Cranfield University deploys Elastic SIEM on Azure to protect vital IT infrastructure and support revenue opportunities

Leading UK university uses Elastic Security on Elastic Cloud to help support partnerships with aerospace, energy, and manufacturing organizations 

Like many academic institutions, Cranfield University has maximized its budget and resources to maintain a first-class IT infrastructure. This includes the security systems that safeguard networks, data, and devices used by thousands of students from all over the world.

Robust security protocols also support the reputation of an institution which derives revenue from partnerships with global businesses attracted by Cranfield's world-class expertise and large-scale research facilities.

“We receive substantial income from research where our business partners entrust us with sensitive information,” said Luke Whitworth, Network Specialist, Cranfield University. “They have strict security requirements that we must meet without fail.”

At the same time, the university must accommodate the needs of students logging onto Cranfield’s networks using their own devices. “While students need to register their devices to access the network, we don't manage them as you would in a private enterprise that issues its own laptops," Whitworth said. “Students have more freedom, but we must match that with an equally resilient security regimen.”

Cranfield’s security solutions must also address the diverse nature of its networks. From common laptop productivity tools to cutting-edge aeronautical research, it must protect against ongoing cyberthreats such as ransomware, brute force attacks, and zero-day incidents. At the same time, it must remain available to students, most of whom log on to the network with personal devices.

Finding an all-encompassing, flexible, and reliable security solution

Cranfield wanted to accelerate compliance with its business partners. “When partnering with organizations we rightly have to complete due diligence and answer detailed follow-up questions to ensure that partners are comfortable with how we protect their data and information. We need a mature SIEM system to help meet their expectations,” Whitworth said.

The Cranfield team researched the market for a SIEM solution and ultimately decided to upgrade to Elastic Security on Elastic Cloud, to take advantage of one-click upgrades without the worry of wondering whether it would be successful, reduce the burden of an on-premises solution, and to benefit from the support of the security team at Elastic.

The solution: Elastic powered by Azure

Cranfield migrated to Elastic Cloud running on Azure. “Elastic Cloud on Microsoft Azure offers us a fast, scalable, and unified solution,” Whitworth said. “We were able to take all our existing log management and put a SIEM layer on top very quickly. It’s fast, flexible, and will quickly give us access to answers we need when responding to issues going forward."

Going “cloud-first” brought other benefits. “There's a cost to running systems on site, including energy for cooling,” Whitworth said. “Like other academic organizations, we are focused on reducing our carbon footprint. Moving to the cloud means that we lower expenditure while contributing to our sustainability goals.”

Cloud-based IT also reduces the pressure on Whitworth and his team. “Our time is precious,” Whitworth said. “By moving to the cloud, we no longer need to worry about day-to-day security and observability system maintenance. It means we can focus on improving the visibility of our IT infrastructure and enhancing our overall cybersecurity.”

With Elastic Security, Cranfield has a clear picture of its threat landscape that protects against cyberattacks including ransomware incidents, zero-day attacks and brute force attacks. “With Elastic, we can detect signals that exhibit threatening behavior and identify and fix the root cause of an issue before it becomes a risk to the organization,” Whitworth added.