Securing Cessna's Digital Sky

How Bravura Pass Elevated Operational Efficiency and Fortified Cybersecurity

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Empowering Employees with Self-Service Password Reset: Reducing Downtime and Enhancing Productivity

Effective password management is pivotal for maintaining security and operational efficiency. Cessna, a renowned leader in the aerospace industry, recognized the need to streamline their password management processes and introduced Bravura Pass, a comprehensive solution aimed at simplifying user access while bolstering security measures. The implementation of this system marked a significant milestone in the company's pursuit of technological excellence. With an impressive average of 230 new team members embracing the platform daily, Cessna achieved complete enrollment of its 7,500 users within a mere two months—a testament to the program's accessibility and user-friendly design. This section delves into the intricacies of Cessna's successful deployment of Bravura Pass, the subsequent adoption by its parent company Textron Enterprises, and the far-reaching benefits reaped from this initiative in terms of user satisfaction and IT support efficiency.

The Challenge

Supporting over 7500 employees and five major corporate applications, Cessna's IT help desk was inundated with password reset calls. Cessna required a password management system to alleviate the stress. It needed to reduce password reset frequency and push resolution to a self-service model. Not all users had accounts on all systems. Moreover, although most employees had email, some did not, so communication channels outside of email were also needed to educate employees about the new solution and how to self manage their own passwords.

Cessna's situation highlighted a common problem in IT management that can affect the efficiency and productivity of both IT support teams and the wider employee base. Here's why it's a problem:

  • High Volume of Password Reset Calls: When a help desk is inundated with password reset calls, it indicates that a significant amount of its resources are being spent on repetitive and low-value tasks. This can lead to longer wait times for other IT support issues, potentially affecting critical business operations.

  • Increased Workload on IT Staff: The IT help desk staff might become overwhelmed by the volume of password reset requests. This could lead to burnout and reduced job satisfaction, as well as increased operational costs if additional staff are required to handle the volume.

  • Productivity Loss for Employees: Employees who are locked out of their accounts are unable to perform their work until their password is reset, which leads to downtime and loss of productivity. If the process to reset a password is not quick, this downtime is extended.

  • Security Risks: Frequent password resets can lead to poor password practices, such as choosing simple, easy-to-remember passwords that are less secure, or writing down passwords in insecure ways, which can increase the risk of security breaches.

  • Cost Implications: Each help desk call has a cost associated with it, in terms of the labor required to service the call and the potential impact on other IT services. Reducing the number of password reset calls can lead to significant cost savings.

  • Lack of Self-Service Options: Without a self-service password management system, employees are dependent on the help desk for password issues. Self-service options can empower users, reduce dependence on the help desk, and lead to faster resolution times.

Cessna's requirement for a password management system aimed to address these issues by reducing the frequency of password resets and enabling employees to resolve password issues themselves, thus freeing up IT resources to focus on more strategic tasks and improving overall operational efficiency. Implementing a solution such as single sign-on (SSO), password synchronization, or a self-service password reset tool can streamline the process and mitigate the problems mentioned.

The Solution

Cessna licensed Bravura Pass to resolve its password reset challenges, improve employee experience and reduce calls to the help desk. Cessna selected Bravura Pass for two main reasons including ease of use and rapid deployment. Licensing Bravura Pass as a solution to Cessna's password reset challenges offered several benefits, addressing the issues outlined previously. Here's how it helps:

  • Self-Service Password Reset: By allowing users to manage their own password problems, the tool reduces the number of help desk calls. Employees can quickly reset their passwords without waiting for assistance, which reduces downtime and improves productivity.

  • Ease of Use: If the system is user-friendly, employees are more likely to adopt it and use it effectively. This further reduces the likelihood of calls to the help desk, as users can navigate the password reset process on their own.

  • Rapid Deployment: The ability to deploy the solution quickly with features like auto-discovery means that Cessna can start benefiting from the system almost immediately. This leads to an early return on investment, as the costs associated with help desk calls start to diminish sooner.

  • Transparent Synchronization: This feature allows for seamless password changes across multiple platforms and applications. When a user changes their password, it automatically updates across all systems, which simplifies the user experience and reduces the likelihood of password-related issues.

  • Migration Support: The transparent synchronization feature also facilitates the transition of users from old systems to the new infrastructure without requiring them to remember new passwords or go through complex migration procedures.

