Our Journey to Reimagine Cyber Security for Small Business

The old days of antivirus and a firewall are over. We had a sense of that years ago, and for years have been continuously looking for ways to improve the way we protect our clients. We introduced industry-leading security controls such as mandatory multifactor authentication (MFA), application allowlisting (application whitelisting), security awareness training and configuration change detection and response (CCDR). As it turned out though, this was only the beginning of what turned into a full journey to reimagine what cyber security looked like for non-enterprise organisations in New Zealand. 

Our initial vision was two-fold. First, it was to decentralise firewall security so that we can provide Internet security for users whether they are in or out of the office. COVID taught us how useless an office firewall can be when no one’s in the office. Second, it brought in some kind of round-the-clock monitored protection to deal with security incidents in real-time and cut off attacks in their tracks at any time of day or night. Turns out, both of these things are doable – if your business has hundreds or thousands of staff and a bottomless IT budget. 

So, our vision changed. Yes, we wanted those things, but we wanted to make them a reality for businesses of all sizes, not just giant enterprises. 

Another thing: We found ourselves combatting what we can call ‘security fatigue’ from the logistical burden of managing so many separate, standalone security apps. We decided that if this was going to work, it needed to be manageable, and for that, we needed a consolidated stack of interconnected security tools. 

Quite a challenge. An affordable, consolidated stack of security services made for small businesses that would enable protection from anywhere and 24/7 threat hunting with human response.  

A New Partner in Todyl

After a rigorous search that researching and testing numerous products from around the world, US security firm Todyl emerged as the perfect platform. Their commitment to protecting small businesses and working with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) like Layer3, coupled with their capability to deliver, was exactly what we were looking for. The only issue was that, while Todyl operates a global network, their closest point of presence (PoP) was, like many other security providers, in Australia. 

However, when we approached Todyl with our vision for New Zealand small businesses, they were all in. Together, Layer3 and Todyl have extended their global network into New Zealand, making true onshore remote security available to small Kiwi businesses for the first time. When we add the rest of Todyl’s consolidated security stack to the mix, including the crown jewel – 24/7 human threat response, the result is a genuinely groundbreaking yet accessible opportunity for New Zealand businesses to deploy enterprise-level cyber security. 

What’s Coming?

Over the next five posts, we’ll dive deep into each component of this consolidated security stack: 

• EDR/NGAV: Cutting-edge endpoint detection and response combined with next-generation antivirus. 
• SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): Powerful detection and analysis engine that correlates data across the entire security and technology stack for unmatched visibility. 
• SASE (Secure Access Service Edge): Connects your computers to a Secure Global Network delivering firewall powerful firewall protection and secure access protection from the cloud. 
• Threat Response (MXDR): Managed extended detection and response for proactive threat hunting and mitigation with 24/7 human response to critical threats. 
• Tying It All Together: How all these components integrate to form a robust cybersecurity framework. 

Stay tuned as we explore how this powerful combination of services is a game-changer for New Zealand’s small businesses, marking a new chapter in cybersecurity.