HKT has collaborated with global cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) to launch Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Service. HKT, as Palo Alto Networks' leading Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) in mainland China and Hong Kong, provides complete cybersecurity solutions for enterprises.

On the evolving digital transformation journey, hybrid working models have become a major trend. Enterprises have been inclined to adopt a cloud-first strategy by transferring key business applications to cloud operations, which has resulted in rising demand for SD-WAN solutions. These allow employees to remotely access business systems regardless of location and time, thereby enhancing collaboration and efficiency. However, the attack surface for cyber threats has simultaneously expanded, a challenge compounded by the lack of IT expertise and shortage of IT resources faced by many enterprises.

To close network cybersecurity gaps and provide enterprises with secure and simplified access to their systems anytime, anywhere, HKT Managed SASE Service has helped to streamline trusted real-time user authentication and access via a unified and cloud-based SASE platform. The service is based on the integration of HKT’s SD-WAN backbone network and Palo Alto Networks’ best-of-breed Prisma Access security platform, which adopts Zero-Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to help provide real-time security and visibility to every user-device-application interaction, regardless of whether a user is on or off the corporate network and located in mainland China or Hong Kong.

Prisma Access, built upon HKT’s massively scalable network, has over 100 service access points across 76 countries and regions around the world. With the support of HKT Premium Internet in the Greater China region, Prisma Access enables users from different locations to flexibly build secure access to their cloud applications, websites and company data.

HKT Managed SASE Service is well suited for enterprises with headquarters, office branches, stores and data centres in different locations. It allows the seamless integration of additional cybersecurity capabilities into the cloud-based framework for end-to-end protection, enhancing corporate network security from the ground up while alleviating the workload on enterprise IT. On top of that, HKT's team of experts provides one-stop pre- and post-sales services, with multi-faceted support and consulting.

The service is highly scalable with ultra-low latency and equipped with industry-leading Service Level Agreements (SLAs) tailored to specific operational needs of different vertical industries to maximise business agility. It can also be extended through the addition of users, devices and applications according to business needs to optimise the digital experience of enterprise customers.

Mr. Gilbert Mak, Head of China Commercial Business, HKT, said, “Cybersecurity has become a key requirement for enterprises deploying SD-WAN networks or any cloud-related applications. HKT is delighted to join forces with Palo Alto Networks to launch the Managed SASE Service and provide customers with unparalleled scalable cybersecurity protection and machine learning-powered intelligent networks.”