CrowdStrike > Case Studies > Illinois State Treasurer Uses CrowdStrike to Protect Public Funds and Deliver a “Security First” Strategy

Illinois State Treasurer Uses CrowdStrike to Protect Public Funds and Deliver a “Security First” Strategy

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

Falcon Complete™
Falcon Device Control™
Falcon Discover™
Falcon Insight™
Falcon Overwatch™
Falcon Prevent™
Falcon Spotlight™
Falcon X™

Tech Stack

Cloud-native platform
Lightweight agent

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Productivity Improvements
Customer Satisfaction
Environmental Impact Reduction

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Cloud Security
Cybersecurity & Privacy - Endpoint Security
Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Use Cases

Intrusion Detection Systems

Services

Cybersecurity Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Founded in 1818, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is responsible for managing the state’s financial portfolio, which includes approximately $38 billion in local and state funds, retirement accounts, and college savings plans. The office is dedicated to protecting these funds and ensuring their efficient management. Recently, the office underwent a significant overhaul of its aging IT environment, reducing the server count by over 90%, cutting IT-related costs by 40%, and decreasing carbon emissions by 27 tons. This transformation was part of a broader digital transformation strategy aimed at moving towards a predominantly cloud-based infrastructure. The office's commitment to a 'security first' strategy is evident in its efforts to protect its new infrastructure and ensure the safety of public funds.

The Challenge

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office faced significant challenges in securing its digital assets due to limited funding, which often resulted in an outdated, inefficient, and uncoordinated IT environment. The complexity of financial compliance requirements further strained resources, while legacy security tools generated excessive false positives and low-priority alerts that overwhelmed the security teams. Additionally, the magnitude of state funds under management, often exceeding tens of billions of dollars, made it a compelling target for cybercriminals. The existing security solution from a state supplier was inadequate, generating nearly 30,000 false positives a day, which quickly overwhelmed the in-house team.

The Solution

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office implemented the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform to secure its digital assets and support its transition to a cloud-based infrastructure. The platform was chosen for its ability to handle complexity and provide a 'single pane of glass' experience for security professionals. The CrowdStrike solution, with its cloud-native platform and lightweight agent, was implemented with minimal impact on business operations, ensuring a seamless transition for end users. The platform offered enhanced visibility and threat intelligence, providing a comprehensive view of potential attacks across the entire environment. A rapid proof of concept (POC) with CrowdStrike solutions demonstrated significant improvements in resource utilization and team effectiveness, leading to the immediate replacement of incumbent tools. The solution's ability to deliver 360° threat visibility and protection across a complex hybrid environment was a key factor in its selection.

Operational Impact

The implementation of the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform resulted in a seamless cutover for end users, with minimal impact on business operations.
Enhanced visibility and threat intelligence provided a comprehensive view of potential attacks, improving the security posture of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office.
The solution demonstrated its capabilities by stopping 27 independent ransomware threats and thwarting a live attack on a backup server.
The improvements in resource utilization and team effectiveness meant that the CrowdStrike solution paid for itself in less than a year.
The platform reinforced the treasurer’s 'security first' strategy, providing tangible benefits in terms of security and operational efficiency.

Quantitative Benefit