Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike, addressing the partners at the CrowdStrike APJ Partner Symposium in Bangkok
As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and adversaries become more sophisticated, CrowdStrike’s vision of a unified platform approach positions it as a trailblazer, reshaping the industry and empowering partners and organizations of all sizes to stop breaches effectively.
In today’s complex cybersecurity landscape, most enterprises grapple with an array of over 50 different security products from multiple vendors. Evaluating, deploying, managing, and upgrading these disparate technologies is a constant challenge, compounded by the ever-present cybersecurity skills gap.
This scenario, however, presents a unique opportunity for partners to drive vendor consolidation and cybersecurity transformation, according to Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer at CrowdStrike. “Partners are more critical in cybersecurity today than they’ve ever been,” he asserts. “This is a moment where partners have to make a decision: Which technology is the right one to deploy? Point products? Multiple platforms and agents? Or a unified platform?”
Our strategic partnerships with leading Indian technology companies, such as HCLTech and TCS, has empowered them to deliver the breadth of the Falcon platform, assisting organizations in cybersecurity transformation across devices, identities, cloud environments, data, and next-gen SIEM.
Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike
Bernard asserts that the single platform approach is the foundational answer, addressing the critical questions partners must consider: “What are the capabilities of the platform? Does it have integrated identity protection? Is identity a separate agent or product? Does the technology meet standards globally? Is it from an innovator?”
In this environment, CrowdStrike presents its Falcon cybersecurity platform as the perfect solution for partners. “We see this as the ideal time for partner organizations to standardize on CrowdStrike and go all-in with the Falcon platform, bringing about cybersecurity transformation, just as they did with cloud computing a decade ago,” states Bernard. “That cybersecurity transformation happens on the Falcon platform.”
CrowdStrike’s journey began with a groundbreaking disruption of the antivirus category pioneering the concept of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI), CrowdStrike replaced legacy antivirus solutions, ushering in a new era of proactive threat detection and response.
However, the company’s vision extended far beyond solving just the endpoint security problem. Over time, CrowdStrike has evolved into a comprehensive cybersecurity platform, encompassing identity threat detection and response, cloud security, data protection, and most recently, Next-Generation Security Information and Event Management (SIEM).
“The breadth and depth of the Falcon platform is the most expansive, innovative platform in the market for partners,” remarks Bernard. “It enables a partner to take an enterprise on a journey where they don’t have to deploy any additional new technology once they have the single sensor as everything’s on a single platform.”
At the core of CrowdStrike’s value proposition lies its single platform and single agent approach, a significant differentiator from competitors offering multiple platforms and agents. “When you choose the Falcon platform, you’re not making any compromises or having to choose anything that isn’t a leader,” explains Bernard. “Everything that we do, in every single analyst report, we’re somewhere near the top of the list, if not at the top. You’re choosing a company that focuses on rapid innovation.”
This unified platform approach not only simplifies cybersecurity but also drives consolidation, displacing multiple point products and lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers. As Bernard illustrates, “Our platform delivers consolidation, displacing point products and lowering TCO.” This means that customers and partners can rely on CrowdStrike for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions without having to piece together different tools from multiple vendors.
CrowdStrike’s prowess in AI also sets it apart from the competition. From its inception, the company has been at the forefront of leveraging AI in cybersecurity. “From the start CrowdStrike brought AI to cybersecurity replacing signature-based technologies. Over the last couple of years we’ve brought in generative AI and continue to innovate,” said Bernard.
The introduction of Charlotte AI, CrowdStrike’s generative AI cybersecurity analyst, exemplifies this commitment to innovation. Charlotte AI empowers users to become “power users,” turning hours of work into minutes by providing contextual information and insights directly within the Falcon platform console.
“For less than the price of going to Starbucks, you’re able to amplify and supercharge cybersecurity with the power of Charlotte AI, leveraging and invoking the full power of the platform for regular users to become power users,” Bernard highlights.
CrowdStrike’s open approach fosters a vibrant ecosystem by seamlessly integrating with hundreds of independent software vendors (ISVs). This enables partners of all sizes and scales, ranging from small local organizations to global service providers and the largest companies serving government cybersecurity needs, to effectively leverage the Falcon platform.
“You can’t build your way to an ecosystem, you have to earn your way to an ecosystem,” highlights Bernard. “This open strategy is a central part of our DNA and creates significant opportunities for partners to deliver value-added services, such as managed identity, next-gen SIEM, and cloud security services, on top of the Falcon platform, fostering a symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone.” While large enterprises have traditionally been the focus of cybersecurity vendors, CrowdStrike recognizes the unique challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With increasing cyber attacks targeting SMBs and many lacking the resources and skills to address cybersecurity properly, this segment represents a crucial market.
CrowdStrike has tailored its offerings to cater to SMBs, with solutions like Falcon Go and Falcon Complete, delivering enterprise-grade protection in an easy-to-deploy package. “The mission of what we deliver in this capability is the same enterprise-grade protection that stops the breach, but delivered in a form factor that’s easy,” explains Bernard.
This focus on SMBs aligns with the growing role of managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) in the cybersecurity landscape. By partnering with CrowdStrike, these providers can leverage the Falcon platform to offer comprehensive security solutions to SMBs, wrapping additional services around it for increased profitability.
As Bernard notes, “MSPs can leverage CrowdStrike’s Falcon Complete service and white label it to offer comprehensive security solutions to SMBs, while also wrapping additional services around it for increased profitability.”
The India Footprint: Homegrown innovation and key partnerships
CrowdStrike’s commitment to the Indian market is evident through its significant investments and key partnerships. The company recently opened a state-of-the-art 52,000 sq. ft. facility in Pune, its largest facility worldwide, showcasing its dedication to the region.
“Major parts of our technology are made in India,” remarks Bernard, highlighting the company’s focus on homegrown innovation and talent development.
Furthermore, CrowdStrike has forged strategic partnerships with leading Indian technology companies, such as HCLTech and TCS. This collaboration empowers HCLTech and TCS to deliver the breadth of the Falcon platform, assisting organizations in cybersecurity transformation across devices, identities, cloud environments, data, and next-gen SIEM. Partners like HCLTech and TCS are deeply involved in enterprise environments, guiding C-suite decisions and shaping technology strategies that go beyond just cybersecurity. And in today’s world, cybersecurity isn’t just a side issue – it’s a key topic in boardroom talks. These partners are already influencing broader technology transformation projects, seamlessly integrating cybersecurity into the conversation. For example, when leading cloud transformations, they’re not only driving cloud strategies but also ensuring their security, putting them in a prime position for both innovation and protection.
As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and adversaries become more sophisticated, CrowdStrike’s vision of a unified platform approach positions it as a trailblazer, reshaping the industry and empowering partners and organizations of all sizes to stop breaches effectively.
“This is a generational opportunity for partners. It’s not a transactional opportunity for partners,” emphasizes Bernard, underscoring the long-term potential and transformative impact of the Falcon platform.
With its unwavering commitment to innovation, open-ecosystem approach, and customer-centric solutions, CrowdStrike is leading the charge in cybersecurity, enabling organizations to navigate the ever changing threat landscape with confidence and resilience.
