Stonewater Housing Achieves 24/7 Security Monitoring Without Expanding Its IT Team
Stonewater Housing partnered with CloudGuard to transform Microsoft Sentinel into a fully managed security operation, reducing alert noise, improving visibility and giving their team confidence that real threats won’t be missed.
Results
1%
Automation Impact
0
Stale data items identified
1
Mins MTTR
Company profile
- Industry: Housing Association
- Size: 500+
- Turnover: £306million
Services used
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The challenge: Managing growing cyber risk across housing services
Ahead of working with CloudGuard, Stonewater Housing reviewed its existing security capability as part of a wider effort to mature and prioritise cybersecurity across the organisation.
Although Microsoft Defender and Sentinel had been deployed, the organisation sought 24/7 visibility and monitoring to focus on genuine threats and drive continual improvement by partnering with security experts.
Ian Rhodes, Head of IT Security, Governance & QA at Stonewater Housing, said:
“Cybersecurity is a moving target. To mature our security operations, we needed a partner that could manage the volume of alerts and deliver continuous monitoring and insight, allowing our internal team to focus on more proactive, higher-value work.”
Why CloudGuard: Finding a partner that understands housing sector risk
Stonewater put the work out to tender, shortlisting three companies. CloudGuard quickly became the frontrunner.
From the outset, CloudGuard proposed rebuilding Sentinel from scratch, ensuring it would be properly configured, fully connected and actively monitored by their 24/7 SOC. That recommendation, coupled with a collaborative style, gave Stonewater the confidence to move forward.
“CloudGuard came through with a perfect score across the tender,” Ian explains. “They had the experience, not just a new setup. What impressed me most was the business acumen. They understood what we were trying to achieve.”
Deployment: Establishing continuous threat detection and response with PROTECT+
Stonewater selected CloudGuard’s PROTECT+ service, a Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR) solution combining:
- AI-led automation through Ansel, CloudGuard’s virtual SOC analyst
- Human-backed expertise from a UK-based CREST-accredited SOC team
Under PROTECT+, CloudGuard rebuilt Stonewater’s Sentinel environment, removing noise and enabling true 24/7 visibility. New connectors were added, while Privileged Identity Management (PIM) secured executive accounts.
PROTECT+ also unified Microsoft Defender, Intune and Sentinel into one cohesive security layer and delivered a real-time dashboard for simple oversight.
CloudGuard’s role extended beyond monitoring. A Microsoft-funded Purview review led by CloudGuard examined Data Loss Protection and Insider Risk Management. The investigation uncovered over 93 million stale data items, driving new retention policies and risk mitigation.
“From the start CloudGuard proposed replacing our Sentinel instance with one they would configure and manage under PROTECT+. That gave me confidence we’d have better monitoring and control.”
Incident response and support
One of the biggest differences for Stonewater has been CloudGuard’s out of hours incident response.
“On several occasions we’ve needed incident support out of hours. CloudGuard assembled a response team within minutes and they didn’t just disappear when it was over. They monitored for several days afterwards with dedicated personnel. Incident response support is second to none.”
Results: Security outcomes that matter
- 92% of tickets solved or enriched by Ansel
- <4 minutes mean time to acknowledge
- <7 minutes mean time to respond
- Only 2% of alerts required escalation to Stonewater
- 93 million stale data items identified via Purview review
“The difference is night and day. CloudGuard has cut through the noise and vastly improved visibility. We have more confidence. If something is escalated it matters.”
A long-term partner for cyber resilience
Stonewater’s security journey is still evolving with a planned CRM rollout, application sunsetting and expanded data classification on the roadmap. But with CloudGuard, Ian feels the organisation is in safe hands.
“CloudGuard operates as a proper collaborative partner. If something isn’t right for us they’ll say so. They don’t just blindly build things for the sake of billing.”
Stonewater’s story shows what can happen when a housing provider pairs the right tools with the right partner: not just fewer risks, but a stronger, more resilient foundation for the future.
Security Done Different
With deep experience supporting Housing Associations, CloudGuard PROTECT+ delivers automation-led 24×7 managed XDR with expert response and clear security outcomes, protecting resident data and keeping essential tenant services running.
“It’s been a fantastic experience. I just wish all our suppliers were as smooth as this. We’ve got the right product and I believe we’ve got the right partner to do it.”
Request a demo to learn how we can improve your security operations.
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