For Santhosh John Thomas, the process of evolving African + Eastern's security approach began with a realization. "We needed to shift our perspective," recalled Thomas, the organization's Group Information Systems Manager. "We recognized the need for a comprehensive cybersecurity portfolio viewed from a different angle."
Like many security leaders, that realization was born from understanding that yesterday's approach to security doesn't cut it when dealing with today's threat actors. Security solutions are evolving as new technology and new capabilities are developed to reduce risk, boost resiliency, and help organizations secure their mission in the face of the evolving threat landscape.
Thomas' mission is to continue driving growth for African + Eastern, a leading Middle East beverage distributor. The foundation of perimeter firewalls, NGFW, IPS, and EDR gave the organization a good point product security footprint, but the holistic viewpoint needed to combat threats in today's environment was missing. "There came a point where we realized the path we were on might not be the right one," Thomas said.
It's this understanding and perspective that makes Thomas a Taegis™ Titan.
Why did you feel African + Eastern had to evolve its security approach?
In a rapidly evolving security landscape, where new threats and vulnerabilities emerge daily, investing in security is akin to securing insurance for our digital existence. It's an indispensable safeguard that shouldn't be overlooked.
In talking with Secureworks®, what were some security topics discussed that resonated with your vision for African + Eastern's approach to security?
Secureworks, with its wealth of experience, introduced valuable insights into our discussions. We found ourselves in strong agreement on critical aspects such as incident response, threat hunting and the validity of security measures. Their commitment to security aligns perfectly with our vision, making them an ideal collaborator in our pursuit of safeguarding our organization.
Secureworks performed a proof of concept of its managed detection and response (MDR) solution, Secureworks Taegis ManagedXDR. How impactful was having a holistic security platform like Taegis in your decision-making process?
The reliability of Taegis stood out. The platform proved to be exceptionally effective during our evaluation. It offers comprehensive threat detection and correlation rules, which impressed us greatly. This level of effectiveness left no doubt in our discussions, making it clear that Secureworks could meet our security and business requirements.
Secureworks strategic partner Finesse has provided a local security resource with Taegis experience that works directly with your team. How beneficial has that partnership been in evolving your day-to-day security operations?
The proficiency of the Secureworks platform, combined with this local presence, has contributed immensely to help keep us safe and secure. Should any security issue arise, we know exactly who to contact first and have a well-defined protocol for escalation.
Looking back, how satisfied are you with choosing Secureworks as your security provider?
There was not an iota of doubt at any point in time about looking at somebody else once we started the POC journey. It was a clear understanding that Secureworks has all the right elements, with the resources, with the leadership qualities, and with the right platform. All those elements helped us decide on who was the right partner for African + Eastern.
Watch the video case study and read the written case study to learn more from Thomas on why Secureworks MDR stands out.