Security still an engine for channel growth

Those in the security world are focused on Excel most of this week as the InfoSec show brings together partners, vendors and industry experts to discuss the hottest topics in the market.

The next few days present a moment for those keen to promote fresh services or research coincide with the peaked interest in all things security. As a result, there have been several announcements issued that show the channel is continuing to invest heavily in this area.

Surveying the landscape and the increasing amounts of threats has lead Mark Appleton, group lead vendor ecosystem development at ALSO Group, to talk of the security market as a significant chance for the channel to grow revenues.

“Cyber security is the most profitable channel opportunity of the decade, but only if it’s sold correctly,” he said. “Too many partners are still treating security like a one-off product sale rather than a recurring service.

“When cyber security is sold as a project, growth is limited to individual deals. When it’s delivered as an ongoing service, it becomes a platform for long-term customer relationships and sustainable revenue,” he added.

As well as urging partners to evolve their approach to selling security to enhance the ongoing service aspects, he also drew attention to the role the wider ecosystem can play to improve life for MSPs.

“Technology providers are becoming critical enablers of MSP security maturity. Beyond simply supplying products, they help partners package services, integrate security platforms and build scalable business models around cyber security,” he said.

Insight Enterprises is a channel player looking to increase its capabilities in cyber security, with the launch of its Managed Exposure Defence offering. The managed service, which it hopes will appeal to those looking to shorten procurement cycles and roll out defences, is designed to protect users looking to fend off threats and the increasing number of AI-driven attacks.

Insight is responding to the growing pressure customers – particularly those in the mid-market – are facing with rapidly evolving AI threats. The service provides several capabilities, including managed CTEM (Continuous Threat Exposure Management), patch management, XDR and tools to assess the risks in the software supply chain.

“This is not a threat you have months to plan around,” said Jason Rader, chief information security officer at Insight. “The disclosure-to-weaponisation window continues to shrink, and most security teams cannot absorb a simultaneous patch wave across OS, browser and library tiers. Insight Managed Exposure Defence was built for exactly this moment – to absorb the operational load most organisations can’t carry, protect production and keep the SOC watching.”

Elsewhere, security player Optiv has sold off its advisory, consulting and transformation (ACT) project-based services business to investment player Vobis Ventures.

The plan is for the ACT business to operate under the branding Optiv Consulting [formerly part of Optiv Security] and will be Optiv’s priority services on an exclusive basis.

Optiv will remain focused on advising and deploying security to its customer base and its managed services will remain in house.

“We went to great lengths to find the ideal partner, a true unicorn, with a commitment to client excellence and innovation,” said Optiv CEO Kevin Lynch. “Partnering with Vobis Ventures enables us to continue serving clients with the same world-class resource base, while reinvesting back in the business to further accelerate strategic priorities and fuel growth.”

Anup Kumar, operations executive partner at Vobis Ventures, will take up the CEO role at the Optiv Consulting business.