Cybersecurity Monitoring Systems Deployment
Enhancing Threat Visibility and Incident Response through Integrated Monitoring
Overview
The client, one of the most reputable private banks, has undergone rapid digital transformation to support modern banking services across online, mobile, and branch networks. With this growth came an increase in data volume, interconnected systems, and exposure to sophisticated cyber threats.
To strengthen its defense posture and meet regulatory requirements for continuous monitoring, the bank partnered with V-Tech Solutions to deploy enterprise-grade cybersecurity monitoring systems, integrating SIEM, Database Activity Monitoring (DAM), and Web Application Firewall (WAF) solutions into a unified security operations environment.
Challenge
Before this engagement, The Bank’s security architecture faced multiple challenges that limited proactive threat detection and efficient incident handling:
Fragmented Security Monitoring — Security logs were dispersed across systems, making correlation difficult.
Limited Database Visibility — No dedicated system to track privileged activities and database transactions.
Manual Event Analysis — The SOC team relied on periodic log reviews instead of real-time alerting.
Compliance Pressure — The bank needed to meet National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) and PCI DSS requirements for monitoring and auditing.
High Response Times — Lack of automated alerting delayed containment and response to security incidents.
Solution
V-Tech Solutions designed and implemented an integrated cybersecurity monitoring framework combining SIEM, DAM, and WAF technologies to deliver centralized visibility and faster incident detection.
Key solution components included:
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) — Consolidated logs from firewalls, servers, applications, and endpoints, providing correlation and real-time alerts.
Database Activity Monitoring (DAM) — Monitored privileged user access and database queries to prevent unauthorized or suspicious data operations.
Web Application Firewall (WAF) — Shielded the bank’s online portals from OWASP Top 10 threats and DDoS attacks.
Automated Alerting & Incident Workflow — Integrated the systems with the bank’s SOC to streamline investigation and escalation processes.
Custom Dashboards & Compliance Reports — Delivered role-based dashboards for SOC analysts and automated compliance reporting for management.
Results
The deployment achieved significant operational and security improvements across the Bank’s digital infrastructure:
Centralized threat visibility across applications, databases, and network layers.
50% faster incident response time through automated alert correlation and prioritization.
Strengthened compliance with NBE and PCI DSS cybersecurity monitoring requirements.
Improved SOC efficiency with fewer false positives and actionable insights.
Reduced exposure to data breaches and web-based attacks.
Technologies
IBM QRadar
Database Activity Monitoring (DAM)
Web Application Firewall (F5 WAF)
Integration with SOC Monitoring Tools
Automated Alerting & Reporting Framework