Cyber Security Survey: More than 80 Percent of Resellers Think Customers Are Most Concerned with New Ransomware Threats

SEATTLE, Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WatchGuard Technologies, a leader in advanced network security solutions, today announced the results of a new global channel partner survey on cyber security. It was designed to capture the reseller's perspective on customer cyber threat concerns and their overall understanding of the firewall market. Conducted by independent market research firm, Vanson Bourne, the survey examined the views of more than 1,400 WatchGuard partner organizations across the globe.

What threats do resellers think customers are most concerned about?

According to the survey, 83 percent of resellers believe that ransomware will be their customers' largest concern this year. In addition, 16 percent believe the majority of their customers would pay a cyber ransom, and 65 percent believe at least some of their customers would pay. This willingness (or necessity) to pay, coupled with the increasing threat of ransomware, could prove costly for businesses in the coming year.

"The proliferation of ransomware reached epidemic proportions in 2016, so it makes sense that resellers are forecasting it as the top threat next year," said Corey Nachreiner, chief technology officer at WatchGuard. "On top of cyber extortion, security customers are hearing about tons of other new attacks and threat vectors each day, and they're wondering how best to protect themselves."

As threats continue to grow, do resellers think customers have the proper resources in place to manage incoming alerts?

About 45 percent of reseller respondents believe that less than half their customers have the proper resources in place to adequately manage incoming security alerts. Many SMBs simply don't have the time or personnel necessary to focus on the management of network security solutions and the mitigation of growing cyber threats. As a matter of fact, only 5 percent of surveyed resellers believe all their customers have these resources in place, while 7 percent believe none of them do at all. This suggests that while many customers do have solutions in place, there is still significant room for improvement. 

As customers try to address increasing security concerns, do resellers think they understand the difference between UTM and NGFW?

Of the total surveyed partner organizations, 63 percent do not think the majority of their customers understand the difference between Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances and Next Generation Firewalls (NGFW). Nearly 80 percent do not think their customers care about the difference between the two appliance categories at all – and only want to know that their business is protected by the latest threat prevention solutions.

This suggests that security customers are trusting channel resellers and managed security service providers to make informed recommendations about security appliances and strategies. Over the course of the last two years, nearly 75 percent of reseller respondents' organizations have seen the most growth in UTM appliance sales, while only around a quarter have seen the most sales growth in NGFW appliances.

"This survey further validates the importance of the reseller and service provider community for SMBs dealing with cyber security. Organizations rely heavily on the expertise of these channel partners to provide guidance that keeps employees and customers safe from the evolving threat landscape," said Nachreiner. "For customers, it seems that the realistic impact or outcome is of more importance than the classification of threats or security solutions."

Additional Resources:
To learn more about WatchGuard's ransomware and other advanced security solutions, please visit: http://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/security-services#advanced

For more information about UTM vs. NGFW please visit: http://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-resource-center/help-me-choose

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.
WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in network security, providing best-in-class Unified Threat Management, Next Generation Firewall, secure Wi-Fi, and network intelligence products and services to more than 75,000 customers worldwide. The company's mission is to make enterprise-grade security accessible to companies of all types and sizes through simplicity, making WatchGuard an ideal solution for Distributed Enterprises and SMBs. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com.

For additional information, promotions and updates, follow WatchGuard on Twitter, @WatchGuard on Facebook, or on the LinkedIn Company page. Also, visit our InfoSec blog, Secplicity, for real-time information about the latest threats and how to cope with them at www.secplicity.org.

Media Contacts:

Chris Warfield
WatchGuard Technologies
206.876.8380
[email protected]

Anthony Cogswell
Voxus PR
253.444.5980
[email protected]

SOURCE WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

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