After a 2023 malware incident, a multi-site Adelaide and Melbourne hospitality and retirement-living operator rebuilt its infrastructure to 100% Essential Eight compliance with 99.99% uptime and 600 Mbps guest Wi-Fi.
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Results at a glance
Before
Malware incident in 2023 — no formal security framework
Now
100% Essential Eight compliance — malware risks eliminated
Before
Windows 7 endpoints, outdated Exchange and file servers
Now
50+ Windows 11 devices + AWS virtual desktops + Microsoft 365
Before
Limited backups, insecure remote access
Now
99.99% uptime across 13 sites with automated backups and MFA
One business, five industries, thirteen sites. Hotel guests, retirement village residents and commercial tenants all depend on systems they never see — and every one of them notices the moment those systems stop. Karidis Corporation is a family-owned South Australian business founded by Gerry Karidis AM, with operations spanning property development, hotels and serviced apartments (Legacy Hotels — Toms Court Hotel, Hume Serviced Apartments, Durham Serviced Apartments), retirement villages, car parks and student accommodation across Adelaide and Melbourne, with 46 staff.
External
In 2023, Karidis Corporation was hit by a malware incident that exposed critical vulnerabilities in their legacy IT infrastructure. The business was running outdated Exchange and file servers, Windows 7 endpoints, and had limited backup capabilities and insecure remote access. Phone systems were isolated PBX units at each site, connected by an expensive Layer 2 WAN. Guest Wi-Fi across the hotels couldn't meet the expectation of high-speed broadband that modern travellers demand.
Internal
The malware incident was a wake-up call. The team realised their infrastructure had been neglected for too long — Windows 7 machines were years past end of life, backups were inadequate, and there was no comprehensive security framework in place. For a business that handles guest personal data, retirement village resident information, and financial records across 13 sites, the exposure was significant. Staff were working on outdated systems that slowed them down, and the lack of modern collaboration tools meant inefficiency across the organisation.
The bigger picture
Your guests, your residents and your tenants trust that their personal information is safe. If you are responsible for people's homes and stays, you shouldn't be operating on infrastructure that has already been compromised once.
Otaris understood the urgency — Karidis needed to recover from a malware incident while simultaneously modernising an entire infrastructure that had fallen behind. With experience in multi-site transformations, Essential Eight compliance, and hospitality IT environments, Otaris had the expertise to rebuild Karidis's digital foundation from the ground up while keeping hotels and retirement villages operational throughout.
Immediate incident response and containment, followed by a comprehensive roadmap aligned to Essential Eight and guest experience goals across all 13 sites.
Microsoft 365 migration with Intune device management and MFA, plus automated backups replacing the inadequate legacy backup system.
Fortinet and Cisco edge security, Ruckus and Aruba Wi-Fi, 3CX VoIP replacing isolated PBX systems. Guest Wi-Fi upgraded to 600 Mbps across hotel properties.
Replace all Windows 7 machines with 50+ new Windows 11 devices and AWS virtual desktops, eliminating the end-of-life security risk entirely.
Pilot and deploy AI-powered productivity tools across the organisation to accelerate the efficiency gains from the new infrastructure.
24/7 NOC monitoring with 30-minute average resolution, SACSF-aligned audits for ongoing compliance assurance.
The malware incident had already demonstrated what could go wrong. Without comprehensive remediation, Karidis faced the risk of a second, potentially more damaging attack — with Windows 7 endpoints and no formal security framework, it was a matter of when, not if. A breach affecting guest or retirement village resident data could trigger regulatory consequences and lasting reputational damage. The outdated infrastructure was also costing the business in daily inefficiency, with staff working on slow systems and guests experiencing substandard Wi-Fi at properties that compete on guest experience.
The transformation turned a malware incident into a complete digital rebuild. Karidis now operates at 100% Essential Eight compliance across all 13 sites, with the vulnerabilities that led to the 2023 incident entirely eliminated. The 50+ endpoint refresh replaced every Windows 7 machine with Windows 11, and Microsoft 365 with Intune and MFA provides secure, modern collaboration tools across the organisation.
The Microsoft Copilot rollout was a standout success — 90% adoption within two weeks of deployment, delivering a 20% efficiency gain and 50% faster collaboration across teams. Guest Wi-Fi was upgraded to 600 Mbps, directly contributing to a 40% increase in guest and resident satisfaction scores.
Energy use has been reduced by 30%, and the business maintains 100% WHS compliance with zero notifiable incidents. The 24/7 NOC provides 30-minute average resolution times, ensuring issues are addressed before they impact guests or residents.
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