Cyber attacks can strike fear into businesses, big or small, but Net Defence’s approach is not to terrify its customers into buying its bespoke IT, telephony and cyber security solutions. Instead, it is focused on demystifying and simplifying threats and allowing its wide-ranging client base to make informed decisions to become more cyber resilient. Here, Net Defence managing director Debra Cairns explains more…
What does Net Defence do, and for whom?
We provide IT (MSP), telephony, cyber security and resilience services to our customers from all sectors across the UK, with a focus on providing an outstanding service. Our practical and bespoke solutions bring immediate value to organisations by providing cost savings, strengthening security and reducing risk. Our customers spread from single owners to large corporates and NHS Trusts.
When was the company established and how has it developed in this time?
We began our journey as a telecommunications company through an acquisition in 1994. We were originally a division of Ogilvie Management Services, providing telecommunication installation and support to Ogilvie Construction and Ogilvie Fleet. Net Defence was established in 2015 to incorporate telephony and IT. In 2019, we introduced cyber services to address the emergence of cyber security risk. We continue to be part of the £250m Ogilvie Group, a third-generation Scottish family business, which supports numerous industries from construction and home-building to the fleet industry and surveying.
You joined Net Defence in March 2018. What attracted you to the company and what was your career up until that point?
I started my career with Procter & Gamble (P&G), the world’s largest consumer products company with sales of more than $65 billion. During my 19 years there I worked as an accountant, an auditor, and an IT security specialist. When I left P&G, I was looking for a role that would allow me to use my knowledge and continue to develop, but was at a company that had similar values and ethics. It was unusual to find a technical company that was family owned.
You became managing director in 2020. What were your aims when you took the top job and have these changed in the intervening three years?
I was appointed acting MD in January 2020 before becoming the permanent MD in June 2020. My initial aims were focused on maintaining and developing the quality of service and bringing together our three service lines (IT, comms and cyber), underpinned with security while putting the customer at our core. But as the pandemic took hold, my role quickly changed to support our customers and our parent company through some extremely tough times. Remote working and technology became critical to organisations so they could continue to operate. Our cyber resilience approach was established during this period too. It brings together business continuity, information, communication systems security and organisational resilience. It’s all about ensuring you can operate if you suffer a cyber event from a digital attack or a natural disaster.
How do you describe the ethos behind the company?
Our ethos is best represented through our purpose and values. Our purpose is to protect, support and help keep organisations secure and resilient while our values are around trust and operating with integrity and doing the right thing, and transparency and being open, candid and clear in everything we do. We also value ownership and accepting personal accountability while managing our business and our customers as if they were our own. Everything we do has our customers’ needs and requirements at its core.
What makes Net Defence stand out from its competitors?
We do not sell based on fear. It has become common in the cyber sector to terrify customers into purchasing technology and services to prevent cyber attacks. Our approach is about building awareness and providing training and support to allow customers and potential customers to make informed decisions. We listen to our customers’ issues, concerns and needs and provide bespoke solutions to address these.
Cyber security can be overwhelming for businesses, particularly smaller, owner-managed ones. Where’s the best place to start?
Becoming cyber resilient is not as complex or expensive as you might think. We split it into two key areas: preparation and prevention. Prevention is best addressed through the IASME Cyber Essentials and Cyber Assurance certifications, which assures you have the technical defences in place to prevent the most common threats, and the right policies and procedures to reduce your overall risk. Planning is focused on business continuity and disaster recovery should the worst happen.
Cyber crime seems such a fast-paced and ever-evolving threat. How best can a business manage constant changes?
It is true that cyber criminals are investing a lot more time and money to develop new attack methods, but ultimately, they still need vulnerability and an easy target. If you have assessed your organisation through IASME Cyber Essentials and Cyber Assurance, and you continue to adopt the best practices these certifications expect, you are no longer an easy target. Also, after technical controls, your employees are the weakest link in your organisation. Invest in their training and awareness and they can be your best allies in the fight against cyber crime.
Are there new or growing threats that companies should be aware of?
Email-based attacks continue to be the greatest threat to all businesses and organisations across the UK. Phishing simulation and cyber training after technical controls are your best form of defence. An emerging risk could be your supply chain. If you have taken steps to protect your organisation from cyber criminals, they can use your supply chain as a stepping-stone to attack your business. Ensure you take time to complete due diligence on your supply chain, ensuring they have invested in their cyber security.
What are the short- and long-term plans for Net Defence?
Like most businesses, we have growth plans but our mission remains to simplify cyber security and resilience, IT support and telephony services, making them affordable, attainable and available to everyone. We want to continue to protect, support and keep organisations secure and resilient, now and into the future.
For more information on Net Defence, visit www.net-defence.com
