The Cisco security
strategy behind the
success of Expo Milan
2015
Physical security and IT security: at Expo Milan
2015 the protection of people, resources, data
and devices was a key factor in the success of the
event. From video surveillance to the prevention
of cyber attacks, Cisco’s IP network, the pervasive
multilevel security and a task force dedicated to
monitoring the entire infrastructure allowed the
organizers to concentrate on operational tasks
knowing that the event was in safe hands.
“The Cisco approach to security can be a valuable reference point
not just for the Smart Cities of the near future but for any public or
private organization.
”
Guido Arnone, Director of Technical and Digital Innovation, Expo 2015
During the six months Expo Milan 2015 lasted, Cisco security made it possible
to block more than half a million intrusion attempts and over 10,000 attempts
to take control of applications and devices, while the Operational Control
Center correlated all the events detected by the network-connected cameras
and sensors, guaranteeing the complete success of the event.
Challenge
Protect visitors and pavilions with an advanced, effective and
pervasive security system able to manage both the physical and
the digital components from a single control platform.
Expo Milan 2015 did not take place in one of the most peaceful moments in
recent history. Going ahead with an international event of this magnitude and
visibility, and making it the success it was, meant adopting appropriate security
measures. Because of its importance and broad international participation, the
event was a particularly sensitive target during all of the six months it lasted,
potentially at risk of protests and boycotts.
First off, it was very important to put in place all the tools and processes that
could be used to physically protect persons and property. From this perspective,
the Cisco multiservice IP network played a crucial role. “We provided the
organizers with an infrastructure capable of enabling all the security systems
© 2016 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
1
dedicated to the safety of the visitors, operators and pavilions,” confirmed Mirko
Berlier, Cisco Systems Engineer & Expo 2015 Architect. “The systems of video
surveillance, access control for the Expo area and even the sensors for fire and
intrusion detection were all connected to the IP network”.
All the information and data collected and correlated in real time was shared
with the Command and Control Center, whose team played a decisive role by
taking charge of all the systems designed to protect people and property.
Cisco designed a network for Expo Milan
2015 that prioritized security with the high
levels of protection characteristic of nextgeneration infrastructure
Solution
The Cisco approach to advanced protection from security
threats, across the network and in all phases of an attack
in a context of the Internet of Everything.
Tightly integrated with the physical security systems, IT security played
a leading role at Expo 2015, the first in history to be entirely supported
by systems and solutions based on an IP network. All the Expo Smart
City services, the heart of the event, in other words, were enabled by
digital applications and platforms. “A successful attack could have totally
jeopardized Expo,” noted Berlier, “by preventing the turnstiles from opening,
for example, or jamming the physical security systems, or blocking the
attractions in the pavilions, with serious damage to the event and the
reputation of the organizers.”
So Cisco designed a network infrastructure that consistently prioritized
security, to ensure a level of protection that corresponded to next
generation criteria. “The events detected by physical security devices like
the video surveillance cameras and the sensors were matched with the
protections against attacks and malware,” said Guido Arnone, Director of
Technical and Digital Innovation for Expo 2015. “Applying Cisco’s Internet of
Everything approach to safeguarding persons and property was a winning
move, because the correlation of data and processes enabled the Control
Center to make and implement the most appropriate choices.”
Results
More than half a million intrusion attempts and over
10,000 attempts to take control of applications and
devices were blocked by Cisco security, pervasive right
across the network.
Traditional security policy functionalities were guaranteed by the highperformance Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) firewall which served
the security needs of the central data centers and the pavilions. “Thanks to
this architecture, we were able to control all traffic to and from the public
network and the cloud,” said Berlier.
© 2016 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
2
To complement these functionalities and implement a next-generation
security approach adequate to the needs of a complex infrastructure like
the one fielded at Expo, the organization was provided with tools that
could detect any abnormal network behavior or intrusion attempts in real
time for all application traffic. “ A Cisco Sourcefire architecture with all its
dedicated systems, like Advanced Malware Protection, Intrusion Prevention,
Application Visibility & Control and URL Filtering, was implemented across
the entire Expo network,” explained Berlier. “These tools can analyze up to
40Gbps of traffic.”
Upstream, the integration of the Cisco Identity Service Engine enabled
secure access management of the entire wired and wireless network for
visitors and all personnel employed during the event. “The Cisco Identity
Service Engine prevented any unauthorized access to the network while
providing highly flexible operational access management, thanks to
centralized policy management and automated network management and
configuration procedures,” said Berlier.
The results achieved at Expo Milan 2015 confirm that a security strategy
based on Cisco solutions is a winning move. “During the six months the
event lasted, the system enabled us to detect and block over half a million
intrusion attempts from all over the world”, concluded Berlier, “not to
mention the 10,000+ attempts to take control of applications and systems
that were prevented by the security embedded across the IP network.” All
to ensure that the organizers could operate in absolute tranquility, thereby
contributing to the huge success of the event and the security of people,
facilities, data and devices. The security fielded at Expo 2015 is a reference
approach, not just for the Smart Cities of the near future, but for any public
or private organization.
Products and services
•
Cisco ASA Next Gen Firewalls with
FirePower (ASA5585 and smaller
platforms)
•
Cisco FirePOWER Appliances 8370
Headquarters
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA 95134-1706
USA
www.cisco.com
Tel.: 001 408 526-4000
•
Cisco FireSIGHT Management
Center
•
Cisco Identity Services Engine for
advanced network admission control
and flexible management
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