We designed and launched a bespoke 24/7 security monitoring service in just eight weeks, enabling a vital divestment to go ahead on schedule.
The challenge
Our client supplies essential services like energy and broadband to over a million domestic consumers. With smart meters in customers’ homes, mobile and online customer interfaces in play and a brand connection to one of the world’s biggest energy companies, retail operations pose a complex cyber defence challenge. Being able to detect and shut down any potential security threats fast is key to protecting customer data and retaining the trust of regulators and customers alike.
When the business was identified as a potential area of divestment by the parent group that challenge became more urgent still. To facilitate any sale, the business needed to set up a brand-new 24/7 security monitoring capability for the new entity. This, at a point when it was not yet confirmed who the buyer would be or how the utilities business would sit within the future owner’s technology landscape. There were other aspects to the challenge too. The new capability needed to be up and running within weeks. Without this, any sale might be unable to go ahead. In addition, any new technology needed to be implemented without disruption to existing cyber protection.
Specialists from PwC’s Managed Cyber Defence (MCD) team set to work to find a solution fast, bringing the critical cyber expertise that many businesses struggle to access. Bringing technical and digital expertise, we enabled the organisation to shift from their legacy platforms to a modern, scalable monitoring platform, fit for the future. Working as part of their team, we brought new ideas to tailor the solution to best meet their needs.
Our solution
We proposed a service built around Google’s cutting-edge security monitoring platform, Chronicle, combined with 24/7 monitoring by our expert teams in the UK and New Zealand – bringing together the perfect combination of human expertise and innovative technology. With the service offering round-the-clock access to human advisers – through ‘always on’ collaboration channels rather than a ticketing system – the aim was to create an extension of our client’s own security team.
As an existing Google Cloud customer, our client would benefit from the tight integration across the Google ecosystem. Chronicle is a cloud native product, so the configuration of the platform to deliver monitoring capabilities across Google Workspace and Cloud environments takes a matter of hours. This is in contrast with the days and weeks usually required for traditional, on-premise solutions.
As a Google Alliance Security Partner, we brought our extensive track record of deploying the security monitoring tools at pace. Our engineers often complete an initial configuration of the platform within hours to help clients respond to ongoing attacks. With this experience, we were confident of hitting the tight deadline and being able to inject certainty into an environment that was in flux. We were able to reassure our client there would be no disruption to existing cyber defences during our work, nor any break in protection during the switch-over to a new solution.
As we worked to identify needs and shape the platform design, details of the sale were confirmed. As the clock ticked down to the sale, we collaborated to understand the detail of the security challenge created by the confirmed divestment to firm up the final design.
The impact
We launched the new monitoring service, which leverages some of Chronicle’s most advanced functionality, within just eight weeks – hitting the ambitious deadline set at the outset and enabling the sale to go through on time. The new service capitalises on Chronicle’s unique commercial model to give our client commercial certainty and a cost-effective solution through a period of significant change.
In the first three months, the service ingested over 6 billion security events, enabled by the Chronicle platform and our own security automation and threat intelligence capabilities. In this moment, we harnessed our experience to cut through the noise and address the threats that really matter. The true test of success is the complete lack of material security incidents to date.
Our client now has a scalable monitoring solution that can evolve to accommodate business growth and navigate the shifting threat landscape. Alongside this, the business benefits from a vital relationship with our expert team, committed to helping them build long-term resilience and stay ahead of new threats.
For our client’s customers, robust security monitoring means their data is safer than ever. The risk of a data breach and its potential to undermine customer confidence in their utilities supplier is minimised. This, in turn, feeds into our client’s ability to grow their business successfully under new ownership.
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