Webroot Bolsters DNS Protection, Competes with Cisco Umbrella for MSPs

Competition is intensifying in the DNS protection market, where MSP-friendly security companies like Webroot and Cisco Systems continue to bolster their respective offerings.

The latest move involves Webroot upgrading its SecureAnywhere DNS Protection solution. It now offers customizable, granular policy control over Internet usage without additional hardware or software. The product, integrated with Webroot's Global Site Management console, is purpose-built for MSPs that safeguard SMB customer assets, the company says. 

DNS Protection stops 88 percent of Web-borne malware before it reaches an organization’s network by automatically applying defenses at the network perimeter. True believers in the platform include Cambridge Helpdesk, an MSP that embraced SecureAnywhere DNS Protection because of its small install footprint, its visual overview of all devices, and its reporting and central management, according to Technical Director Stuart Brown. 

DNS Protection: One Piece Of Larger Cybersecurity Puzzle

Webroot has a strong brand and large following among MSPs in the SMB sector. The company continues to expand beyond its endpoint heritage to become more of an overall security platform provider, led by new CEO Mike Potts.

Still, the company is on a collision course with rivals like Cisco Systems. Cisco enjoys a particularly strong footprint with MSPs that need DNS protection services. The company acquired OpenDNS in 2015 for precisely that need, and has since rebranded the offering as Cisco Umbrella. It's part of a massive Cisco channel push that now includes integration with ConnectWise's new Advanced Security Dashboard. Webroot, of course, also has a close ConnectWise relationship.