exposed the company to a plethora of external threats. CyberArk’s platform helped strengthen our security posture by securing access for external uses while providing the tools needed to boost workforce efficiency. Here’s how:
a. Securing third-party access: Investronaut works with a host of third-party agencies, partners and vendors to improve their customer’s digital presence who need access to their internal apps and infrastructure. With CyberArk’s integrated identity security approach centered on intelligent privilege controls, Investronaut could seamlessly grant access to external contributors without compromising the security of their most valuable assets.
b. Boosting operational efficiency: Before implementing CyberArk solutions, Investronaut employees stored customer passwords and important URLs on simple excel sheets – a place prone to credential theft. CyberArk Workforce Password Management helped overcome credential vulnerability and made it easier for employees and external contributors to seamlessly navigate through apps and portals without needing to remember multiple credentials, reuse passwords or pull up exhaustive spreadsheets.
On the factors that led to choosing CyberArk, and the solutions within their platform that stood out during the selection process
Our partnership with CyberArk, a leader in cybersecurity, demonstrates our commitment to developing the digital foundation of our customer-centric approach. Our shared vision emphasized on the the importance of secure access to business applications to drive our digital strategy, and this strategic partnership is an important step in strengthening our defenses against threats.
By partnering with CyberArk, we do not just solve security problems, we actively support our customers' doors to digital success. Enterprise allows us to implement robust measures that go beyond traditional security practices to ensure access to critical business applications remains intact. This partnership enables us to stay ahead of emerging threats and protect the integrity and confidentiality of customer data as we navigate this changing digital circulation landscape.
Investronaut's commitment to cybersecurity is more than a response; is a common answer. This is an effort to create a digital environment where our customers can thrive with confidence that their products are safe. By partnering with CyberArk, we not only ensure security, but also the flexibility and longevity of our customers' digital intelligence.
To cater to these security needs, the following capabilities of CyberArk’s Identity Security Platform were leveraged:
1 Single sign-on to enterprise applications: With one-click secure access to all enterprise applications, employees and third-party vendors no longer had to memorize complex passwords to do their job. This resulted in improved workforce efficiency and a better brand experience for all collaborators across the board.
2 Adaptive multi-factor authentication: With an AI-fueled user-behavior analytics engine, to discern typical user logins from potential attacks, Investronaut deployed a threat-resistant user access framework that offers enhanced protection without affecting user experience.
3 Workforce password management: This helped secure user credentials of their most critical assets in CyberArk Secure Vault with seven layers of built-in security and policies around how they can be accessed, shared, or retrieved.
On CyberArk's platform positively impacting Investronaut's digital marketing strategies and overall efficiency in handling third-party collaborations
Through our collaboration with CyberArk, we are not merely addressing security challenges; rather, we are proactively bolstering the pathways to our customers' digital triumphs. The enterprise solution empowers us to implement resilient measures that surpass conventional security practices, safeguarding access to vital business applications. This partnership positions us to stay ahead of evolving threats, ensuring the steadfast protection of the integrity and confidentiality of customer data as we navigate the dynamic currents of the digital landscape.
For instance, Joomla, a popular content management platform, had to be integrated with multiple digital channels for Investronaut to deliver a seamless content experience to its customers. It was a business-critical app and any unauthorized changes to it could lead to potentially disruptive consequences for several customers at once.
With CyberArk Identity Security Platform that’s built with capabilities, such as workforce password management, adaptive multi-factor authentication and single sign-on, Investronaut succeeded in securing Joomla’s credentials in secure vaults, thereby reducing their overall attack surface and boosting workforce efficiency.
On the seamless integration of CyberArk into Investronaut's tech stack influencing daily operations and workflow, and AI/ML’s contribution to shaping your digital marketing strategies
Prior to the integration of CyberArk solutions, Investronaut staff resorted to storing customer passwords and crucial URLs on basic Excel sheets, a practice susceptible to the risks of credential theft. The introduction of CyberArk Workforce Password Management marked a pivotal transformation, addressing the inherent vulnerability of credentials. This solution not only mitigated the risks associated with storing sensitive information in insecure formats but also streamlined the user experience for both employees and external contributors.
With CyberArk in place, the cumbersome task of remembering and managing multiple credentials became a thing of the past. The Workforce Password Management system facilitated a seamless navigation experience, enabling users to effortlessly access various applications and portals without the need to memorize numerous passwords, resort to password reuse, or sift through exhaustive spreadsheets. The implementation of CyberArk not only fortified the security of sensitive data but also significantly enhanced the efficiency and convenience of our workforce, contributing to a more robust and user-friendly digital environment.
