WatchGuard Technologies has announced the acquisition of ActZero, with the aim of strengthening and expanding its 24/7 MDR service, offering greater scalability and speed in its security solutions.
The integration of ActZero into WatchGuard will provide significant benefits to managed service providers (MSPs), improving their operational efficiency. “We realized the need to scale quickly as we have gained traction with our MDR service throughout the year,” says Prakash Panjwani, CEO of WatchGuard Technologies. “The acquisition of ActZero allows WatchGuard to add capacity, scalability and new technology that will facilitate the expansion of our MDR service to the entire WatchGuard portfolio and third-party security products.”
ActZero Advanced Capabilities
ActZero’s technology and team will become the foundation of WatchGuard’s MDR product line. Managed by an elite team of security experts and powered by artificial intelligence, ActZero’s service offers flexible support tailored to MSPs’ operational needs. Among its capabilities are:
- Proven and scalable MDR capabilities: They include a robust customer success function, onboarding procedures, and an expert SOC team.
- Advanced platform tools: They use machine learning to provide automated, efficient and effective security, with fewer false positives and less noise.
- Open architecture: Extends beyond WatchGuard endpoint security, encompassing managed Fireboxes and third-party services such as Microsoft Defender.
WatchGuard Acquires ActZero to Add Scalable, Open Platform AI-Powered Security to Deliver Simplified 24/7 MDR Services
Commitment to Cybersecurity
Hal Libby, general manager of managed services at WatchGuard Technologies, said WatchGuard shares ActZero’s commitment to delivering leading MDR services and simplifying cybersecurity management for MSPs. The collaboration will enable more MSPs to leverage the capabilities of WatchGuard’s platform and accelerate the expansion of MDR products in the future.
Benefits of MDR Services
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services offer continuous monitoring across IT environments, such as cloud, on-premises, endpoints, and identities, to combat infiltrations and latent malware before they can cause damage. Experienced MSPs want to offer advanced MDR services to better protect their clients, but may face difficulties scaling a SOC and driving efficiency through automation. MDR services from providers like WatchGuard enable MSPs to scale and grow to meet customer demand in reducing risks from cybersecurity incidents.
WatchGuard MDR Released
WatchGuard launched its MDR service in October 2023, offering MSPs a comprehensive and scalable solution that includes endpoint and activity monitoring in Microsoft 365, threat hunting, detection, investigation and containment, along with guided recommendations for remediation. This service has been in high demand because it allows partners to incorporate MDR into their portfolio without having to invest in traditional SOC infrastructure, advanced technologies or security experts, which are scarce resources. This has allowed MSPs to address the global shortage of professionals and funding, while scaling at their own pace.
Future of Cybersecurity
WatchGuard’s acquisition of ActZero represents a significant step in the evolution of cybersecurity. By combining ActZero’s advanced technology and expert team with WatchGuard’s unified security platform, MSPs will be able to offer more efficient and powerful security services. This collaboration not only improves threat response capabilities, but also reinforces WatchGuard’s position as a preferred provider of cybersecurity platforms for MSPs.
In summary, WatchGuard Technologies’ acquisition of ActZero marks an important milestone in cybersecurity, providing MSPs with advanced and scalable tools to better protect their clients in an increasingly complex and challenging digital environment.
