Channel partner programs, Americas, Channel partners, Channel markets, Content, MDR, MSSP, XDR

Top 250 MSSP Secureworks Doubles Down on Partner First Strategy

Credit: Secureworks

As an evolution of its Global Partner Program, Secureworks, a Top 250 MSSP, announced that effective December 1 all new Secureworks Taegis business in North America will be sold in collaboration with partners, the company said in a prepared statement.

Secureworks said the move to its Partner First strategy is expected to accelerate its market share. It also “signals a significant milestone” in Secureworks’ transformation from MSSP to a cybersecurity provider of managed detection and response (MDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) products via Taegis, its cloud native platform.

The next stage in the Partner First strategy will focus on investing in partners that are best placed to deliver on its growth plan, Secureworks stated. Partner First will roll out globally in early 2023.

Secureworks CEO Wendy Thomas explained the timing for the announcement:

"Taegis XDR has gained significant market traction with ARR (annual recurring revenue) growth of 100% year over year, and now accounts for more than half of our ARR as reported last quarter. The time is right to take the next step in our go to market. Together, hand-in-hand with our strategic partners, we can accelerate the momentum we're seeing today. Our customers have high satisfaction and renewal rates with our partners, and we have been building towards this milestone since we began our SaaS transformation. Becoming Partner First ensures our customers are able to work with their trusted advisors within the partner community."

A Closer Look at Secureworks Taegis

Secureworks Taegis enables organizations to improve their overall cybersecurity posture and reduce cyber risk, the company said. With its open approach, Taegis integrates feeds from third party tools that are normalized and analyzed, along with Secureworks own proprietary data and threat intelligence, in real time, to help identify and resolve threats.

AS Ian Bancroft, Secureworks’ chief revenue officer explained:

"Our strategic partners have a unique relationship with customers that is essential for organizations to execute and deliver on their cyber strategies. We've orchestrated our Partner First strategy to empower partners to further demonstrate their expertise, insight and value for customers whilst building long-term profit for their own businesses. Our resources are aligned to enable partners to deliver outcome-based solutions, better protecting businesses and their communities."

What Partner First Offers

The Secureworks Partner First program’s benefits for existing and new partners include:

  • The award-winning Global Partner Program offers partner enablement tools and access to the cybersecurity professionals, researchers and developers.
  • Through a specific MSSP program, Secureworks has dedicated resources available for partners who want to transform their cybersecurity practices to the MSSP model by leveraging Taegis XDR and the experience of the Secureworks team.
  • Secureworks offers enhanced go-to-market support for all partners, including improvements in demand and opportunity management, and coordinated alliances with other technology providers.

Secureworks Advances Partnerships

Secureworks announced new partnerships with Netskope and SCADAfence, MSSP Alert reported on September 1. Those deal enable Secureworks XDR to address Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (IOS).

In addition, Secureworks disclosed that its XDR revenue was $42.8 million in Q2 of fiscal 2023 — up 131% from Q2 of fiscal 2022.

Jim Masters

Jim Masters is Managing Editor of MSSP Alert, and holds a B.A. degree in Journalism from Northern Illinois University. His career has spanned governmental and investigative reporting for daily newspapers in the Northwest Indiana Region and 16 years in a global internal communications role for a Fortune 500 professional services company. Additionally, he is co-owner of the Lake County Corn Dogs minor league baseball franchise, located in Crown Point, Indiana. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and recording his own music, oil painting, biking, volleyball, golf and cheering on the Corn Dogs.