Arctic Security has a secure solution to cyber crime

News about network breaches, data leaks and widespread security bugs are seemingly constant these days. As cyber attacks become increasingly sophisticated, it’s clear that also the defence measures need to be stepped up.

Arctic Security’s solution to network safety adds a new element into the mix. The key is tapping into the data on threat intelligence that various organisations collect from the internet. The company’s products gather and analyse cyber threat information from over 100 sources, and then match it with the owners of the impacted networks, allowing enterprises to take automated action where needed.

Take, for instance, a machine that is infected with malware and is communicating with an external server. Or an unsecure service that has been inadvertently left exposed to the wider internet. Such cases can take months, if not years, to detect – all the while your network security is undermined.

“It’s a huge list of vulnerable services out there that haven’t been fixed and can be compromised,” says David Chartier, CEO of Arctic Security. “And the bad guys are constantly looking.”

Value added security to global markets

Chartier emphasises that Arctic Security’s products add value to existing security tools and methods.

“You still need firewalls, endpoint security and the whole traditional security paradigm. But when something does get through, our solution helps you to find that quicker.”

Based in Oulu and founded in 2017, the firm is rapidly establishing itself as a key player in the field of cyber security. Last year – its first year of activity – it reported a turnover of over two million euros.

In terms of funding, the company had a Series A round in 2018, and earlier this year it announced a follow-on investment by private investors including the founders of Supercell, the mobile game developer behind Clash of Clans and Clash Royale.

The raised money will allow the company to redouble its efforts to expand its business outside Finland. According to Chartier, the majority of the sales already come from abroad.

Anyone can be a target but you can be prepared

Demand for the company’s products has been strong with government customers, and now also enterprises have woken up to the rising threat of online crime. To meet this new demand the firm has launched the Arctic Node product, specifically targeted at enterprises.

As cyber attacks evolve, it’s crucial for enterprises to keep up, especially in the areas of automation and machine learning. “The bad guys are already using these techniques to attack you. They only need to be right once to break in, but you have to catch them every time,” Chartier says.

“You can’t solve automated attacks manually. But when a large amount of these incidents happen, it helps if they can be automatically detected and sent to the appropriate place for remediation.”

Many companies perhaps still believe that their networks are safe if there’s no explicit reason for anyone to attack them. But Chartier points out that most businesses have some information that’s useful for someone else and it’s common sense to protect your assets.

“Someone could use your machines and data to commit crimes,” he says. “But you don’t need to be alone in cyber, you can leverage threat intelligence to your advantage.”