ConnectSecure, a vulnerability management platform for MSPs backed by Bellini Capital, is launching a Microsoft 365 (M365) Assessment Module that aims to help MSPs gain deeper insights and visibility into Microsoft 365 configurations.
Microsoft 365 is the most widely used productivity suite used by business, and many MSPs have standardized on Microsoft technology for their customers.
Shiva Shankar, co-founder and CTO of ConnectSecure, told ChannelE2E that a lack of visibility into M365 configuration settings presents a critical security risk for many organizations today, which is why the new assessment module was created.
“This concern is especially pressing for MSPs, who are responsible not only for safeguarding their clients’ infrastructures but also for maintaining their own reputations,” said Shankar. “With cybercriminals increasingly targeting cloud environments, it is vital that MSPs take a proactive approach, identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.”
ConnectSecure developed the assessment module after many partners “expressed the need for a comprehensive security review of M365 environments, especially one that goes beyond traditional methods,” he said. “Proactivity and visibility are the keys to staying secure, and we are committed to helping our partners protect what matters most.”
How the M365 Assessment Module Works
The ConnectSecure M365 Assessment Module scans Microsoft 365 configurations and returns prioritized lists of its findings that can be used by MSPs and end user customers to address security vulnerabilities that are found, according to ConnectSecure, a vulnerability scanning vendor.
The collected assessments then provide detailed insights into critical findings, including security threat severity levels, remediation steps, supporting resources, and lists of affected tenant objects. Scheduled security scans can also be set up to monitor M365 configuration changes over time, while also highlighting new, modified, or resolved issues for users.
What the M365 Assessment Module Offers for MSPs
For MSPs, the new M365 Assessment module provides them with critical monitoring functions that enable them to proactively identify and resolve security weaknesses for their clients, while strengthening their cybersecurity strategies and reducing attack vectors.
The new M365 Assessment Module, which is currently in beta, will be generally available in Q4 of 2024 as part of ConnectSecure’s Vulnerability and Compliance Manager Premium package, or as a standalone product.
ConnectSecure built the M365 Assessment Module for Microsoft 365 because the office suite is one of the most popular and widely used productivity software applications used around the world, making it more susceptible to security threats, including human vulnerabilities due to phishing attacks and more. The M365 Assessment Module is designed to help MSPs and business IT admins to better prevent such threats from infiltrating established security defenses.
Background: ConnectSecure Platform Services
The ConnectSecure platform is built to provide MSPs and MSSPs with broad capabilities to serve their SMB clients, including vulnerability management, compliance management, vulnerability assessment, personal identifiable information scanning, patch management, active threat management, attack surface scanning, and more.
ConnectSecure is backed by Bellini Capital, the investment firm founded by ex-ConnectWise CEO and founder Arnie Bellini. ConnectSecure's other MSP-related portfolio companies include TechGrid, Nine Minds, and Compliance Scorecard. ConnectSecure is based in Tampa, Florida. Peter Bellini leads ConnectSecure as CEO.
Analyst: M365 Module to Make MSP Customers Safer
Rob Enderle, the principal analyst of Enderle Group, told ChannelE2E that he sees ConnectSecure’s new M365 Assessment Module as a valuable tool for MSPs.
“This module helps them identify and prioritize corrections that should make these customers safer and more resilient,” said Enderle.
In addition, the M365 module can help differentiate ConnectSecure in the marketplace “because it is focused on best practices it allows ConnectSecure to stand out by further reducing overhead while providing real value in the terms of end user customer security,” he said. “It will help customers better secure their shops and operations.”
