Abira Security

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a women’s accessories manufacturer. We’re basically a retail company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abira Security?

We had a security breach, and one of our email addresses was compromised. We brought Abira Security in to help us identify how it happened and what information the hackers were able to get off of our server. We also wanted to restore some files that were affected by this breach and make sure our systems and servers were secure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abira Security used the unified audit log within our Office 365. They also deployed Microsoft Azure to check for sign-in logs and other information. They identified how the password breach happened and walked us through our Office 365 to eliminate some of the rules that the hackers had set up in our account. They helped us close the active sessions within Microsoft Exchange.

They installed Malwarebytes and Cylance, and they created multi-factor authentication (MFA) servers to protect our email accounts. In addition to that, their team used eDiscovery and was able to access the backend of our Office 365 account. They recovered some of the files that the hackers had deleted, and they set up security protocols for future instances. Generally speaking, they instantly responded to what had happened — they called it a mitigation project.

What is the team composition?

We just worked with the CTO.

How did you come to work with Abira Security?

A friend of my husband referred them to us. We’d never had this happen to us before, so we contacted them. They were quick to respond and helped us identify the problem. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020. We worked with them a couple of times, and then we had to work with them one more time in February 2021 to address a few more issues and try to find some deleted emails.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first measure was whether they were able to secure our servers, and they did so very quickly. They eliminated the threats that were being posed against our email server, and we could tell through the Azure login that there were no more hackers attempting to log into the site.

They were able to recover the amount of data that we needed. We were looking for specific files that had to do with one of our clients, and they recovered all of that. This was a time-sensitive issue; we had active hackers in our accounts doing financial damage while I sat and watched. The speed and promptness with which they got this done really stood out. They put a lot of time and effort into making sure that we got everything straightened out and on track — they really brought their A-game.

How did Abira Security perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was outstanding. We used emails to communicate, and they always replied within minutes. We did a lot of Zoom meetings and screen sharing. They didn’t manipulate my computer; however, they could see what I was doing and told me where to go and what to click. We also communicated through phone calls. From the beginning, they handled everything so quickly and professionally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect was the quality of their communication. Their speediness, as well as their knowledge of Outlook email servers, Microsoft exchange, MFA, and other things, was also impressive.

I’m not an IT person, so I don’t understand many of these technical terms. However, they were kind and patient with us. They reassured us that this happens to people every day and that we were not the only ones. Abira Security knows how to protect their clients from cybercrime. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they can improve. They exceeded all of my expectations — everything was easy and great. 

Any advice for potential customers?

If someone needs something resolved quickly, this is the company to go to. Don’t spend your time searching and interviewing other people — Abira Security gets it done quickly and correctly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of information security for an investment management firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abira Security?

We like to take stock each year to make sure our security posture is still the way that it should be — a mature, robust part of our security. They performed an annual check-in to see if things have changed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before they did our Pen Test, they gave an extremely detailed proposal laying out the scope of the engagement, the hours, the team, the report on what’s going on next, that whole process. They understood the Windows and Linux platforms, which they worked with as they did our security test.

What is the team composition?

Gene (Co-Founder, VP of Operations) was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Abira Security?

I’ve been talking to the co-founders for a while. When it came time to do our annual audit, it made sense to go with them because I knew they’d do a good job. They’re very well priced too.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from mid-December 2020 to the third week of January 2021. The reason it took longer than expected was because of a change freeze we put in at the end of the year because of our skeleton staff over the holidays.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was blown away by how methodical, well-educated, and thorough their team is. They produced an 100-page report that was very detailed and well-written. While there were some minor mistakes, the overall quality of the report was fantastic.

They found certain vulnerabilities, why those vulnerabilities are dangerous for us, how they could be exploited, what the impact on our network would be, and what issues with client confidentiality would arise. It was very detailed. They also laid out excellent recommendations and the steps we would need to take to put software patches in or change configurations to submit the report. It was a high-quality output.

How did Abira Security perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very engaging, easy to deal with, transparent, and accommodating. They’re a welcoming team to work with. Gene was very responsive — if I texted him over the weekend on a Saturday night about some alert that popped up on our end, he got right to it. I’m very happy with their communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

This is the third year I’ve done a Pen Test, and the first that I went with Abira Software. Not only do they have some of the highest quality out of any group we worked with, but they produced such high-quality output at a fraction of the price.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, they need to do a better job of getting their name out there. They’re a great organization with a great story, and they should have more business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re really clear on the scoping. Before you run a test or an engagement, make sure you have the list of IP ranges and what you expect to get out of the engagement. They’re very good at asking questions, but make sure you’re upfront about expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a software development and data marketing services firm. We create products that help analyze marketing data and plan media. In my role, I manage our security and information systems, looking at the overall corporate IT infrastructure.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abira Security?

We were trying to improve our overall security posture.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Abira Security is a security consultant for our company. Their main value-add involves introducing us to new ideas and services/products that we could leverage for our needs. They’ve advised us on best practices to upgrade our antivirus solutions, considered single pane of glass (SPOG) security management products, and consolidated some of our legacy technologies.

What is the team composition? 

I work with two people who had senior-level expertise.

How did you come to work with Abira Security?

I found Abira Security through a recommendation from an acquaintance of mine who has an extensive cybersecurity background. I liked the boutique, individualized approach that they presented for my situation, and they were good at communication and response times.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2019 and are still collaborating on another project. They also support us on additional security initiatives or product purchases.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s been a positive experience. We’ve implemented a solid solution that has improved our security. 

How did Abira Security perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate through email but also have meetings as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by their level of expertise and the experience that they bring to the engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Being as transparent as possible and asking questions allow Abira Security to figure out the best solution for your needs. They can’t discover a solution unless they know what you’re thinking about.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO of UnderDefense

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Abira Security?

We were looking for trusted Penetration testing partner to complete project for independent security audit to become compliant and assure all our assets and applications are secure.

What were your goals for this project?

Assess current infrastructure and Applications for any potential threats or vulnerabilities, demonstrate exploitation scenarios for each of discovered findings, guide us in fixing these defects.

SOLUTION

How did you select Abira Security?

A very good friend of mine referred Abira as trustworthy service provider who delivers the top quality of service

Describe the project in detail.

Abira team demonstrated a great performance, assessed all items from OWASP Top 10 and SANS25, discovered tone of findings and helped with its remediation.

What was the team composition?

2 security engineers were supporting us during 3 weeks

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received a great technical report with PoC for each vulnerability, code and instructions to reproduce discovered defects

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective team

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were most impressed by the high qualification of their team and the guidance by their management team during remediation phase

Are there any areas for improvement?

nope, everything was as expected