DruvStar is committed to cyber-defense

This article was first published on SBC Americas on August 1, 2022

Cyber attacks can cause significant damage to sports betting and gaming businesses, but according to Manjit Gombra Singh, CEO of DruvStar, such attacks are more often than not preventable. 

Speaking to SBC Americas, Singh highlighted some of the products that the cyber-defense specialist is using to support its network of partners to mitigate the threats posed by cyber-attacks.

For those that might not be familiar, can you tell us a little bit about DruvStar? How did the company come about? 

DruvStar is a cybersecurity company providing data and infrastructure cyber-defense in the Gaming and Healthcare industries.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself – your background and how you came to work at DruvStar?

I was previously the Global CTO of Aristocrat, President of PointsBet Product & Technology, and held technology leadership roles at IGT, Sun Microsystems and Juniper Networks. I founded DruvStar after realizing that the gaming and healthcare industries were behind in preparing against the emerging cyber-attacks.

The cyberattacks and resulting data breaches have been growing at a fast pace, whereas most enterprises are struggling to face those attacks. Even large enterprises struggle in this area, and small to medium sized businesses are particularly vulnerable. 

We wanted to provide affordable solutions to defend smaller businesses with the same level of effectiveness as a larger enterprise, and this is what DruvStar has come to focus on.

How has DruvStar positioned itself as a leader within the betting and gaming space?

The sportsbooks and casinos are attacked daily. The ability to detect the weaknesses and attacks is the single most important factor which determines whether a business is going to pay big dollar amounts due to an attack by hackers, on average exceeding $3 Million in damages.  Industry data suggests that 8 out 10 businesses will face an attack of this size in the next year.

At DruvStar, we detect over 1,000 cyber-threats every month.  There is no magical technology one can use for building cyber-defense, rather we focus on implementing a sustainable and affordable cyber-defense solution tailored to our client’s risk profile.

Our Vegas based Security Operations Center (SOC) is certified at SOC2-Type2 level and uses the most modern technologies and NIST standards-based for threat hunting and security incidence response 24 x 7.

DruvStar has a singular focus, cyber-defense. This is all we do. We stand with our clients to prepare for and defend against cyber-attacks. No other company will work with a client at the level we do. This is our differentiation.

How can your security solutions help protect clients’ systems and data?

Our products embed knowledge which we have acquired over the years in gaming, betting and racing. DruvStar has a comprehensive product suite focused on gaming and betting space:

1. DruvStar DataVision enables building a zero-trust environment for your data. It’s a SaaS tool powered by AI/ML technologies and provides comprehensive data observability. It provides unmatched insights for data compliance and protection.
2. DruvStar Threat Insights is a fully Managed Detection and Response (MDR) product. It combines enterprise grade SIEM, AI/ML, 24×7, SOC for proactive threat hunting and incidence response.
3. Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration testing. We use the most modern tools and our knowledge of gaming and betting environments to find weaknesses in your attack surface.

With modern data technologies, including machine learning and advanced analytics, coupled with superior automation, we scale our solutions to make them affordable for our clients.

What would you say are the main challenges that sportsbooks and casinos face when it comes to cybersecurity? 

The sportsbooks and casinos are particularly vulnerable due to their digital attack surface and lack of experience in responding to cyber-attacks. The industry has come to over-rely on cyber-insurance, which is not an effective risk management tool. Cyber-attacks cause reputational damage due to loss of trust. 

The sportsbooks and casinos use multi-generational technologies which require a unique strategy for defending against security attacks. Lack of trained staff and the cost of implementing comprehensive controls has exposed gaming businesses. Furthermore, the hackers are evolving with modern technology and scaling faster than the industry’s preparation against their attacks. This is what’s created the need for DruvStar’s products.

What can we expect from Druvstar over the next 12 months?

We have found great success in several sports wagering and tribal gaming businesses. We are grateful to our clients and partners, for recognizing the unique value we bring with our expertise in security and gaming. We have also found early success in healthcare.

We will officially launch an expansion of DruvStar DataVision and Threat Insights products this year. We are approved in WA, AZ, NY, and several tribal jurisdictions, and expect to be approved in at least 10 jurisdictions prior to year-end.

Over the next 12 months, we expect to double our business. Longer-term, we have an opportunity to attain the top position in cyber-security for gaming businesses and have a strong position in healthcare.