By June Ramli
Sydney, Oct 17: Acronis hosted an insightful roundtable discussion on cybersecurity, the evolving threats facing businesses, and the essential role of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in mitigating risks.
The event featured prominent speakers, including Gaidar Magdanurov, President of Acronis; Kelly Johnson, General Manager of Acronis for ANZ; and Michael Barnes, Director and Principal Analyst at Tech Research Asia.
Johnson opened the session with an overview of Acronis’ operations in the ANZ market, highlighting the company’s rapid growth in cloud services.
“Our market has grown by 57 per cent year-on-year, above the global average,” said Johnson.
She stressed the growing complexity of cyber threats and the vital need for comprehensive solutions. “The number of MSPs is growing fast, especially with increasing IT staff shortages and small businesses needing outsourced IT services.”
Magdanurov reflected on the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and explained Acronis’ strategy to tackle them.
“Our platform integrates backup and security under one console, which simplifies management for MSPs and provides faster incident response,” he said.
He added that AI-generated threats have drastically reduced the time needed to launch attacks from two weeks to just six hours, underscoring the urgency for advanced security investments.
Michael Barnes shared insights from a recent survey on technology challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“Cybersecurity has become not just a tech issue but a business priority,” Barnes remarked.
“It ranked as the top investment area for SMEs, ahead of modernisation and innovation.”
Barnes also addressed the emotional strain on cybersecurity professionals.
“Fatigue is a significant challenge. Cyber experts are constantly under pressure, and retaining talent is a major issue. It’s like insurance—people only notice it when things go wrong.”
Magdanurov expanded on Acronis’ focus on supporting MSPs through education and streamlined tools. “Our XDR solution not only detects threats but also automates incident response, helping MSPs efficiently manage multiple clients. It’s about empowering them to secure their customers and scale their operations.”
The panel noted that phishing remains the most common method of attack, with MSPs being prime targets due to their access to numerous clients.
“One MSP breach can compromise multiple businesses. That’s why security awareness training is essential,” Johnson stressed.
Acronis’ “TeamUp” initiative was also discussed, a programme where Acronis partners with sports teams to help MSPs grow their networks.
“It’s a win-win—MSPs connect with new customers through events, and sports clubs benefit from the expertise we bring,” Magdanurov explained.
Looking ahead, the speakers underscored the importance of cybersecurity education and resilience. Johnson mentioned that Acronis continues to invest in training programmes and data centres across Australia and New Zealand.
“We’ve opened a new office in Sydney and a local data centre to ensure data sovereignty,” she said.
With AI accelerating the frequency and sophistication of attacks, the speakers agreed that collaboration between technology providers, businesses, and policymakers is essential.
“The future lies in integrated security and data protection solutions,” Magdanurov concluded.
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