Keynote recap: Igniting cybersecurity purpose at IT Nation Secure 2023
The atmosphere of an IT Nation event with the energy of our inspiring partners is hard to beat! It was my honor to be a part of this unmatched energy when I took the stage for the ConnectWise Opening Keynote with my colleagues and ConnectWise partner, Peter Melby, CEO and founder of Greystone Technology at IT Nation Secure 2023. As usual, we discussed the latest developments in the cybersecurity landscape, plus action items and innovations that can make a difference for IT solutions providers as they address cybersecurity challenges and opportunities.
IT Nation Secure by the Numbers
Opening keynote takeaways
Cybersecurity remains a major priority for IT solutions providers (TSPs), and the threat landscape is faster and more sophisticated than ever. The tried-and-true methods of the past are quickly becoming irrelevant as threat actors change their motivations, targets, and methods.
Even though 43% of cyberattacks are aimed at small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), only 14% of SMBs are prepared to defend their businesses from pervasive cyberthreats, according to Accenture. The study also states that 83% of SMBs are worried they will be targeted in the next six months.
Cybersecurity has reached a tipping point, and as the stakes get higher, the pressure to solve this problem will also rise. This creates a huge opportunity for TSPs to swoop in with the solutions that protect SMBs, but the first step is driving an ongoing understanding of the threat landscape and your biggest challenges as a TSP.
Top 5 TSP cybersecurity challenges
Knowledge is power and helps drive your efforts to address the challenges that will make the biggest impact on your business and clients, so let’s start with the top five:
- Increased cybercrime: An emerging and changing threat landscape makes it hard to keep pace and protect companies effectively.
- Solution updates are constant: The pace of innovation and SMBs adopting new technologies is gaining more and more velocity.
- More regulations: The growing cybersecurity regulatory and legal landscape is adding more complexities.
- Overwhelming numbers of cybersecurity tools: Scattered and sizable cybersecurity product availability complicates finding the right solutions or can result in a bloated tech stack.
- Scarce talent: Unfilled cybersecurity jobs grew by 350% to 3.5 million in 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. They also predict the same number of openings to exist in 2025.
Visit our cybersecurity's biggest challenges blog post to get more in-depth information and helpful resources about each challenge.
3 ways TSPs can evolve with cybersecurity
You can take control of these challenges for you and your customers, keeping in mind that you must evolve as fast (or faster) than the threat landscape. Business transformation with cybersecurity is necessary and inevitable. Here are three ways to approach it:
- Perspective: Take over the role of change-makers, not the change-responders role that threat actors may force us into.
- Playbooks: Create multi-faceted plans so you can quickly understand each situation and the right combinations of actions.
- Partnerships: Find the right partnerships that drive your business forward, including tools, solutions, services, and community.
8 actions for TSPs to take in 3 days to start cybersecurity evolution
Getting started may feel like a tall order, but in just three days, you can start moving forward in meaningful ways with these eight tasks:
- Start with honest self-reflection. Take stock of what you have and identify your vulnerabilities.
- Determine if you’re ready to sell cybersecurity. Do you have the right packages, marketing, and sales training? (Get started or take it to the next level with the ConnectWise Partner Program.)
- Become incident ready. If something happens in the middle of the night, can you act swiftly to contain the threat and keep your customers up and running without interruption? (See what the ConnectWise Incident Response Service™ can do to help.)
- Prepare to quickly understand every attack. Do you have all the necessary data and reporting to help you understand the extent of the attack and the right resources to help you get back up and running?
- Identify the gaps in your current cybersecurity offering. Do you offer ways to protect across all endpoints, networks, and SaaS applications? (See what’s available with ConnectWise Cybersecurity Management solutions.)
- Prioritize action. What are the risks you associate with one through five, and how can you close those gaps?
- Get help. Connect with ConnectWise! We are here to help if you have questions or are not quite sure how to move forward.
- Decide to transform. Become a change maker, build your playbook, and connect deeply with your partners.
New! Partnerships to enhance cybersecurity solutions
We continue to build partnerships in the industry and with other leading brands to give TSPs the tools and resources to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and protect clients. We revealed two exciting announcements:
ConnectWise partners with CISA and JCDC to improve cybersecurity tools
We want you to benefit from the latest cybersecurity threat intelligence, best practices, and training materials, and part of that strategy is a new partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC)! This partnership is a shared commitment to improving cybersecurity for all types of businesses, and it will help us build and enhance more tools and resources so you can strengthen your cybersecurity poster and protect your clients.
ConnectWise partners with Axcient for BCDR solutions
Adding Axcient as a BCDR solution partner for ConnectWise Co-Managed Backup gives our partners the choice between appliance-based or direct-to-cloud BCDR! When our ConnectWise NOC Services are added, TSPs can save up to 90% on the time and cost of managing backups.
ConnectWise solution announcements
Innovation is key to ensuring our partners can meet their most ambitious vision of success, and our progress is a direct reflection of valued feedback from our partners. You can follow all our solution announcements year-round with our monthly product innovation webinars, but Here’s what we announced at IT Nation Secure this year:
ConnectWise SIEM™
A layered defense is the best defense for an ever-changing threat landscape, but SIEM is often difficult to manage and needs significant in-house cybersecurity expertise. ConnectWise SIEM is a powerful alternative that streamlines safety and security across your networks, and it just got even better.
- Advanced correlation and reporting
Fully monitor all Microsoft 365 environments with a new logs collections integration with Azure AD. - ConnectWise SaaS Security™
New capabilities are available, including Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace monitoring and alerting, self-service integrations, alert opt-in/opt-out flexibility, and more!
ConnectWise Vulnerability Management™
Last November, our first version of Vulnerability Management went live. This year we’ve added vulnerability remediation that automates a patching cycle via ConnectWise RMM™ once a vulnerability has been identified. It’s seamless automation for another layer of protection.
ConnectWise SaaS Backup™
The SaaS Backup leverages our SIEM to monitor SaaS applications, and now the user interface has completely migrated to the ConnectWise Asio platform for a single view into all security issues associated with your SaaS applications for Microsoft 365 and Google Workplace. In the near future, more SaaS data sources and automatic remediation with predefined actions will be added.
Make the most of your ConnectWise partnership
You are not alone as you navigate the infinite edge—the chaotic, ever-changing environment of the TSP industry. Whatever your goals, ConnectWise is your supportive partner. We are committed to powering connections that drive your most ambitious vision of success via:
- The largest like-minded community
- Leading software solutions
- Consultation and expert services
- Innovative and reimagined solutions
There are many ways to deepen your partnership with us. Learn more about how we can help or get in touch with your account team today >>
Upcoming IT Nation events
IT Nation Connect in Orlando | November 2024
The premier thought-leadership conference for TSPs designed to promote education, inspiration, and networking in the community. Learn more today >>
ConnectWise User Groups | Quarterly in a city near you
Regional product training in a city near you. Learn more today >>
