Nexa

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a digital agency that does website development for mostly US clients. We also provide digital marketing and data analytics services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nexa?

We hired Nexa to help us with the IT security of the products we developed for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their engagement?

Nexa conducts corporate penetration tests for websites and applications. In this process, they help us find many vulnerabilities and technical security problems, which they compile in a PDF report. Currently, they are providing maintenance services for us.

What is the team composition?

I work with three people from their team, including Andres (CTO & Director) who’s our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Nexa?

We found out about them through Andres, who’s a former employee of our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000 on this project.

What is the status of the engagement?

We started working with them in April 2022, and our engagement is still ongoing. We plan to keep working with them in the future for consultations and monitoring our infrastructures.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their work has exceeded our expectations. Initially, we expected them to come up with 10–15 vulnerabilities, but they gave us 16 in their report, and a couple of those issues were critical.

How did Nexa perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done surprisingly well in this regard and continue to deliver on time. We mainly communicate via phone calls and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed that they’ve adhered to all deadlines because we usually see a lot of slippages in this industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re doing just fine.

Any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to define the scope of work carefully to ensure a successful project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a uruguayan stockbroker company. I am currently working in trading desk and I also coordinate projects related to automation and IT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Nexa?

We were looking for a n external cybersecurity company to perform a security audit of our website. Because we work in financial services, confidenciality and data integrity are high priority and we needed to make sure there were no potential risks we were not aware of.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We compared two local companies and finally chose Nexa because we felt their approach was more suitable for our company's needs.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They performed a thorough security audit of our website and web apps, identifying potential risks in our infrastructure. They carry out a penetration testing to scan for vulnerabilities. After they finished, they delivered a report on all of our risks and provided a list of security recommendations. Our IT department is now working on the detected issues.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had a team formed by the CTO as the project leader, a technical account manager and customer success responsible. Also an ethical hacking team of 8 professionals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They were able to identify some critical risks that we are now working on. Recommendations were really helpful. We believe they were really thorough with their work.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was effective enough.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We appreciate that they offered multiple solutions to suit our budget.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We believe there are no areas for improvements that we know of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

It is a company that develops identity protection software through biometric and fraud prevention technologies. My position is Cybersecurity Lead and I am in charge of leading the company's security strategy and ensuring its correct implementation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Nexa?

For security assessment services, security in SDLC, Pentest and automation of security processes

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

through referrals from acquaintances

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The last project we did together was on security in the company's development life cycle. It was divided into 3 stages, the information gathering and solution diagramming stage, the implementation stage and the final details adjustment stage. The project basically allows security controls to be applied in an automated manner throughout the development life cycle, thus allowing products to maintain quality at a security level and in an agile manner during their development.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Around 10 or a little more members, which ranged from specialists, leaders and C-levels

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project helped us to face the ISO27001 certification process, which we are about to present this month, the clear evidence would be the correct certification of the process.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was super effective in a pleasant environment, they are excellent professionals with a lot of knowledge and always willing to share their knowledge and teach every detail

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

It is a company with very young and highly specialized professionals. They have specialized professionals in each project they handle.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

At the moment I have no complaints or points to mark, I am totally satisfied with the service provided

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director at Wealthsite, a wealth management platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nexa IT?

We needed someone to help us make sure that the environment in our application was secure from any threats of malicious intent.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Nexa IT to perform a penetration test on our application. We started the project by going through several sales meetings to try to get an understanding of the services they’re offering us, after which they came back with a statement of work. This included all the details about the process, the deliverables, our responsibilities, and their pricing proposal.

Once we agreed to their proposal, we sent over the information they would need such as IP addresses and several login credentials. They broke down the project into two parts — the first part involved testing to see if they could breach our system without any authorization, and the second part involved using the login credentials we provided to see if a valid user could access data they shouldn’t be able to access.

After we finished the testing, they provided us with recommendations on how we could resolve the issues they identified.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from Nexa IT. They were each involved in different aspects of the project.

How did you come to work with Nexa IT?

Nexa IT was recommended to us by a third-party development company that we’ve worked with for a long time.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on this project from August–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Nexa IT identified some minor and significant deficiencies in our app. The good thing is that they were unable to gain access without the login credentials, which was our biggest fear. Overall, we were very pleased with the outcome of this project.

How did Nexa IT perform from a project management standpoint?

