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Security vendor Barracuda remains committed to supporting channel partners as they become trusted security advisors for clients, according to various conversations Channel Insider has had with its leadership.
At ChannelCon, SVP of Global Channels and Alliances Michelle Hodges reflected on her experience joining the team and what she plans to do next for Barracuda’s vast channel ecosystem.
How the channel leader has embraced growth and speed just months into new role
Hodges joined the Barracuda team in May of this year and almost immediately spent time with partners in each region, learning their needs and engaging with the expansive partner base Barracuda has built worldwide.
Now, a few months in, she says every day is exciting as the team doubles down on partner success and enablement in the AI era.
“What I love about Barracuda is its focus on the MSP as customer zero,” Hodges told Channel Insider at ChannelCon. “Barracuda has a well-branded, very large, very established channel already. I’m excited about the opportunity we have to expand that ecosystem even further and bring a more complete solution to our partners.”
Hodges told Channel Insider her plans now include a renewed focus for the organization on how it enables partners to not just sell Barrcuda but position themselves as security experts to their clients.
“We are up-levelling our enablement framework to provide more use cases, success stories, and other resources. We want to load partners up with sales plays to bring into the field, and we’re also expanding the amount of co-sell opportunities we pursue,” Hodges said.
Barracuda shows no signs of slowing down in product development
While Barracuda remains focused on how its partners go to market, it hasn’t slowed down on product innovation. In two and half months, Hodges has seen four new products delivered to partners, a speed of development she says provides myriad opportunities to partners.
In June, the company unveiled its BarracudaOne platform, promising a unified approach to the provider’s vast portfolio.
VP of Product Management Brian Downey told Channel Insider that the ability for MSPs and other channel partners to demonstrate the ROI of tooling to their clients will enable them to effectively convey the importance of investing in cybersecurity.
“We provide a purpose-built platform for MSPs and build with the intention of helping partners run their businesses more efficiently,” said Hodges. “We know MSPs need help consolidating tools, accessing data, and being cost-effective as they keep customers secure. That’s what we work toward every day.”
Latest research points to ongoing struggle with ransomware response
Barracuda also released new research to coincide with Black Hat, centered around findings that highlight the state of ransomware response around the world.
Some of the key highlights in the research show the following:
- 57% of the organizations surveyed were affected by ransomware, including 67% of those in healthcare and 65% of respondents within local government.
- Ransomware attackers have a one-in-three chance of securing a payout.
- 32% of ransomware victims paid the attackers to recover or restore data, rising to 37% among organizations affected twice or more.
- 41% of those who paid a ransom failed to recover all their data.
- Fewer than half (47%) of the ransomware victims had implemented an email security solution, compared to 59% of non-victims.
- This matters because email is a primary attack vector for ransomware: 71% of organizations that suffered an email breach were also hit with ransomware.
- Ransomware attacks are multidimensional.
- Just under a quarter (24%) of the ransomware incidents experienced by respondents involved data encryption.
- In comparison, a significant number involved the attackers stealing (27%) and publishing data (also 27%), infecting devices with other malicious payloads (29%), installing backdoors for persistence (21%), and more.
Additionally, 74% of repeat victims reported they are juggling too many security tools, and 61% say their tools don’t integrate with each other. These data points lend credence to the company’s recent push towards a unified platform approach to security for partners and customers.
Barracuda commissioned Vanson Bourne to conduct a global survey of 2,000 senior security decision-makers in IT and business roles in organizations with between 50 and 2,000 employees.
“The findings make it clear that ransomware is an escalating threat, and fragmented security defenses leave organizations immensely vulnerable,” said Neal Bradbury, chief product officer at Barracuda. “In many cases attackers can move through victims’ networks, gaining access to devices, data and more without being detected and blocked. Too many victims are juggling an unmanageable number of disconnected tools, often introduced with the best intentions to strengthen protection. Tools that can’t work together, or which are not configured correctly, create security gaps and lead to breaches. A unified approach to security centered on a strong integrated platform is vital.”
Read more of our ChannelCon coverage, including this story on how GTIA is doubling down on community-led growth efforts.
