Client
Global telecommunications provider
Industry
Telecommunications
Primary goal
Contain threats and protect data integrity
Technologies
Incident response, forensics, threat hunting, SOC/SIEM
MAKE cyber threats visible
A long-term cyber intrusion posed a critical risk for a global telecommunications provider operating across multiple regions. With attackers moving undetected across systems and geographies, the organization needed to quickly contain the threat, protect sensitive subscriber data, and restore confidence in its security environment.
Here’s how KPMG helped the organization strengthen its response and build a more sophisticated cyber foundation.
30+ countries connected
Coordinated response across a global telecom network
Greater threat visibility
Enhanced monitoring uncovered hidden activity faster
Stronger cyber resilience
Through a scalable cyber resilience model
Faster forensic insights
Streamlined analysis enabled quicker decisions
Client transformation journey
- Before
- During
- After
Responding to a sophisticated global cyberattack
A leading global retailer headquartered in Canada faced mounting cybersecurity challenges. Rapid international expansion and an increasingly complex IT environment widened the organization’s attack surface and increased exposure to evolving cyber threats.
Traditional security providers were no longer sufficient to support the organization’s growth ambitions. Existing approaches lacked the depth, scale, and real‑world testing needed to keep pace with a global footprint and an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape. Cybersecurity became a strategic priority, extending beyond IT to directly influence brand reputation, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity.
Senior executives, technology leaders, and board members needed an advisor with proven technical depth, global delivery capabilities, and experience supporting board‑level decision‑making. They sought a partner that could move beyond point solutions to provide practical insight, incident readiness, and a scalable approach aligned to the organization’s long‑term business objectives.
Delivering end-to-end cyber response at scale
KPMG was engaged to provide a comprehensive suite of services, including incident response, forensic data analysis, threat hunting, and crisis management.
To address the threat, KPMG rapidly deployed a cross-functional team of specialists to support the client’s internal response. This included forensic experts in network and host analysis to trace attacker movement and identify compromised systems across the global environment.
Data specialists were engaged to manage and analyze large volumes of forensic data generated during the investigation, while security engineers reconfigured existing monitoring systems. This helped accelerate data extraction and reduce noise from excessive query results, ensuring insights remained timely and actionable.
In parallel, dedicated threat hunting teams worked to identify indicators of compromise and uncover hidden attacker activity. Crisis and incident management advisors supported executive-level decision-making and communications, enabling leadership to clearly understand the evolving threat landscape and required actions.
KPMG also delivered continuous reporting and strategic recommendations, including:
- Containment strategies to limit attacker mobility
- Remediation plans addressing legacy systems and logging gaps
- Improvements to identity management practices
As the investigation progressed, the scope of support expanded to include data analytics, SOC expertise, data extraction and preservation, SIEM logging and monitoring enhancements, and long-term security transformation planning. This evolution reflected the client’s growing need for an integrated, end-to-end response.
Enabling resilient recovery and future readiness
While the investigation remains ongoing, KPMG’s intervention significantly reduced the attackers’ ability to maneuver within the client’s environment.
Critical systems were secured, and a clear roadmap for secure recovery and long-term remediation was established. The organization is now better positioned to detect and respond to future threats, supported by improved operational processes and a more resilient cybersecurity posture.
The engagement also enabled broader transformation across the client’s organization. From data preservation to SOC transformation, KPMG’s continued collaboration has strengthened the client’s readiness for evolving cyber risks and future challenges.
How we make the difference for a global telecommunications provider
Cyber threats are evolving. They are becoming more persistent, more sophisticated and increasingly difficult to detect. This engagement highlights how a coordinated global response, paired with deep technical expertise, can help organizations contain threats while strengthening long-term resilience.
By transforming response capabilities during a critical incident, the organization improved visibility, accelerated decision-making and built a stronger foundation for future cyber readiness.
Connect with KPMG’s cyber response team to explore how your organization can strengthen resilience.
KPMG. Make the Difference.
Meet the team
Guillaume Clément
Partner, Advisor Services, Cyber Security and President of EGYDE Consulting Inc.
Quebec
KPMG Canada
