Image Placeholder

Symbol Tech Fortifies EthSwitch's National Payment Gateway with Advanced Security Solutions

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Symbol Tech recently partnered with EthSwitch S.C., the operator of Ethiopia's national e-payment switch, to significantly enhance its security infrastructure. This strategic initiative empowers EthSwitch to protect its critical operations and customer data, ensuring the integrity and reliability of the nation's burgeoning digital payment ecosystem.

The Challenge: Securing a National Financial Hub

As the backbone for interoperable ATM, POS, and account-to-account transactions in Ethiopia, EthSwitch recognized the critical need to bolster its security defenses. The primary driver was to meet and maintain stringent international security standards, particularly PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), which is crucial for handling sensitive cardholder information. EthSwitch required a robust security overhaul to protect against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, ensure high availability of its services, and increase its threat detection, prevention and compliance reporting capabilities. The project, "Procurement of Datacenter network Infrastructure And Security Solution" (Procurement Reference No: Ets/NCB/25/2021), specifically its security solutions component (Lot II), was vital for maintaining trust and security in Ethiopia's financial technology landscape.  

The Solution: A Multi-Layered Security Fortress by Symbol Tech

Symbol Tech was contracted to deliver the comprehensive security solutions outlined in Lot II of the project. The implementation was planned for completion within four months of contract signing.

Fortified Security Solutions Delivered by Symbol Tech

Symbol Tech implemented a robust, multi-layered security strategy designed to address EthSwitch's unique operational and compliance needs:

  • Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW): Redundant NGFWs, capable of virtual contexts/domains, were deployed to secure both the network perimeter and internal server farm segments. These advanced firewalls included integrated Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), URL filtering, anti-malware capabilities, and IPSEC VPN functionality to meet PCI DSS requirements and provide comprehensive threat protection.  
  • Advanced Application Security: A high-performance Load Balancer was implemented, critically featuring an integrated Web Application Firewall (WAF). This WAF was configured to protect EthSwitch’s externally accessible web-based e-commerce and related applications from common and sophisticated attacks, including the OWASP Top 10 web application threats.  
  • Enhanced Access Control: A robust Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solution was deployed across EthSwitch’s systems. This significantly strengthened user verification processes and access controls, a core component of a strong identity and access management (IAM) policy.  
  • Compliance-Centric Design: All security solutions were meticulously designed and implemented to ensure EthSwitch meets and can maintain PCI DSS compliance, alongside other relevant industry security standards.  
  • Comprehensive Service Delivery: Symbol Tech managed the entire lifecycle for the security solutions, including the procurement of all necessary hardware and software. This was followed by expert installation, seamless integration with EthSwitch’s existing and new infrastructure, rigorous testing, and final commissioning. Crucially, Symbol Tech also provided detailed technical documentation and tailored training programs to empower EthSwitch’s IT staff to manage and maintain the new security infrastructure effectively.  

The Outcome: Enhanced Security, Compliance, and Trust

Through the successful completion of Lot II, Symbol Tech has significantly elevated EthSwitch's security posture, delivering key benefits:

  • Strengthened Threat Protection: The deployment of NGFWs, WAF, and MFA provides robust defense against a wide array of cyber threats, safeguarding critical data and infrastructure.
  • PCI DSS Compliance: The implemented solutions directly address key PCI DSS requirements, enabling EthSwitch to maintain its compliance status and secure cardholder data effectively.  
  • Increased Visibility and Control: The new security infrastructure offers enhanced visibility into network traffic and user activity, coupled with granular control over security policies.
  • Improved System Reliability and Availability: By protecting against attacks and ensuring secure access, the solutions contribute to the overall reliability and availability of EthSwitch's national payment services.  
  • Empowered Internal Teams: Comprehensive training and documentation provided by Symbol Tech have equipped EthSwitch's staff with the necessary skills to operate and manage the advanced security systems.  

Symbol Tech's focused expertise in deploying advanced security solutions has provided EthSwitch with a resilient and compliant security framework, reinforcing its capacity to securely manage and operate Ethiopia's national e-payment switch and foster continued trust in the nation's digital payment services.

 

← Case Studies