COMMENTARY: In 2025, CISOs recognize that their responsibilities extend far beyond traditional cybersecurity measures like firewalls and endpoint detection. One of the most urgent—and frequently overlooked—challenges is safeguarding their organization's digital brand.Cyber brand protection has evolved from being merely a marketing or legal issue to becoming a critical pillar of cybersecurity leadership. As digital threats increasingly intertwine with reputational risks, security teams must collaborate with MSSPs capable of providing scalable, agile, and intelligence-driven brand protection solutions.“Cyber brand protection is no longer just a marketing problem—it’s a cybersecurity imperative," said Chirag Arora, chair of the GlobalCISO Leadership Foundation. "I fully believe that brand protection platforms are the need of the hour for MSSPs. It empowers them to deliver real-time visibility into brand abuse across both open and covert digital channels. In 2025, CISOs are seeking partners who don’t just react—they anticipate. This is your opportunity to lead.”
The Reality of Brand-Based Cyber Threats
A recent RiskProfiler survey shows that 97.5% of CISOs express deep concern about brand risk. The conclusion is undeniable: No organization is exempt. These attacks now extend beyond data theft, increasingly targeting brand integrity through fake websites, social impersonations, account compromises, and counterfeit domains—many of which are propagated on the dark web, where anonymity and sophistication amplify the threat.With the rise of advanced tactics like AI-generated content, deepfake technology, and phishing on high-engagement platforms like social media, the urgency for proactive, 24/7 brand monitoring has never been greater. From the open internet to the dark web, it’s not just necessary—it’s critical.Why MSSPs Are Key to Modern Brand Protection
Traditional internal teams are often stretched too thin to respond swiftly to brand abuse. This is where MSSPs can step in and add real value by integrating cyber brand protection as a managed offering.MSSPs can partner with platforms that offer these services to deliver cyber brand protection as a scalable, AI-powered managed service. Vendors in the space offer solutions that continuously monitor a brand’s digital footprint across the surface, deep, and dark web—as well as social media platforms, online marketplaces, and DNS infrastructure. These solutions proactively detect threats such as executive impersonation, counterfeit product listings, phishing domains, and unauthorized brand usage—enabling MSSPs to identify and neutralize risks before they impact brand trust or reputation.By integrating brand protection capabilities, MSSPs can help clients:- Detect impersonation and phishing campaigns early
- Monitor dark web chatter and breach marketplaces
- Identify fraudulent sellers and counterfeit product listings
- Automate takedown efforts and legal escalations
- Provide executive visibility with compliance-ready reports
MSSPs: Positioning Brand Protection as a Growth Service
For MSSPs, brand protection is not only a critical service—it’s a revenue-generating upsell opportunity. Many CISOs are actively seeking brand monitoring solutions but lack the time or talent to manage them internally. Positioning this as a fully managed, outcome-driven service lets MSSPs step into a leadership role, offering strategic defense with measurable impact.Keys to Success:- Bundle brand protection with TPRM, digital risk, or phishing protection services
- Provide reporting aligned with executive risk dashboards
- Automate remediation to reduce incident response times
- Educate clients on the evolving threat landscape and compliance implications




