Scottish Building Society Selects Barrier Networks for round-the-clock Security Operations and vCISO Support
As the oldest remaining building society in the world, Scottish Building Society has long understood that trust is built on security.
Today, over 175 years on, the financial institution has survived two world wars, two global recessions and a worldwide pandemic. It now boasts branches in six locations across Scotland, over 100 employees and continues to offer its members competitive and straightforward lending and savings products.
Like many financial institutions, Scottish Building Society today offers many of its services through online platforms, and while this has allowed the society to offer more convenience and flexibility to its customers, it has also amplified its exposure to cyber risk.
Recognising the growing threat, Scottish Building Society took proactive steps to strengthen its security posture and keep pace with an evolving threat landscape. As the organisation expanded, so too did the complexity of its security requirements, making it increasingly difficult to manage effectively in-house without placing additional strain on internal resources or compromising continuous coverage.
Having previously worked with Barrier Networks, the building society approached the organisation to understand how it could support the security of its operations.
Barrier Networks is one of Scotland’s leading cyber security services organisations that provides managed cyber defence to some of the UK’s most critical industries.
Over the space of ten years, the relationship between Scottish Building Society and Barrier Networks has evolved into a long-term partnership, with Barrier Networks now classified as one of the society’s top five providers.
Today, Barrier provides 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC) services, regular Cyber Risk Technical Assessments alongside vCISO support.
This has enabled Scottish Building Society to significantly enhance its visibility across its IT environment, ensuring threats are identified and addressed before they can escalate. The introduction of round-the-clock monitoring has removed the burden from internal teams, while providing access to specialist expertise that would be difficult, and costly, to replicate in-house.
Barrier’s vCISO support has also introduced greater structure and accountability into security decision-making. By aligning cyber security with wider business priorities, the building society is able to make informed decisions with confidence, without the need to invest in a full-time CISO.
Today, the building society runs regular Cyber Forums where its team works with Barrier’s vCISO to roadmap long-term goals, identify and mitigate risks and discuss evolving cyber and resilience compliance mandates. All security decisions are run by Barrier’s vCISO, who is widely regarded as an extension of the team.
““Barrier Networks has become a true partner of ours – they fit like a glove, providing us with the exact services we need while fully understanding our unique environment and security needs. Everyone in the business knows about Barrier from the CEO down, and they all have a clear understanding of how important Barrier is in helping us deliver a safe and secure service to our members””
In addition to managed services, Barrier conducts annual cyber risk assessments, with findings feeding directly into the organisation’s wider security programme. This continuous improvement approach has helped strengthen defences over time, ensuring the building society remains resilient as new threats emerge.
Barrier has also supported the development of cyber-focused disaster recovery playbooks. These provide clear, actionable guidance in the event of an incident, enabling teams across the organisation to respond quickly and effectively, minimising disruption and maintaining service continuity.
“We have been working with Barrier for almost ten years and the team provides invaluable expertise to support our cyber security. We don’t see them as a separate organisation, but as an extension to our team. From security operations to vCISO support, Barrier enables us to grow and evolve safely, while protecting both our business and our customers,” continued Sage.
With a partnership built on trust, expertise and continuous improvement, Scottish Building Society now has a security model that not only protects its operations today, but supports its growth into the future.
Overall, Barrier has improved operational efficiency at Scottish Building Society by removing the day-to-day burden of security management from internal teams. With continuous monitoring and expert oversight in place, threats are handled proactively, reducing disruption and allowing the organisation to focus on delivering services to its members.
So, would Scottish Building Society recommend working with Barrier to its peers?
“Absolutely, without hesitation. Barrier isn’t just a supplier, it is embedded within our team and critical to our operations, today and in the future,” concluded Sage.