Johannesburg, 09 May 2018
Imagine trying to secure 400 endpoints across a network that spans four physical locations across South Africa, carrying highly sensitive data and confidential information. Now, imagine the significant negative repercussions for a top legal firm if security is breached.
This is the challenge that faced Werksmans Attorneys' CTO David Williams.
Established in the 1900s, Werksmans Attorneys is a leading South African corporate and commercial law firm that offers an extensive range of legal services to multinationals, listed companies, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and government.
Werksmans handles sensitive documents and communications daily. It is of the utmost importance that this data is protected from IT security threats.
"The current reality is that new malware is being created daily and conventional anti-virus solutions are no match for these advanced attacks. Cyber crime has become more profitable for hackers, with malware variants such as ransomware targeting victims for direct financial gain," says Jeremy Matthews, Country Manager of Panda Security Africa.
Werksmans CTO David Williams is well aware of this growing issue and the potentially devastating effect it could have on the business. "As an organisation that deals with confidential information, we are not willing to take the risk of a ransomware attack," says Williams.
Proactive approach
Werksmans needed a solution that would go beyond conventional IT security and employ a proactive approach to protecting the user, while having minimal effect on other areas of the business.
Williams says: "Our main concern is to protect our business and data from cyber criminals. However, in the course of doing so, we cannot disrupt day-to-day business, nor can we afford to place a heavy burden on our IT infrastructure."
Panda recommended Adaptive Defense 360, a cloud-based security solution that employs new endpoint detection and response (EDR) technology to track and classify all running programs on the network. This means only programs classified as goodware will be allowed to run, eliminating the risk of new malware accessing the network.
Benefits of Adaptive Defense 360
* Complete protection against targeted and zero-day attacks;
* 100% managed service;
* Continuous status information on all endpoints in the network;
* Forensic information;
* Protection from vulnerable operating systems and applications;
* SIEM available; and
* Close technical support by qualified local technicians.
Full EPP capabilities
Protection guaranteed
After an initial testing phase, Werksmans began the implementation of Adaptive Defense 360 across their network, working closely with Panda's technical department to ensure a smooth process.
Adaptive Defense 360 combines new EDR technology with Endpoint Protection (EPP) capabilities, to ensure protection against advanced persistent threats, ransomware and zero-day attacks.
"One of the things that makes Adaptive Defense great for us is that there is very little burden on our IT staff," says Williams.
Adaptive Defense 360 uses big data stored in the cloud to ensure detection, prevention and remediation all happen with a high degree of autonomy.
Since installing Adaptive Defense 360, Werksmans has been unaffected by ransomware attacks that have plagued other businesses.
"We are pleased with the results and comfortable in the knowledge that we are safe from a range of threats. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Adaptive Defense to any organisation that is concerned about protecting their business and data from cyber criminals," says Williams.
Panda Security Africa Regional Manager Jeremy Matthews will speak at the ITWeb Security Summit this month, sharing his insights into how you can effectively root out advanced persistent threats with new-generation endpoint technology.
The ITWeb Security Summit is southern Africa's definitive conference and expo for information security, IT and business professionals. This year, over 70 expert speakers will deliver key insights across seven tracks, including workshops and training courses, during the expanded five-day event. The ITWeb Security Summit will be staged at Vodacom World, Midrand, from 22-23 May 2018; and CTICC Cape Town on 29 May 2018. Focused and interactive workshops as well as in-depth training courses will be run in the days around the main conference and exhibition.
ITWeb Security Summit 2018
Registration is open for the ITWeb Security Summit 2018, being held in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 May and in Cape Town on 28 and 29 May. This is the must-attend annual event for information security professionals, featuring international speakers, workshops, as well as a beginners' guide to cyber security. Click here.
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