News in the Channel - issue #7

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Issue #7

5 Reasons SMBs need Cybersecurity

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COMMENT

Stay safe Cybercrime continues to evolve and grow at a scary rate, which means that protection is key for all businesses – and resellers play a key role in this.

presented by people working at home, or another location other than the office, are not always appreciated by those in smaller businesses and can lead to disaster. For a smaller business, a major cyberattack that takes it down for hours or even days can be catastrophic. It isn’t just the lost business and potential revenue from the attack, and the cost of putting it right, but also the damage to the company’s reputation that means they can struggle to recover. Resellers have a vital role as a trusted advisor to businesses to help them ensure that they do not fall victim to cybercriminals and all the various means they have of attacking businesses. Read more on p16. The number of ways that cybercriminals can access businesses is also rising thanks to the growing influence of the Internet of Things (IoT). Connected devices can be a weak point in security and this should be addressed too. But the benefits of IoT far outweigh the risks. For instance, demand for things like cloud computing and RFID enabled devices is growing and the market is expected to grow by billions in the next few years. Of course, this provides resellers with plenty of opportunities. Read more on p38. Cloud marketplaces are also growing quickly as users appreciate their ease of use and are now a key route to market. However, there is plenty of opportunity for further development in this field in terms of innovation and sectors to embrace them. You can read more on p30. As ever, I hope you enjoy the issue. If you have topics that you want us to cover in future issues, or you want to get involved in editorial or advertising, please drop me a line at dan@newsinthechannel.com

It’s not so long ago that the basis of many cop-based TV shows and movies involved bank robberies; local ne’er-do-wells with a sawn-off shotgun and a pair of their wife’s tights over their head causing mayhem before being tracked down by the heroes in uniform. Not anymore. But that’s because bank robberies in real life are an increasing rarity these days. And it’s easy to see why: why go through all the work of physically raiding a bank when you can do it from the comfort of your bedroom via a laptop?

Dan Parton

Many criminals now take the online route to steal valuable data from businesses; indeed, more than one in three UK businesses reported experiencing a cyberattack in the past year. While businesses now understand the need for some form of cyber protection, many – especially at the smaller end of the market – still don’t appreciate the need for solutions to be constantly updated to counter the ever-evolving threats. Likewise, the threats

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CONTENTS

News You should know p6 Profile: ManageEngine Large-scale growth plans p12 Cybersecurity Focus Many still don’t have protection p16 Profile: Tech Unlimited A niche reputation p22 Digital Transformation How can it be best achieved? p27 Cloud Marketplaces Scope for development p30 Carbon Offsetting Instead of reducing carbon production p34 Internet of Things Presenting real benefits p38 Partnerships Building trust p42 Data & Hybrid Long-term viability p44 SME Data Centres Reach for the star p46 Business Intelligence Trending rating p48 Jul 2022 HP Kyocera Other

Profile: ManageEngine – p12

Internet of Things – p38

ManageEngine is planning large-scale growth in the UK this year and has already made significant investment towards that as the company seeks to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the move towards cloud by many businesses.

The Internet of Things is starting to provide real benefits to businesses in many sectors. The functionality can provide users with benefits that can make a real difference to the bottom line – and brings opportunities for resellers to do likewise.

Data & Hybrid Working – p44

Is hybrid working viable for the long-term? The answer is in the data.

Average searches of trending laser printers (May 2022 - April 2023)

Seasonal drop in searches

Cloud Marketplace – p30

Business Intelligence – p48

Cloud marketplaces have grown in popularity along with the explosion in the use of cloud applications and are now a key route to market – but there is still plenty of scope for development.

Nov 2022

Sep 2022

Jan 2023

Mar 2023

In this month’s article, Wickus Bester analyses the trendsetter rating, which shows how brands have been performing over time – and how this will influence the winners in the upcoming Stockies Awards.

Top Trending Latest winners p50

CONTENTS

Cybersecurity Focus – p16

Carbon Offsetting – p34

Editorial Dan Parton 07941 979 845 dan@ newsinthechannel.com Elliot Mulley- Goodbarne 07910 441 024 elliot@ newsinthechannel.com Head of Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ newsinthechannel.com Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ newsinthechannel.com Written permission from the publisher is required before any part of News in the Channel can be reproduced. © 2023 In the Channel Media Ltd.

With sustainability at or near the top of the agenda for many businesses, reducing carbon emissions is a priority. However, in some industries, there is only so much that carbon production can be reduced by, and this is where carbon offsetting comes in.

The number and complexity of cybersecurity threats to businesses is constantly growing, yet while businesses appreciate the dangers, many still don’t have adequate protection and this presents opportunities for resellers.

