Client Overview & Business Challenge

A financial services organization faced rising risks from credential theft and compliance pressures. With employees accessing resources across wired and wireless networks, the password-based login model had become a weak link.

The client needed a secure, phishing-resistant authentication method that would eliminate password vulnerabilities, streamline compliance, and integrate seamlessly with Active Directory (AD) and mobile device management (MDM).

The Challenge: Weak Authentication and Compliance Risks

The current security infrastructure left glaring problems like:

• Vulnerability to credential theft and phishing attacks
• No certificate lifecycle management for secure onboarding and renewal
• Pressure to meet stringent compliance and audit requirements
• Integration challenges across AD and MDM platforms

AHEAD’s Approach: Certificate-Based Authentication with ClearPass

AHEAD India modernized authentication by deploying Aruba ClearPass with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) integration.

Key actions included:

• Implementing certificate-based EAP-TLS authentication across wired and wireless networks
• Integrating ClearPass with Active Directory and Intune/MDM for automated provisioning
• Enforcing role-based access controls for users and devices
• Automating certificate provisioning and renewal to reduce IT overhead

Results: Secure, Password-less Access

AHEAD was able to help the client:

• Achieve 100% adoption of EAP-TLS authentication across the enterprise
• Deliver passwordless, phishing-resistant access for employees
• Simplify audit readiness and compliance reporting
• Reduce IT workload by automating certificate management

What’s Next: Expanding Zero-Trust Security

The client plans to:

• Extend certificate-based access to contractors and partners
• Integrate ClearPass authentication with SOC/SIEM systems for enhanced visibility
• Expand into zero-trust segmentation for greater security granularity