Outcomex installs Cisco security suite Umbrella to secure the College of Law network

Cisco partner Outcomex has implemented its advanced malware protection (AMP) solution throughout the College of Law's network.

Outcomex, formerly known as Uplinx Group, is a Sydney-headquartered systems integrator with offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth.

AMP has provided the college with real-time file inspection and analysis. The college had been a victim of multiple ransomware attacks which had a serious impact on the business.

The college was looking for a security solution that would offer greater protection against malware at the same time it provided an architecture that could be built upon. So the full portfolio of Cisco content and network security was selected.

College of Law IT director Jen Walbank told press at an event during Cisco Live 2017: "I did like the end-to-end approach of Cisco. So we use AMP, we use the email services, we use the web, we use the whole suite."

Australian and New Zealand-based College of Law offers post-graduate legal training to university law graduates and continued legal training to certified law practitioners. More than 60,000 graduates have been through the college since its foundation in 1974.

Implementation consisted of multiple security solutions integrated to defend, protect, and remediate. Outcomex implemented Cisco's: cloud email security with advanced malware protection, cloud web security with AMP to secure staff, Umbrella to secure student and staff, next-generation firewall upgrade to include Firepower, AnyConnect with Umbrella to protect roaming clients, AMP for endpoint and identity services engine.

"We actually haven't had any ransomware outbreaks, it's been great, thank you Cisco," Walbank said.

According to Walbank, Outcomex helped the college focus on its core business: education. Outcomex has been helping with monitoring and maintenance and has also helped the college by its strategic thinking and helping with design to make sure the entity has capacity for any future plans.

The College of Law is now able to identify compromised machines within the corporate network via OpenDNS. Phishing emails have reduced and staff are now more aware and proactive about IT security risks.

Darren Lynn, Outcomex's security practice lead, said:  "Security needs to be approached as an architecture, not haphazardly. By taking this approach, the college is able to execute its digital strategy and has the confidence to expand its product into new markets. The college now has a security architecture that is scalable, flexible, agile, and designed to meet any current and new requirements."

Outcomex was recognised in 2016 as Cisco's most outstanding security partner for Australia and New Zealand.

The journalist travelled to Melbourne courtesy of Cisco.