CRN Exclusive: SecurityScorecard Unveils Risk Ratings Alliance To Help Partners Provide Integrated Security Solutions

More than half of the security breaches that happen today are the result of a third-party security issue, so tracking the overall health of the entire IT landscape has never been more critical.

That's what Michael Rogers, SecurityScorecard's vice president of strategic alliances and channels, told CRN this week. The New York City-based provider has started looking for partners that will integrate his company's security rating platform into their own threat intelligence, governance and risk management solutions. Those integrations will immediately improve the security posture of businesses across the board, Rogers said.

After going all-in with the channel earlier this year, SecurityScorecard said its new program, the Risk Ratings Alliance, aims to create more tightly-integrated security products by working closely with ISVs, advisory firms, and governance and risk management providers.

[Related: CRN Exclusive: SecurityScorecard Launches Inaugural Partner Program]

"Our platform is focused on giving customers visibility into the security posture of any company they do business with – suppliers, vendors, etc. – any vendor they might have in their vendor ecosystem," Rogers said. "By having that understanding, [customers] are greatly reducing their risk."

SecurityScorecard has built a SaaS-based, independent security rating platform that continuously collects security information, including malware, application, and network security data, and leaked information and translates the data into a risk rating grade for an end customer. The platform can also be used to assess any security risks associated with a company's third-party vendors or acquisition targets.

The introduction of the new Risk Ratings Alliance group follows the January launch of SecurityScorecard's inaugural partner program for VARs.

While SecurityScorecard's "invitation-only’ partner program is targeting a select group of VARs looking to expand into cyber security ratings, the strategy behind the Risk Ratings Alliance Program is different, Rogers said.

SecurityScorecard is seeking to develop strategic partnerships with Risk Ratings Alliance partners that already have their security and compliance platforms, such as governance, risk and compliance (GRC) and vendor risk management (VRM) vendors, as well as data service bureaus and credit ratings agencies. Together, SecurityScorecard and its partners will offer businesses customers a "multi-dimensional approach" to assessing and improving security health, the company said.

"We are opening up our Alliance Program to the broader technology community, where we want SecurityScorecard ratings and insights to enrich the product experience for our partner’s customers, while at the same time, enhancing our partner’s offerings and increasing awareness of SecurityScorecard in the marketplace," Rogers said.

LockPath, a SecurityScorecard partner, provides governance, risk management, and compliance and information security software. The Overland Park, Kansas-based provider, is already working with SecurityScorecard as an Alliance partner by combining its own cloud-based GRC platform, called Keylight, with the third-party security information and threat intelligence that SecurityScorecard provides.

The two channel-first companies already have mutual partners, so marrying their respective technologies just made sense, said Sam Abadir, director of product alliances for LockPath. The Keylight platform – combined with SecurityScorecard's third-party security data – can identify and alert managers to security risks.

"With these two platforms together, it really works better," Abadir said. "Especially for companies with high compliance needs – like healthcare, financial services, and utilities."

SecurityScorecard will offer Risk Ratings Alliance partners sales, marketing, and integration support, Rogers said. "We have a very aggressive program with adoption already taking place, and with the launch, we will continue to see strong growth with partners participating as Alliance partners."