Investronaut has also implemented an advanced security measure known as adaptive multi-factor authentication, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to drive a user-behavior analytics engine. This sophisticated system goes beyond conventional security protocols by discerning typical user logins from potential malicious attacks. The deployment of this threat-resistant user access framework is designed to provide heightened protection without compromising the user experience.
The integration of adaptive multi-factor authentication reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation. By harnessing the capabilities of AI-driven analytics, we have fortified our user access protocols, creating a dynamic defense mechanism that adapts to evolving threats. This approach not only bolsters the security posture of our digital ecosystem but also ensures that legitimate users can navigate through their access points seamlessly, without unnecessary friction or disruptions.
Additionally, Investronaut was able to achieve rapid time-to-value by licensing the capabilities of the CyberArk platform via the AWS Marketplace. By using the AWS Marketplace, Investronaut was able to streamline its procurement experience, launch the solution faster, and manage its licensing in a central location. Adding CyberArk to Investronaut’s AWS portfolio enables the organisation to leverage the full extent of AWS capabilities with a security-first mindset.
On measuring the success of the implemented security measures, and are there specific metrics that stood out in showcasing the effectiveness of the CyberArk solution
With the implementation of the CyberArk solution, Investronaut has made significant progress in improving the digital economy and streamlining access to business-critical applications. This change has produced significant results, including a significant 15 per cent improvement in Investronaut's Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), demonstrating the positive results of its sustainability assessment.
The deployment of CyberArk has not only improved Investronaut's security infrastructure; This also heralds a new era of customer focus and trust. This increase in customer satisfaction reflects the huge impact of our commitment to our core business of providing security and an excellent customer experience. Customers now view Investronaut as a forward-thinking organisation that employs strong customer protection and data integrity.
Additionally, the positive change in the stock reflects Investronaut's position as a security-first business and differentiates it in the market. By adopting innovative solutions such as CyberArk, Investronaut is enhancing its reputation as a reliable partner committed to excellence and customer satisfaction.
More importantly, the successful deployment of the CyberArk solution has not only improved the security protocol, but also enhanced Investronaut's entire product experience. This success demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the future.
On CyberArk's platform addressing data privacy concerns enhancing client relationships, providing a sense of assurance and alleviating apprehensions
In our journey at Investronaut, we triumphantly tackled the challenge of securing third-party access by harnessing the power of CyberArk's integrated identity security approach. Given Inverstonaut’s collaborative engagements with third-party agencies, partners, and vendors to elevate our customer's digital presence, it became paramount to provide external contributors with access to our internal apps and infrastructure without compromising the security of our valuable assets. With CyberArk's intelligent privilege controls, Investronaut seamlessly manages and grants access to external entities, ensuring robust protection for our most critical resources.
Moreover, the incorporation of CyberArk solutions has not only fortified security but also significantly enhanced Investronaut’s operational efficiency. In the pre-CyberArk era, we grappled with the risk of credential theft as employees stored sensitive information on insecure platforms. The implementation of CyberArk's Workforce Password Management has effectively mitigated this vulnerability, streamlining access for both our team members and external contributors to navigate applications and portals without the hassle of remembering multiple credentials or resorting to insecure practices such as password reuse or exhaustive spreadsheets. This transformative experience has not only bolstered our security posture but has also elevated the overall efficiency and reliability of our operations at Investronaut.
On seeing the partnership with CyberArk supporting and influencing potential global expansions for Investronaut
The implementation of CyberArk has created an overall sense of trust and peace of mind across our organisation. Our team has collectively benefited from a unified workforce management system, password, multi-factor authentication and login features in our daily operations, as well as process integration between our different platforms and assets.
The deployment of CyberArk not only increases the level of security, but also creates an environment where trust can become a link to our digital systems. Adoption is more than a formal process; It is a change that affects all aspects of our organization. Our employees are amazed at how perfectly CyberArk's security syncs with our disparate systems and operations.
CyberArk has a company-wide impact beyond security protocol development. It has become a force for efficiency by simplifying password management and authentication processes that were more complex than we expected. The unity of our employees is a new trust because this deployment not only meets but exceeds our expectations for a good security solution.
In fact, CyberArk integration has become the cornerstone of reliability and seamlessness. Integrating this into the fabric of our daily operations has created the foundation for our teams to navigate the digital environment with confidence. This change in distribution isn't just about security; This is to foster a culture of excellence and trust that underpins all aspects of our organisation's work.
