Contributors AutoNation: Ken Athanasiou

Embracing a New Security Architecture
for Access to Internet and SaaS Applications

“When ransomware attacks happen to other companies, thousands of systems in their environment are crippled, in addition to having serious impacts with having to pay a ransom. When this kind of event hits the news, I get worried calls from executives, and it warms my heart to be able to tell them, ‘We’re fine.’” Ken Athanasiou
VP & CISO, AutoNation

TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

AutoNation Chief Information Security Officer Ken Athanasiou knew that cloud transformation could save the company money while enabling new capabilities. But it would take careful planning, and an organization receptive to change, flexibility, and an agile methodology.

For AutoNation’s cloud transformation, Athanasiou sought to enable new functional capabilities, connect 360+ retail locations via the cloud, reduce infrastructure costs, and improve security (including reporting, visibility, and management). AutoNation was in the process of deploying Office 365, and Athanasiou realized AutoNation needed local internet breakouts and a new cloud security architecture. AutoNation’s secure cloud transformation led to improved user experiences, fast Office 365 performance, better protection against threats, reduced appliance costs, and greater agility to grow.

Download the Journey

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Company: AutoNation
Sector: Retail
Driver: Ken Athanasiou
Role: CISO
Revenue: $22 billion
Employees: 28,000
Countries: 1
Locations: 300
Company IT Footprint: AutoNation has approximately 28,000 employees. It is the largest seller of cars in the United States. It has 300+ locations with internet points of presence.

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

Enable new functional capabilities

Connect 360+ retail locations via the cloud

Reduce infrastructure, MPLS costs

Improve security, reporting, visibility, management

THE SOLUTION

Closing the digital divide — seamless user experience online and in stores

Protect customer PII data

Prioritize cloud vs. data center app migration

Embrace cloud security, particularly SSL inspection

Address security debt, processes for inline security

Establish reporting visibility

Create local internet breakouts

Optimize for Office 365

IMPACT

Improved user experience: Less latency, fast Office 365

Better protection against threats

Easier to bring new locations, capabilities online

Greater traffic visibility, better policy management

Reduced security appliance costs

Protection against zero-day threats with Cloud Sandbox behavioral analysis

DISCOVER MORE

VIDEO
Ken Athanasiou, AutoNation | CUBEConversation, August 2019
AUDIO
Ken Athanasiou, AutoNation CUBEConversation
ARTICLE
AutoNation uses Zscaler’s visibility tools to drive network protection from outside threats
CUSTOMER JOURNEY
AutoNation: A Network and Security Transformation Journey