For the fourth consecutive year, CRN has named WatchGuard CEO Prakash Panjwani a Top 25 IT Innovator in its 2022 Top 100 Executives list. This elite awards program recognizes forward-thinking and innovative technology leaders who have proven their commitment and dedication to the channel through solution-provider-focused strategies and a willingness to take bold steps despite market unpredictability.
Accelerated digitalization due to the pandemic and the need to adapt quickly to distance learning made schools the perfect target for cybercriminals. Moreover, compared to universities and based on disadvantages in terms of available technology and skills, primary and secondary education was even less prepared to meet the new security challenges posed by increased exposure and heightened risks.
Small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly turning to managed service providers (MSPs) to take charge of their cybersecurity. This trend was highlighted in a Pulse survey last year, where 88% of the businesses surveyed had contracted cybersecurity tools from external providers and 55% had opted directly for an outsourcing model with MSPs. But as the demand for MSPs grows, so does the competition among them.
Threats are becoming more sophisticated and the cybersecurity challenges organizations face are growing. Today, one of the biggest risks is hybrid work. According to a Canalys report, 134 million employees worldwide work remotely or under a hybrid model. As we addressed in our Cybersecurity Insights, extending beyond the company office perimeter makes protection a much greater challenge.
Customer trust is the biggest success indicator for MSPs. And yet, it’s only achieved with the right vendor partnerships. MSPs and MSSPs need to choose cybersecurity vendors with tailored and strategic portfolios that can cater to the emerging needs of each customer. Therefore, MSPs need a cybersecurity vendor that both understands this approach and delivers it to offer the greatest possible value. When vetting a cybersecurity vendor, MSPs should look for the following seven features.
