Ian Thornton-Trump is a cybersecurity expert and chief security officer of Cyjax, a threat intelligence 
and cyber security company.
A previous TubbTalk guest, Richard took the opportunity to ask Ian for the latest cybersecurity news and to learn more about the Pax8 Beyond event.
An Interview with Ian Thornton-Trump
Watch the Video Recording of The Interview
The Current State of the MSP Industry and the Impact of Cybersecurity
The MSP industry has changed in the last few years, because MSPs aren’t making enough money just by providing RMM (remote monitoring and management) support.
Ian adds that MSPs are streamlining their offerings, too. The market has been flooded with a range of cloud solutions, and MSP clients just want something simple. And plug and play detection tools make life easier for everyone.
Why Vendor Solutions Should Give Real Business Value
“Many vendors don’t understand the channel or the needs of the MSP’s clients. Clients just want systems that work and are definitely secure. But they want that for the least amount of money possible!” Ian says.
“It’s vital that they demonstrate that business value and the benefits to the end user. If an MSP is going to be successful, it’s about billable activity and being clear on how they’re making money. It was fine having flashy tools, but those don’t really benefit the MSP or their customer.”
How MSPs can Compete in an Overcrowded Cybersecurity Market
Ian breaks his advice down into two parts. “First, vendors have to stop lying about where they’re actually at in terms of their product development. MSPs rely on that to help them to choose a vendor partner, and they’re sometimes misled by what the vendors say they can do.
“Secondly, when you’re a new MSP, or trying to win new clients, your product is critical. Don’t try to change features or how you manage client accounts. Make sure the vendors can deliver what you promise.”
The Impact of AI on Cybersecurity
While Ian is optimistic about AI’s ability to elevate security effectiveness for MSPs, he doesn’t see it as a quantum leap forward just yet. “It’s like everyone has typewriters and we’re moving towards word processors.”
But on the other hand, he is hopeful that it will move us closer to zero trust, and AI will find it easier to pick up on any cybercriminal activity. “AI is a credible and interesting threat, but so far, I don’t think anyone is using it to effectively launch cyber-attacks.
“What they are doing is finding weaknesses in infrastructure that can be brought down with DDoS, or rapidly weaponising core software that hasn’t stood the test of time. For companies who don’t invest in cybersecurity, any small vulnerability is exploited. But AI isn’t part of that right now.”
The Pax8 Beyond Experience
Ian enjoyed the Pax8 event in Denver, saying it gave him nostalgia for the big channel events of a few years ago. It was posh, professional and a great event for all involved.
“I think it epitomised a lot of opportunity and hopefulness for the channel. I think a lot of us were fairly critical of the direction it was moving in. And my other big takeaway is: if you’re going to go into the channel (as a vendor) don’t just take your enterprise product and try and dump it there.
“Don’t make potential MSP partners do all the work to find out the business value of your offering. Do the work. And make sure you understand your market! What does an MSP need to effectively support its clients? The Pax8 event encouraged vendors to think more about those things.”
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Mentioned in This Episode
- Pax8
- Cybersecurity tools: ThreatLocker
- Cybersecurity technology: CrowdStrike
- MSP management tool: Connectwise
- Password Manager from N-able
- Business platform: SyncroMSP
- IT solutions: Datto
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Richard Tubb is one of the best-known experts within the global IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) community. He launched and sold his own MSP business before creating a leading MSP media and consultancy practice. Richard helps IT business owner’s take back control by freeing up their time and building a business that can run without them. He’s the author of the book “The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide” and writer of the award-winning blog www.tubblog.co.uk
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