KAY BLUNDELL
KAPITI REPORTER
Starting as a one-man-band in Otaki Gorge, cyber-crime specialist Andy Prow's software security business has expanded around the world in the fight against cyber criminals, hackers and disgruntled IT workers.
Armed with a science degree in computer science and software, Prow launched a software development business in 2001.
A decade later, Aura Information Security's customers include the New Zealand Defence Force, customs, the TAB, Xero and Trade Me.
Last year it was named by Deloitte as one of the fastest-growing companies in New Zealand, and one of the fastest-growing technology companies in Asia Pacific.
Specialising in cyber security since 2006, Aura now has more than 100 customers in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
When he launched his business, helping people design and build computer systems, Prow noticed a growing need for people to do it securely and a growing lack of skill required to achieve that.
"There was a growing recognition that the web was becoming more used by businesses, the information was becoming far more business critical and people could not afford for their systems to go down.
"Yet people, particularly in New Zealand, were still very unaware of a lot of issues. Bigger organisations like banks knew what to do but there was this massive divide between them and people doing business using ordinary systems with very little understanding of security," he said.
In 2006 Prow decided to focus exclusively on security space.
"There is a growing need for privacy. More people are putting more information about themselves online - Facebook and other profiles -- but on the flipside we are becoming far more conscious that we only want our personal information given out if we give it, and we do not want it stolen.
"There is a massive push for privacy but also a bigger push for businesses to interact with customers. It is critical their systems stay up," Prow said.
Citing a recent example, a hairdressing salon management system development company, which had software for hairdressing salons, was selling to the UK where salons had personal privacy issues.
"They had to get their system fully security-reviewed because they did not want people's personal mobile numbers getting out to the press.
"Hairdressers are now starting to worry about IT security, it is a crazy market," he said.
Basing the business in Otaki Gorge was a lifestyle choice, but he now has 16 staff, predominantly in Wellington, Kapiti and Auckland, while some were mobile.
With a completely online business, he had met very few of his customers in person, including Gwana Gold goldmine in Africa. Since 2008, the Ministry of Science and Innovation, now the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, had provided significant funding.
"Although we did not need a big investment to start the company, we have continued, year on year, to reinvest the company's profit and growth in more growth," he said.
Currently looking at significant deals in Australia, the company's red eye system, scanning websites and networks for security holes has experienced a 400 per cent growth rate this year.
- ? Fairfax NZ News
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Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/7787221/Otaki-firms-global-fight-against-cyber-crime
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