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4 minute read
In an era dominated by digital interaction, cybersecurity isn’t an optional extra; it’s the foundation upon which every business builds trust, agility and growth. From small family-run retailers to multi-site enterprises, no organisation is immune to the ever-evolving threat landscape. Recent high-profile incidents at Marks & Spencer and the Co-op have shown that even established household names can be brought to their knees by skilled adversaries. At 4D, we’ve developed a comprehensive suite of Managed Cyber Security solutions, spanning IT Detection & Response to Password Vaulting and DMARC management, that work together to protect our clients’ reputations, revenue, and resilience.
Lessons from the Front Line: M&S & Co-op Cyber Attacks
In April 2025, sophisticated attackers halted M&S’s online orders for weeks by exfiltrating personal customer data, including names, addresses, and order histories, though thankfully no payment details or passwords were compromised. Marks & Spencer has since urged all users to reset their credentials “for extra peace of mind” as investigations continue.
Shortly thereafter, the Co-op also disclosed an attempted breach that disrupted card payments and store services, in which attackers leveraged social engineering to trick IT help desks into resetting privileged passwords. These incidents underscore that a single gap, be it human or technical, can cascade into weeks of lost sales, customer trust, and brand equity.
Lesson: "Social engineering remains the Achilles’ heel, even in enterprise environments"
The Cyber Security Journey: 4D’s Foundational Solutions
Cyber resilience isn’t built in a day. At 4D, we view Managed Cyber Security as a progressive journey: you can begin with the controls most critical to your current risks, then layer in further defences as your organisation matures. Below, I explain how each of our eight core solutions contributes distinct value, and how they combine into a cohesive, end-to-end service.
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Solution |
Role in Your Security Journey |
How It Fits Into Managed Cyber Security |
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1. Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR) |
The First Line of Defence: Whether it’s unwanted logins, session hijacking, credential theft, or rogue inbox rules, Managed ITDR is the first line of defence against identity-focused Attacks. |
As the heart of our service, ITDR safeguards your Microsoft 365 identities against critical security threats, including session hijacking, credential theft, malicious inbox and forwarding rules, account takeover, and business email compromise (BEC). 4D Managed ITDR provides 24/7 identity monitoring and response while limiting noise, expertly alerting you on threats only when they’re truly designated as malicious. |
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2. Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) |
Device-Level Defence: 4D Managed EDR is a cybersecurity solution that's fully managed and monitored by a 24/7, human-led SOC, who detect and investigates threats, triages alerts, and provides actionable remediation steps or one-click solutions, all with a less than 1% false positive rate. |
4D's Managed EDR is a cybersecurity service that monitors and analyses endpoint activity to detect and respond to threats in real-time. Unlike traditional antivirus solutions, managed EDR services offer advanced threat detection by identifying suspicious behaviour, not just the tell-tale signs of known malware. 4D's Managed EDR service takes this a step further by providing continuous oversight and expert analysis through a 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC), ensuring that your systems are protected from both known and any new emerging threats. |
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3. Security Awareness Training (SAT) |
Human Firewall Foundation: Technical controls are vital, but people remain an adversary’s favourite vector. |
SAT runs simulated phishing campaigns and interactive modules on a schedule you set, building a culture of vigilance that complements automated detection and reduces alert noise. |
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4. Advanced Vulnerability Scanning |
Attack Surface Management: With monitoring and people trained, the next step is to find and fix weaknesses in networks and cloud environments. |
Our authenticated scans prioritise real-risk findings, automatically creating remediation tickets in your service desk so you can patch before exploits appear in the wild. |
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5. Cyber Essentials |
Baselining & Accreditation: As you implement controls, formalise them by achieving UK government-backed certification. |
We guide you through every requirement, firewalls, patching, access controls, validating that your foundational controls meet an industry-recognised standard. |
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6. Password Vault |
Privileged Access Management: With a certification in hand, it’s time to tighten the vault on critical credentials. |
Our managed vault stores admin passwords, service accounts and SSH keys under granular, audited access policies—preventing lateral movement even if an attacker reaches your perimeter. |
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7. Managed Backups |
Resilience & Recoverability: No defence is impenetrable; backups ensure that even if an incident occurs, you can restore operations quickly. |
Immutable, off-site snapshots are tested regularly by our team, and ransomware-proofing ensures that backups remain available when you need them most. |
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8. DMARC Management |
Brand & Email Protection: As your internal defences strengthen, close the gates on external spoofing and phishing. |
We configure SPF/DKIM/DMARC policies, monitor your domain’s email flows, and tune enforcement levels, protecting customers and partners from impersonation attacks. |
How to Progress Through the Journey
- Assess & Prioritise: Begin with a security-posture review. 4D’s SOC team will help you identify which control (e.g., ITDR or EDR) will deliver the highest risk reduction today.
- Implement Phases: Roll out controls in waves, perhaps starting with endpoint and awareness training, then moving on to vulnerability scanning and backups.
- Measure & Evolve: As each solution goes live, we supply regular metrics, mean time to detect, click-through rates on phishing tests, patch-remediation times, so you can see progress.
- Scale & Automate: Mature organisations can integrate more advanced capabilities, privileged vaulting, DMARC enforcement, and continuous compliance reporting, into an automated security-operations lifecycle.
No matter where you are on your cyber journey, 4D’s modular approach means you gain immediate value from each pillar and a clear roadmap to full, end-to-end Managed Cyber Security.
Why 4D Leads in the Channel Islands
- Local Expertise, Global Standards
Our team is based in Guernsey & UK, with intimate knowledge of the Channel Islands’ regulatory landscape, from GDPR-aligned data residency to financial services mandates, while leveraging world-class tools and threat intelligence. - 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC)
With real-time monitoring and response capabilities, our SOC ensures that alerts are triaged and escalated instantly, no matter the hour. - Tailored, Scalable Solutions
Whether you’re a fintech startup in St Peter Port or a retail chain spanning multiple islands, our modular service packages scale to your needs and budget. - Proactive Threat Hunting
Beyond reactive monitoring, our specialists proactively hunt for stealthy intruders using bespoke playbooks honed on live incidents, minimising dwell time and damage.
Embedding Cybersecurity in Your Growth Strategy
Cybersecurity isn’t a cost centre, it’s an accelerator. A robust security posture:
- Builds Customer Confidence
Demonstrating accreditation (e.g., Cyber Essentials) and transparent incident readiness can be a decisive differentiator for customers choosing between you and a competitor. - Unlocks New Markets
Many enterprise partners and public-sector contracts now mandate third-party security assessments. 4D’s services help you qualify. - Enables Innovation
By offloading security operations to 4D, your in-house teams can focus on core initiatives, digital transformation, new product launches, and customer experience enhancements, without compromising safety.
Take the Next Step with 4D
Don’t wait for the next headline-making breach. Join leading Channel Islands organisations who trust 4D to safeguard their digital futures.
Let’s talk about where you are in your journey and where you could be in 90 days.
4D Cyber Security — Assured Cyber Excellence.