Case Study: Harwoods Group achieves 24/7 cybersecurity protection and rapid threat response with Sophos Managed Detection and Response

Sophos Managed Detection and Response drives cybersecurity performance for Harwoods Group

Harwoods Group, a family-owned automotive retailer operating over 25 sites and supporting about 1,060 employees and 800 endpoints, faced growing cybersecurity risk as it digitally transformed with a new CRM and bespoke eCommerce platform. Their insourced IT team and existing security partner only provided monitoring during business hours, leaving 24/7 gaps — so Harwoods turned to Sophos, building on a decade-long relationship and using Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR) alongside Sophos Firewall.

Sophos implemented MDR quickly and effectively, securing Harwoods’ networks almost overnight and detecting the first active threat within 24 hours. The 24/7/365 monitoring, expert threat hunting, and regular reporting improved visibility for the board, protected customer data and digital investments, and removed the need to recruit costly in-house specialists — avoiding an estimated £1.4 million alternative cost — demonstrating clear measurable impact from Sophos.

Harwoods Group

Paul Smith

Business Support Director