Partnerships – p42

The importance of building trust with your channel partners

Profile: Tech Unlimited– p22

Tech Unlimited has quickly developed a strong reputation in its niche since the company launched in 2020 and posted impressive growth figures – and this has been achieved by taking a different approach to others in the sector.

For any business that wants to grow, delivering an effective digital Digital Transformation – p27

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street,

transformation plan is key. But how can it be best achieved? In the first of a series of columns, Roy Shelton, CEO of Connectus Group, shares his thoughts on how to get the job done.

Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1B 4DA In conjunction with:

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NEWS

Most businesses still relying on PSTN despite 2025 switch-off

An overwhelming majority (88%) of UK businesses are still reliant on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for essential services, such as analogue phone lines, broadband, alarm systems and CCTV cameras, a survey has found. This is despite the imminent PSTN stop-sell in September, which will see the sale of all new PSTN-related products halted, followed by a full deactivation of the network by December 31, 2025. The findings are from a survey commissioned by global cloud and connectivity provider M247, which explores the current state of PSTN usage among UK businesses. The PSTN is a network of copper wires that has kept the UK connected since the 1800s. Its owner, Openreach, will switch the network off due to increasing difficulties associated with maintaining the now aged infrastructure, as well as evolving communication styles and habits. The switch-off will prevent any further usage of analogue phone lines and older broadband connections, as well as services such as lift lines, EPOS systems and CCTV cameras, which may come as a surprise to business owners unaware these services use PSTN lines. M247 surveyed 500 UK-based IT decision makers and found that awareness of the switch-off is high – 77% of respondents are aware it is happening by 2025. Despite awareness for the PSTN stop-sell being equally high (76%) – the vast majority have yet to take any action. Just 29% of businesses list the PSTN switch-off as a top priority – trailing behind issues such as growing cybersecurity threats (50%) and investment in cloud migration (47%). Of the businesses using the PSTN, 33%

have more than 100 devices connected, with 51% saying they would experience significant disruption if the network was switched off before they had migrated. In addition, 80% of respondents believe migration from PSTN services would take up to six months to complete and 23% believe the disruption caused by the switch-off would lead to a loss of business. This makes the fact that so many businesses are yet to make the switch more alarming. “The UK’s PSTN switch-off will mark a historic change for business communications and a major leap forward in the country’s adoption of digital technologies,” said Liz Hawke, product manager UC&C at M247. “However, despite widespread awareness of the fast-approaching switch-off, and the final stop-sell which is a matter of months away, an overwhelming majority of UK businesses have failed to take action when it comes to migrating away from the network. “It’s important for businesses to act sooner, rather than later, and adopt the right IP technology for their needs to avoid serious consequences and disruption in months to come. Having access to the latest connectivity and voice services has become increasingly important for businesses who want to remain competitive in today’s digital age. Hybrid work environments have meant that employees now require more secure and seamless ways of working, and customers today expect the highest level of customer service, delivered over multiple channels. Time is ticking for UK businesses and the bottom line is simple. Migrating away from PSTN is an important step in the digital transformation process for businesses, and those that don’t act soon risk being left behind.”

Liz Hawke product manager

m247.com

OneSpan launches new Customer Success Packages

Digital agreements security company OneSpan has launched its new Customer Success Packages, providing modern centralised success service offerings with tiered subscription models for flexible, ongoing customer success with OneSpan solutions. OneSpan Customer Success Packages combine the ‘traditional’ value-added services of Professional Services, Customer Success Management and Customer Support into one

cohesive customer unit to deliver a simple and rewarding experience throughout the entire customer journey helping organisations accelerate value realisation. The complexity involved in most enterprise implementations goes beyond a one-size- fits-all approach to deploying technology. Tailoring a solution within an organisation’s business process, especially those that are customer-facing and revenue-generating, is critical. OneSpan’s Customer Success

onespan.com

NEWS

Packages help mitigate the increasing complexity of tech stacks as organisations look to streamline their business and accelerate their digital transformation journey. The OneSpan customer success team is a trusted partner that provides expertise across markets and the entire transaction journey. The new Customer Success Packages offer three tiers of support, with eligibility tied to the customer’s pricing tier. Features enable: l Faster time to value: Onboarding and go-live assistance supported by solution experts with mature expertise across a range of industry verticals l Mission-critical support: Ongoing access to technical consultants and mission-

critical support for continuous availability of the solutions l Increased user adoption: Use-case best practices, proactive guidance and industry benchmarking maximise the adoption, use and growth of the solution. “At OneSpan, we are an extension of our customer’s teams,” said Stuti Bhargava, chief customer experience officer at OneSpan. “As a mission-critical ally, we are constantly innovating to meet their changing needs as they embark on their digital transformation journeys. These new offerings are just one more example of how OneSpan is committed to being a strategic partner for our customers.”

