Channel Brief: SMBs Want Better Cybersecurity. MSPs Can Close the Gap.

New IDC research commissioned by Sage shows what many channel partners already know: SMBs care about cybersecurity, but many are still struggling to manage it well. Cybersecurity was a top priority for 52% of the 2,210 SMBs surveyed, and 60% expect to spend more on it over the next year. But half also said they had an incident or breach during that same period. The spending is there. The security maturity is not. This is what is creating a clear opening for MSPs. Many SMBs are buying tools, but they are not always putting the right processes around them. Only 36% test their incident response plans, and 43% of micro businesses do not regularly monitor third-party vendors. AI adds another layer of risk, with 81% of SMBs saying they are not ready for AI-related threats.

WatchGuard's new global survey of 842 IT and security leaders puts hard numbers on the squeeze SMBs are under and backs up the reality that Sage is describing. Across 20 countries, 91% said they're worried about AI-driven attacks and 75% took at least one cyber incident in the past year, but 54% admit they can't deliver round-the-clock monitoring and response on their own, and 67% need outside help just to keep up with compliance demands.

WatchGuard frames this as a capacity problem rather than a skills problem: SMBs understand the risks, they simply don't have the headcount or operational scale to act on them at the speed today's threats require. That gap is changing buying behavior. Nearly half (48%) already rely on MSPs to supplement internal teams, 44% will pay more for AI-powered detection and response, and SMBs are increasingly judging providers on outcomes like faster detection and reduced complexity rather than uptime alone.

SMBs are not just looking for more security tools. What SMBs need is help running cybersecurity day-to-day, and that is where MSPs can turn spending into stronger practices, faster response, and more consistent protection.

This Week's Tech, Channel, and MSP News

Dell introduces the Dell AI Ecosystem Program: Dell Technologies has launched the Dell AI Ecosystem Program, a validation and blueprinting framework built on Dell AI Factory that is meant to help enterprises adopt on-premises AI systems with less integration risk. The program gives customers access to a curated catalog of validated AI solutions across models, data platforms, MLOps, observability, cybersecurity and applications, along with deployment blueprints, reference architectures and clearer support boundaries between Dell and its technology partners. For ISVs and AI software companies, the program creates a structured path to test and validate their offerings on Dell AI Factory, produce deployment guides and gain visibility through Dell’s ecosystem catalogs.

Snyk expands its partner strategy: Snyk is expanding its partner strategy as AI-generated code pushes enterprises to rethink how they manage application security at scale. The company said partner-sourced new ARR bookings in North America grew more than 6x between 2023 and 2025, a sign that customers are increasingly looking for help embedding security into development workflows rather than simply buying another tool. Snyk is responding with a new Partner Services Delivery Program, which gives partners a path to build services around implementation, integration, AI and AppSec maturity assessments, remediation, custom policy development, and managed or hosted services. It is also launching a Partner Accelerator Fund tied to certification and pipeline milestones.

NTT DATA to acquire WinWire: NTT DATA has signed a definitive agreement to acquire WinWire, a Microsoft partner focused on agentic AI, Azure AI, data engineering and cloud-native development. The deal will add more than 1,000 Azure engineers and Microsoft specialists to NTT DATA and strengthen its Microsoft cloud and AI practice, including work around Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI Foundry. For enterprise customers, the move is about scaling AI beyond pilots into production-ready systems tied to data, applications, cloud and managed services. The acquisition also builds on NTT DATA’s Microsoft relationship, including its Global Business Unit for Microsoft Cloud and more than 24,000 Microsoft certifications across more than 50 countries.