Case Study

Unencrypted Data. Password-Based SSH. A Clear Roadmap to Fix a Bank's Encryption.

How Encryption Consulting assessed a Fortune 500 US bank’s cryptographic infrastructure across on-premises and multi-cloud, uncovered critical gaps in encryption, key management, and SSH security, and delivered a remediation strategy aligned with FIPS, NIST, NIS-2, and DORA.

Customer Profile

A leading US financial institution with multiple banks and ATMs nationwide. Specializes in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts. Founded decades ago, the institution’s rapid growth outpaced its security infrastructure and left gaps across its cryptographic framework.

Industry

Financial Services, Retail Banking

Engagement Type

Encryption Assessment & Cryptographic Remediation Strategy

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At a Glance Outcome

Assessed

Encryption evaluated across on-prem and multi-cloud

TLS 1.2+

Standardized across all data-in-transit communications

FIPS · NIST

NIS-2 and DORA compliance alignment achieved

Adaptable

Framework built for evolving cryptographic standards

The Enterprise

Challenges

Rapid growth over decades had created security gaps across the bank's cryptographic framework. Sensitive data was unprotected, key management was fragmented across vendor-specific tools, SSH authentication relied on passwords, and cloud encryption practices were inconsistent across platforms.

Sensitive data unencrypted and exposed to MITM attacks

Data across storage, file, database, and internal communications was unencrypted. This exposed sensitive PII and PCI data to man-in-the-middle attacks and allowed unauthorized parties to read or alter information in transit.

01 Encryption

No centralized key management

Key management relied on native, vendor-specific capabilities across storage and backup appliances with no centralized approach. Rotation and generation practices were limited, and encryption keys were inconsistently managed across the infrastructure.

02 Key Management

Password-based SSH with no key rotation

Passwords were used instead of key-based SSH authentication, with private keys stored without least privilege controls. No rotation policy existed for SSH keys, which exposed systems to risks from outdated or compromised keys.

03 SSH Security

The institution’s cryptographic framework had grown alongside the business but without a structured security strategy. Every new location and platform introduced gaps that compounded over time.

Encryption Consulting

Engagement Summary · Encryption Consulting · Encryption Advisory Services

Our Offered

Solutions

The assessment evaluated the institution's entire cryptographic framework, including certificate and key lifecycle management across on-premises and multi-cloud. Workshops, policy reviews, gap analysis, and use case definition informed a remediation strategy that covered encryption standardization, access hardening, compliance alignment, and scalability.

Capability 01

Assessment, Workshops & Gap Analysis

Reviewed cryptographic policies, processes, and standards through workshops to map all encryption capabilities. Established use cases including database and big data encryption (Hadoop, Cassandra) and TLS 1.2+ for data in transit, and identified gaps across all applied practices.

Capability 02

Centralized Lifecycle Management & Encryption Standardization

Recommended centralizing and automating certificate and key lifecycle management to resolve inefficiencies, ensure timely renewals, and minimize outage risk. Standardized encryption across application, database, file, and folder layers with TLS 1.2+ enforced for all data in transit and least privilege access applied.

Capability 03

SSH Hardening & Cloud Encryption Alignment

Recommended key-based SSH authentication over password access, with least privilege controls for private key storage and defined rotation policies. For cloud, recommended BYOK across AWS and Azure to restore organizational control over encryption keys and ensure consistent data protection.

Capability 04

Compliance Alignment & Crypto-Agility Readiness

Reviewed and updated cryptographic controls and standards to meet FIPS 140-2/3, NIST 2.0, NIS-2, and DORA requirements. Designed the framework for crypto-agility, so the organization can adopt quantum-safe algorithms and adapt as cryptographic standards change.

The result was a remediation strategy that transformed encryption from a safety net into a strategic asset, with centralized key management, standardized controls, and a framework built to scale securely across on-premises and multi-cloud.

Encryption Consulting

Engagement Summary · Encryption Consulting · Encryption Advisory Services

The Overall

Business Outcome

The encryption assessment bridged the gap between the institution's current environment and its long-term security goals. The remediation plan strengthened access control, enhanced risk management, and embedded best practices into daily operations.

Reduced unauthorized access and human error

IAM and RBAC reduced unauthorized access to sensitive data and cryptographic assets. Automated certificate and key management eliminated manual interventions and human error.

Updated standards and compliance alignment

Cryptographic policies and standards were updated to align with FIPS 140-2/3, NIST 2.0, NIS-2, and DORA. Certificate and key lifecycle management was aligned with industry best practices for ongoing compliance.

Scalable and crypto-agile framework

A scalable framework now supports on-premises and multi-cloud (AWS, Azure) with standardized TLS 1.2+ across all platforms. Built-in crypto-agility enables quantum-safe algorithm adoption and future cryptographic adaptability.

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