Stuti Bhargava chief customer experience OneSpan

Protecht launches EMEA Partner Programme

Risk and resilience software provider Protecht has introduced its new Protecht EMEA Partner Programme, which will enable customers to maximise the benefits that its solutions can provide to their enterprise risk management (ERM) practices. The programme launches with LexisNexis and Fourthline as inaugural partners, with newly appointed head of partnerships and alliances EMEA, Ann Rodley, leading the programme to drive recruitment of new partners for continued strategic growth in the EMEA region. The programme is aimed to support partnerships with risk advisory firms and regulatory intelligence providers and is built on three pillars: a simple contracting and onboarding process; a competitive commercial model deal registration; and sales, technical and marketing training and support. It is designed to drive partners’ services and unlock new revenue streams across the full lifecycle of risk and operational resilience and meet the challenges of new and evolving regulatory requirements. LexisNexis is a global supplier of information and technology solutions to legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, tax, accounting and academic professionals. LexisNexis has been working with Protecht since 2016, integrating some of its own services with the Protecht.ERM platform and helping companies manage their regulatory risk through a comprehensive obligations register and alerts. “Our industry partnership allows us to collaborate and provide a consistent and

seamless risk management experience for our clients,” said Myfanwy Wallwork, VP regulatory compliance global, LexisNexis. “We have worked closely together for years and this new Protecht EMEA Partner Programme provides the ideal opportunity to deepen our relationship, reach new markets and develop original products and services.” Fourthline is a non-financial risk and resilience consulting and advisory firm working with financial sector clients to enhance their approach to operational risk and resilience management. Jakes de Kock, marketing director, Fourthline, said: “I’m thrilled about the collaboration between Fourthline and Protecht, and how it can elevate our risk and resilience offerings for our clients. By merging Fourthline’s deep operational resilience expertise with Protecht’s cutting- edge resilience software, we can deliver a comprehensive operational resilience managed service to our financial service clients.” Ann added: “Protecht is committed to delivering extra value to all our customers and this programme offers a new way of doing so. Our dedicated partner portal and specialist ERM training will enable our partners to bring value to organisations who want to streamline and automate risk, compliance and operational resilience processes.”

Ann Rodley head of partnerships and alliances

protechtgroup.com

lexisnexis.co.uk

fourthline.com

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NEWS

New survey underscores importance of IT modernisation to support new technology initiatives

technology investments over the next five years, of which 73% are planning significant upgrades. The top areas of IT infrastructure in need of updates to better support adopting new technology include network and security (58%), data management or storage (52%) and data centre facilities (50%). Digital transformation has accelerated at lightning speed, bringing an unprecedented need for IT modernisation. In the face of economic headwinds, IT teams are still focused on operationalising and supporting new digital initiatives, but with the added pressure of tighter budgets and lower staffing levels. Amidst current inflation and recessionary concerns, IT teams must strike a complex balance between supporting critical IT services for their organisation and setting up a foundation on which future initiatives can thrive. With thoughtful investments, organisations can keep vital systems running efficiently while accelerating their ability to keep pace with digital transformation. “Investments in emerging technology such as AI and machine learning are exciting ventures for organisations interested in gaining a competitive edge, but without a modern IT infrastructure foundation the long- term success of these investments is at critical risk,” said Shawn Rosemarin, vice president, R&D and customer engineering, Pure Storage. “The findings in our report show how agile IT leadership will need to continue to challenge legacy infrastructure solutions in order to simplify their core structure, in turn driving significant efficiency and flexibility to fuel their future.”

The pressure of digital transformation agendas is leading to IT buyers purchasing technology their infrastructure cannot support – highlighting the importance of modernising IT infrastructure in the coming years, new research has found. A report by data storage technology and services provider Pure Storage, in partnership with Wakefield Research, ‘IT Leader Insights: The State of IT Modernization Priorities and Challenges Amid Economic Headwinds’, reveals the need to evolve from legacy infrastructure to reap the full benefits of emerging technologies investments. The survey, of 500 IT buyers at companies of 500+ employees across the US and Europe, found that IT buyers have cited that their top investments planned for the next five years are AI/machine learning (52%) and sustainable technology (51%). Only 46% predict they’ll invest in infrastructure automation or orchestration. Meanwhile, 90% of IT buyers stated that the pressure of their digital transformation agenda led them to buy technology their infrastructure could not support, and 74% say this resulted in being unable to deploy new technology to leadership’s full expectations. In addition, 62% of IT buyers feel pressured all the time or often to make decisions on purchasing technology based on current needs without fully exploring the consequences of these decisions in the longer term. In addition, 76% expect increased scrutiny on purchasing

Shawn Rosemarin vice president R&D and customer engineering

purestorage.com

decisions over the next five years. But 99% plan to modernise their IT infrastructure to better support future

Mobile Pixels announces partnership with CMS Distribution

CMS Distribution has partnered with Mobile Pixels, a portable and external monitor technology provider. Through this partnership, CMS Distribution will be the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor of Mobile Pixels’ range of portable and external monitors in Europe. The partnership brings together CMS Distribution’s extensive network of resellers and end users with Mobile Pixels’ cutting-edge technology, enabling customers to increase productivity and mobility in a rapidly changing business environment.

