M-Sport, a leading motorsport team, was previously using an alternative vendor for cybersecurity. However, they faced significant challenges, including poor support and false positives that disrupted their critical operations, particularly in configuring their rally cars. This led M-Sport to explore alternative solutions.

Racing our high-performance cars requires expert drivers; ESET’s team are expert drivers of a high-performance 24/7/365 cybersecurity solution and we’re glad we chose to work with them.

Alistair Todd, IT Operations Manager

THE CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGE

M-Sport required a cybersecurity solution that wouldn’t interfere with their essential car configuration software, used to optimise the performance of their vehicles during races. The alternative vendors support failures during a high-pressure race weekend highlighted the need for a more reliable and efficient solution. With their existing contract coming up for renewal, M-Sport needed a cost-effective and seamless transition to a new security provider. Understanding the increase in sophistication of cyber attacks over the last few years, M-Sport also wanted to explore a 24x7x365 solution that bolstered their protection and freed up resource for them to concentrate on their core activity – winning races.

THE CYBERSECURITY SOLUTION

ESET, through a reseller (Storm Technologies), was introduced as a comparison solution. After a thorough proof of concept (POC) and multiple demos, ESET’s solution proved to be a better fit due to its ability to effectively safeguard M-Sport’s network while minimising system impact and false positives. ESET offered additional features such as vulnerability scanning and Office 365 tenancy that provided added value. M-Sport was particularly concerned about downtime, especially during key race weekends. ESET worked closely with M-Sport’s IT team to ensure a smooth and phased migration. The deployment was completed without causing disruption to operations, thanks to ESET’s flexibility and comprehensive support. Due to the ‘anti-social’ hours of operation, 24x7x365 support was critical.

THE RESULT

The successful transition to ESET has resulted in improved system performance, better support, and a more reliable security framework. M-Sport now enjoys enhanced protection with reduced false positives and minimal impact on their critical car configuration software. The team is also more confident in ESET’s ability to provide timely support during crucial race events.