Blackpoint CTPO Manoj Srivastava on why cybersecurity providers must shift from using standalone tools to a streamlined, unified security platform.
Today’s enterprises face an uphill battle to secure their expanding networks against nimble adversaries.
While many SecOps teams rely on standalone best-of-breed tools, poor integration often works against them – limiting their visibility into their digital estates and slowing the detection-to-remediation cycle.
Blackpoint CTPO Manoj Srivastava is responsible for shaping the technology vision and product strategy of the company’s cybersecurity ecosystem. Here, he shares the biggest challenges enterprises face in securing their environments, and why cybersecurity providers must shift from using standalone tools to a streamlined, unified security platform.
What are some of the biggest cybersecurity challenges your partners and customers need to anticipate over the next few years?
We’re moving into an era where threat actors increasingly target identities – user accounts, privileged credentials, and system processes. This trend makes identity-driven protection even more crucial. Another persistent challenge is the proliferation of security tools that often remain siloed, which hampers visibility and timely incident response.
We encourage our partners to adopt a proactive security approach that starts with measuring their customers’ cybersecurity maturity. A structured maturity model can help identify gaps in an organization’s defenses, whether related to configuration management, patching, or user training. This model also helps allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that decisions around risk management are data driven.
Finally, as more businesses move to the cloud and rely on remote and hybrid infrastructures, the attack surface expands. It’s not surprising that IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that the global average cost of a data breach reached an all-time high of $4.88m – a 10% increase over last year.
Complexity can blindside even the most experienced security teams. Having a partner who can unify all those tools and provide an integrated approach can make the difference between catching an intrusion in its early stages and missing it until it causes serious damage. IBM’s research also found that organizations with fully deployed security AI and automation saved an average of $1.76m in breach costs and identified and contained breaches 74 days faster than those without these tools.
Why are proactive measures now such a focal point in managed detection and response (MDR) services – and what does that look like from Blackpoint’s perspective?
Historically, MDR was primarily about real-time detection and response—spotting threats quickly and neutralizing them. While that remains critical, we’re seeing a shift toward incorporating proactive security measures. Today’s MSPs know that many threats can be mitigated well before they ever reach the detection stage if the right security hygiene is in place.
Cyber hygiene services often include periodic vulnerability assessments, regular patching, network segmentation, cloud policy management and ongoing risk assessments. By integrating these elements with detection and response, we can drastically reduce the windows of opportunity for attackers. At Blackpoint, we are expanding our capabilities to enable our partners to evaluate each client’s maturity level, integrate those findings into a cohesive security plan, and help them implement improvements step by step.
How does Blackpoint’s product roadmap and partner support stand out from other cybersecurity providers?
We’re laser-focused on delivering a unified security posture platform that helps our partners simplify and strengthen their security operations. Unlike many solutions that collect data without turning it into actionable intelligence, Blackpoint’s platform analyzes and correlates signals from a variety of endpoint, identity, network and cloud application data together in real time. Our 24/7 SOC then applies expert oversight to thwart threats before they strike, ensuring business continuity for our customers.
Looking ahead, we’re deepening our proactive security offerings by helping our partners map and improve their clients’ cybersecurity posture. We also recognize that technology alone doesn’t solve every problem. We provide hands-on partner support – through training, onboarding assistance, and ongoing consultations – so MSPs feel confident implementing advanced security measures and responding to incidents.
Where do you see the most opportunity when establishing a new solution category?
At Blackpoint, we’re defining and shaping a whole new solution category – on a tight timeline, with direct collaboration across teams and a fast feedback loop from partners and customers. That pace of innovation keeps you on your toes. You don’t just inherit a product roadmap; you help build it from scratch while challenging established norms.
In my view, the most exciting aspect is tapping into the art of the possible. We can rapidly pivot as technology evolves or as we learn new insights from our MSP partners. Also, being in the trenches every day with a lean team builds a sense of camaraderie that I find incredibly rewarding.
Q: If you could offer one piece of advice to MSPs looking to grow their security practices, what would it be?
Take the time to understand each client’s specific security maturity level rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Use a maturity model to pinpoint weaknesses and target solutions that address the highest-risk areas first. Then, look for partners and products that enable seamless integration. Help them understand where they are in their cyber maturity journey and use the trend of their progression to motivate them about the value they have received and how they can improve further. The right unified security posture solution, especially one that unifies multiple tools within a single platform, can dramatically reduce complexity while boosting proactive defenses.
