AVeS security solutions reduces risk of cyber attack on businesses

Leading information security specialist AVeS is warning businesses across southern Africa to ensure they are well-equipped to counteract the rapidly-expanding international trend of cyber crime, which is now estimated to cost organisations worldwide between US$500 million and US$1 billion annually.

Johannesburg-based AVeS has become recognised as an industry-leader since its establishment in 2001, and today provides information security solutions and services to more than 500 organisations across southern Africa. The company is singularly focused on delivering security and infrastructure solutions, with the most qualified technical expertise in the industry.

AVeS managing director Charl Ueckerman highlights the fact that cyber crime has become larger than drug trafficking in terms of international crime, and he warns that it is constantly on the increase. “The cyber world is always high-risk, as viruses can be simply rented online. If a company does not have the basic security measures in place, sensitive documents and information can be accessed, making the business highly vulnerable to attack,” he explains.

Ueckerman points out that AVeS provides its clients with total peace of mind when it comes to information security, by providing a comprehensive all-in-one solutions package that is tailor-made to meet each client's individual needs. “AVeS differentiate itself from the competition by providing best-of-bread information security solutions that can be customised to meet individual requirements, instead of merely marketing one generic brand name to the entire market.”

Due to its high levels of technical expertise, AVeS has top partner status with leading brands such as Symantec, McAfee, SonicWALL, IP Guard and various other vendors.

Ueckerman warns that threats of cyber attack can come from sources such as e-mail accounts and Web site pages, as well as from external hardware sources such as flash disks and smartphones. The risk of social media can't be over-emphasised; this includes Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. People will ignorantly download an application on their profile and in the process expose their PC to cyber crime. Furthermore, cyber criminals will also use major events such as a tsunami, earthquake, plane disaster, etc, to distribute malware. They exploit this by distributing photos or video streaming of the event by attaching malware to the content.

“A critical part of AVeS is to add value to their clients by assessing risk, cost and current information security investments. The threat landscape is ever evolving, but many times this can be mitigated by simply 'tweaking' the investments already made. This is where the Professional Services offering of AVeS creates the difference to client's information security environments. By establishing an individual risk profile, planning a roadmap and carefully implementing the best-of-bread products, is the only way to keep cost under control and manage risk at the same time. AVeS also identifies unseen risks in the company's information environment by carrying out vulnerability scans, using various tools.”

Information security solutions offered by AVES include:

* Security compliance
* Professional services
* Maintained security services
* Specialised products and services
* Virtualisation and disaster recovery

* Cloud solutions

AVeS was formed from humble beginnings in 1999, as anti-virus software merchant called AVS Content Security, and then merged in 2001 with virtual e-solutions. The company changed ownership and took on the formal name of AVeS Cyber Security, and began its focus on selling cyber security and solutions packages. Today, AVeS provides its services cross the board to small, medium and the enterprise market and across verticals, ie, government, legal, financial, manufacturing, etc.

Looking to the future, Ueckerman stresses that AVeS must continue to distinguish itself from its competitors in a highly-competitive and ever-evolving market. “AVeS has established a strong reputation for providing unrivalled customer support and after-sales service, and we will be looking to consolidate on that success moving forward into 2012, by striving to create added value wherever possible,” he concludes.

Notes to the editor:
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the AVeS link.