ConnectWise Aims To Improve Cybersecurity For MSPs With CISA Partnership

by Ty Trumbull • Mar 28, 2023

ConnectWise has unveiled a new partnership aimed at improving cybersecurity for MSPs.

The partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) will provide MSPs with the resources and tools necessary to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and protect their clients from cyber threats, the company said.

CISA JCDC brings together experts from government, industry, and academia to collaborate on cybersecurity defense.

Through this partnership, ConnectWise will have access to the latest threat intelligence, best practices, and training materials from CISA JCDC. In turn, ConnectWise will be well-positioned to share this information with MSPs to support ongoing efforts to defend against evolving cyber attacks, the company said.

As part of the collaboration, ConnectWise will work closely with CISA JCDC to develop new solutions and services that address the latest cybersecurity challenges faced by MSPs.

Patrick Beggs, CISO, ConnectWise, commented on the news:

“We are thrilled to partner with CISA JCDC to help MSPs improve their cybersecurity practices. MSPs are on the frontlines of protecting businesses from cyber threats, and it’s our responsibility to provide them with the best tools and resources to keep their clients safe.”

OpenAI & Security Concerns

This announcement comes just weeks after ConnectWise made clear its commitment to work with OpenAI and its ChatGPT platform, which could raise security concerns.

Though the company was clear to point out that any OpenAI integration would be an iterative process and security is at the forefront of the move.

CISA’s Growing Ransomware Programs

The announcement also comes at the same time as CISA announced its new proactive program to help keep tabs on potential vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure sector companies. The Ransomware Vulnerability Warning Pilot (RVWP) is aimed at curtailing ransomware attacks, according to the group.

The program began in March with a scan for the dangerous ProxyNotShell vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange. The vulnerability has provided entrance to numerous ransomware attacks since its inception. CISA says it was able to notify 93 critical infrastructure organizations of the presence of this vulnerability, and plans to scale up the program and provide more warnings in the coming months.