A leading transport financing organisation redefines security in a challenging cybersecurity landscape
For many organisations, 2020 was a year that thrust them rapidly into the digital realm and put immense pressure on legacy systems to keep up, catch up and stay secure. For one South Africanย organisation, it was an opportunity to redefine security and how it managed people, culture and systems.ย The company approachedย Ncloseย to support their development of a more robust security postureย becauseย they didnโt have dedicated security personnel and their technology wasnโt ideal for what they wanted to achieve.ย They required a more robust, agile and focused platform that embedded solid security into the business without being too complex or demanding of time and resources.ย
The IT teamย had long sinceย realised that cybersecurity was of critical importance to the long-term success of the businessย but theyย had no dedicated security person andย limitedย security technology in place.ย For the team, the technology they had on hand felt like a mish-mash of systems and processes that didnโt connect, integrate or deliver the right results. What the team wanted was a holistic view and absolute control.ย ย
[The Solution Requirements]ย
Theย clientย wanted more than just a robust cybersecurity solution, it wanted to get value from its cybersecurity investment. The existing solutions were not optimised correctly, and the team lacked access to the skills that would allow them to fully realise system potential and capability. This was further complicated by the fact that only one person was able to run and optimise the security system โ the head engineer. Overworked and struggling to juggle night time incidents, he wanted a solution that would provide him with immediate visibility and relevant alerting without putting the business at risk.ย
The gaps in the security where also having a knock-on effect across the company. With the IT teams constantly putting out security fires, essential IT projects were put on the backburner. This limited ongoing investment into solutions that would boost growth and productivity.ย
The company putย Ncloseย through a rigorous evaluation process that covered the technology on offer, the skillset of the security teams and analysts, availability in the event of a problem, and the way the company approached its customer relationships. After being whittled down to the last three,ย Ncloseย won the business based onย the efficacy of the technology, its cost-efficiency, how it approached its relationship with the company, and the fact that the solution ticked every one of the required business boxes.ย ย
โWe engaged with the client from the outset, working closely with them to provide a solution that fit their specific needs,โ says Stephenย Osler,ย Co-Founder and Business Development Director atย Nclose. โWe became actively engaged in their company, collaborated with them to make measurable progress and never stopped working with them to help them get what they needed.โย
Price was also a big part of the equation. Theย Ncloseย system was developed in-house by local security experts which meant that pricing was local and reasonable. Instead of juggling exchange rates and international pricing, the company could engage with a full-service security offering at a significantly lower price point.ย
[What Success Looks Like]ย
โWeโve developed a very close relationship with the client,โ saysย Stephen. โThey can pick up the phone andย we work with them toย adapt their system on demand,ย andย we can scale to suit their requirements at speed.โย
The final solution included theย Nviewย detection and response platform that has the ability to undertake full investigation and triage, ensuring that there are no unexpected risks and managing alerts and security comprehensively.ย Ncloseย provides the client with both theย Nviewย platform and a team of analysts who undertake the triage and investigation on a 24/7 basis. The team ensures that alerts are closely monitored and managed, mitigating the risks of alert fatigue and ensuring that all potential threats are identified and managed correctly.ย ย
โWe consistently ensure that we add value so our goal is to look at high fidelity alerts, to analyse the story that theyโre telling and to then provide the client with a clear picture into whatโs happening,โ says XXX. โThey now have immense security capacity and capability without having to invest into additional people or infrastructure, and they have more time to focus onย business-criticalย applications and innovations.โย
Support is immediate, scale is simple, and additional security elements have been slowly added to the platform to ensure it as robust as required. The entire solution was implemented in only a few weeks and the companyโs security systems were integrated seamlessly, as part of the overall cost. From an 18-month evaluation and onboarding process,ย Ncloseย went from zero to implemented hero in less than five months, exceeding the clientโs expectations significantly. For the client, the solution was about more than just the technology and the exceptional security, it was about the relationship thatย Ncloseย built with the IT team, and the hands-on support throughout the implementation process.ย
โWe have developed a very close relationship with the client, consistently engaging with them as the system evolves and adapts to their changing needs,โ concludesย Osler. โWe have delivered a solution that goes beyond their expectations, and we did so at speed.โย
Today, the company has experienced a measurable improvement in security posture and in IT team efficiencies. Withย Ncloseย handling the security, the internal IT team can now focus on additional projects that allow for the company to foster innovation and growth. The overall security stance is tighter and more granular with far greater visibility and efficiency and a very happy customer.ย ย