Qualys Launches MSSP Portal to Empower Managed Security Service Providers

Himanshu Kathpal

In the words of Sun Tzu, ‘In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.’ This aptly captures the essence of today’s cybersecurity landscape. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) stand at the forefront, turning chaos into opportunity by securing digital assets across the entire infrastructure against increasingly complex threats. Qualys, as a pioneer in cloud-based security and compliance solutions, recognizes the pivotal role of MSSPs and has introduced the MSSP Portal—a unified platform designed to elevate the operational capabilities and efficiency of MSSPs.

MSSPs are not just service providers; they are vital in the digital security infrastructure of companies across all industries. By offering extensive expertise, resources, and collaboration, MSSPs help safeguard clients’ digital assets against evolving threats. Through continuous engagement, training, and support, Qualys collaborates closely with MSSPs, ensuring seamless integration and ongoing enhancement of solutions to meet emerging cybersecurity challenges, thereby empowering MSSPs to deliver unparalleled value to their clients.

The role of MSSPs has never been more crucial. They provide tailored, comprehensive security solutions essential in an era of escalating cyber threats—challenges many businesses cannot tackle in-house. With the shift to cloud-based solutions, heightened regulatory pressures, and the demand for sophisticated managed services, MSSPs are required to continually evolve, offering cost-effective, cutting-edge security technologies and expertise.

Despite their indispensability, MSSPs face significant hurdles:

  • Managing diverse customer requirements and security solutions efficiently poses a considerable challenge.
  • They often struggle with centralized control and visibility into operations, impacting decision-making and service quality.
  • Scaling operations while maintaining profitability and quality service becomes increasingly difficult.
  • Rapidly evolving security threats and stringent compliance requirements demand constant vigilance and adaptability.

Introducing the MSSP Portal

Addressing these challenges, Qualys is thrilled to introduce a transformative solution: the Qualys MSSP Portal. Designed with our partners’ success in mind, the portal aligns with MSSPs’ business goals and provides the necessary resources and tools, allowing them to focus on their core competencies. The MSSP Portal empowers Managed Security Service Providers within the Qualys Partner Ecosystem with a unified platform that streamlines the management of customers, subscriptions, and security services, boosting productivity and enhancing operational efficiencies—critical in the fast-paced world of security.

Highlights:

  • Unified Partner Operations: Integrates all facets of partner and customer management into a single interface, providing a single source of truth. This centralization simplifies operations, enhances the visibility of activities, and supports Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) at multiple levels.
  • Automated, Data-Driven Decision Making: Features automated workflows for dashboards and APIs, enabling partners to manage multiple subscriptions simultaneously. When coupled with real-time data analytics, the portal delivers actionable insights for informed decision-making.
  • Seamless Integration and Scalability: Designed to scale effortlessly according to partner needs, the portal supports a wide range of security operations. Its scalable architecture and seamless single sign-on experience ensure uninterrupted and secure management as partners grow.

The Core Features of the Portal

  • Unified View – Integrates management of all partner and customer activities into a single dashboard, providing a comprehensive overview of operations, security statuses, and customer interactions. ​
  • Automated Workflows for Dashboards and APIs​ – Offers the capability to automate repetitive tasks across multiple subscriptions and interfaces, such as updating security settings, generating reports, or deploying security patches.​
  • Actionable Insights and Real-time Data​ – Provides advanced analytics tools that process real-time data for all customers and sub-partners as well as multiple subscriptions.​
  • Effortless Single Sign-On (SSO) – Gives access to all integrated Qualys applications and tools through a single authentication point, simplifying the user access process while maintaining strict security protocols.​
  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)​ – Allows administrators to set and enforce user access policies based on individual roles within the organization, including setting permissions for viewing, editing, or managing specific data and operations.​

Why MSSPs Should Care

The Qualys MSSP Portal is a strategic tool that can fundamentally enhance the way MSSPs operate in complex multi-customer environments, enhancing operational efficiencies, reducing costs, and ultimately enabling valued service to their customers. By using this portal, MSSPs can not only meet the current demands of their clients but also scale their operations to meet future challenges without compromising on service quality or security.

Streamlined Partner and Customer Management:​ The MSSP Portal streamlines and automates the management process, allowing them to focus more on strategic tasks rather than routine operations. It minimizes the risk of oversight and enhances the ability to make quick, informed decisions.

Scalability for Future Growth: The portal allows for easy scaling of operations and management of an increasing number of partners and sub-partners through streamlined processes and a scalable architecture. With insights into the needs/usage patterns of customers and sub-partners, they can tailor services more effectively to meet specific demands or optimize workflows.

Holistic Visibility and Control: The portal offers real-time analytics and a comprehensive view of their ecosystem, allowing MSSPs to monitor the performance of partners and customers, subscriptions, and security incidents, as well as assess the overall health of their network.

Effortless Collaboration and Communication: The portal facilitates communication and collaboration effortlessly, acting as a virtual meeting ground for partners and enhancing cooperation to strengthen security against cyber threats.

Customized Access and Permissions: The MSSP Portal tailors access levels and permissions to match the unique needs of partners, maintaining data security and confidentiality.

User-Friendly Interface: The MSSP Portal boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface along with REST API, reducing the learning curve for partners. SSO enhances user experience by reducing the complexity and time taken to access necessary tools.​

Reporting and Auditing: With robust reporting and auditing processes, MSSPs can strengthen their relations and enhance trust with customers and stakeholders, besides demonstrating compliance with regulations and standards.

Customizable Unified Dashboard: The unified dashboard gives a bird’s-eye view of customers’ security posture, so MSSPs can spot potential risks before they become full-blown cyber catastrophes.

Support and Training: MSSPs can enjoy round-the-clock support and training resources to ensure that they and their partners maximize the potential of the MSSP Portal.

Conclusion

As cybersecurity threats evolve, so must the tools and resources designed to empower the service partner ecosystem. Qualys’ MSSP Portal is at the forefront of this progression, providing MSSPs with the capabilities they need to succeed in a challenging landscape. For MSSPs looking to enhance their service delivery and operational efficiency, adopting the Qualys MSSP Portal is an essential step forward.

Find out more about the Qualys MSSP program to discover how it can transform your operations.

Not a Qualys MSSP yet? Become a partner here.

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