Orbia, a global company valued at $8.2 billion operating in over 100 countries, has adopted secure access service edge (SASE) technology to consolidate its various security efforts and enhance user access across its distributed locations. The motivation for this transformation stems from a desire for improved network visibility and the establishment of global security standards.
Andrea Foppiani, Orbia’s senior manager for global IT infrastructure and cloud security, highlighted that the move towards SASE is a step closer to achieving a zero-trust network access (ZTNA) model. "We wanted to bring everybody under the same security and compliance standards, managing one global policy and adding visibility into all egress traffic from our networks toward internet services," Foppiani stated. This unification aims to mitigate security risks, streamline operations, and facilitate secure access to cloud services.
Prior to implementing SASE, Orbia faced challenges due to various disjointed security systems—such as security service edge (SSE) and cloud access security broker (CASB)—functioning separately within the company. This complexity hindered the visibility and centralized policy management essential for a cohesive security approach.
In 2023, Foppiani initiated a project to evaluate SASE solutions. The goal was to standardize security capabilities across the organization, including endpoint security and network access. Orbia realized that its fragmented security solutions needed to be integrated more effectively into its existing infrastructure for enhanced oversight of internet traffic.
After a rigorous request for proposal (RFP) process, Orbia selected Netskope One as its SASE platform, which combines security offerings with its SD-WAN services. Netskope’s strengths included its ability to seamlessly integrate with Orbia’s existing network architecture and provide a global network presence—essential for offering consistent user access from diverse locations.
Foppiani noted that Netskope’s integration with Orbia’s cybersecurity observability pipeline significantly improved threat detection and visibility. The implementation of zero-trust capabilities further secured access to Orbia’s operational technology (OT) environments, a critical requirement given the company’s extensive manufacturing operations worldwide.
Moving forward, Orbia plans to extract maximum value from its investment in Netskope. Foppiani stated that the company is adopting a phased approach to implementation to ensure each SASE capability is fully operationalized, emphasizing a commitment to continuous improvement.
The ultimate aim is the realization of universal zero-trust network access, allowing users to maintain a consistent experience accessing resources, whether working from home or in various locations worldwide. "Our last stage in our journey is what I consider universal zero trust network access," Foppiani explained, showcasing Orbia’s forward-thinking approach to security in an evolving digital landscape.
