Operational Technology Security – MXDR for OT

Difenda MXDR for OT
POWERED BY MICROSOFT DEFENDER FOR IOT

Unified Threat Protection For All Your IoT/OT Devices

MXDR for OT offers a turn-key agentless extended detection and response (XDR) that is rapidly deployed, works with diverse endpoints, IoT, OT, and industrial control system (ICS) devices. 

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Home » Cyber Security Solutions » Operational Technology Security – MXDR for OT

Growing cyber threats require a holistic defense strategy for operational technology

With the rise of OT and ICS industries moving to leaner staffing models, and more automated processes, there is an increasing demand for connecting these previously air-gapped systems to the enterprise and even beyond. As technology continues to advance, greater connectivity has brought benefits in terms of business and operations, it has also raised concerns about cybersecurity in industries such as manufacturing.

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Introducing Difenda MXDR for OT

Difenda’s MXDR-OT service, powered by Microsoft Defender for IoT, offers a turn-key agentless extended detection and response (XDR) that is rapidly deployed, works with diverse endpoints, IoT, OT, and industrial control system (ICS) devices. The service seamlessly integrates Difenda’s MXDR-IT and MXDR-OT services to provide customers with unified threat protection across the entire environment. We are solely focused on Microsoft Security and provide customers experience, resource tenure, and confidence to work with industry experts.

Difenda MXDR for OT Key Benefits

  • Turn-key agentless extended detection and response (XDR)
  • Rapid deployment
  • Works with diverse endpoints, IoT, OT, and industrial control system (ICS) devices
  • Uses passive, agentless network monitoring to safely gain a complete inventory of all your assets, with zero impact on infrastructure performance
  • Seamlessly integrates Difenda’s MXDR-IT and MXDR-OT services to provide customers with unified threat protection across the entire environment
PRODUCT BRIEF

What’s included in Difenda Managed Detection & response for Operational Technology?

Difenda MXDR for OT offers the latest in Microsoft’s extended detection and response (XDR) technology—allowing organizations of all sizes to benefit from a world-class cybersecurity program that’s built for scale, and integration-ready from day one. Difenda’s MXDR uses top security frameworks like the MITRE ATT&CK® and NIST Cybersecurity Framework to continuously identify, develop, and release enhanced detection and response capabilities.

Asset Discovery

Protection starts with visibility. Powered by Microsoft’s Defender for IoT, our service leverages passive network capture technology to automatically discover assets and visualize OT/ICS networks and asset relationships, eliminating operational concerns typically associated with sensitive OT / ICS environments. 

 

This visibility is foundational to Difenda’s ability to help customers secure their OT/ICS environments, but also supports operational planning and maintenance activities 

Vulnerability Management

Once assets are discovered, our services capture OT/ICS environment communication, firmware, and other integral asset vulnerability related information. With this information, Difenda’s C3 team can assess an OT/ICS environment overall risk posture and work with customers to develop proactive risk mitigation strategies. 

 

Integrated IT and OT Threat Detection and Response

Core to Difenda’s MXDR services are the Microsoft Azure Sentinel and Defender suite of security products. In addition to providing customers with detection and response services within IT environments, customers can extend protection to OT/ICS environments through Defender for IoT services coupled with our MXDR-OT service offering. 

By adding MXDR-OT services to existing MXDR for IT services, customers receive fully integrated 24x7x365 threat detection and response services, all delivered through the Difenda Shield. As with our MXDR-IT services, customers receive the following benefits by subscribing to our MXDR-OT services: 

• Threat detection and response 

• Threat hunting 

• Threat intelligence 

• SIEM platform and use case management 

• Remote incident response services 

As part of our MXDR services, customers can leverage both pre-defined and customer requested response playbooks covering both IT and OT environments. Our services are designed to consider key detection and response factors such as asset sensitivity / impact and maintenance schedules to protect critical production environments.

