How NordStellar helps TMT stop dark web threats for SME customers

For over 30 years, Tailor Made Technologies (TMT) has been a trusted Managed Service Provider (MSP) for UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With a team of 115 staff, they offer a full suite of IT, telephony, connectivity, AI automation, and cybersecurity services to clients with offices across the UK, Europe, and globally.

When the post-COVID shift to remote work exposed their clients to new vulnerabilities, the company sought a specialized threat intelligence solution. They chose NordStellar to detect dark web threats proactively, which allows them to identify risks for their clients and strengthen customer trust through clear, actionable reports.

The challenge: Post-COVID security demands for SMEs

Before the pandemic, many SMEs viewed basic antivirus software as sufficient cybersecurity. However, the rise of remote work expanded their networks, creating new vulnerabilities that hackers quickly exploited. This created a pressing need for more advanced protection.

Tailor Made Technologies recognized a gap in the market. Their SME clients, particularly those in data-sensitive sectors like legal and education, needed higher levels of data protection but lacked the budgets for enterprise solutions. Sam McCarthy, Sales and Account Management Director at Tailor Made Technologies, recalls:

"There was an outcry from organizations, especially in the legal or education sector, for enhanced data protection. As a technology partner, we have a dual responsibility: to respond to customer needs and inform them about current threats”.

The challenge was finding a solution that offered enterprise-level features at a commercially viable price for the SME market. The decision wasn’t easy and required thorough testing of various solutions, but NordStellar met all their requirements. As Sam noted, the pivotal selling point was NordStellar's ability to provide an enterprise-grade solution for SMEs.

How NordStellar helped Tailor Made Technologies

The company’s Internal Security Operations Center (SOC) conducted a thorough due diligence process to find the right partner. NordStellar stood out as the clear choice, fitting the company’s portfolio of offering best-of-breed technologies tailored for SMEs.

The implementation allowed Tailor Made Technologies to address a critical blind spot for their clients: the dark web. Since adopting the solution, they have seen a tenfold increase in the amount of SME data appearing on the dark web, as hackers accelerated their targeting of UK businesses post-COVID.

"If a customer was compromised through data found on the dark web, the first question they might ask is, 'How and why has this happened!?' It was those types of questions that drove us to find NordStellar."

Observing this accelerating trend of data exposure, it became clear that a long-term partnership was essential to manage the growing threat.

Benefit 1: Building customer trust with tangible ROI

Cybersecurity can feel like an insurance policy where customers pay for a service without seeing a clear return. NordStellar changed that by providing concrete data that Tailor Made Technologies could share with clients.

Using monthly dark web reports, the team sits down with each customer to review findings, explain the origins of exposed data, and outline mitigation steps. This transparent process demonstrates the value of their security investment.

"When we can show our customers in a report how NordStellar works and what dark web threats it's preventing, they get a better feel of the value for their investment."

Benefit 2: Delivering affordable enterprise-grade solutions

A major hurdle for SMEs is the high cost of top-tier security tools. NordStellar bridges this gap by offering a powerful solution at an affordable price, a key factor in Tailor Made Technologies' decision.

This allows them to package NordStellar into both managed service bundles and as a standalone product, offering flexibility for clients at different stages of their security journey. The platform is also easy to use, with a fast setup process that requires minimal technical overhead.

"We needed a solution that has that enterprise-type feature and feel, but it also has to commercially fit the bill because SMEs don't have the pockets of enterprise businesses."

Results: Identifying high-risk exposure across the customer workforce

By partnering with NordStellar, Tailor Made Technologies has achieved significant, measurable results for its clients.

• Proactive threat mitigation: NordStellar identifies potential security issues affecting 5-10% of a customer's workforce. While the percentage may seem small, in larger organizations, this can represent dozens of individuals, and even one compromised account can be the attack entry point. Early detection allows TMT to address risks before they escalate into serious incidents.
• Enhanced compliance: The solution helps clients meet compliance with relevant standards like Cyber Essentials and secure necessary cyber insurance, which often mandate specific protective technologies.
• Strengthened client relationships: Monthly reports provide tangible proof of value, enhance trust, and demonstrate a clear return on investment beyond simply avoiding a breach.
  “On average, NordStellar identifies potential issues for 5-10% of a customer's workforce, and that's a significant number because even one breach can be devastating”.

Why NordStellar works for Tailor Made Technologies

NordStellar is more than a solution; it's a strategic partnership. The collaboration is built on shared core values focused on long-term success, continuous improvement, and a mutual commitment to protecting clients.

NordStellar’s technology allows Tailor Made Technologies to:

• Offer flexible security packages: They provide NordStellar as part of a managed service or as a standalone product, catering to diverse client needs.
• Act proactively: They can identify and mitigate threats before customers are even aware of them.
• Demonstrate value: They use data-driven reports to build trust and show clients exactly what their investment protects.
  "Our clients aren't technical, so they rely on us to investigate the dark web. Each month, we sit down with them to explore dark web findings, what data was exposed, how it got there, and the steps needed to mitigate the risk and remove it."

Pro cybersecurity tips

Sam McCarthy shares three key recommendations for businesses looking to enhance their security:

1. Get an independent review: "It's always worth getting a second point of view on your cybersecurity posture and the solutions you're using to ensure they're best practices."
2. Create a dedicated cybersecurity budget: "I would encourage organizations to start looking at having a separate cybersecurity budget, distinct from the IT budget."
3. Don't be afraid to ask for help: "Don't hold back because you think you're too small. There are solutions out there that can cater to all types of organizations, all sizes, and all shapes."

Conclusion

By partnering with NordStellar, Tailor Made Technologies successfully met the evolving security needs of its SME clients. They replaced reactive measures with a proactive threat intelligence solution that not only protects businesses but also provides the peace of mind that comes from seeing tangible results.

The partnership empowers TMT to deliver effective and accessible advanced security, ensuring its clients are protected against cyber threats.