Cybersecurity distributor Clouds Dubai has introduced a new, low-cost service which allows businesses with staff working from home to safeguard their data and monitor productivity.

The company has signed a distribution deal with London-based bluedog Security Monitoring to launch its Microsoft Office 365 monitoring solution in the Gulf.

The service, which can be activated remotely, can detect threats ranging from suspicious account logins and data downloads to phishing emails arriving in an employee’s inbox. Once it identifies abnormal behavior, it alerts the team at bluedog’s security operations centre who can investigate and act upon it. It is the only service of its type that is overseen by a live cybersecurity team.

Clouds Dubai, which is a leading value-added distributor of cybersecurity, cloud and backup products and services in the Middle East, will also offer bluedog’s virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) service. This gives businesses access to an experienced security professional to ensure they are complying with standards such as ISO 27001, SOC2 or PCI-DSS. The bluedog experts will assess security risks, policies and procedures and ensure the right controls are in place.

Aji Joseph, Sales Director of Clouds Dubai, said: “We are delighted to introduce bluedog’s innovative services to the Gulf and believe they could solve some key challenges for companies in the region.

“Businesses here are major users of Microsoft 365 and, with the sudden move to home working, bluedog’s monitoring service makes sense for almost all of them. It allows them to see what is going on within their network, identify any breaches and provides a rapid response.

“Many companies are also aiming to achieve security standards such as ISO 27001 or PCI-DSS. With the shortage of cybersecurity skills in the region and the cost of hiring trained professionals, the vCISO service offers a more realistic solution by providing expert advice to help businesses achieve accreditation and maintain it going forward.”

bluedog, which is based in London with a security operations centre in the Phillippines, aims to disrupt the market for security monitoring by bringing the type of service that was once limited to large corporates within reach of smaller firms for the first time.

Paul Lomax of bluedog said: “Clouds Dubai are an experienced team with a track record for launching new security solutions in the Gulf. This new partnership comes at an exciting time, with the growth of commerce in the region, and will help support local businesses. It is also an important step for bluedog as we continue to expand our network of distributors worldwide.”