VADS: Practicing People-first Approach in Cyber Security

Malaysia has been experiencing an encouraging economic growth in the recent years, but on the flip side, with the availability of advanced technology, tools, and skills, hacking incidents are increasingly becoming prominent where the country has recorded an unprecedented number of cyber threats. 2016 alone saw the figure rising up to 2,100 cyber-attacks. With this and the economy moving towards total digitization, it has become even more pertinent to find established companies with a strong foothold in the cyber security sector. To counter this menace, many technology companies have come together to protect their private data and enhance their security structure. VADS is one such company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia (TM) that serves 500 medium to large businesses across industries.

VADS comes with Managed Security Services as part of its huge repertoire of Integrated ICT Services. Massimo Migliuolo, CEO, VADS speaking on the role the company takes up in the cyber security sector says, “We take on a holistic end-to-end approach that completes the customer’s journey by providing security products, services, and skilled labor.” VADS Managed Security Services include Cloud based Web Security, Managed Unified Threat Management, Managed SecureWAN, and Managed Web Application Firewall.

Elaborating on the Cloud based Web Security, Migliuolo explains, “It enables organizations to embrace new cloud applications and VADS Managed Services, while riding on the industry’s most advanced protection from malicious attacks and emerging threats.” Along with its advanced internet protection such as URL filtering, Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware, Application Control, and Advanced Threat Protection - its service benefits of Gap-free security, Cost savings, Compliance, and Real-time reporting are exemplary.

VADS with an eye on helping SMEs specifically, has released dedicated products like Managed Unified Threat Management (MUTM) and Managed Web Application Firewall (MWAF). MUTM as Migliuolo calls ‘An All- Rounder’ protects networks and users from all types of security threats such as viruses, hackers, trojan horses, worms, and blended attacks. It serves as a single device capable of providing total network security solutions without forcing clients to purchase additional equipment.

It also provides advantages which include policy configuration, change management with online customer reporting portal, 24x7 proactive hosted server monitoring security, comprehensive network and content level protection, and reduced management burden that drive down operational cost etc.

While MUTM assures customers with ‘comprehensive security through bundled service’, MWAF secures websites and web applications from potential attackers. WAF proxy’s website traffic inspects it for attacks to insulate web servers from direct access by hackers. Its benefits range from instant protection for web application, events monitoring, four hours of advanced hardware replacement, device configuration, and device management.

With its armory of cyber security products, VADS has scaled up a worthy record of successful campaigns and accumulated a diverse set of clients in Malaysia. It is also worth to be mentioned that the company’s stupendous achievements have been possible by the relationships it has forged over the years. Collaborating with some of industry’s renowned names such as CISCO, Microsoft, Lenovo, and IBM, VADS delivers software, hardware, and resource capabilities, to ease security management. For its efforts to make this industry secure, VADS to date has been recognized with Contact Centre World Award–Asia Pacific and Computer World Readers Choice Award among others. These awards have come its way due to the ‘people-first approach’ it carries. Migliuolo elucidates, “We ensure that we understand our customers’ most basic needs before proposing the best product and service, and at the same time, make plans for customers based on what they may need in the future.”

In the future, VADS looks forward to expanding its business horizon and offer end-to-end IT solutions ranging from consultancy for computer facility management, cloud technology, data centre, and computer network.