Attack Simulation

The ability to simulate attacks in an OT/ICS environment has traditionally been a time consuming, expensive and risky undertaking. Attack simulations are a key tactic to understand risk, ensure response readiness, and are increasingly becoming mandated by regulatory bodies. 

With Difenda’s MXDR-OT services and Microsoft Defender for IoT, attack simulation modeling can occur quickly and continuously be updated based on factors such as environment changes or emerging threats. Where required, Difenda can also develop simulated customer OT environments through partners such as IdeaWorks (https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/ideaworks), allowing for more real-life attack simulations.

Custom Protocol and Detection Development

Many organizations are running bespoke or legacy technologies within their OT/ICS environments, making asset discovery and threat detection incredibly challenging. 

Where required, Difenda’s experts leverage Defender for IoT’s Horizon development framework to develop custom protocol plugins, to ensure complete environment visibility. In addition, our Cyber Research and Response team uses several tactics to augment native Microsoft detection capabilities through our ATT&CK driven development process.

Remote Incident Response

In the event of a serious breach, advanced response services may be needed. MXDR customers can leverage an incident response retainer for additional assistance – which includes a discounted hourly rate and a guaranteed initial response time. 

These remote incident and forensic support services are delivered primarily by Difenda’s own experienced Cyber Research & Response Team. For the rare circumstances where unique specialists need to be engaged, Difenda has established relationships with trusted firms and certified professionals.

Visibility Leads to unified protection of business critical production system

“Our work with Difenda is part of an on-going effort to maintain operational safety and resilience, including the reduction of cybersecurity risks. The team helped us understand the security of our OT environments without disrupting our daily operations.”  

CUSTOMER CASE STUDY

Tap into the full spectrum of the Difenda Shield cybersecurity suite

Implement a robust cybersecurity solution that keeps your business protected at all levels. Difenda MXDR is a fully managed and modular solution that integrates seamlessly with other components of Difenda Shield, including: 

Difenda MXDR

Managed extended detection & response

Difenda AVM

Advanced Vulnerability Management

Difenda GRC

Governance, Risk, & Compliance

Difenda AVM

Advanced Vulnerability Management

Difenda GRC

Governance, Risk, & Compliance

Brand Protection Services

Security Awareness Training

What Our Clients Say

"We were looking for a partner that could help us maximize on our Microsoft investment, consolidate our security product stack and provide us with subject matter expertise. Difenda, not only had the knowledge, tenure and experience, there approach for long term SecOps sustainability is leading edge"
Chief Information Security Officer
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Ken Perkins

Biography coming soon.

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Megan Miller

Megan Miller’s energy and passion for learning flow into all aspects of her work. As the Growth Manager, North America, she brings a background in sciences which she has transitioned to the tech sector in her role at Difenda.

With a Bachelors of Science in Geology, Megan is a lifelong learner who is voracious about learning anything she can get her hands on about cybersecurity. Her positive energy has built a sales strategy with a focus on expanding in the United States while nurturing the Canadian presence. She is responsible for recruiting and training the sales team. Together with the company’s leadership, she creates the sales process and the company’s product strategy in order to better serve the customer base. This ensures that our customers have a highly trained and highly motivated team to help them every step of the way, Megan has completed Microsoft SC-900 training and working towards mastering Microsoft.

Whether at work or play, Megan is fully committed. She took her love of hockey all the way to the semi-professional level as a competitive hockey player. Megan loves all things sports including water skiing, scuba diving, cycling, and snowboarding. She also enjoys time with family and reading about alternative energy, innovation, and cybersecurity.

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Natasha Phanor

As the Microsoft Partner Manager at Difenda, Natasha Phanor is responsible for driving growth within our Microsoft Partnership. With six years in the industry, she offers a fresh, energetic approach, and the ability to focus on our customer’s needs throughout the entire process. Natasha has the innate ability to foresee customer needs and solve problems before they arise, which creates a smooth road for each customer she encounters.

