Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have seen significant shifts in their operations, but they remain prime targets for cyber threats such as data breaches, payment fraud, phishing, malware, and DDoS attacks. Vulnerabilities often stem from third-party systems and insider threats, with network compromises and web application flaws exploited by cybercriminals. To mitigate these risks, robust security measures are essential, including encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), regular audits, employee training, and continuous monitoring. While these strategies add complexity, compliance with evolving regulations further challenges OTA operations, especially given their thin profit margins.
This travel agency, which is also one of our clients, was susceptible to cyber threats due to the lack of real-time threat detection, risk assessment, and mitigation capabilities, as well as difficulties with evolving regulatory compliance. This deficiency hindered their ability to safeguard sensitive data effectively and created significant challenges in scaling operations securely, leaving the organization vulnerable to cyber risks at every level.
To address these issues, they partnered with Infosys to establish a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC). This proactive setup enhanced real-time threat detection, countered fake accounts and partner takeovers, and ensured compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR. The initiative also included regular penetration testing, data privacy protocols, automated breach monitoring, and vendor security reviews.
Overall, these measures reduced downtime, prevented data loss, and fostered customer trust by safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring regulatory adherence, ultimately strengthening the agency’s security posture in a competitive landscape.
Key Challenges
- Lack of robust real-time threat detection capabilities for monitoring systems, networks, and applications against both internal and external threats
- Difficulty in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks to ensure compliance with complex regulatory requirements
- Limited ability to safeguard sensitive information due to insufficient security controls and risk management processes
The Solution
24/7 Threat Monitoring, Compliance, and Risk Mitigation for round the clock protection
- Established a Security Operations Center (SOC) with 24/7 threat monitoring for proactive identification and response to cyber incidents
- Implemented measures to detect and mitigate fake accounts, analyze suspicious activities, and address incidents related to partner account takeovers, thereby enhancing account security
- Created rules aligned with regulations such as GDPR to integrate with monitoring platforms and investigate potential data breaches or exfiltration attempts to strengthen data security
- Conducted regular application penetration testing and threat modeling to identify and address vulnerabilities before exploitation
- Established processes to manage data privacy requirements, maintain data flow maps, and ensure secure data handling through tool deployment and automation
- Implemented automated monitoring for policy breaches, collaborated with stakeholders on remediation actions, and adopted recommendations from external security assessments
- Rigorously reviewed vendor contracts for security clauses, assessed associated risks, and proposed mitigation strategies
Benefits
Comprehensive Security: From Downtime Reduction to Proactive Defense and Compliance
Minimized downtime and data loss, leading to reduced financial impact from cyber incidents
Enabled proactive threat detection and response by recognizing patterns and indicators of compromise through centralized threat intelligence
Ensured compliance with industry standards like GDPR, ISO 27001, and HIPAA, reducing the risk of fines, legal issues, and operational disruptions
Safeguarded sensitive information by preventing data breaches and unauthorized access, thereby maintaining a positive brand image and trust of customers and stakeholders
