WatchGuard Unifies Security Layers for Crown Agents Bank
Challenge
Crown Agents Bank (CAB) specializes in wholesale foreign exchange and cross-border payments across over 100 currencies and some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Serving central and commercial banks, governments, fintechs, and international organizations, CAB has positioned itself as a global leader in digital payments. The bank has invested heavily in cutting-edge technology and cybersecurity to support its expansive network.
When Tom Rybinski joined CAB as IT & Information Security Risk Manager in 2020, he recognized the bank’s strong security foundation. However, he also identified a gap: the need for real-time monitoring and anomaly detection to balance preventive and detective controls. “We needed a solution that could sit on top of our logs, surface anomalous behavior, and correlate that behavior with our existing security tools,” says Rybinski.
Traditional network detection and response (NDR) solutions were costly and complex. CAB required a scalable, cost-effective alternative that could enhance its security posture without excessive resource demands.
Solution
After evaluating WatchGuard NDR, CAB saw its potential as a SaaS-based NDR solution that eliminates the need for on-premises hardware. WatchGuard NDR provides AI-driven analytics to detect threats, continuously learning CAB’s environment while integrating seamlessly with existing security tools.
“With WatchGuard NDR, AI and policy controls worked out of the box, requiring minimal management,” says Rybinski. CAB now uses WatchGuard NDR to monitor its network, firewall/IDS, backup systems, and cloud applications like Azure and M365, gaining deep visibility into security threats.
Built on AWS, WatchGuard NDR significantly reduces deployment and operational costs while delivering enterprise-class threat detection. Its predefined correlation rules allow CAB to leverage the full capabilities of WatchGuard NDR from day one, enhancing efficiency across its security stack.
Results
“WatchGuard NDR is a ‘top-of-the-pyramid’ technology that quickly surfaces key insights, eliminating the need to sift through raw logs,” Rybinski explains. This enables faster risk mitigation and more effective security decision-making.
With WatchGuard NDR as the unifying layer across its security architecture, CAB maximizes the value of its security investments. The bank’s rapidly evolving global operations require flexibility ‒ something WatchGuard NDR delivers through its SaaS model, allowing quick integration of new security capabilities at low cost.
“Now we’re thinking, what else can we integrate into WatchGuard NDR? It’s an easy, cost-effective way to enhance visibility and security,” says Rybinski.
CAB prioritizes top-tier cybersecurity solutions as a financial sector innovator in high-risk markets. With WatchGuard NDR, the bank has strengthened its ability to detect and respond to threats, ensuring resilience in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
“WatchGuard NDR gives us confidence that we understand our risks, detect cyberattacks, and protect our most valuable assets,” concludes Rybinski.