NEWS

Mobile Pixels provides flexible and mobile solutions for individuals and businesses, enabling users to extend their screen real estate, increase productivity and work from anywhere. “We are thrilled to partner with CMS Distribution to bring our innovative portable monitor solutions to European customers,” said Jack Yao, CEO of Mobile Pixels. “This partnership will enable us to reach a wider customer base and expand our global footprint, and we look forward to working

closely with CMS Distribution to deliver the best possible experience for our customers.” Jonpaul Warren, gaming sales manager of CMS Distribution, added: “As remote and hybrid work models become more prevalent, the demand for portable and flexible monitor solutions has increased significantly. We believe that the addition of Mobile Pixels’ range to our portfolio will offer customers the flexibility they need to work from anywhere, anytime.”

Jack Yao CEO

mobilepixels.us

Nebulon launches new threat detection service

Data centre cyber-resilience solutions provider Nebulon, Inc has launched TripLine, a new threat detection service designed to alert customers when a cryptographic ransomware attack has been detected, as well as the precise location and point-in-time the attack occurred. Nebulon has also launched smartDefense, a cybersecurity solution that narrows threat vectors, detects ransomware attacks and accelerates recovery. TripLine is the first combined server-storage threat detection solution for cryptographic ransomware. The new smartInfrastructure service can identify attacks on application data as well as the operating system and application software. TripLine is enabled within two parts of the Nebulon solution: the Nebulon Secure Enclave, an isolated infrastructure domain that includes all server lights-out management, data services, boot and data volumes, and attached SSDs; and the Nebulon ON cloud control plane. Machine learning (ML) runs in the Secure Enclave and identifies encrypted versus unencrypted blocks in real time. Every 30 seconds, these results are sent to the Nebulon ON cloud, which uses a combination of ML and statistical models to compare that data to the historical average of encrypted blocks for a given volume. A spike in encrypted blocks will generate an alert within a few minutes of the first suspicious result. Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), which provides no isolation between infrastructure services and application services, is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks. When the HCI operating system becomes infected, data services become unavailable and the disks that store snapshots protecting application data become compromised,

making fast recovery impossible. This leaves enterprises with no choice but to re-install and reconfigure operating systems and clustering software, then recover application data from backup servers which also likely have been compromised – a process that can take days or even weeks. Unlike HCI, TripLine enables performant ransomware detection and recovery of the entire physical infrastructure without resorting to re-installation or backups. Combined with Nebulon ON, enterprises can benefit from push-button, API-accessible recovery of all affected volumes using TimeJump, Nebulon’s four-minute ransomware recovery service. Meanwhile, smartDefense is intended to complement what organisations have in place for their cybersecurity framework, adding a solution for the deep server- storage application infrastructure. smartDefense protection relies on Nebulon ImmutableBoot, which maintains a known good version of the operating system and application stack within the Secure Enclave of every server. With every reboot, the server reverts to this trusted software instance, eliminating errant firmware updates or dormant malware in the process. smartDefense detection and recovery capabilities leverage Nebulon TripLine and Nebulon TimeJump. TimeJump can rapidly recover operating systems, application configurations and data, reducing recovery time from days to less than four minutes for multiple clusters simultaneously. With the addition of TripLine to the smartDefense solution, customers can precisely identify the point of attack within their infrastructure and revert to a secure state using TimeJump, resulting in a significant reduction in overall threat response and recovery time.

Siamak Nazari CEO, Nebulon

nebulon.com

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NEWS

SML and PervasID announce strategic partnership

Retail RFID technology and solutions provider SML and PervasID, which provides high-accuracy UHF RFID reader systems for automating inventory and asset tracking, have formed an exclusive partnership for the retail sector. The companies will work together to deliver a combination of PervasID’s passive RFID reader technology and SML’s Clarity enterprise software solutions to drive higher profits for retailers. “As the retail RFID market continues to demand innovations to serve customers more effectively, we see a growing synergy between hands-free and handheld RFID solutions in stores and distribution centers and we see PervasID’s technology leading this innovation,” said Dean Frew, SML CTO. “With the adoption of item-level RFID solutions rapidly growing and with a large portion of those retailers running on our Clarity application platform, we see the addition of the

disruptive PervasID technology to our portfolio as being a key part of servicing our customers with enhanced returns on investments.” Dr Sabesan Sithamparanathan, PervasID founder and CEO, added: “We are delighted to be combining our innovative technology with SML’s solutions, global network and scale to help bring these innovations to retailers around the globe. “The biggest single challenge for all sizes and types of retailers is how to accurately and cost-effectively manage products inside their stores. The combination of the offerings from our two companies delivers unparalleled hands-free, real-time visibility capabilities. “The results drive tangible improvements to the bottom line in the form of reduced losses, but also stock management and insights and more efficient e-commerce picking and packing, and we’re excited to see the response from retailers.”

