One of the IT industry’s hottest markets is Open XDR, a hybrid of eXtended (or cross-platform) detection and response.
The technology focuses on integrating differing tools across the security stack (EDR, SIEM, cloud, etc.) to provide a single, comprehensive view of threats.
Positioning its Open XDR technology as “the security operations platform for lean security teams,” Stellar Cyber is challenging many of the cybersecurity giants focused on the XDR space.
Aimei Wei, Stellar Cyber’s chief technology officer and founder, told MSSP Alert that as a channel-first company it engages with 53 of MSSP Alert's Top 250 MSSPs.
The Open XDR provider recently struck an agreement with RSM US, an MSSP, to leverage Stellar’s Open XDR platform to unify, expand and control the cybersecurity defenses across its global MSSP client network. RSM US operates a global managed security operations service, known as RSM Defense, that offers threat detection, response and intelligence services to its clients.
An Expert Look at Open XDR with Aimei Wei
MSSP Alert: Where’s the Open XDR market going this year?
Wei: Judging by our own growth, we see a steeper growth curve than in past years. Cyberattacks are now much more complex than they were just a couple of years ago. They target a growing array of vulnerabilities, from email to endpoints to networks, applications, clouds and servers.
Rapidly detecting multi-vector exploits and effectively responding to them requires a platform that captures and analyzes data from throughout the IT and OT infrastructure. That means integrating with third-party tools that are already in use by most organizations. Open XDR is the only cost-effective way to meet these requirements and deliver full control.
MSSP Alert: What strategic initiatives have you set for the year?
Wei: We continue striving to make analysts more productive through interface design, freedom of tool selection and AI. We’ve used machine learning for years, for example, but we recently began integrating conversational AI into our platform.
We plan to extend that integration throughout the platform in 2024.
MSSP Alert: How do you prioritize the needs of your customers and channel partners with the company’s core values?
Wei: Our strategy is to deliver superior value and peace of mind through continuous Open XDR innovation. We listen closely to what our customers tell us, and we make ongoing improvements to our platform based on their suggestions, as well as follow a company mission to advance the state of cybersecurity protection.
Our partner-first philosophy is why we are powering 53 of the Top 250 MSSPs.
MSSP Alert: How do you ensure that your strategy encourages innovation and investment?
Wei: We’ve had triple-digit growth for several years in a row now, so our investors are more than happy to support us. We use most of our capital to fund ongoing research and development to ensure that our Open XDR platform remains the best one on the market.
We believe our responsiveness and our customers’ satisfaction often speak for themselves. Gartner also short listed us as the only Open XDR vendor in their XDR Market Guide in 2023. This recognition validates our strategy.
MSSP Alert: What strategic uncertainties are there in the market right now? How do you react to strategic uncertainties? Can you give us an example?
Wei: Probably the biggest uncertainty is access to funding. XDR has been a buzzword for a few years now, and a lot of vendors have jumped on the bandwagon with inferior products and a lot of AI hype. Investors can tell the winners from the losers, and a lot of the big XDR companies are currently laying people off because their solutions aren’t as popular as expected.
Our approach is to work non-stop to refine our platform, so it delivers total visibility, the fastest response, and the highest efficiency against hackers who are also continually refining their techniques.
