The vendor's multi-layer security suite has been implemented to raise the level of protection of the company infrastructure located in the various dealerships
ESET, a global European leader in the cybersecurity market, supported the A.M.B., Selezione Auto and Minimax dealerships, a point of reference for Mercedes-Benz and Smart for the provinces of Naples, Caserta and Salerno, in the implementation of multi-level security solutions. For years, the three dealerships have supported customers in choosing the Mercedes Benz and Smart vehicles that best meet their specific needs and support them at every stage of sales, assistance and maintenance, from deciding on the model to the first service in the workshop. The services to support customers range from those related to financing such as rental and leasing, up to insurance services to stay behind the wheel in peace and safety.
The A.M.B., Selezione Auto and Minimax dealerships presented a heterogeneous Endpoint Protection solution: in the IT network used within the various dealerships located throughout the Campania region, there were machines with different operating systems; the Endpoint Protection solution in use was not managed and therefore it was not possible to promptly and precisely monitor the protection status in order to prevent any possible data breach.
In the last months of 2021, dealerships suffered a ransomware attack which led to the progressive encryption of the various PCs used in the company. From a subsequent analysis, the possible source of the attack could be attributed to an external device connected to a company computer.
To deal with the uneven situation present in the company network and to try to block the ransomware attack as soon as possible, the dealerships turned to Clanto Services, a service provider specializing in these types of attacks, who acted promptly to block the ongoing breach. The analysis of the security status of the company system has determined the need to implement a multi-layer security suite, capable of both raising the level of protection of the company infrastructure located in the various concessionaires of the network and of dealing with the ongoing incident in real time.
The choice fell on ESET PROTECT Enterprise, the most complete security solution in the ESET portfolio, which features various components: ESET Endpoint Protection, advanced multi-layered protection for corporate devices; ESET LiveGuard Advanced, cloud sandbox technology capable of blocking ransomware threats and attacks before they spread within the corporate network; ESET Inspect, the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution which, by keeping the entire company network under real-time control, is able to report any attacks in progress, providing all the elements necessary to block the attack and restore the security situation existing before the attack.
When managing the ransomware attack that hit the customer, it was essential for Clanto Services to have a centralized management console (ESET PROTECT) available through which it could manage all ESET solutions in real time.
Thanks to the technological support chosen and the support in terms of prompt response and technological skills presented by the partner and ESET, it was possible to restore the security status of the entire company infrastructure at all the dealerships forming part of the commercial network. It was also possible to improve the level of protection of the systems, adopting multi-level solutions capable of keeping company devices under control and blocking any uncontrolled access doors to the system that could have allowed new threats to enter. The partner managed to obtain a unique real-time view of the security status of the corporate infrastructure of the A.M.B dealerships, managing any critical issues and configurations of the security applications in the cloud, even remotely. It was then possible to implement additional protection solutions, such as an alert system organized through automatic notification via email and Telegram chat and a password manager capable of further strengthening the level of security during access.
“ESET's EDR solution allowed us to investigate the nature of the attack suffered by the A.M.B dealerships, identifying the entry point of the malware, and allows us to manage the events that occurred to prevent new attacks in the future -, he comments Antonio Esposito, Administrator of Clanto Services. – Through the implementation of these multi-level security solutions it would have been possible to stop the ransomware attack suffered by the customer before it could encrypt all company data”.
"The change in the IT security landscape perceived in the last period, dictated by the expansion of the attack surface, has also involved the automotive sector in which the Mercedes-Benz and Smart dealerships operate in the provinces of Naples, Caserta and Salerno. The division into various branches across the territory, which characterizes the reference sector, requires the adoption of adequate data protection measures that guarantee business continuity and avoid any data theft. ESET's challenge is to knowing how to support our Partner Clanto Services in guaranteeing the security of the data managed by the customer over time, making cutting-edge solutions available that allow us to prevent, identify and respond to new cyber attacks", concludes Fabio Buccigrossi, Country Manager of ESET Italy.
