Travis Perkins, Wickes owner steps up security

Travis Perkinsplc, the construction industry supplier which owns the Travis Perkins, Toolstation and Wickes brands, has stepped up its web security systems in response to a spate of high-profile data breaches in other organisations.

According to a spokesman, the company suffered an attempted attack that was caught be existing internal defences but was prompted to increase security levels.

Recent increases in the severity of ICO fines for data breaches also demonstrated the need for an effective security strategy.

The company offers a high-profile target for hackers, with a strong online retail presence and over 1,800 branches across the UK.

Using a web malware protection system from security specialist FireEye, the company is now protected against web-based and zero-day attacks that conventional firewalls fail to catch. The system also protects the company against email phishing attacks that bypass anti-spam and reputation-based technologies.

All of these systems are controlled through a central management system provided by the vendor.

Travis Perkinssecurity specialist Simon Gray said: “As an organisation, we are continually striving to ensure the upmost protection for our customers. We urgently needed to secure our data with a robust, reliable and comprehensive solution.”

This announcement from Travis Perkins follows news that Nottingham Building Society has also stepped up its disaster recovery protocols in response to wider financial industry IT glitches.