In cybersecurity, the goalposts move constantly. Attackers invent new ways to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in their targets’ IT environments, and to cover their tracks once they gain access. In response, more companies are taking advantage of security operations center (SOC) services to mitigate risks.

“Effective cybersecurity measures are often highly resource-intensive,” explains Jääskeläinen. “So, it make sense for companies to outsource this part of their technology strategy. Our SOC takes on the hassle of 24/7 monitoring so that our customers can focus on their core business, with peace of mind that their systems and critical operational reliability are well-protected.”

To ensure it can rise to the challenge of an ever-changing threat landscape, Insta cultivates up-to-the-minute cybersecurity expertise. A recent study showed that the time it takes for criminals to execute an attack has dropped by 94 percent over the last few years, putting these specialists under increasing pressure to identify and respond to threats quickly.

Jääskeläinen comments: “For our SOC, time is of the essence. And yet the data we must analyze to uncover breaches is growing exponentially all the time. To stay one step ahead of cyberattackers, we wanted to harness the latest security technology to help our trained specialists optimize their use of time. The search was on for the right technology solution.”

To differentiate its SOC services from those of the competition, Insta selected IBM Cloud® Pak for Security. Using the solution, the company centralizes log management and security information and event management (SIEM).

“We chose IBM following a thorough review of the market,” recalls Jääskeläinen. “IBM Security solutions are top-rated by analysts including Gartner and have many stellar references worldwide. Most importantly to us, IBM Security solutions are continually developed to stay one step ahead of changes in the cyberthreat landscape.”

IBM Cloud Pak for Security gives Insta’s SOC team immediate, real-time insight into each customer’s security posture. The solution automatically detects potential breaches, gathering threat intelligence to establish likely urgency. Where appropriate, the system issues an alert with an accompanying priority level, helping SOC specialists filter out the noise to hone in on the most hazardous threats.

“With IBM Cloud Pak for Security, we can root out a wide range of cyberattacks,” says Jääskeläinen. “For example, the IBM solution has alerted us to ransomware in a customer’s environment, enabling us to quickly isolate it before it spread and encrypted their files, stopping the attack in its tracks with help from IBM, we’ve found many malwares.”

Insta integrates IBM Cloud Pak for Security with a wide range of customer environments, hosting a multi-tenant and dedicated platform on-premises. When going to market, the company draws on support from IBM to attract new customers.

“One of the best things about IBM Cloud Pak for Security is the seamless interoperability with different types of technologies,” adds Jääskeläinen. “At last count, we believe there are as many as 400 different supported integrations. This makes it easy to onboard new customers. And when we do meet with prospects, we always mention that we use IBM technology, and the IBM team often helps us close the deal.”

By enabling Insta’s SOC to react faster and more effectively, IBM technology is helping the company to develop long-lasting, fulfilling relationships with its customers. Insta can provide exceptional protection for customer systems round the clock.

Jääskeläinen explains: “Loosely translated, our company motto is ‘permission to trust’. IBM solutions play a central role in allowing our customers to trust our SOC services, because they enhance our ability to protect their environments 24/7 without interruption.”

Insta is also driving up efficiency for its SOC using IBM solutions. The company can reach agreed service levels while optimizing utilization of valuable resources.

“By operationalizing our SOC services with IBM Security solutions, we keep our service levels high and our fees competitive,” says Jääskeläinen. “This adds up to a compelling proposition that is helping us to expand our market share.”

Insta is one of the leading cyber security service providers in Finland. Insta offers cyber security services, from consulting to cyber defence, and from network security to secure digital identity. Insta’s services and products are trusted by large companies and public sector organizations both domestically and worldwide.

In addition to cyber security, Insta is a front runner and a reliable partner for our industry, defence and software consulting customers, employing more than 1, 100 experts. By combining the state of the art know-how with intelligent technology, we improve our customers’ safety and performance in a digitalizing world. For more information, please visit: www.insta.fi (link resides outside of ibm.com)