Vodafone has announced a new partnership with professional services firm Accenture to bring managed security services to so SMEs and national corporate customers in Europe.
Launching late this year, the initiative will see Vodafone deliver enterprise-grade cyber security, as well as access to leading cyber expertise to organisations that are unable to tackle the threat landscape in-house.
Accenture and Vodafone Business also plan to jointly invest in security innovation to keep organisations safe as new threats emerge.
Announcing the move, Vodafone Business said the agreement marks a key step forward in its strategy to offer enterprise-grade cybersecurity to businesses of all sizes.
"We are committed to better support small and medium enterprises and national corporate sized businesses as they transform and 'future-ready' their organisation,” said Vinod Kumar, CEO of Vodafone Business.
"Working with Accenture, we will leverage our combined capabilities and global experience to deliver modular security solutions, offering access to technologies that until now were only available to companies with large IT budgets.”
Vodafone Business with Accenture Security aims to offer comprehensive managed and professional services to help businesses detect, respond and recover from cyberattacks at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the working landscape.
Customers will have access to a host of cyber assessment services, as well as managed security services such as monitoring, incident management and response that leverage Accenture's acquisition of Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business.
The agreement will also offer professional services to help tackle risks such as phishing attacks, joint investment in an innovation lab for security solutions, as well as streamlined deployment for businesses.
"The distinct nature of cybercrime makes it borderless and anonymous,” commented Kelly Bissell, global leader for Accenture Security. "Cybercriminals can come from anywhere and as they take advantage of the COVID-19 situation, they pose a significant threat to businesses of all sizes with costly consequences.
"This strategic relationship brings together two leading global players and will give Vodafone customers access to leading cybersecurity talent and industry expertise globally."
Vodafone Business managed security services will launch in Italy and Spain later this year, with the UK and Germany to follow, the firm said.