Dr Sabesan Sithamparanathan founder and CEO

pervasid.com

Tanium launches digital employee experience solution

Converged endpoint management (XEM) solution provider Tanium has unveiled its digital employee experience (DEX) solution, which helps IT leaders continuously measure and improve the technology experience that companies offer to their employees. By incorporating these new DEX capabilities into the XEM platform, Tanium completes the end-to-end endpoint management lifecycle. The DEX addition empowers IT teams to proactively monitor and manage the health and performance of employee digital experiences. Unlike traditional set-it-and- forget-it approaches, Tanium XEM with DEX delivers self-help functionality that allows employees to fix issues affecting their devices and supports automated remediation for a seamless experience; it also provides survey and notification features, which enables continual measurement and improvement of user experiences. “The accelerated shift to cloud-based technologies and hybrid work has added new variables to the availability and performance of digital work, affecting everything from the platform, the connectivity, the applications and the access to data,” said Tanium CEO Steve Daheb. “This rapid digital transition has exposed the fragility of our digital work experience. IT organisations now view careful management

of the end-user experience as a critical part of the endpoint lifecycle. Tanium XEM with DEX completes the endpoint management lifecycle and provides the first holistic platform available in this emerging category.” Tanium XEM with DEX features include: l Automated desktop notifications to inform employees about issues that may affect their experiences l Proactively triggered self-remediation options to avoid work disruption l Real-time health scores for organisations and the discrete endpoints in their environments to establish and improve upon baseline performance l The ability to use historical and current data to identify systemic issues, determine root causes, and remediate issues at scale l Qualitative and quantitative feedback loops to measure and improve employee satisfaction. “With the workplace expanding beyond traditional environments, enabling an exceptional digital work experience both on and off network is a must,” said Nic Surpatanu, chief product officer at Tanium. “Our DEX offering provides powerful insight into workflow and productivity within an organisation so any issue can be flagged before it becomes a problem.”

Steve Daheb CMO

tanium.com

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MANAGEENGINE PROFILE

Engine for growth

When ManageEngine announced in April that it was opening its first data centre facilities in the UK, it was a significant move for the company. Not just in terms of investment – about $1 million – but also as a statement of ManageEngine’s plans to expand by 25-30% in the UK this year. The data centres, sited in London and Manchester are ISO/IEC-27001-certified and have been built to support UK customers with a need for data sovereignty and data residency. The data centres offer enhanced data security and carry all the necessary SOC, ISO and PCI DSS certifications, ensuring that data is stored securely and in compliance with local regulations and industry-specific standards. The new sites are hosted by Equinix, which was selected by ManageEngine for its state- of-the-art, global, secure, sustainable data centre platform. The data centres will host a few prominent ManageEngine products, including ServiceDesk Plus Cloud for IT and enterprise service management, and Endpoint Central Cloud for unified endpoint management and security. The long-term plan is to offer ManageEngine’s

entire portfolio from the UK data centres. “Cloud adoption has been rapid in the UK, far outstripping other markets,” says Rajesh Ganesan, president of ManageEngine. “We have seen 70% growth in cloud adoption year-on-year since 2018, versus 50% globally. Post-Brexit, we also saw increased demand from customers for data centres to be located in the UK to ensure data sovereignty and comply with local regulations.” Keeping it private Rajesh adds that this decision is also driven by the need of the majority of its customers to have data within the UK because UK is a sizable market, and ManageEngine’s future growth depends on how well the company serve its customers in the region it is investing in. As mentioned, the data centres are co- located with the Equinix facility, but the entire stack, including all hardware and software is built in-house by ManageEngine. “This is a commitment we give to our customers.” he says. “We could host with other providers – there are many cloud providers today and they are good options – but we believe the moment you rely on a third

Rajesh Ganesan president

manageengine.com

We have seen 70% growth in cloud adoption year-on-year since 2018, versus 50% globally. Post- Brexit, we also saw increased demand from customers for data centres to be located in the UK to ensure data sovereignty and comply with local regulations. “

