Kaspersky Lab Blends Security, Systems Management and MDM

Kaspersky Lab is best-known for anti-virus technology. But a new product launch, called Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business, blends in systems management and mobile device management (MDM). The initial edition is designed for channel partners to sell into corporate IT. But a version and approach for managed services providers (MSPs) is also on the way, according to Chris Doggett, senior VP, corporate sales. Here's the background.

During a Kaspersky Lab Cyber Security Summit in New York, Petr Merkulov, chief product officer, offered the following perspectives on the new suite. Businesses, he said, want three things:

1. Agility (move fast, be nimble and flexible);
2. efficiency (cut costs, consolidate and streamline);
3. and productivity (maximize the value of existing resources; do more with less).

But malware gets in the way of all that. He said there are more than 200,000 new malware samples daily. Plus, there are more than 35,000 malicious programs that target mobile devices.

To combat those threats, the new Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business offers a single dashboard that offers IT administrators visibility and policy enforcement. "It's an enterprise class solution enabled for SMBs," Merkulov. And yes, service providers will play in the strategy, he added.

For MDM, container technology allows corporate applications to be separate from a user’s private BYOD applications. "You can draw a line between corporate and consumer data," he said. "That also allows content to be selectively wiped if the device is lost or stolen."

In terms of systems management, there’s systems provisioning, vulnerability scanning, license management, remote tools, patching, network admission control and more.

Most major anti-virus software companies are now pursuing a single-dashboard vision and adding MDM capabilities to their products. MSPmentor is watching closely to see which of the security dashboards ultimately integrate into PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) dashboards.

MSPmentor did not catch pricing and availability for the new suite. Doggett, in a side conversation, said MSPs should stay tuned for updates that will definitely target the service provider audience.