  • User Adoption Strategies: By developing Q&A profiles and sending follow-up emails, Cessna is actively encouraging users to enroll in the new system. This proactive approach helps ensure that users are aware of and understand how to use the new tool, which maximizes adoption and effectiveness.

Overall, by implementing Bravura Pass, Cessna is likely to see a significant reduction in the number of password-related help desk calls, an improvement in employee productivity (as they spend less time locked out of their accounts), and a decrease in the overall operational costs associated with password resets. Additionally, the improved security that comes with better password management practices helps safeguard the company's data and systems

The Outcome

Bravura Pass helped Cessna to not only improve customer satisfaction but also to strengthen its overall security framework by reducing the likelihood of password-related breaches, improving compliance with security policies, and enhancing the efficiency of the IT department's response to potential security threats. The implementation of Bravura Pass as a total password management solution at Cessna has several positive security outcomes:

  • Stronger Password Practices: With a centralized password management system, employees are more likely to use stronger, unique passwords for different services since they do not have to remember each one. This reduces the risk of password-related breaches.

  • Reduced Password Fatigue: Employees having fewer passwords to remember can lead to less password fatigue, which is the overwhelm caused by the need to remember multiple passwords. This often results in better compliance with password policies and reduced use of weak or repeated passwords.

  • Enhanced Self-Service Capabilities: The ability for employees to reset their own passwords without help desk intervention not only improves user satisfaction but also reduces the risk of social engineering attacks where attackers could potentially gain password information by masquerading as legitimate users when contacting support.

  • Decreased Help Desk Workload: With fewer calls to the help desk for password resets, IT staff can allocate more time to proactive security measures rather than reactive support, which can enhance the overall security posture of the organization.

  • Audit and Compliance: A centralized password management system usually comes with better tracking and auditing capabilities. This helps in maintaining compliance with various regulatory requirements and standards, as well as making it easier to identify and respond to irregularities or potential security breaches.

  • Timely Access Revocation: In case of employee turnover or when roles change, access rights can be adjusted or revoked quickly and efficiently. This prevents ex-employees from accessing systems post-employment or individuals from accessing systems not pertinent to their role, which could pose a security risk.

  • Improved Security Culture: By making security easier to manage for employees, organizations can foster a stronger security culture. When employees are engaged and find security protocols user-friendly, they are more likely to adhere to best practices.

Using Bravura Pass as their total password management solution, Cessna IT improved customer satisfaction. With fewer passwords for employees to remember and a way for employees to troubleshoot and reset their own passwords on demand, the number of password reset calls to the help desk declined. 

  • Rapid User Enrollment: Cessna managed to enroll all 7,500 users within two months, averaging 230 new sign-ups each day. This is a significant achievement, indicating that the enrollment process was well-managed and that the solution was well-received by the employees.

  • Potential for Faster Implementation: Post-deployment analysis suggested that the enrollment could have been completed even more quickly if certain modifications were made. One such modification mentioned is the promotion of transparent synchronization earlier in the process. This reflects a learning experience and an opportunity for process improvement.

  • Adoption by Parent Company: The success at Cessna led to the adoption of Bravura Pass by Textron Enterprises across all its divisions. Bell Helicopters, another division of Textron, followed Cessna's user enrollment strategy, indicating that the strategy was effective and could be replicated in other parts of the company.

  • Large Scale Adoption: Initially, 21,030 employees of Textron Enterprise were using Bravura Pass. The passage indicates that this number would grow each year, showing a commitment to expanding the use of Bravura Pass within the company.

  • Improved IT Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction: By using Bravura Pass as a total password management solution, Cessna IT was able to improve customer satisfaction. Employees benefited from having fewer passwords to remember and the ability to troubleshoot and reset their own passwords when needed. This self-service capability led to a decline in the number of password reset calls to the help desk, thereby reducing the workload on IT support staff and improving their efficiency.

The success story demonstrates that a well-planned and executed technology solution can lead to significant improvements in company operations, employee satisfaction, and IT efficiency. The lessons learned from the deployment at Cessna provided valuable insights for broader implementation across Textron Enterprises. 

 

Bravura Security at a Glance

Bravura Security is the only industry leader delivering modular, best-in-class identity, password governance, passwordless and privileged access management across a unified security fabric to ease implementation as your identity security roadmap evolves.

"It was key to work closely with the his is one of the first corporate communications department first," says Terri Root. "They were integral in the roll-out and communicating the benefits of Bravura Pass to the rest of the organization."

— Terri Root, Project Leader, Cessna