Air Corsica Pilots the Extension of its Information System with Absolute Secure Access

The Story

A Weakened Perimeter Security System

The expansion of the attack surface is a common phenomenon in most companies. Use of the cloud, remote working, and increasingly large networks have made perimeter security strategies obsolete. In an industry under intense regulatory pressure such as aerospace, this transformation requires new approaches in terms of cybersecurity. “We have been working on back-up, recovery, and business continuity practices for a long time and they are now integrated,” explains Albéric De Pertat, Network Manager at Air Corsica. “The challenge now is to control user accounts, specifically in the cloud. In the last few years, we have moved from a very on-premises structure, with an internal data centre and directory, to a global cloud, open and accessible from anywhere. This meant that we had to review all access policies and extend cybersecurity and monitoring to mobile users and the network edge.”

The French Civil Aviation Authority, Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC), and the French Military Planning Act require companies to comply with strict cybersecurity standards, particularly regarding remote access management. “The DGAC’s requirements aim to protect the company, but also the entire aviation ecosystem. As an airline, we have a very operational profession for the management of our flights. But we also have an IT connection to the state’s infrastructure and hackers could try to attack our systems to gain access to more sensitive information systems and affect airports, for instance,” explains De Pertat

The Solutions

How They Did It

Securing Reliable Connectivity in Mobile and Cloud Environments

To secure these new mobile and cloud environments, Air Corsica has implemented Absolute Secure Access technology. Unlike a traditional VPN, which requires users to connect manually and sometimes impairs application performance, the solution is both resilient and transparent – no user interaction is required. The computer stays connected to the optimized secure tunnel and keeps the connection active, even in the event of a network failure. With a resilient Windows agent option available, it ensures that Absolute Secure Access automatically repairs or reinstalls itself if it is changed, deleted, or stops working. In addition, Absolute Secure Access will improve audio and video performance, thanks to a patented stream compression technology, while prioritizing connections defined as critical by the administrators. Air Corsica will benefit from continuous security while guaranteeing a quality experience for its employees.

Seamless Implementation Leads to New Initiatives

When it comes to the administration of the solution, Absolute Secure Access also met the expectations of a small IT team. The ease and efficiency it delivered, opened the door to new scenarios. Air Corsica is now considering implementing a fleet of tablets for its technicians. Each operation carried out on an aircraft must be recorded in maintenance software, access to which requires a Wi-Fi connection, which is only accessible from the hangar. “With 5G-connected Android tablets equipped with Absolute Secure Access, technicians can access the software, as well as all technical documentation, directly from the runways, which will save them precious time,” says De Pertat.

Paving the Way Towards a Zero Trust Environment

The company is also thinking about the future and possible migration to a Zero Trust approach. Absolute Secure Access offers not just a secure tunnel solution, but also Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), which allows companies to make a simple and gradual transition from one world to the other. “Absolute ZTNA would give us the possibility of authenticating access via Microsoft Azure and no longer via certificates on the machines,” explains Albéric De Pertat. “This would allow us to open up external access to the company more easily. Even if we don’t have a defined use case yet, we know that we are moving towards increasingly interconnected systems and that we must therefore anticipate both the opening up and the protection of these extended ecosystems.”

The Results

Piloting a Modern Cybersecurity Approach in Aerospace

With Absolute Secure Access, airlines like Air Corsica can ensure they are complying with regulatory requirements while ensuring their mobile users are securely connected. Air Corsica now benefits from continuous security without compromising on user experience.