Robust IT infrastructure is the backbone of any organization, especially in this technology-dependent world. Cyberthreats became a major threat for businesses where many businesses even faced shut down due to a lack of proper cybersecurity in place.
With cyber threats becoming omnipresent and cybersecurity becoming an inevitable component for any organization exposed to the virtual world, GCC Business News spoke to Mr. Rateesh Mohan, Managing Director & Founder of Real Secure, UAE’s fastest-growing security and tech infrastructure services provider, to gain insights into the gravity of threats which are present online and how his organization can support UAE businesses in tackling them effectively.
What is your viewpoint on the security threats that are plaguing the global economy?
We are living in an era where the digital ecosystem is growing at a fast phase and with that, several security threats are expanding their network. Take, for example, ransomware is an ever-evolving form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, making any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption. In 2020, the total amount of ransom paid by victims reached nearly $300 million worth of cryptocurrency, which is a 300% increase compared with the previous year.
Ransomware actors often target and threaten to sell or leak exfiltrated data or authentication information. Hackers take advantage of security weak spots to steal sensitive data or lock files. It is highly recommended for companies to take cybersecurity seriously and invest in deploying security layers.
Do people still think that antivirus is sufficient to safeguard a business?
Many people have a misconception that deploying an antivirus or similar solution like endpoint security is sufficient to safeguard a business from ransomware which is only partially true.
Yes, antivirus is important and even today most antivirus like Heimdal and Bitdefender, etc. have ransomware protection tools but it is just one layer of security which is not enough in today’s environment where ransomware is evolving at a fast pace, every business also requires a 360 review of the entire architecture and its continuous monitoring to prevent emerging ransomware.
Secondly, there need to be cybersecurity experts ready to address the threat of ransomware attacks that organizations are currently facing.
Does Real Secure support organizations in the UAE to ward-off security threats such as ransomware?
Yes, we take all the necessary steps to protect organizations from such attacks which cause downtime and heavy financial loss by placing various security layers in our client’s environment to prevent the emerging ransomware.
Currently, we are supporting various security-critical industry sectors such as banking and finance, real estate, property management, investment, Government sector, healthcare, and Petro-chemical among several others. We also work with SMEs across various other verticals including hospitality, logistics, and construction among several others where we weave a strong cybersecurity network and protect the organization’s tech infrastructure and data.
As a cybersecurity company providing security solutions and assessments to large enterprises, we also aim to provide the same level of expertise and security focus to the SME sector through our managed services business.
Could you also elaborate on your managed services business and how it helps organizations in this region?
Our managed services division currently supports companies, mostly SMEs in the UAE with its IT infrastructure, as some of them don’t have the budget to have a full-scale IT department. Furthermore, we understand the criticality of security in today’s technology landscape, and all our solutions are developed keeping this key factor in mind.
We ensure security is at the forefront of any project that we embark upon and is integrated into everything that we do including developing new applications, cyber security, implementing physical security solutions such as CCTV, or deploying pre-existing solutions.
We also have an initiative called #BeRealSecure which enables SMEs in this region to be cyber-secure by providing managed services with a key focus on cybersecurity and taking full responsibility for their system and security which is not seen with many providers today making it our key differentiator from other service providers.
We also provide a trial period so that our clients will be confident in the level of support and the whole experience. We even go a bit further and provide solutions for example if they don’t have a VPN security or any basic security solution which is mandatory for companies, this will be provided complimentary by Real Secure. And all these will be under their budget for the 12-month managed services contract.
What is your viewpoint regarding UAE’s SME sector and security readiness?
Being one of UAE’s fastest-growing security and tech infrastructure services providers, we strongly emphasize the importance of cyber security for UAE’s SMEs in 2022. Even today due to a lack of security experts, we can see that the companies in the SME sector with legacy systems don’t engage in regular IT audits or take steps to strengthen their security which makes them a good target for spammers and ransomware attacks.
According to the UAE Ministry of Economy, the SME sector represents more than 90 percent of the total number of companies operating in the country and employs more than 86 percent of the private sector’s workforce. A robust technology framework is a backbone for any company, especially in this tech-dependent business eco-system. We strongly believe that SMEs contribute significantly to UAE’s GDP, and they need to be protected from such potential threats.
To learn more about Real Secure and its solutions, please visit the official website.
