Dell Adds CrowdStrike to Cybersecurity Services Portfolio
Dell Technologies today announced an alliance with CrowdStrike as part of a larger initiative to expand the cybersecurity services it provides. Under the terms of the alliance with CrowdStrike, Dell has agreed to resell the CrowdStrike Falcon platform to customers.
In addition, Dell is adding a Managed Detection and Response Pro Plus service that provides threat detection and investigation in addition to identifying vulnerabilities and prioritizing patching. The MDR offering spans breach and attack simulations to test security controls, penetration testing, training and incident response services.
Finally, Dell is adding a Dell Product Success Accelerator for Cyber Recovery service to make it simpler to create a Dell Cybersecurity Vault to secure data and a Dell Secured Component Verification that ensures Dell PCs are secure via a digital certificate stored in the cloud that reduces any chance of tampering.
Matt Baker, senior vice president of corporate strategy for Dell, said it’s apparent that as the IT landscape becomes increasingly chaotic, there is a greater need for organizations to rely on external cybersecurity expertise to make up for the chronic shortage of cybersecurity expertise. To close that gap, Dell is building an ecosystem of partners like CrowdStrike to make cybersecurity services more accessible, said Baker.
The CrowdStrike Falcon platform uses machine learning algorithms and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) alongside indicators of attacks, deep kernel visibility, custom indicators of compromise (IoCs) and behavioral blocking to secure IT environments. Dell is committing to incorporate those capabilities into its cybersecurity services portfolio.
It’s not clear to what degree organizations are now relying more on external cybersecurity expertise, but as cyberattacks continue to increase in volume and sophistication, it’s becoming more challenging to maintain an effective defense. Many IT organizations are relying more on IT operations teams to manage security operations, but there is still a pressing need to both test defenses, discover malware and adjust policies as the threats continue to evolve.
In fact, a recent CrowdStrike report found 71% of attacks detected did not involve malware, as the number of interactive intrusions involving hands-on-keyboard activity increased 50% in 2022. There was also a 20% increase in the number of adversaries conducting data theft and extortion campaigns as cybercriminals shifted away from encrypting data to extort a ransom and instead simply holding stolen data hostage, according to the report.
As managed security services continue to evolve, the scope of the offerings being made available has clearly expanded. Historically, managed security service providers were mainly focused on providing alerts that might indicate a breach. Full-service MDR services now provide a wide range of capabilities that organizations can employ to either augment their existing capabilities or outsource responsibility for cybersecurity altogether.
Regardless of approach, as these types of services become more accessible, the overall state of cybersecurity should improve. The issue now is determining the level of economic sense it makes to rely on MDR services versus an internal team that may need to narrow its responsibilities before becoming overwhelmed.
