Kaspersky Lab Spies Pent Up Demand for Managed Security

Cybersecurity specialist Kaspersky Lab is aiming to build a managed security buinsess in Africa with the launch of a partner program targeted at service providers.

The company has devised a set of products and technologies that enables partners to offer managed security services (such as remote security monitoring, managed security, virtualization security and mobile device security and management) to enterprises of all kinds (including small businesses) using either cloud-based services or via on-premises platforms.

Kapersky has an anchor partner for the program in the form of First Distribution, a managed service provider with operations in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. "Everybody in the market, including SMB clients, will benefit from the high-quality cybersecurity proposals that allow remote management and make IT security more affordable," noted Debbie Abrahall, managing director at First Distribution.

Companies seeking to join the partner program must be a managed services provider, must purchase licenses from a distributor affiliated with Kaspersky Lab and must provide "first line support" to customers.

They can then offer a service based on the Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud, which enables the MSP to manage customer infrastructure from the cloud, a solution seemingly best suited to SMBs. Alternatively, the Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Basic and Kaspersky Security for Virtualization offer the ability to use a "multi-tenant on-premises solution managed by Kaspersky Security Center" for larger businesses with up to 10,000 managed nodes.

Managed security services are becoming increasingly popular with enterprises as cloud services options become available and as the virtualization of security functions becomes increasingly possible. Kapersky, one of the largest cybersecurity vendors in the world (it already boasts 270,000 enterprise users of its technology) is clearly keen to play a role in this market. It rolled out its partner program in Europe and North America earlier this month, where the market for such services is more mature: The company has clearly planted its flag in the ground with the launch in Africa, a region where companies such as Dimension Data and IBM are already active and where demand for managed security services is sure to grow but, likely, slowly.