In light of the growing number of cyber threats facing modern organisations, integrated ICT and infrastructure provider Vox has announced the launch of a Managed Firewall Service aimed specifically at the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Companies targeted by ransomware have to pay between R50 000 and R150 000, and most small businesses pay up rather than lose all their information — be it financial data, customer data, billing records and more.

The risk is greater in the SME segment of the market: while big companies can prioritise security at the C-suite level, smaller companies often do not have the relevant experts within the organisation to set and enforce security policies and procedures, and need the expertise of a third-party to protect them.

“We have customised a Fortinet solution so that it can be made available at a competitive price point to smaller businesses. They will now have access to best of breed technology from a global company that is at the forefront of innovation in cybersecurity,” says Craig Freer, executive head for cloud and managed services at Vox.

Fortinet’s leadership in security has been recognised by its favourable Gartner Magic Quadrant ranking for over a decade, and local SMEs will now have access to some of the best firewall technology on the market.

Customers further get access to comprehensive reporting capabilities that allow them to make informed business decisions around security, particularly around user behaviour and their environment.

Managed service

“Apart from just monitoring for, and protecting an organisation from external cyber threats, a well-monitored firewall will also help better manage network usage and data consumption, which is especially vital for small businesses that often have to make do with connections that offer lesser bandwidth,” says Freer.

The firewall solution for SMEs is also available as part of a managed service. In this instance, Vox will ensure that certified firewall engineers set up policies that are correct, comprehensive and well enforced to protect the business’s data and network. This includes crafting a strategy for what an organisation should do in case a breach occurs.