Securing Global Defense Assets with Zeroport’s Fantom Edge

Securing Global Defense Assets with Zeroport’s Fantom Edge

The defense industry requires extremely high levels of security and has avoided using remote connection solutions for remote sites and sensitive environments, bearing high maintenance expense and operational and technical complications.  

Overview: The High Cost of Security through Isolation

Our client, a global defense leader, operates a network of dozens of highly sensitive mission-critical sites across multiple countries and territories. These installations manage sovereign data and operational technology (OT) essential to national security.

For years, the organization faced a critical paradox: Connectivity vs. Security. Traditional software-based remote access tools, such as VPNs and RDP- were deemed too risky by the IT and Security departments. Because these legacy technologies expose the sites to the public internet, they were viewed as a "front door" for state-sponsored actors and lateral movement attacks. 

‍

‍

The result was a strictly enforced "Air-Gap" policy:

• Manual Maintenance: Software updates, patches, and system diagnostics could only be performed locally.
• The "Fly-In" Model: Once a year, the organization dispatched teams of high-clearance frontline technicians to every international site.
• Financial Burden: Between specialized travel, secure logistics, and labor hours, the annual maintenance cycle cost the organization millions of dollars.
• Operational Risk: Critical security patches were delayed by months, leaving systems vulnerable to known exploits until the next scheduled physical visit.

Actions Taken: Bridging the Gap with Fantom Edge

To modernize their operations without compromising their uncompromising security standards, the client deployed the Zeroport Fantom Edge solution at each remote site. This hardware-enforced, non-IP connection at the network boundary eliminates inbound malware risks and stops data exfiltration, facilitating remote access while completely isolating the sensitive site from external threat. This transition represented a shift from "Security through Isolation" to “hardware-based isolation”.  

Results Achieved

Implementing Zeroport’s Fantom Edge enabled the IT department to reduce the amount of flights to a minimum, saving millions of dollars annually. In addition, it facilitated responsiveness to malfunctions and improved operational readiness.