Network provider opts for unified cybersecurity platform

SA Power Networks is South Australia’s main electricity supplier, delivering power to more than 900,000 homes and businesses across the state.

As a critical infrastructure provider, it has to manage the risk of cyberthreats as well as keeping on top of evolving security-focused regulatory obligations. A major cyber incident could disrupt essential services and affect communities statewide, as well as resulting in data breaches, financial loss and a hit to reputation.

Until recently, SA Power Networks managed patching across separate tools, with its cyber, endpoint and server teams all looking at different screens. This created inefficiencies and delays and made it challenging to keep up with the extreme volume of vulnerabilities and subsequent patching required as a critical infrastructure provider.

This prompted the organisation to adopt software company Tanium’s Autonomous IT platform to unify and automate its cybersecurity processes.

“Merging everything into one tool just made sense,” said Lindbergh Caldeira, cybersecurity operations manager at SA Power Networks. “We chose Tanium not only for the technical acumen of the people, but also because of the continuing growth of the platform and the ability to manage everything under one banner.

“Even though we have three different teams, now they are better equipped to tackle the increasing volume of vulnerabilities and patching, be more efficient with their time and are all talking the same language.”

By using Tanium’s platform, SA Power Networks aims to further improve operational efficiencies and vulnerability management by:

• reducing manual effort and after-hours work for patching;
• more efficiently managing software licensing and reducing costs by removing unused licenses;
• improving visibility and reporting across server and endpoint environments.
   

Tanium has already helped SA Power Networks by identifying a Windows Server Update Service vulnerability and enabling the utility to remediate affected systems within hours. Previously, the same workflow would have taken the organisation days.

“The move to a unified platform has eliminated data lag inherent in legacy systems, and provides near-instant visibility across our entire server estate,” said Phil Manning, technology design manager at SA Power Networks.

“Now, with Tanium, everything happens seamlessly at the push of a button, and we have confidence in the platform and how it’s enabling business resilience. We are now faster and more efficient when a vulnerability hits, removing stress from our team, reducing costs and keeping our systems even safer.”

Image caption: High voltage powerlines on Garden Island mangrove wetlands with Adelaide foothills in the background. Image credit: iStock.com/BeyondImages