As the recipient of the Outstanding Services Partner of the Year Award in 2018, it is clear that Natasha responds quickly to customer needs, creates a platform for understanding a customer’s business requirements, and walks them through the process to ensure their complete satisfaction.

In her spare time, Natasha is as energetic and passionate as she is on the job. A self-proclaimed foodie-extraordinaire, she enjoys dinner parties, traveling, downhill skiing, hiking, biking, and reading. Natasha has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in Dance, from Ryerson University.

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Ian Miersch

Ian Miersch has energy to spare, and uses his eclectic background to make a positive mark on the cybersecurity industry. As Vice President of Finance & Human Resources, Ian Miersch is responsible for overseeing scalable business growth as Difenda expands throughout North America. But it is the way he does it that sets him apart. By leveraging his engineering background and critical thinking skills, he has been able to develop unique strategies that balance the company’s current business needs with its long-term growth plans. And the results of his unique background and drive mean that the company is growing in a fiscally responsible manner, all with the customer’s needs at the forefront.

With a Bachelor’s of Mechanical Engineering, coupled with an MBA in Finance, both from McMaster University, Ian’s ability to analyze data and make informed decisions is augmented by his ability to understand all facets of the business. He has a holistic understanding of the craft, from operations to project delivery and management, to his niche in financial planning. Ian’s ten years of experience in the industry mean that he has seen it all, and knows how to create a dynamic team and manage the resources needed for success.

Outside of work, he uses his energy to help others through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program, earning the Group Recreation Volunteer of the Year Status.

Ian also enjoys exploring and hiking with his three young children, exercising (so he can keep up with them), and reading professional development books. He is an avid but generally heartbroken fan of the Toronto sports teams, including the Blue Jays, Maple Leafs, and Raptors.

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Derek Nugent

Derek Nugent, Vice President, Revenue lives by the motto “Be early, be better.” Derek leads our Revenue team and is responsible for the customer’s journey with Difenda. His high energy level and creativity have built high performing teams, whether at the Herjavec Group, CDW, or in his current leadership role at Difenda.

After earning a Bachelor Administration and Management degree from the Academy of Learning, Derek started in the information technology industry in 2004 and transitioned to the cybersecurity industry in 2014. With so much experience in a wide-variety of roles, he is poised to take the team at Difenda to the next level.

He excels at leading revenue strategies, new market entry, partnership engagement, and customer acquisition and retention. His work ethic and interest in rising to the top motivate his sales teams, who respond well to his passion and zeal. Under his tutelage, they are able to achieve attractive lead generation, YOY growth, and sizable deals. Derek works tirelessly to build a better team, and his constituents follow his road to success, which ultimately leads to a rewarding experience for the customer.

Even when volunteering, Derek is all in. He was a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters from 2005-2015, earning Group Recreation Volunteer of the Year Status.

And when he isn’t busy leading the team to the acme of sales, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids, running, working out, watching thrillers, action and dramatic television shows

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Manoj Arora

Manoj Arora, Difenda’s Founder and CEO has always been ahead of the curve in Technology and Cyber Security. After securing his engineering degree in Computer Science, he wrote his first mobile banking application when he was just 23 years old. This accomplishment certainly set him apart from the crowd and prepared him for a lifetime of innovation and success in his field. At just 25 years old, he was selected as the youngest Cyber Security Officer for one of the largest banks in Asia.

As a globetrotting young cyber security professional, Manoj was instrumental in designing cyber security infrastructure and controls for some of the largest institutions around the world. Depth of his expertise and passion to serve customers at the highest level of competence and integrity lead to Difenda. Founded in 2008, Difenda is a rapidly growing cybersecurity firm operating in North America and Asia.

