Netwrix’s MSPs are advancing just-in-time (JIT) privileged access management (PAM) in which applications or system access is granted on an as-needed basis and limited to a specific time window, Ken Tripp, the company’s global MSP partner program director, told MSSP Alert.
In “always-on” privileged accounts, which is the de facto industry standard, privileged access, rights and permissions are always in an active mode for legitimate activities.
JIT is considered a subset of privileged access management (PAM). The PAM market was valued at roughly $4 billion in 2023. It’s expected to reach nearly $22 billion by 2033 with a CAGR of 19.2%, according to analyst firm ResearchandResearch.
As a channel-first company, Netwrix provides MSPs with data-centric security services such as continuous IT compliance, automated IT risk assessment and IT incident management, including detection, investigation and response to data security incidents. The company has 900 employees worldwide.
Tripp is responsible for enabling and assisting its global MSP partner program that exceeds 300 organizations. He engages with Netwrix’s sales, engineering and marketing departments on go-to-market initiatives for the company’s MSPs.
An Expert Look at Access Management and More With Ken Tripp
MSSP Alert: Which cybersecurity markets will be the focus area this year for your MSPs? Where are those markets going?
Tripp: This year, a security discipline trending among our managed service providers revolves around various aspects of access management. First and foremost, MSPs apply just-in-time privileged access management principles to eliminate standing privileges in their own environment and, consequently, extend those capabilities to their client’s environment.
Stemmed from security frameworks, MSPs are advancing their least privileged models, concentrating on continuous monitoring and remediation against user access and permissions granted from operating systems such as Active Directory. In addition, extending the least privilege concepts to the endpoint, like removing local admin rights, has also been predominant.
MSSP Alert: What strategic initiatives have you set for the year?
Tripp: This year's strategic objective for the Netwrix MSP program is expanding our presence in the global MSP community. We focus on further leveraging and building integrations into our SaaS multi-tenant auditing platform, Netwrix 1Secure. Launched last year, this solution is specifically tailored to meet MSPs’ needs to ensure the security and compliance of their clients’ systems and data. We also focus on partnering with dedicated MSP distribution marketplaces and aligning with complimentary vendor partners to heighten our presence in the MSP community.
MSSP Alert: How do you prioritize the needs of your customers and channel partners with Netwrix’s core values?
Tripp: Netwrix believes in simplicity and innovation. For our customers and channel partners, we recognize that the needs of a 100-employee organization differ from those of a 100,000-employee organization. By offering solutions that are unique to different-sized organizations, Netwrix has the ability to prioritize the initial needs of our customers and partners and then continue to collaborate with them as their cybersecurity journey matures.
MSSP Alert: How do you ensure that your strategy encourages innovation and investment?
Tripp: At Netwrix, we believe a cybersecurity vendor should be the one to relieve the burden of cybersecurity for customers. Together with our MSP partners, we let the customers spend their resources on what’s truly important — advancing their own cause — instead of worrying about keeping their data safe. To achieve this goal, we regularly extend our offering with new capabilities, enhance our existing solutions and train our MSP partners to promote Netwrix’s holistic approach that spans multiple security technology segments.
MSSP Alert: What strategic uncertainties are there in the market right now? Can you give us an example? How do you react to strategic uncertainties?
Tripp: Our first-ever offline customer and partner conference, Netwrix Connect, has just taken place in Orlando, Florida. One of the hottest topics in the room was AI technology — how to strategically apply AI to gain efficiency while being uncertain about how the utilization of AI would affect the current security posture of their organization.
Netwrix has been proactive in developing and implementing knowledge-based guidelines and strategic programs to address the concerns that AI presents. We have created a Netwrix Readiness Program to ensure not only a safe rollout of generative AI but also ongoing data protection. For example, we have a tailored e-book about Microsoft 365 Copilot. Netwrix is educating our partner and client base on the risks presented with AI utilization and how to mitigate the security exposures it presents to an organization.
