You’ve probably heard the name Sophos. A pre-eminent leader in delivering cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS), this channel-first and “channel-best” company protects more than half a million organizations – and millions of users – every day. Customers represent multiple sizes and verticals, all stronger because they are better positioned against a growing number of sophisticated, advanced attacks. “We have a full portfolio of security products and services,” said Scott Barlow, Sophos vice president of global MSP and cloud alliances. With the MSP program, Barlow supports MSPs and MSSPs, cloud service providers, managed cloud security service providers, telcos and the integration services that they employ. “Every day,” he continued, “we look at detection and remediation for the existing or emerging threats out there.” Sophos’ flagship security solution, Intercept X, offers a top-tier malwaredetection engine with advanced antiransomware technology, validated by third-party firms such as Gartner, IDC and Forrester. With its comprehensive defense-in-depth approach to endpoint protection, Intercept X stops 99.98 percent of threats, freeing organizations for more-pressing issues. However, technology alone can’t prevent every cyberattack. That’s where Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR) comes into play. The industry-leading threathunting, detection and response service provides a dedicated 24x7 security team for identifying and neutralizing ransomware, breaches, hands-on keyboard adversaries and other attacks. With more than 15,000 customers, Sophos MDR is a critical service for protecting against threats that destroy businesses. Few organizations have the right in-house tools, people and processes to effectively manage their security program while defending against emerging threats. Even organizations with in-house capabilities find Sophos MDR cost-effective because they can partially outsource from Sophos, including second and third shifts that are notoriously difficult to attract, train and retain. Sophos’ MDR serves as an initial endpoint for detection and response, supporting integration with its own portfolio, plus competitive firewalls, email security services, identity systems and cloud offerings. “We ingest third-party telemetry into our data lake,” noted Barlow, “then leverage the telemetry and alerts to better respond to live customer environment threats. The Sophos endpoint is built for IT managers and cybersecurity experts alike. The former can more easily manage the interface, manipulating firewalls and endpoint encryption from the Sophos Central portal. Those more adept can leverage XDR tech to run detailed queries.” It also provides custom notifications and, once authorized, acts to neutralize threats. “Cybersecurity is complex,” said Barlow. “It changes way too fast to be effectively managed by most organizations on their own. Environments are also dispersed with remote work. MDR is a fully managed, 24x7 service delivered by Sophos experts and specializing in cyberattacks that technology alone can’t prevent. Not simply pointing to a problem.” It’s all part of a dedication toward rolling out cybersecurity products focused on integration and innovation. Some examples include higher-end XGS Firewall 7500/8500 appliances for large customers and campus environments, whether enterprise or telco; a ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) solution for transparent connections to critical business applications and data; Cloud Optix cost-optimization and topology maps; and a NDR (Network Detection and Response) appliance for overseeing networked IoT devices. Because, ultimately, cybersecurity is a challenge for any vertical. “You have SMB, midmarket and enterprise users,” noted Barlow. “You also have healthcare organizations, financial services, even the local restaurants and dry cleaners you’d find on Main Street in any town. With Sophos, we focus on the public sector. We focus on MSPs that cater to all. When you look at cybersecurity, our tools can be delivered to organizations of 10 or 100,000 employees. We provide the assets that exist in public cloud environments. This helps make sure your customers have the right policy, allowing MSPs, resellers and CSPs to secure on-premises, public cloud and hybrid.” Moving forward, Sophos is dedicated to adapting to emerging threats, innovating as it integrates more technology into its MDR data lake. “It’s about improving customer visibility,” said Barlow. “If you can’t see it, you can’t detect it and respond.” o For additional information on Sophos, its options for MDR and other security services, visit www.sophos.com. Sophos Helps Bolster Client Managed Detection, Response CYBER PATROL By Brady Hicks Sophos VP Scott Barlow 48 CHANNELV ISION | MARCH - APRIL 2023
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTg4Njc=