TORONTO, May 9, 2024 — Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, today announced it has established a Security Operations Center (SOC) in Barrie, Ontario, to provide support and protection for the entire lifecycle of cyber threats, using artificial intelligence, machine learning and integrated automation systems.
The SOC is designed to be a cyber defense hub that operates around the clock to offer cyber threat intelligence and incident response from cybersecurity experts. Kyndryl provides a hybrid model that allows organizations to selectively outsource certain cyber security functions, or fully outsource the end-to-end management of their cybersecurity operations to Kyndryl. This flexibility is critical as cyber incidents become commonplace across every industry and government function, and as organizations prepare for new cybersecurity regulations to be implemented by the Government of Canada. Kyndryl understands the importance of these regulations that are designed to ensure the protection of the economy, national security and public safety. Kyndryl’s global network of SOCs will be another line of defense as many countries around the world take similar steps to mitigate potential breaches and disruptions from increasingly sophisticated attacks.
As organizations continue to embrace digital transformation and rapid technological advancements, the threat landscape continues to expand exponentially. In fact, according to the latest IDC Canada study on cyberattacks in the country, 64% of Canadian organizations experienced one or more cyber incidents per month and just over half suffered at least one ransomware infection within 12 months.*
“The rise of cyber incidents has introduced new priorities for leaders, including building cyber resilience, addressing regulations and compliance, and navigating security skills shortages. Drawing upon our experience with managing complex and critical IT infrastructures, Kyndryl’s new Security Operations Center responds to these concerns with a flexible and scalable model that helps organizations anticipate, protect, withstand and recover from cyber threats,” said Farhaz Thobani, President, Kyndryl Canada.
"In today's digital landscape, organizations face many cybersecurity challenges, amplified by the rapid adoption of remote work and cloud services. The need for a Security Operations Center has never been more critical, serving as the central hub for monitoring, detecting and responding to cyber threats. SOCs play a pivotal role in mitigating risks by leveraging specialized skills, advanced security solutions and proactive threat intelligence. The launch of Kyndryl's new SOC underscores its commitment to providing organizations with the necessary tools and expertise to navigate these complexities and defend against sophisticated cyber threats," said Yogesh Shivhare, Cybersecurity Research Manager, IDC Canada.
The SOC utilizes Kyndryl's international scale, collaborating with Kyndryl’s other SOCs and cybersecurity experts around the world who manage the security of thousands of customers in every industry. The SOCs govern the security management of mission-critical infrastructure and IT services by using advanced tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, analyzing threat intelligence feeds, and leveraging malware labs designed to test new cyberattack techniques and to replay incidents for lessons learned and threat intelligence sharing.
The SOC is underpinned by Kyndryl’s Security Operations as a Platform (SOaaP) capability. Designed and customized to serve the specific requirements of the Canadian market, including data residency requirements, the SOaaP is a single, unified platform that provides a centralized view and delivers actionable insights. Built on Microsoft Azure, Kyndryl’s SOaaP integrates with various Microsoft security information and event management tools such as Sentinel, and offers advanced threat protection with Microsoft Defender to ensure a robust and secure operational environment.
"We are proud to collaborate with companies like Kyndryl, harnessing AI-powered innovation to fortify our collective cyber defenses in Canada," said Kevin Magee, Chief Security Officer, Microsoft Canada. "The establishment of Kyndryl's SOC in Barrie marks a promising step forward in our united efforts to bolster security measures and counteract the surge of cyber threats."
The SOaaP helps monitor, detect, prevent and respond to the latest cyber threats in real-time, in a flexible delivery and collaborative approach with Kyndryl’s global counterparts. Integrated on Kyndryl Bridge, the SOaaP enables Kyndryl to provide enhanced visibility, risk and threat management to a customer’s entire IT estate to determine the impact of any threats more quickly while also streamlining the orchestration required between IT Operations and Security Operations.
*Canadian Security Ecosystem Pulse Q3 2022: The State of Ransomware, IDC #CA48412122
About Kyndryl
Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com.
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