The problem
This large intellectual property (IP) firm’s customer portal was working just fine. Then, suspicious transactions started appearing—first a trickle, then a torrent. A security audit revealed dangerous vulnerabilities. And then came the really bad news: the system was riddled with malware, and someone was actively in the process of stealing customer data. The firm quickly shut it all down.
For this global firm, the web portal was the central hub of business transactions, critical to keeping day-to-day business running and to serving customers. But, thanks to regulatory and audit requirements, it was also extremely expensive to modify. Initial discussions with a software company led to a proposal for a complete rebuild, which would cost millions and take as long as a year. Then luck intervened. An executive’s chance meeting with a subcontractor led to a late-night phone call with RedShield. The next morning, the RedShield team was on the job.
The solution
In less than one day, RedShield reviewed the penetration testing and came up with fixes to every issue–including more than 18 custom logic shields. The IP firm immediately gave the go-ahead, and RedShield jumped into emergency deployment mode.
RedShield deployed the application shielding solution in a matter of hours, using their European PoP. At the same time, they started testing and certification procedures. Once the emergency was over, RedShield implemented strict change management protocols. Testing and management reports confirmed the solution was doing its job: sensitive customer data was safe and sound, and the entire platform was protected from further attacks.
The results
In just days, the customer portal was back online, fully functioning. The IP firm was thrilled to have avoided a time-consuming and expensive redevelopment and recertification. Their risk and security auditors were also fully satisfied. And, most importantly, both the customers’ sensitive data and the business itself were saved.
Today, RedShield continues to stand guard:
- Monitoring the firm’s tools and systems 24/7
- Auditing the application defenses weekly
- Responding to any customer queries or application
updates - Delivering monthly analyst reports
“It’s not much of a stretch to say that RedShield saved our business. We were definitely saved from massive business disruption–and who knows where that would have ended. I’m really glad I had that beer with Jim when things were looking pretty bleak.”
—Intellectual Property Management Company Executive
