According to a recent report by the Ponemon Institute, cybercrime has increased 10.4% from 2013 with all industries falling victim to various types of attacks. To protect against data security-related risks and threats as well as support PCI compliance, businesses need to build robust defense strategies. A Texas-based chain, Rockfish Seafood Grill, has done just that with the help of NCR Network and Security Services.

Since opening in 1998 in Plano, Texas, Rockfish Seafood Grill has expanded to 13 locations and continues to grow. Offering fresh seafood and more at its casual neighborhood restaurants, Rockfish is known for its homemade food, including delicious sides, dressings and one-of-a-kind sauces.

Like many small restaurant chains, Rockfish does a lot of its business online and was concerned about whether the online credit card processing system and payment network it was using had all of the proper security measures in place. Without the ability to hire an entire IT department, Rockfish was looking for additional support to protect consumer data and help keep the restaurant network secure. The restaurant was also looking for a single IT partner and turned to its current POS provider, NCR, for help.

Rockfish teamed up with the security experts at NCR to implement NCR Network and Security Services, a multi-layered defense solution designed to help business operators secure their networks, detect security risks and threats, and prevent security compromises. Controller Tina Limsky was confident that the NCR solution would work well in Rockfish’s existing system and would deliver seamless integration between the technologies in use at all of its locations. Rockfish implemented a set of services and solutions that includes:

• Secure access to systems over the Internet with remote control and file transfer capabilities to and from the main site computer. It encrypts and logs its connections and enables access only to designated people and includes two-factor authentication for stronger security.
  
  
• A commercial-grade, multi-featured firewall set up and managed by NCR that is designed to restrict dangerous connections to and from the Internet while allowing the necessary business applications to function.
  
  
• A monitoring service that scans its systems for common security weaknesses and controls what applications may or may not run to minimize disruptions due to a virus infection, a network compromise or a self-inflicted problem.

With its Network and Security Services in place, Rockfish can focus on growing the business instead of worrying about security. These services have also enabled Rockfish to block employees from visiting certain websites that could potentially threaten the network’s security and distract them from their jobs. “It’s good to know that our staff is focused on serving customers,” said Limsky.