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MANAGEENGINE PROFILE

party, the terms of service that we give to our customers has a dependency. “And ManageEngine’s business model is simple and transparent and the revenue model is built around serving the customer’s needs end-to-end. We do not monetise our customer data or share it with any third party in any situation. We make sure our privacy policy complies with the demands of the local regulations and we realised being self-sufficient in terms of our cloud operations is the way for us to deliver on such customer promises. “Equally important is the uptime and SLA commitments to our customers and we believe being in complete control of our stacks puts us in a good position to deliver on those commitments, as opposed to relying on multiple levels of third-party SLAs if we hosted with other providers. We think long- term and end-to-end as a company and as a SaaS provider, we have the conviction that building the complete know-how of running cloud operations is critical to our efficiency and sustenance. And this investment in the UK data centre is part of our commitment to our model and values.” Established player ManageEngine, a part of Zoho Corporation, which focuses on cloud-based business applications, also brings a wealth of experience to its UK operations. The company has its beginnings in 2002 in its native India, starting out with a basic ticketing system, which could automate processes around delivering technology services. Over the next decade, the number of products grew to more than 40, which were all integrated and covered end-to-end technology management. “Not just process automation, but service delivery, IT, operations management, cybersecurity,” says Rajesh. “After two decades, ManageEngine is a single platform that completely ups the game on how technology is managed in companies. “Today, any business, regardless of size, runs technology and it is common to have a hybrid technology infrastructure – with some on premises and some in the cloud – and the workforce uses devices to do their actions, so this infrastructure needs good management,

to ensure they give a good experience to customers and employees, and this is what ManageEngine focuses on,” says Rajesh Ganesan, president of ManageEngine. For instance, the platform incorporates artificial intelligence, Rajesh notes. “When an attempted cyberattack starts, we have the intelligence to know about it immediately and can alert the administrators and take proactive actions to respond to the attacks. “We have multiple products that work seamlessly as one entity for our customers to manage their technology infrastructure completely. Across the globe, we sell to about 190 countries and have about 270,000 businesses that are customers of ManageEngine. Since we started, North America and the UK have been our primary markets, and the UK remains our number two market in terms of number of customers and revenue.” UK plans The opening of the data centres in London and Manchester are part of ManageEngine’s ambitious plans for growth in the UK – by 25-30% – including targeting medium and large enterprises. To achieve this, it was felt that more people on the ground were needed and to that end, the company opened an office in Milton Keynes recently. This has also been accompanied by a recruitment drive. A country manager for the UK has been hired, along with a team of salespeople, customer support, marketing and so on. “We want a local presence to go directly to our customers,” says Rajesh. “A lot of business is down to relationships and building long- lasting and deep relationships with our customers.” ManageEngine also has a strong channel presence and is looking to expand that too. The company has had three primary distributors but is now looking to grow that number. “We are very aggressive about expanding

The opening of the data centres in London and Manchester are part of ManageEngine’s ambitious plans for growth in the UK – by 25-30% – including targeting medium and large enterprises. “

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MANAGEENGINE PROFILE

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our direct and channel presence and that we believe will take us to the growth numbers that we are talking about, despite the challenges that UK has currently economically and politically,” he says. “We believe this model, along with our mature platform and our familiarity with the UK market and the trust that our customers already have, will ensure we achieve this growth. “We realise we need partners, the channel, the expertise, which is why we are always looking to expand the channel.” Achieving ambitions Arun Kumar, regional director of UK at ManageEngine, adds that ManageEngine are optimistic of growing by 25% or more in the UK because they already have close to 6,000 customers using its products within the UK. “Historically most of these customers start with one or two products to solve their IT challenges but because of the integration benefits and the seamless value we bring as a suite, a lot of our customers tend to buy more products down the track. We have seen that increasing in recent years. “Part of our expansion plans are to have the team locally based in UK to offer value services and give more enablement on our products and how that can solve their IT challenges. Those are customer-facing and account management roles which we are bringing in within UK to meet and engage and create that awareness among our customers.” As mentioned, the channel will also play an important part in ManageEngine’s growth strategy, Arun adds. “Almost 40% of our UK

revenue currently comes through the channel network,” he says. “We also have a distribution network which helps us to penetrate the channel network, including a lot of transactional partners, MSPs system integrators or even value added partners. And recently we have hired a channel manager for the UK to enable partners to assist them with market strategies and drive more revenue across the reseller network. But our long-term goal is to go into the larger channel network and create the awareness of our products.” Arun emphasises that it’s important to have the people on the ground for the strategy to work rather than just do it virtually. He adds the UK expansion is part of the company’s plan over the next 12-24 months, based on how the business grows. “We already have the team, and our immediate priorities are bringing the customer facing teams, which could help customers and partners.” More widely, ManageEngine plans to make using the company’s products a seamless experience as one platform, both on premises and in the cloud. “Currently, we have about 80% of the portfolio covered on the cloud, but the big objective for 2023 is to have 100% parity of the portfolio in on premises and the cloud, so customers have absolute flexibility,” says Rajesh. With plans in place, Rajesh is confident that ManageEngine can achieve its ambitious targets for ManageEngine, but, more importantly, help satisfy customers’ burgeoning demand for cloud-based but UK- domiciled products.

