Most companies lack the tools and mitigation plans to handle imminent attacks, Kocho helps them fix this.
In March 2021, TiG, a UK-based cloud, data analytics and managed services provider, acquired ThirdSpace, a specialist identity and cybersecurity solution provider. Together they offer an advanced digital managed services platform with security at its core. One year later, they have rebranded as Kocho, fully uniting both brands. The name Kocho comes from the Japanese for butterfly, a symbol of transformation.
Kocho chief strategy officer Neil Coughlan said, “Rebranded as Kocho, we now offer ambitious firms the control to securely transform their operations and realise their full potential.” The whole company is built on the idea of coming together to achieve excellence, succinctly summed up by its tagline, “Become greater.”
Its extended detection and response (XDR) solution, which leverages Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel, provides threat intelligence capabilities and gives a 360-degree view of a company’s cybersecurity posture. Uniquely, this solution also monitors and contextualises event data across endpoints, cloud workloads and IoT devices for proactive threat detection and prevention.
Speaking about what differentiates Kocho from others, Coughlan said, “Kocho hires best-in-class experts to deliver security-centric digital transformation projects. Our smart assessment models evaluate each client’s infrastructure and security, allowing us to design and deploy the most relevant solutions seamlessly.” Another differentiator is how Kocho’s Security Operations Centre creates a single ‘pane of glass’ view of a firm’s infrastructure, cloud environment and more.
Kocho also stands out from the pack by being a Microsoft Gold Partner and has several advanced security specialisations. Coughlan added, “Our end-to-end capabilities reassures clients that every step of the journey is designed, managed and supported by an exceptional team.”
Threat to cloud environments
While cloud technology popularity has exploded, companies are not doing enough to protect these environments. A report from Ermetic claims 79% of companies experienced a cloud data breach in the last 18 months. This is just one of many alarming statistics that show the threat to cloud environments.
There is a low barrier to entry and huge returns for cybercriminals and so they are constantly scaling their attacks. Coughlan said, “Understanding these types of modern threats, and responding to the growing cybercrime gig economy, is crucial. This means MSPs must prioritise security. Intelligence is imperative for responding to threats and incidents; it makes it harder for attackers to be successful.” He added that an advantage of Kocho working with Microsoft is it can review organisations’ existing security postures and implement best controls for protection.
With threat levels high, Coughlan believes one of the biggest mistakes firms can make is not prioritising cybersecurity, with many lacking the tools and mitigation plans for imminent attacks. He added, “Security is not a tick box exercise, it’s a board level challenge. This means upgrading hardware and software, and ensuring security is a primary consideration throughout the digital transformation journey. Implementing fixes for specific issues will only lead to siloed detection and responses, thus diminishing a company’s threat intelligence capabilities.”
Coughlan explained that firms need to empower and protect from the inside-out, implementing education and hygiene throughout an organisation. “Companies need to work with experts to take control of their security and responses to co-ordinated attacks, starting with basics like retiring passwords, before moving on to implementing controls in a systematic way.”
Plans for the future
With the threat landscape so high, Kocho is ready to give companies the support they need. Over the next year, Kocho plans to continue working with Microsoft and benefit from its rapid growth as a security leader to support its capabilities and scale further.
Coughlan concluded, “We are scaling our Cardiff and London based teams. Our SOC in Cardiff will welcome an additional 50 cyber security experts in the next few years and provide us with an in-person forum to share ideas. Kocho is proud of its continued growth in Wales, especially our partnership with the University of South Wales. We are working in the Cardiff Capital Region to develop the next generation of cyber security talent, and place Wales more firmly on the cyber security map.”