Nexa IT performed exceptionally well in terms of project management. They laid out a specific schedule and budget, and they were very good at sticking to it. They also communicated well despite working fully remotely.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was really impressed with Nexa IT’s credibility, expertise, and professionalism.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to go into the project with a good understanding of the outcomes you’re trying to achieve. Penetration testing is a generic term, so it would be very beneficial for both you and Nexa IT to understand precisely what you’re hoping to accomplish so that they know what services they need to provide.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the IT Manager of Correo Uruguayo

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

National Postal Service

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

Analyze vulnerabilities in the VPN access system

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

Referral

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Nexa were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

To provide a detailed account of the illicit activities detected in the digital surveillance service managed by Nexa that are of our interest. It focuses on revealing and contextualizing these cyber threats that could directly or indirectly affect, thus facilitating the adoption of proactive measures.

Key deliverables:

• Activity on the dark web and illicit networks
• Leak analysis
• Monitoring code repositories and the open web
• Monitoring communications and transactions on anonymous networks
• Recommendations

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They identified potentially compromised credentials and reported them quickly so that proactive measures could be taken. Then they finalized a report detailing all the deliverables they had committed to.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They did delivered quickly and that was exactly what we needed.

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Very quick understanding of the problem. Established and proven work methodology. Constant feedback throughout the process. Clarity in the resulting reports.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

Can't find. We were fully satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CISO of a bank

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Finance group

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

• Ethical Hacking

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

Referral

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Nexa were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Ethical hacking on key applications

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Delivery of ethical hacking reports on time according to project schedule.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, the management is great and the communication is fluent.

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What I found most unique about the company is the high level of technical excellence and professionalism within the team

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

From my perspective, everything went smoothly and I have no suggestions for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Security information mg of UTE

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Utilities 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

• Security information
• ethical hacking

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

Framework Agreement with AGESIC

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Ethical hacking of different developments, UTE mobile app and interface with IoT

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

vulnerabilities/ criticity - found over de ethical hacking

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They are great.

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

the celerity onthe findings

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

not really

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Deputy Head of IT Unit of Fondo Nacional de Recursos

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Fondo Nacional de Recursos is an Uruguayan public entity that finances high-cost, high-complexity health care procedures, devices, and medications for all people residing in the country with health coverage through the SNIS.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

• IT infrastructure management and renewal
• Drive the adoption of DevOps methodologies
• Strengthen IT security to protect critical data and systems

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

We became aware of Nexa through a previous project where another company hired them.

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Nexa were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• The scope of work includes the following three main areas: 
  • DevOps: Implement DevOps tools and processes to improve the speed and quality of software development. 
  • Infrastructure: Update and maintain the FNR's IT infrastructure, including migrating to an alternate data center, evaluating the cloud, and automating tasks. 
  • Security: Perform security tests, manage software obsolescence, administer firewalls, implement new security technologies, and update systems. 
• Some key deliverables: 
  • Implementation of a CI/CD pipeline 
  • Continuous integration 
  • Automatic deployment 
  • Upgrade of development tools and processes 
  • Migration to an alternate data center 
  • Cloud feasibility assessment 
  • Implementation of new security technologies 
  • Update of operating systems and software 
  • Improvement of the AWX/Ansible automation solution 
  • Adoption of IaC processes 
  • Resolution of failure cases in critical services 
  • Security testing 
  • Software obsolescence management 
  • Firewall rules administration 
  • Implementation of a centralized log system 
  • Security monitoring 
  • IT security training for FNR staff

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Monthly reports from the company 
• Evaluation and use of the different technologies implemented by FNR staff

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Nexa's project management is excellent. They deliver items on time and respond to our needs quickly, both for planned items and for unforeseen issues that arise.

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What I find most impressive or unique about Nexa is their ability to take on any issue, regardless of whether it was planned or not, their seriousness towards their work, and their flexibility when needed.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

At this stage of the project, we are not aware of any areas for improvement or anything Nexa could have done differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am a Department Head of a financial services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a Uruguayan company whose main objective is to provide quality services in the transactional collection and payment market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

Quality help with IT problems

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

They help us with day-to-day problems or improvements in different services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Work well done in the face of inconveniences

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

...

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The team's experience and knowledge is impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Insis

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We develop and implement ERP software

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Nexa to accomplish?

• Advice on infrastructure to run our applications.
• Analysis of performance problems
• Design of a cloud platform to provide SAAS service

SOLUTION

How did you find Nexa?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Nexa over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Nexa were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Implement a container-based, secure, highly available and scalable cloud platform to provide SAAS services to our ERP clients.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

no applicable

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team responded well to our needs. It took longer than expected.

What was your primary form of communication with Nexa?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The professionalism and good disposition of the assigned personnel.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Nexa could have done differently?

-