Arun Kumar regional director, UK

manageengine.com

Almost 40% of our UK revenue currently comes through the channel network. “ ”

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CYBERSECURITY FOCUS

Safe from harm The number and complexity of cybersecurity threats to businesses is constantly growing, yet while businesses appreciate the dangers, many still don’t have adequate protection and this presents opportunities for resellers.

Cybercrime is a major threat to businesses of all sizes and in all sectors and cannot be ignored: AAG found that 39% of UK businesses reported suffering a cyberattack in 2022. Of these businesses, 31% estimate they were attacked at least once a week. In addition, cybercrime cost UK businesses an average of £4,200 in 2022; when just considering medium and large businesses, it rose to £19,400. Unsurprisingly, 82% of boards or senior management in UK businesses see cybersecurity as a high priority. It needs to be as the threats are myriad, as Matt Aldridge, principal solutions consultant at OpenText Cybersecurity, explains. “OpenText Cybersecurity’s latest threat report reveals that cybercrime groups are doubling down on long-standing tactics as well as using newer techniques such as deepfakes, artificial intelligence and social engineering to exploit businesses’ vulnerabilities,” he says. “Phishing has remained the number one delivery mechanism for ransomware, with attackers refining their techniques. Phishing is also dominating the web, with HTTPS sites being increasingly used for malicious purposes. Overall, ransomware has grown and adapted, and it remains one of the most significant cyberthreats that small- to medium-sized businesses face. “The number of phishing emails we blocked last year grew to 1.14 billion, a 16.4% year- on-year increase. The use of HTTPs sites for phishing showed 55.5% year-on-year growth. Most alarming perhaps is the rise of the average cost of ransomware attacks, which peaked at a staggering £320,000 last year.” Malware threat Sarah Goodchild, senior director, channel sales EMEA at Picus Security, adds that malware also continues to be a threat. “Picus Security recently analysed 500,000 malware samples and discovered that it is evolving rapidly to become more evasive and more dangerous,” she says.

Matt Aldridge principal solutions consultant

“The latest multi-purpose malware is akin to a Swiss Army knife in terms of its versatility and usefulness to adversaries. Sophisticated malware samples are adept at evading security controls, moving laterally between devices and encrypting data. More than a third of the malware we analysed can perform over 20 tactics, techniques and procedures and this flexibility helps it adapt to different environments. “Malware developers continue to invest significant resources into researching and developing more sophisticated techniques that help them to accomplish their goals. Security teams now have more tools to help them detect, prevent and respond to threats. However, the pace of change means it remains challenging for security teams to ensure that their defences are optimised against the latest attack techniques. Adversaries continue to raise their game and defenders must too.” Martin Jartelius, CSO at Outpost24, adds that there is also an increase in credential stealing malware. “As many organisations turn to the internet to conduct business and, in turn, collect and store more data digitally, this is especially worrying,” he says. “In recent years, the number of Initial Access Brokers skyrocketed, malware prices have increased, and ransomware groups have multiplied. Research conducted by our KrakenLabs into the ecosystem of credential threat found a

opentext.com

Sarah Goodchild senior director, channel sales EMEA

picussecurity.com

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growing number of Traffers operating. Traffers are organised groups of cybercriminals specialising in credential theft using malware, most commonly stealers. We found that this is becoming a real problem for businesses and it’s something that requires constant monitoring and real-time intelligence to detect and fight against. “Equally, as always, weak passwords continue to pose a large problem for businesses. The 2023 Specops Weak Password Report showed that nearly 90% of breached passwords used to attack RDP ports in live attacks were 12 characters or less. Even more worryingly, the most common base term found in passwords used to attack networks across multiple ports is still ‘password’. From brute force attacks to password guessing and ransomware, threat actors will inevitably continue using passwords as a way of gaining access to a system. A strong and comprehensive password policy across an organisation is key.” Remote working threat Users continue to be a weak point in cybersecurity, especially with the rise in remote and hybrid working, which has also made network devices more vulnerable to attacks, Martin adds. “Security teams need to consider the implications of having a workforce that alternates between being physically present and working remotely,” he says. “Moreover, because people are physically isolated from their colleagues, they become easier targets for social engineering attacks. With fewer distinctions between work and personal devices, businesses must increasingly focus on user behaviour. It is becoming more and more crucial to ensure that employees follow best practices when accessing sensitive data or communicating with colleagues. This includes implementing training programs, conducting regular security assessments and using multi-factor authentication to keep accounts secure. “To mitigate risks, organisations must make sure their cyber defences are adapted to cover both environments. Yet, for many organisations, questions on how to securely manage a hybrid workforce remain open, such as how are users using and consuming business data? Where is that data being stored? Is it encrypted? What networks are they using their devices on, and what other devices might also be on the same network? For example, many IoT devices won’t have the

