CRN Exclusive: Ironscales Launches MSSP Program For Anti-Phishing Technology

Ironscales, an Israeli security startup, launched its first Managed Security Service Provider partner program Thursday, a move CEO and founder Eyal Benishti said would allow MSSPs to help clients fight back against phishing attacks.

Ironscales’ technology uses human intelligence and machine learning to automatically identify and respond to phishing attacks in real time. The company’s products include offerings for organization risk assessment, training and simulation, phishing remediation and global phishing intelligence for what the company says is a ’layered approach’ to preventing and remediating phishing attacks.

Under the new program, MSSPs can now offer these products to their clients as an as-a-service offering. MSSPs can use the API and unified dashboard to automatically or manually manage phishing simulation and training, as well as detect and remediate phishing incidents at the client. Ironscales will also be offering technology training under the program, Benishti said.

[Related: CRN Exclusive: BeyondTrust Launches MSP Program And Amazon Marketplace Availability]

Benishti said Ironscales has already signed up a handful of MSSP partners to the program, including smaller MSSP partners and two large regional MSSPs. He said Ironscales would like to add more than 50 MSSP partners to the new program in the next six months. Ironscales plans to push most of its SMB and SME go-to-market through partners, including MSSPs and traditional resellers, he added.

’We believe it is the perfect match for us to use [MSSPs] as a channel to reach more customers and enhance their offerings. And, for them, to increase their offerings and stay on top of the market,’ Benishti said.

For MSSPs, Benishti said this type of program and offering is important because it allows them to distinguish themselves from other MSSPs in their area.

’MSSPs are always looking for new, innovative solutions and exciting technology to bring to their customers. … In most cases for our partners, the customers are proactively approaching them and asking for this type of solution,’ Benishti said.

’It is a very trending demand out there with MSSPs. There are a lot of MSSPs coming up every day because companies in the market in general are starting to realize that there is no way small and medium companies can handle all these security issues. They need someone they can trust to manage all these operations for them in a comprehensive and professional way,’ he said.

Keith Christie-Smith, sales manager at South Africa-based Performanta, said in an email that the company chose to partner with Ironscales because phishing and spearphishing attacks have ’become one of the biggest threats to our customers. According to a study by security startup Barkly, the number of phishing attacks in first-quarter 2016 was up 250 percent, with targeted spearphishing attacks up 22 percent year over year.

’Every day it becomes more and more apparent that phishing attacks need to be dealt with very quickly; that's why we see Ironscales as an innovative solution with the potential to help our customers immensely,’ Christie-Smith said.

Christie-Smith said Performanta chose Ironscales in particular because of its ability to remove suspicious emails from all user inboxes around the globe. That’s a ’remediation benefit we haven’t had before,’ he said.

Benishti said Ironscales will continue to build out its MSSP program, including adding marketing to customers, equipping salespeople with information, and investing to keep pace with demand.