Enterprise Endpoint Security Modernisation for Provincial Government
How CriticalMatrix delivered a seamless Microsoft Defender for Endpoint modernisation across nearly 700 servers without disrupting provincial operations.
Key Results
- ~700 servers secured
- Zero downtime during migration
- NIST & SOC 2 alignment
- Automated deployment model
The Challenge
Situation
A provincial government's server estate spanning nearly 700 Windows and Linux servers across multiple data centres required a modern EDR platform. Existing tools provided inconsistent visibility and lacked the behavioural analytics needed to address advanced threats targeting citizen-facing services.
Operational Constraints
- Mission-critical citizen-facing services requiring zero downtime
- Multiple network zones with different operational requirements
- Diverse Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022 estate
- Strict NIST and SOC 2 compliance requirements
What Was Breaking
Fragmented tooling provided inconsistent visibility across the server fleet. No standardised configuration baselines existed. Manual onboarding processes made deployment slow and difficult to govern. The environment lacked clear operational runbooks and a unified deployment model, creating audit readiness gaps.
Before & After Comparison
Before CriticalMatrix
Inconsistent across server fleet
No standardised configurations
Slow, ungoverned deployments
NIST and SOC 2 gaps identified
After CriticalMatrix
All servers on Microsoft Defender
NIST-aligned across all zones
Scalable deployment model
SOC 2–ready governance
The Solution
Phase 1: Assessment & Architecture (Weeks 1-3)
CriticalMatrix documented the current-state EDR posture, reviewed regulatory policies, and identified security, performance, and operational gaps. Developed a comprehensive architectural blueprint defining the Microsoft Defender ecosystem.
Phase 2: Deployment & Migration (Weeks 4-8)
Deployed Microsoft Defender for Endpoint across all Windows and Linux servers with zone-specific configurations. Implemented automated onboarding, device grouping strategy, alerting logic, and telemetry flows with zero downtime to citizen services.
Phase 3: Governance & Validation (Weeks 9-11)
Established prevention and detection policy standards, exception handling workflows, and governance reporting. Conducted RidgeBot automated penetration testing to validate the hardened environment against real-world attack scenarios.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Enterprise EDR platform with behavioural analytics, automated investigation, and response across Windows and Linux servers.
Microsoft Sentinel
Cloud-native SIEM for centralised telemetry, custom detection rules, and compliance reporting across all data centre zones.
RidgeBot
Automated penetration testing and vulnerability validation ensuring the hardened environment withstands real-world attack scenarios.
"CriticalMatrix delivered exceptional technical depth and precision. Their work allowed us to uplift our security posture rapidly, cleanly, and with complete confidence."
— Program Lead
Need to Modernise Your Endpoint Security?
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