outpost24.com

secure coding that other endpoints do. Do all of the devices users have meet the business’ security and compliance requirements?” Patches Stuart Robson-Frisby, RVP, EMEA Channels at Tanium, adds that many businesses don’t have visibility of how many devices are connected to their network, and who has access to what, which creates numerous security risks if some or all of the devices are unpatched. “However, despite being such a significant risk, many companies still fail to patch their systems and devices frequently enough,” he says. “Without addressing this situation, businesses are at high risk of malware infections, data breaches and operational disruptions. This is not only a drain on resources, time and money, but often leads to irreparable reputational damage and even legal liabilities. “To mitigate the risks associated with unpatched devices, businesses should prioritise patching as a critical component of their cybersecurity strategy. This includes developing a robust patch management strategy, testing patches before deployment, and ensuring that all devices – known and unknown – are up to date with the latest security patches and updates. It only takes one weakness in an organisation’s IT defences to bring the business to its knees, so being able to swiftly identify and remove any vulnerable devices is vital to securing the company’s future. “Being prepared for – and able to withstand – today’s cyber landscape is about being ‘cyber ready’. This means practicing good cyber hygiene and detecting threats and performing counter threat actions. Finding a way to discover and manage all the

Martin Jartelius CSO

Stuart Robson-Frisby RVP, EMEA Channels

tanium.com

CYBERSECURITY FOCUS

they can by sharing resources or training sales and technical professionals through robust partner programmes. Therefore, resellers should be taking vendors up on the training and resources that they offer to get the most out of their solutions for their customers. “That said, we also cannot forget that customer budgets are getting tighter which translates into increased ROI requirements, result-oriented purchasing decisions and sometimes longer and more complex decision processes, all of which elongate the sales cycle. It is therefore important for the channel to work with cybersecurity suppliers that offer a high-quality product with a modern approach to maximise time to value.” Tom Herrmann, vice president of global channels and alliances at Synopsys Software Integrity Group, adds that resellers are in a unique position in that they can represent multiple vendors across a broad spectrum of cybersecurity solutions. “They can also be a trusted advisor to businesses in terms of understanding what solutions and services are available in the market, the specific uses cases and what each can address, and which solutions tend to work best suited for a business’ specific concerns,” he says. “Resellers can then bring in the vendors that are experts in their particular area of cybersecurity to further assist with vulnerability identification and remediation efforts. Given their broad exposure to a diverse mix of customers and vendors, resellers are a great resource for customers to increase their awareness and knowledge of the overall threat landscape. “Most companies have only scratched the surface on protecting themselves from cybersecurity threats, and even the ones that can be considered ‘ahead of the pack’ will still find new holes that must be patched on a regular basis as attackers discover new areas to exploit.” Dealing with ongoing threats Sohin Raithatha, CEO of Redsquid, notes that while some organisations understand the risks, many underestimate the number of devices that can be breached. “The widespread adoption of Internet of Things devices and bring-your-own-device policies amplify those risks, and we as MSPs play a vital role in ensuring customer awareness and that appropriate security measures are being used across all businesses,” he says. “As an MSP with a focus on cybersecurity

endpoints in your environment, including those in home offices, remote workspaces and cloud environments, is a vital component of this approach.” Supply chain vulnerabilities Jamie Andrews, senior director international partners at Armis, notes that supply chains are also at risk. “The lateral movement tactics used by threat actors are taking advantage of trusted third-party suppliers to infiltrate larger, more traditionally ‘secure’ targets,” he explains. “By worming their way into a smaller organisation, they can spend weeks or months lurking about undetected on systems and networks. “This puts numerous organisations at risk. Without the right visibility into the devices and assets on their networks, organisations risk inadvertently allowing threat actors to launch large scale attacks. “We’ve also seen several warnings from UK authorities that point to heightened risk of cyberwarfare attacks conducted by Russian nation state actors because of the ongoing war. By not having full visibility into their networks and systems, organisations are much more vulnerable to being targeted by threat actors that are becoming more ideologically motivated and are looking to send a message. “Channel partners that are equipped to help customers address these risks will stand the most to gain now and into the future as these types of attacks evolve.” Trusted partners Jamie adds that the shortage of skilled cybersecurity personnel remains a huge problem. “There is an increased demand for services and solutions from third parties and partners that can offer value, such as MSSPs,” he says. “Good cybersecurity vendors will support the reseller community as much as

Jamie Andrews senior director international partners

armis.com

The lateral movement tactics used by threat actors are taking advantage of trusted third- party suppliers to infiltrate larger, more traditionally ‘secure’ targets. “

”

Tom Herrmann vice president of global channels and alliances

synopsys.com

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