Channel Brief: Accenture Launches AI-Powered Cybersecurity Offerings

Today, managed security services, consulting and threat intelligence provider LevelBlue released its 2024 Futures Report: Cyber Resilience in U.S. state, local and education agencies (SLED).

As cyberattacks on government and educational institutions rise, the stakes are high, and the consequences of a breach are far-reaching, the report noted. The research reveals how U.S. SLED leaders are grappling with escalating threats, innovation demands, and the growing need for cyber resilience. It also outlines the proactive steps executives can take to protect their operations.

Some of the findings:

69% of respondents said their organizations are at risk due to barriers impacting their cybersecurity resilience strategies.
66% indicate that digital transformation is an ongoing barrier to cybersecurity resilience.
70% believe cybersecurity is an afterthought in their organizations, with another 67% stating efforts are often siloed.
69% of respondents report cyber resilience is primarily the responsibility of cybersecurity teams and is not an enterprise-wide priority.
71% say their organizations do not specifically invest in cyber resilience beyond cybersecurity.
69% report budgets are reactive rather than proactive.
55% of respondents reveal there’s a lack of understanding about cybersecurity at the board level.
72% of organizations are struggling to find the external guidance they need.

Check out the full report here. I talked with LevelBlue's chief evangelist, Theresa Lanowitz, in a webcast on cyber resilience for our sister site, MSSP Alert. Check that out on-demand here!

As always, drop me a line at [email protected] if you have news to share or want to say hi!

Grab your coffee. Here's what you need to know today.

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. Accenture launches AI-powered cybersecurity capabilities: Accenture this week announced new gen-AI powered cybersecurity services and capabilities to help clients with business and cyber resilience, the company said. In addition to the services, Accenture is also launching new Cyber Future Centers powered by emerging tech, which will join a network of more than 40 cybersecurity facilities across 22 countries. The new locations include a flagship gen AI Security studio in Brussels and a studio in Washington, D.C.; a Quantum Security Center and Lab and a Cyber-Physical Security center in Bengaluru; and a Sovereignty Hub in Malaga.

2. Blue Mantis acquires Colligio: MSP Blue Mantis has acquired Colligio, a provider of unified communications, networking, and security solutions specializing in Cisco-based technologies. The company is headquartered in Walpole, MA, and has customers and employees throughout the Northeast. With the acquisition, Blue Mantis is launching a new collaboration/unified communications practice. Colligio founder and President Sean Kelley will lead the practice as VP of collaboration and unified communications, reporting to Blue Mantis’ chief revenue officer, Terry Richardson. Before starting Colligio, Kelley served as director of infrastructure and collaboration for GreenPages, which rebranded as Blue Mantis in 2023.

3. Cyware names Sivasankaran as new president: Threat intelligence and automation provider Cyware has appointed Jawahar Sivasankaran as president. Sivasankaran brings 25+ years of experience in security product innovation, growth leadership, and customer success at Cisco, Splunk, and Appgate. Most recently, as president and COO of Appgate, Sivasankaran led all go-to-market functions including sales, marketing, and customer success and served as a Section 16 public company officer. Previously at Splunk, he played a key leadership role in transforming specialization sales for Splunk’s advanced security offerings, driving growth and customer intimacy. Before that, he held various leadership positions in go-to-market and product functions at Cisco. Congratulations!

4. Nintex launches low-code process automation app builder: AI-enabled process automation firm Nintex has launched Nintex Apps – an application development product that enables business users, IT teams, process experts, and Nintex partners to rapidly build and deploy applications, the company said. Nintex Apps connects with Nintex workflow and document generation products, enabling businesses to easily create purpose-built applications that streamline complex workflows and processes.

5. Cribl now available on Microsoft Azure Marketplace: Data management platform Cribl announced this week that its solutions are now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Cribl customers can now take advantage of the Azure cloud platform, making it simpler for customers to onboard and deploy Cribl within Azure, the company said. Customers can now use their existing Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) to purchase Cribl solutions, eliminating the need for separate vendor onboarding processes and bringing unified billing, reduced administrative overhead, and faster deployment and scalability.