Ep. 62 How iQor Optimizes Cloud Security With Prisma® Cloud

A Digital Transformation Approach to Enhance CX Cloud Security Within an Expanding Cloud Footprint 

This week on the Digitally Irresistible podcast, we welcome a trio of CX cloud security experts: Chris Fago and Kyle Pierrehumbert from Palo Alto Networks and John O’Malley from iQor. 

We’ve come together to discuss the benefits of a scalable solution that helps provide real-time visibility and full stack protection for all applications that iQor deploys in our cloud-first digital transformation strategy. iQor recently announced our selection of Palo Alto Networks Prisma® Cloud Native Application Protection Platform for integration into our digital ecosystem to further enhance cloud security. This integration supports iQor’s digital transformation initiative to increase our footprint in the cloud while keeping security as a top priority and ensuring end-to-end visibility across all cloud platforms. 

On this episode, we unpack what this integration means for our clients and how it enhances the customer experience that we create for their end customers.  

Career Journeys to the Cloud 

Though his high school peers voted him most likely to host his own talk show, Chris’ career path led him to software sales. He joined a cloud security startup company that Palo Alto Networks acquired in 2018. Today, he’s a technical sales manager on the Prisma® Cloud team helping large enterprise organizations secure their applications from code to cloud. 

Kyle’s social nature combined with his longstanding interest in technology also led him to software sales. After working at several large cybersecurity companies, he now works as a cloud security solutions architect at Palo Alto Networks. 

John shares a longstanding interest in computers and technology. He studied mechanical engineering in college but realized his true passion was for computers and IT. He worked for a consulting organization for 14 years, an HR software as a service (SaaS) company for three years, and has led the infrastructure team at iQor for the past seven years. Today, John is the chief information security officer at iQor. 

The Business Benefits of a Secure CX Cloud 

Maintaining a secure environment is the top priority for iQor’s digital transformation initiative to transition its entire tech stack to the CX cloud —from applications and services to the tool sets we use to support our BPO clients. 

iQor sought a product set to aid in securing our cloud environment. iQor’s existing partnership with Palo Alto Networks to help secure the perimeter of our firewall and enhance data security within the networks made Palo Alto Networks Prisma® Cloud a strong contender. 

Since selecting Prisma® Cloud through a comprehensive evaluation process, John says iQor’s CX cloud security journey with them has continued to enhance our posture in all areas, including network and storage objects, services, servers, and the code we put into our repositories. 

How Prisma® Cloud Supports iQor’s Digital Transformation Initiatives 

Prisma® Cloud is a cloud native application protection platform (CNAPP)—a term coined by Gartner. Chris explains that this is a set of security and compliance capabilities designed to secure and protect cloud native applications from development to production. 

Prisma® Cloud helps support iQor’s digital transformation initiatives by increasing our footprint in the cloud while ensuring security and end-to-end visibility across all cloud platforms. 

A Cloud-First Development Strategy to Improve Customer Outcomes 

Because firewalls can’t solve everything, Kyle points out that every phase of the cloud native application lifecycle presents new opportunities for iQor to further enhance security and deliver better customer outcomes to clients. 

Prisma® Cloud’s scalable solution helps provide real-time visibility and full stack protection across public clouds to detect and prevent vulnerabilities and secure running applications. It alerts iQor teams immediately of any potential risks so they have the opportunity to address them quickly. This includes performing code checks that may require reconfiguration to enhance security before going into production as well as detecting any active threats in the public cloud environment. 

Simplifying Processes and Improving Efficiency Through Cloud Security 

John notes that Prisma® Cloud also improves efficiency with audits and compliance certifications. It enables his team to continually monitor the cloud infrastructure to ensure adherence to all controls that have been put in place by enabling them to set up alerts so they can promptly address any issues. This simplifies the audit and certifications process, enabling John’s team to spend more time developing and deploying code. 

Securing Work-at-Home Environments 

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted organizations to expand their cloud workload deployments at a rapid pace. Chris explains that this presented more cloud security incidents because cloud security investments lagged behind. 

When government orders shut down work-in-office environments in the early days of the pandemic, iQor needed to quickly create secure work-at-home environments for thousands of employees across multiple locations worldwide. This was essential in order to continue to provide excellent customer experiences for our clients’ end customers. 

By adding a layer of security to assist with multi-cloud protection deployment while providing real-time insights into potential vulnerabilities, Palo Alto Networks and Prisma® Cloud have helped us deliver secure work-at-home environments and have enhanced our cloud security. 

Helping the Infrastructure Team Develop Code Securely 

Kyle emphasizes how Prisma® Cloud helps iQor by taking the guesswork out of cloud security. Security is no longer relegated to the security team, it’s a full business effort.  

John adds that Prisma® Cloud helps developers create code securely, without having to be an expert in everything. His teams can focus on developing good, efficient code while enjoying the peace of mind that it’s secure when we deploy it to the CX cloud. With Prisma® Cloud, iQor’s development teams create secure environments without having to be security experts and infrastructure experts. 

What the Trio Does for Fun  

John enjoys spending time with his wife, kids, and dog. He used to spend much of his free time coaching his son’s soccer team, but now that his son is in high school he cheers him on from the sidelines. 

Chris loves baseball and enjoys going to games with his wife and family. 

Kyle keeps it simple. Whenever he’s not at the keyboard, he’s lifting weights, watching or playing hockey, or enjoying time outside with his friends, girlfriend, or dog. 

To learn more about this week’s guests, connect with Chris, Kyle, and John on LinkedIn. Additional details about Palo Alto Networks Prisma® Cloud are available on their website at www.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/cloud.