StratSec opens hack detection service, cyber school

Penetration testing company StratSec plans to open an enterprise hacking detection service and an IT security training “academy” after it doubled its head count over the last 12 months.

The service would see StratSec collect detailed information on a customer’s network and security architecture, which is used to help harden systems and monitor for intrusions.

A tool built dubbed the Australian Cyber Intrusion Management (AusCIM) by Stratsec and British security firm Detica, both subsidiaries of defence contractor BAE Systems, will be used by the company and its customers to keep watch of suspicious network activity.

BAE Systems acquired StratSec in November for $24 million.

Intrusion information gathered from the tool will be shared between BAE Systems companies in the US and Britain to improve threat detection.

The AusCIM network will also receive data fed from CERT Australia’s malware monitoring service.

Deputy head of capability Steve Di Cola said StratSec was discussing contract deals for the AusCIM service with federal and state government agencies and large corporations.

“AusCIM draws upon heuristics from a global network – it’s as much about learning and analysing data as it is about the tools,” Di Cola said.

“It is founded on the fact that a stagnant box just won’t cut it.”

Di Cola said AusCIM “dovetails into professional services” that holistically examine security postures.

Under that process, StratSec identifies an organisation’s most valued “trophy” data before monitoring for intrusions within its forensics laboratory.

Di Cola, asked if that service would have traditionally been handled by internal security teams, said it served to give organisations “an edge”.

AusCIM is run by 20 StratSec analysts distributed across its Adelaide Security Operations Centre and offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra.

That number will grow as the company continues its aggressive recruiting drive under which it has poached many experience security professionals from rival firms.

Cyber police academy

StratSec will also begin offering corporate training services aimed at raising security awareness within business units such as finance and human resources.

The service is pitched to help address so-called Advanced Persistent Threats and social engineering attacks that target corporate staff.

It will also open a “cyber academy” which will offer hands-on training services to security professionals in areas including penetration testing and reverse-engineering.

Students will study using an in-house online portal and will complete hands-on hacking in StratSec’s Adelaide Security Operations Centre.

StratSec said the AusCIM and training services will be available soon following the completion of preliminary customer talks.

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