Global Airline Case Study
How Major Global Airline Detects Threats Faster with Real-Time Visibility
Key Insights
Real-time Threat Visibility
Improved visibility of external attack surface and threat landscape.
Faster Threat Response
Reduced incident response time with automation and enriched data.
Improved Collaboration
Strengthened resilience among subsidiaries and ISAC members.
Summary
A leading global airline with over 100 years of history they faced challenges with limited visibility into external threats, fragmented asset inventory, and outdated threat intelligence. These issues left the airline reacting to attacks and vulnerable to operational risks.
By implementing Team Cymru’s Pure Signal platform—Recon, Orbit, and Scout —the airline transitioned from a reactive cybersecurity approach to a proactive, intelligence-driven strategy. These solutions provided the airline with comprehensive visibility into external threats, streamlined asset management, and improved collaboration across internal and external teams.
The result: enhanced operational resilience, improved customer trust, and protection of an iconic brand.
The Challenges
As a globally recognized airline, the organization was a prime target for cyberattacks. Yet holding their security team back was outdated threat intelligence, fragmented asset visibility, and limited opportunity for collaboration across internal and external resources. This left the airline more vulnerable to external threats and operational risks. The cybersecurity team lacked the external visibility to address these challenges and align their efforts with the organization’s critical business priorities.
They faced challenges such as:
Outdated Threat Intelligence: Data from traditional providers was often months old and failed to deliver real-time insights.
Fragmented Asset Visibility: The airline lacked a complete view of its external digital footprint, making it difficult to manage vulnerabilities and attribute ownership.
Insufficient Collaboration: Gaps in knowledge between cybersecurity and IT teams left internet-facing services exposed.
These challenges necessitated a shift to a proactive cybersecurity strategy.
The Solution
By adopting Team Cymru’s complete Pure Signal platform—Recon, Orbit, and Scout—the airline transformed its approach to cybersecurity. Recon delivered real-time visibility into external threats, enabling the team to proactively detect and mitigate risks. Orbit streamlined asset management by providing a complete and prioritized view of the organization’s digital footprint, ensuring accountability and reducing exposure. Scout enriched threat intelligence with automation capabilities, accelerating detection and response times while freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.
Together, these tools enabled the airline to transition from a reactive stance to a proactive, intelligence-driven strategy, safeguarding its critical infrastructure and iconic brand.
Enhanced Threat Visibility with Recon
Recon provided the airline with real-time insights into external threats, enabling proactive detection and mitigation.
"Recon allowed us to understand what was happening beyond our infrastructure. Without that visibility, we were missing a big piece of the puzzle."
Streamlined Asset Management with Orbit
Orbit helped the airline map and monitor its external digital footprint, prioritizing critical assets and ensuring accountability.
"Orbit has helped us map everything out and really understand what’s exposed and what’s critical."
Automated Threat Response with Scout
Scout introduced automation, enabling faster threat detection and response while reducing manual workloads.
"Scout helped us discover new threats and malicious infrastructure much faster. The automation saves us a lot of time and effort."
Collaboration Across Teams and Industry
By sharing real-time intelligence through industry networks, the airline strengthened its own defenses and contributed to sector-wide resilience.
"With Recon, we could share actionable intelligence quickly and help others defend themselves better too."
Proactive Workflow Optimization
Continuous asset discovery and automated workflows allowed the airline to transition from reactive threat management to a proactive approach.
"We’re no longer waiting for something to happen – we’re preventing it before it does."
The airline also leveraged integrations with tools like Team Cymru’s integration partner Maltego for advanced threat visualization and collaborated with the ISAC to strengthen industry-wide defenses.
Demonstrated Results
The organization is better prepared to manage cybersecurity threats by achieving faster response times and enhanced operational efficiency. With Pure Signal’s actionable intelligence, the airline reduced the time required to detect and neutralize external threats, safeguarding critical operations. Real-time visibility into external assets enabled the team to mitigate vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry regulations. By fostering collaboration through ISACs and other networks, the airline not only strengthened its own defenses but also contributed to sector-wide resilience.
These outcomes not only reduced operational risks but also reinforced the airline’s reputation as a trusted and forward-thinking brand. With the ability to act proactively, the organization ensured the continuity of customer-facing services and maintained its leadership position in the aviation industry.
Faster Threat Mitigation
The airline reduced the time required to detect and respond to external threats, leveraging automation and enriched intelligence to act decisively against potential risks.
"We now have the attacker ’s viewpoint. This allows us to anticipate their moves and act before they strike."
Improved Asset Oversight
Continuous discovery and monitoring of external assets provided a clear, actionable view of exposed infrastructure, enabling swift remediation and accountability.
“With active scanning in place, we’ve moved from a reactive stance to a proactive one. We’re no longer waiting for something to happen – we’re preventing it before it does.”
Preemptive Threat Detection
With proactive threat intelligence, the airline identified malicious activities, mitigating risks before they could impact operations.
“Insights can be hours old, and that allows us to quickly apply them to proactively strengthen our defenses.”
Strengthened Collaboration
Sharing real-time intelligence with industry peers enhanced collective defenses and reinforced partnerships across aviation networks.
"One of the biggest advantages was our ability to collaborate with others in the ISAC. With Recon, we could share actionable intelligence quickly and help others defend themselves better too."
Reduced Operational Costs
By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows, the airline optimized resource allocation, focusing efforts on strategic initiatives.
"Scout took care of a lot of the manual work we were doing before. It gave us the breathing room to look at the bigger picture while keeping us aware of the threats in real-time."
Conclusion
By adopting Team Cymru’s Pure Signal platform, the airline transformed its cybersecurity posture, achieving greater visibility, faster responses, and proactive risk management. This shift not only protects the airline’s critical infrastructure but also reinforces its reputation as a resilient and forward-thinking global brand.
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