Europe, Channel partners, Security Program Controls/Technologies, EMEA

Accenture, Vodafone Partner for SME Managed Security Services in Germany

BARCELONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 28: A logo sits illuminated outside the Vodafone booth at the SK telecom booth on day 1 of the GSMA Mobile World Congress on February 28, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the world’s largest communications companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and wearables...

BARCELONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 28: A logo sits illuminated outside the Vodafone booth at the SK telecom booth on day 1 of the GSMA Mobile World Congress on February 28, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the world’s largest communications companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and wearables gadgets like foldable screens. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Vodafone and Accenture, a Top 250 MSSP and Top 250 Public Cloud MSP, are partnering to deliver managed security services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany.

Together, Vodafone and Accenture will provide the following seven managed security services to German SMEs:

  1. Penetration Testing: Allows German SMEs to simulate cyberattacks and perform internal and external tests across their network.
  2. Vulnerability Management: Identifies existing vulnerabilities in internal and external IT infrastructure.
  3. Phishing Awareness: Lets German SMEs use simulations to teach their employees about phishing attacks.
  4. Cyber Exposure Diagnostic: Shows German SMEs how well their IT systems are protected against cyber attacks.
  5. Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Provides around-the-clock security monitoring, analysis and reporting.
  6. Breach Response and Forensics: Offers a pre-defined plan of action to help German SMEs quickly identify and respond to cyber attacks.
  7. Firewall Management: Consists of firewall deployment, management and operation.

These services will be delivered by Vodafone and managed by Accenture, the companies noted.

The Vodafone relationship reinforces Accenture's continued expansion from enterprise services down into the SME market -- though we don't know just how far down market Accenture plans to extend.

Vodafone and Accenture: Earlier Partnerships

Vodafone and Accenture have a history of working together. Earlier announcements include:

  • December 2021: Vodafone Business and Accenture partnered with Generali Group, an Italian insurance company. With the partnership, Vodafone and Accenture are creating a package of cyber insurance services to help organizations recognize, respond to and recover from cyber threats and incidents.
  • July 2020: The two companies jointly invested in a security innovation lab. The lab's key areas of focus include workplace, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and SD-WAN environments. The companies also announced joint managed security, cyber assessment and professional services at this time.

Vodafone is one of the world's largest telecommunications groups, with over 300 million mobile customers globally.

Accenture Managed Security Services

Meanwhile, Accenture offers cybersecurity and other IT services to customers in more than 120 countries. The company has been growing its MSSP services both organically and through acquisitions.

Key Accenture acquisitions and investments have included:

Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.

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