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StorTech expands into SA cyber security market


Johannesburg, 16 Aug 2017

Cyber attacks on critical business systems and key users is increasing with heightened sophistication. Exploits are no longer restricted to traditional risks of generic viruses, worms, and Trojans. Vulnerabilities and threats are now targeted and highly malicious. Therefore, more than ever before, protecting your organisation's intellectual property, technology assets and key users, has become a mission-critical objective.

Building on its existing capabilities and enterprise customer base, StorTech is now poised to directly compete in the cyber-security market. StorTech recognised that defence in depth is a process and not a product. It's a proactive approach to thinking about security from the inside out. Constant vigilance and user-awareness play equally important roles in building the best security posture for the organisation's enterprise network.

StorTech appoints Caesar Tonkin to head up its cyber-security division

StorTech's acceleration into SA's cyber-security market is a result of the strategic acquisition of the GRCBizassurance (GRC) Security Consulting team into StorTech's cyber-security division. Caesar Tonkin, ex-CEO of GRC, now heads up the division and his certified team of security professionals have transitioned into StorTech along with him.

GRC - a majority black woman-owned niche Cybersecurity Solutions and Managed Security Services business - was co-founded by Tonkin in September 2011. With 19 years' all-round IT experience in South Africa and the UK, Tonkin and the GRC team have added significant value to blue chip customers in the mining, manufacturing, telcos, retail, digital businesses and government sectors.

As part of the GRC growth strategy, the intent at the outset was to become sufficiently attractive for a large IT services player to acquire the company within five years. A partnership between StorTech and GRC was established in 2016 and in early 2017, this culminated in the companies' mutually agreeing to formalise the transition of the GRC team into StorTech.

StorTech's ambitions in the cyber security space

StorTech's security ambitions will be accelerated through the following avenues: specialised and unique capabilities, proven methodologies, expertise of certified security professionals with 80 years' collective experience, global-leading cyber-security solutions and managed services, and the leveraging of GRC's established reputation as a trusted security partner with blue chip customers.

An added advantage is StorTech's Level 1 B-BBEE status as well as Vodacom's brand and reach (which is a 51% shareholder in StorTech). One priority is to further leverage the Vodacom Cyber Intelligence Center for enterprise customers. Given all of this, we can showcase various specialised cybersecurity solutions, security consulting services, and managed security services to enterprise customers.

StorTech is well-positioned to rapidly go to market - especially considering the growing talent-shortage of cybersecurity skills in South Africa. To strengthen the security posture in your environment with StorTech Cybersecurity Solutions and Services, contact it at cybersecurityteam@stortech.co.za.

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