Binary Defense Fortifies an Energy Enterprise’s Security with MDR Solution

Challenges

The Energy & Utilities company entered a period of heightened vulnerability, with both internal and external pressures converging. Internal restructuring, the termination of their Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), and the absence of 24x7 monitoring left the organization without the resources or visibility needed to effectively defend their critical systems.

Without a fully staffed security team or a strong technology foundation, they faced alert fatigue, uncertainty amid intensifying threat activity, and difficulty prioritizing security efforts with limited resources. The company needed not only expertise in advising on a new technology stack, but also a trusted partner who could step in quickly, understand their environment, and bring immediate value.

Key challenges included:

• Loss of MSSP Support: Internal shifts and dissatisfaction with their previous MSSP created a gap in security coverage, leaving the organization without continuous monitoring for months.
• Resource Constraints: A resource-strapped internal security team struggled to manage competing priorities and felt as if it was “spinning plates” when it came to security projects.
• Expertise Gap: Limited in-house knowledge meant many alerts were misunderstood or unresolved.
• Technology Inefficiencies: Their existing SIEM setup was costly and lacked optimization, driving up log ingestion costs.
• Overwhelming Alert Volume: Facing high volumes of false positives, their team was hindered in its ability to focus on identifying real threats.
• Visibility Gaps: No active threat hunting or advanced detection programs were in place, leaving them vulnerable to malicious actors going undetected.
• Need for Trusted Communication: Past experiences left them cautious, they wanted a responsive partner they could reach directly, without red tape.
  

Solution

To restore security confidence and operational control, Binary Defense deployed a multi-pronged solution combining advanced technology, dedicated expertise, and deep collaboration. From day one, the focus was on tailoring the approach to the company’s unique environment and constraints.

Binary Defense didn’t just replace tools; they built a sustainable security program that empowered the internal team to operate with confidence.

The solution included:

1. Technology Transformation & Optimization

• Migrated from Splunk to Devo SIEM, significantly reducing ingestion costs by only bringing in necessary logs.
• Deployed Binary Defense BDVision across 1,600 endpoints for centralized detection and response. 
• Implemented both Binary Defense’s standard detection ruleset and custom rules tailored to the client’s environment and industry. Added Managed Deception capabilities with honeypots, capturing and escalating suspicious scans.

2. Security Expertise & Guidance

• Configured Microsoft Defender, created email security rules, and conducted phishing capability testing.

• Assisted with incident resolution—from blocked Alert Media emails to BSOD issues.

• Deployed a threat-informed detection strategy to focus on specific threats to the organization, its industry,

• Established a responsive, direct communication channel between the client’s team and Binary Defense SOC analysts.

3. Operational Strengthening

• Built and executed threat hunting programs using Devo’s advanced visibility features.

• Tuned detections to minimize false positives and eliminate noisy alerts.

• Designed and launched monthly phishing simulations for employee awareness.

• Produced actionable security documentation and threat intelligence reports.

4. Communication & Partnership

• Established a responsive, direct communication channel between the client’s team and Binary Defense
  SOC analysts.
• Maintained a high-trust, integrated partner approach, ensuring accessibility and accountability.

In Action: Real-Time Detection of Unauthorized Penetration Test Activity

When an unannounced penetration test took place in the client’s environment, Binary Defense’s detection capabilities and rapid response processes were put to the test. The Binary Defense team’s proactive tuning of detection rules, specifically a newly implemented high-fidelity overwatch detection, enabled the team to catch suspicious activities in real time. 

From the first alert to case closure, Binary Defense’s SOC executed a seamless, collaborative response across teams, ensuring the client was informed and protected while the situation unfolded

Step-by-Step Response

1. Initial Alert & Collaboration 

• A new detection rule fired in the Global Tenant for the client, indicating potential active shell activity. 
• SOC analysts immediately began collaboration within the SOC, opening an escalation case per established playbooks. 

2. Direct Client Engagement

• The SOC analyst called the client’s security team to escalate, following the escalation call tree and leaving messages when needed. 
• Parallel internal coordination began to ensure all investigative resources were aligned. 

3. Investigation & Host Containment

• Activity was identified as a remote shell on a newly created domain controller located outside the U.S.
• Shell code was also observed on another host within Binary Defense Vision alerts for Service Creation/ Installation Detection, and added to the case after deeper searches. 
• SOC analysts called the client again for updates, but the client’s team could not confirm if the activity was a legitimate pentest or an actual compromise.
• Due to uncertainty, the hosts involved were placed in containment to prevent potential spread. 

4. Uncovering Additional Suspicious Activity

Further analysis revealed: 

• User “XXXXXXX” executing DCSync from a non-domain controller device using a non-service account, highly unusual since DCSync is typically performed by a service account on a domain controller. 
• User “XXXXXX” systematically counting file shares in alphabetical order.

5. Resolution

• The client later determined that the activity was part of an internal penetration test, one their own security team had not been notified about.
• With confirmation received, the case was closed, but not before Binary Defense’s processes ensured potential risk was mitigated.

This incident showcased Binary Defense’s ability to detect sophisticated activity in real time, escalate promptly, and collaborate closely with client teams, even under incomplete information. The rapid containment steps and thorough investigation demonstrated the value of proactive tuning, clear escalation paths, and expert human analysis in preventing potential breaches

Results

Within just months of implementation, the company experienced a measurable transformation in both security posture and operational efficiency. Binary Defense’s tailored approach not only closed immediate security gaps but also built the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable security program.

The internal team went from being overwhelmed and reactive to being confident and proactive. They gained deeper visibility, reduced false positives, and established a reliable escalation process. Most importantly, they regained trust in their security operations, knowing expert support was always just a call away.

Key results included:

1. Improved Detection & Efficiency

•  In just 90 days, ~7,000 alerts were triaged, only 518 required escalation, with 100 confirmed true positives and less than 4% false positives.
• Detection Engineers completed 31 service requests and 20 tuning requests in 90 days.
• SOC analyst reduced overall workload for the internal security team, enabling focus on strategic tasks.

2. Cost Savings

•  Binary Defense SIEM experts lowered SIEM costs by optimizing log ingestion to only essential data.

3. Greater Visibility & Proactive Security

•  Implemented a personalized detection strategy that leveraged threat intelligence feed and known IOCs for continuous threat hunts.
• Managed Deception capabilities that caught numerous scans before they became threats.

4. Stronger Partnership

• Maintained consistent, open communication.
• Delivered a local, trusted presence the client could rely on.

5. Operational Improvements

• Reduced service desk ticket volume.
• Streamlined triage between Binary Defense and the client’s security team.
• Matured processes, reporting, and documentation.