MSP vulnerability management platform provider ConnectSecure has launched a new version of its cybersecurity scanning platform for MSPs.
The new user interface provides a global GRC (governance, risk and compliance) view of all networked and cloud assets, upgraded compliance scanning, and automated remediation.
“This isn’t just some refreshed interface,” CEO Peter Bellini told ChannelE2E. “This is a soup-to-nuts refresh. It’s been completely rewritten with more customization in reporting and it does a better job of organizing data.”
Governance, Risk and Compliance
The most recent version of the product, ConnectSecure Version 4.0, tackles GRC, and that’s something that MSPs can use to sell into new accounts and provide deeper services to existing accounts.
“Compliances are a huge issue,” ConnectSecure co-founder and president Srikant Sreenivasan told ChannelE2E. “There are so many compliances to take care of from industry-specific ones such as HIPAA if you are in healthcare to PCI DS or financial services. Many countries also have country-specific compliances now.”
That’s an opportunity for MSPs who can help their clients with their compliance needs.
The GRC functionality is a natural outgrowth of ConnectSecure’s original charter – vulnerability scanning. Sreenivasan told ChannelE2E that organizations need continuous assessments and continuous remediation to achieve proper hygiene which helps protect clients against threats
ConnectSecure’s Origin Story
Vulnerability management has been ConnectSecure’s bread and butter from the beginning. The company was founded by Sreenivasan and Shiva Shankar. The two co-founders, together with CyberCall and Right of Boom founder Andrew Morgan, put together focus groups of managed service providers (MSPs) to figure out what was missing in that market back in 2021.
They identified vulnerability management as something that was lacking in the MSP tool market. While there were tools available for enterprise organizations, these tools were not purpose built for managed services. Indeed, they were too complex and too expensive for the MSP market.
While some of ConnectSecure’s sales are companies that haven’t had vulnerability scanning in place before, there’s another group of customers that is moving away from enterprise vulnerability tools to ConnectSecure because it is purpose-built for managed services providers, according to Bellini.
Bellini was named CEO of ConnectSecure in December 2022. He previously had served as VP of operations at the company since its launch in 2021.
Peter Bellini is the son of ConnectWise founder Arnie Bellini. ConnectSecure is one of a handful of new MSP-related investments made by Bellini Capital, Arnie Bellini’s investment firm.
[Read our story: Arnie Bellini: What’s Wrong with the MSP Market, How He’ll Fix It].
A Deeper Look at ConnectSecure’s GRC Dashboard
ConnectSecure said that the cornerstone of Version 4.0 is it’s shift to a global GRC-centric view. The dashboard provides MSPs with a comprehensive, real-time overview of all client assets, both networked and cloud-based from the login screen. This enables MSPs to quickly identify and prioritize the most pressing security threats, enhancing their ability to protect client data effectively.
ConnectSecure’s Automated Remediation
Automation is one of the top watchwords for most of the MSP and MSSP community in 2024, according to ChannelE2E and MSSP Alert’s ongoing discussions with industry participants. Automated remediation in ConnectSecure means that once issues are identified, they are automatically fixed, the company said. That takes pressure of individual technicians and fixes problems before they become incidents.
ConnectSecure 4.0: More New Features
The company also said that the new version of the platform offers a number of other new features, too, including the following:
- Multi-perspective views including global, company, and asset category
- Enhanced problem and solution views for driving operational efficiencies
- Timeline views for detailed asset history, crucial for compliance and audits
- Fully customizable reports with versatile data export options
- A robust new Dashboard Engine
- Significantly improved scalability
- Advanced bandwidth optimization through smart compression and incremental sync
- Exclusive, top-tier support entirely based in the US from the Tampa headquarters
ConnectSecure 4.0 Pricing and Roadmap
ConnectSecure has revised its pricing tiers for 2024 to align with the new features and functionality. Users with less than 1500 devices will continue at current rates while tiers for larger networks will see a price increase to $99 per month.
“Our vision with this release is not just to upgrade our existing capabilities, but to evolve ConnectSecure into a comprehensive, 360-degree Asset Visibility and Security platform,” said co-founder and CTO Shankar. “We are committed to delivering unparalleled value for the price, enabling our platform to serve as a singular, robust solution that can seamlessly replace multiple products in the MSP arsenal.”
