BT doubles down on cybersecurity service efforts

BT tweaked its approach to tackling ongoing cybersecurity threats with the launch of BT Security Advisory Services, which aims to "offer strategic security guidance and solutions to organisations across the globe."

The new unit will be led by Tristan Morgan, currently director of global security consulting at BT, and bundles together 300 security experts across the BT Group with support from the BT Security team. BT Security's ethical hacking team will also join the new practice.

BT Security does of course already provide security solutions to consumers, governments and businesses, as well as protecting BT against 125,000 cyberattacks per month. The launch of the new unit looks more like an attempt by BT to bring greater emphasis on, and coherence to, its external advisory services. It will also address specific industry and geography-specific challenges, such as companies looking to safely adopt increased automation and IoT usage.

Patrick Donegan, principal analyst at HardenStance, commented that the move "looks to me like a bit of a re-org rather than anything fundamental. BT has been offering advisory cybersecurity services across their security organization for years. This looks like it's pooling them together in a more focused team with better focus around specific geographies and industry verticals."

Kevin Brown, managing director of BT Security, said the creation of the Advisory Services practice is the "next step in BT Security's strategy. It recognizes that the optimal way to safeguard any organization is through a continual and strategic evolution of their security posture."

News of BT's Security Advisory Services launch came as Vodafone announced a new cyber security managed service, dubbed Vodafone Cyber Enhanced, aimed at "critical infrastructure businesses such as utilities, transport hubs and emergency services," but this is available only in the UK.

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— Anne Morris, Contributing Editor, Light Reading