As the CEO at Difenda, Manoj drives the strategic vision to protect our customers and enable our team members to deliver our services in line with core values- competence, integrity, and innovation. Currently one of Microsoft’s leading North American partners, Difenda reflects Manoj’ single-minded focus on our customers. Difenda is fully vested in success of its customers and takes pride in considering our success as a byproduct of our customers. Manoj has always been committed to building a great team and forging strong partnerships to serve our customers with standards that top our industry.

When he is not busy bringing cybersecurity to the world, Manoj enjoys playing golf and squash, and continues to travel the world.

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Lisa Templeton

Lisa Templeton is the perfect combination of human empathy and technological prowess. In her role as People Services Manager, she takes care of our team members to support them in their daily work, as well as on their personal life paths. Happy employees make for happy customers, and Lisa excels in giving our employees the tools they need for success in order to become the best possible versions of themselves. Along with employee formation, she shines in the service delivery support domain to continuously improve the process. Her 24 years of experience in IT Operations and Service Management help her create quality and efficiency at Difenda.

Having attended the Information Systems Management certificate program at Ryerson University, and with various other certifications to her credit, Lisa is perceptive and innovative when it comes to information technology, but also sensitive to the needs of her human constituents. Responsible for achieving the first privately owned company HDI Support Center certification in Canada, she has also designed and implemented Service Management excellence programs and 24×7 IT Operations departments for multiple IT organizations, and has created corporate rewards and recognition programs to keep her employees engaged and motivated.

On the personal side, Lisa passionately supports the cause of breast cancer research, having lost her mother to the disease. She reads voraciously in her spare time, and enjoys the art of home renovation. The summer months also bring time on her boat and exploring new hiking trails.

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Miranda McCurdy

Miranda McCurdy uses her myriad super powers in all aspects of her job and personal life. As the Marketing Director at Difenda, Miranda McCurdy brings over a decade of experience to the table, which includes expertise in all facets of operations, brand management, and content marketing, as well as a multitude of successful strategies for the ever-expanding digital world. She is an expert at simplifying the message the company is trying to send, filling in gaps in the information, and strengthening the content in order to create compelling narratives that strengthen the brand and developing programs that bring teams together.

With several Addy Awards issued by the American Advertising Federation Cleveland to her credit, and her never say die attitude, Miranda understands both the broader picture and the minute details that are needed to successfully market a product. With her abilities to harness both the talent needed to spread the message, as well as to create the message itself, she is an integral cog in the company’s ability to communicate with customers and other stakeholders.

When she is not building a brand, she shares her ability to fill the gaps in her community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, and the Charleston Food Bank. In her spare time, Miranda spends time with her family, enjoys fitness and health, paddle boarding, reading, and arts and crafts.

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Juliana Zaremba

Connections are the name of the game for Juliana Zaremba. As Strategic Partnerships Director, she is responsible for Difenda’s channel partnerships and the development and ownership of the channel partner program. She is also responsible for the global Microsoft Partnership, including the creation of strategic plans with MSFT contacts that will facilitate the continued growth of the business and establish certification and training protocols in all security technologies. Her role is multifaceted, as she acquires partners, manages relationships with them, and develops strategies that will provide cutting edge security solutions to our customer base. Another integral aspect of her job is to facilitate growth.

With a Bachelor’s in Math from the University of Waterloo and 14 years of experience from her previous roles at Herjavec Group and CDW, her cutting edge focus and ability to develop long-lasting relationships and strategies provides world class security solutions to our customer base.

Juliana thrives on connections outside of work as well. She is a philanthropist and contributor with Women4Change based in Hamilton. This group of local women is passionate about supporting local causes, and she focuses her efforts around Women in STEM. She is also a member of Club Italia in Niagara Falls and supports their youth events throughout the year.

When not managing the Microsoft Global partnership, Juliana enjoys reading, often reading several books at once. Juliana enjoys exploring the Niagara Escarpment with her family, as well as sharing meals and experiences with her extended family. Juliana’s competitive nature has her always trying new things, like Whoop band challenges and Peloton.

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Jeffry Jacob

Biography Coming Soon

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