Nationwide awards BT managed security services contract

The building society builds on its original networked IT service contract in 2008

Nationwide outsources security to BT

BT has signed a five year contract with Nationwide building society to provide managed security services.

The contract was signed in June, building on an original contract awarded to BT in 2008 for provision of networked IT services.

The value of the contract has currently not been disclosed, but BT will provide monitoring and protection for Nationwide's firewalls, managed email and internet access, giving the building society a single point of contact for any security issues.

Nationwide IT director Peter Stafford said that Nationwide was seeking to introduce standard security services across its business, "to reduce costs and improve business agility."

BT's global banking and financial markets president Andy Nicholson said, " Nationwide needs better business agility, whilst remaining focused on its core activities."

BT Global Services head of business continuity, security and governance, Ray Stanton said that BT's Counterpane threat monitoring services were the starting point for introducing better security to Nationwide.

"BT Counterpane now forms the backbone of our overall value add service offering to Nationwide, bringing together analysis and reporting across a range of different services and technologies," added Stanton.

BT acquired Counterpane Internet Security in 2006, a company set up by BT's current chief security officer Bruce Schneier, in 1999.

Nationwide is the biggest building society in the world, and has about 15m customers, with assets of over £190bn.