MSPs benefitting from customer security demand

The cyber security market was described at the recent Canalys Channels Forum as “the gift that keeps on giving”, with those across the channel operating in the sector largely shielded from some challenging market conditions faced by their competitors.

Cloud SaaS player EasyDMARC has added more meat to the bones with a market survey that included managed service providers (MSPs) across the UK and Ireland.

The headline finding was that 62% of IT organisations have experienced revenue growth in their cyber security offerings over the past 12 months, thanks to ongoing customer demand. Security has consistently been at the top of the list of user concern, with the pressure to protect data only heightening with the roll-out of more AI tools and services.

The SaaS player looked into the services currently being offered, with more than half currently offering email security, and 14% looking to implement them in the near future. The vast majority of MSPs offer some form of security offering, with EasyDMARC discovering that only a quarter were not involved with the market.

Customer demand has seen many in the channel expand the services they can offer along with a recognition of the need to help users stay on the right side of compliance regulations.

That customer demand is not uniform, however, and MSPs indicated mixed attitudes to security, with 21% describing their users as highly proactive and the same percentage taking the opposite position.

MSPs indicated there was still more work to be done, even with the proactive customers, with a quarter of those managed service players quizzed indicating that they did not have the confidence in the ability of users to fend off an attack.

Mike Anderson, global channels director at EasyDMARC, said that customers were driving the increase in security activity, but more needed to be proactive to fend off the latest threats.

“Cyber security is becoming a non-negotiable aspect of business strategy, and it’s encouraging to see that customers recognise this need,” he said. “The data shows that customer demand is the main catalyst behind increased investment in cyber security resources across IT businesses – a clear indication that companies are taking proactive steps to protect themselves from quickly evolving threats, though there is further room for action.

“MSPs, MSSPs and IT consultancies are positioning themselves to not only meet current expectations, but to anticipate future needs, ensuring organisations have the robust cyber security support required to stay ahead of emerging threats.

“For security vendors, this means providing the right resources, from comprehensive training to adaptable, easily integrated solutions that empower their partners to deliver on the highest level of protection for their clients,” he added.

The survey found that the appetite for channel support was far from satisfied, with a decent chunk of customers indicating that they were planning to spend on integrated security solutions in the year ahead.

Almost three-quarters of users expect AI and automation to trigger a demand for increased security, and MSPs also expect those factors to influence the services they offer over the next three years.