I recently had the pleasure of hosting Alex Brandt from Atakama on Sunny’s Silver Linings. From the moment he walked in, I could tell this conversation would be insightful. Alex isn’t just a cybersecurity leader; he’s a strategic thinker who understands both the MSP landscape and the evolving security needs of businesses.
We started by talking about Atakama’s origin story. Founded in 2017 by blockchain experts, Atakama originally built a sophisticated enterprise file encryption platform using split key cryptography. This platform was designed for extremely sensitive data. Think of something like the secret recipe for Coca-Cola, where access must be strictly controlled. From day one, Atakama was a channel-first company, serving enterprises through MSPs.
The Pivot to Browser Security
Back in 2022, Alex and his team faced a pivotal decision: where to go next after mastering file encryption. They observed companies like Talon Cybersecurity and Island building secure, custom browsers for enterprises: recompiling Chromium to control security at the browser level. But Alex realized that the real opportunity wasn’t enterprise; it was SMBs, where cloud adoption was skyrocketing, and nearly all work happens in the browser.
He shared a key insight: “When people fire up their browser, it’s completely wide open: passwords are saved, developer tools are enabled, history can be cleared. There’s no real security by default.” Recognizing this, Alex helped guide Atakama to develop a browser security platform tailored for MSPs serving SMB clients.
Understanding MSP Needs
Alex stressed the importance of truly understanding MSPs: “There’s a difference between the channel and MSPs. You must know the nuances.” To do this, Atakama engaged 30 design partner MSPs of varying sizes and industries for 18 months, gathering feedback and iterating to ensure the platform addressed real-world needs. These partners ranged from small operations with 300 endpoints to large networks with tens of thousands, including horizontal businesses and franchise models.
Through these interactions, Alex and the team built a platform that’s versatile, usable across industries, and practical for MSP operations. Their approach mirrors how RMM revolutionized the MSP space by enabling scale without increasing payroll.
Growth vs. Scale: Lessons from RMM
Alex made an important distinction: growth versus scale. Growth means adding new customers but also adding more techs and payroll; hard work that quickly caps capacity. Scale means adding customers without increasing payroll, a breakthrough that RMM enabled for MSPs years ago. Now, Alex argues, the browser is the next frontier for scale in the industry.
Why the Browser Is the New Endpoint
Alex’s perspective was eye-opening: everything an SMB employee does from CRM, HR, finance, to ERP, is now in the browser. Yet, almost no one secures it properly. He calls it the “wild west of the internet”, where downloads, uploads, password management, and browser extensions create significant risks.
He emphasized, “Everything is in the browser, and the browser is the new endpoint. It’s not going away. SaaS isn’t a fad. The browser is where the action is.”
Awareness: The Biggest Challenge
When discussing MSP challenges, Alex highlighted awareness as the biggest hurdle. Many MSPs don’t fully grasp how much activity happens in the browser or how that impacts security and productivity. Atakama provides visibility into user behavior, risky sites, and inefficient workflows, enabling MSPs to have data-driven discussions with clients.
Monetizing Browser Security
Alex shared how MSPs can turn browser security into revenue:
- Assessments: Conduct a browser security audit to gather real data.
- Insights: Highlight productivity risks alongside security risks—because unproductive employees are a bigger threat to SMBs than hackers.
- Client Recommendations: Present multi-tenant reports showing what’s happening in the browser and what policies to implement.
- Strategic Advantage: Position the MSP as a forward-thinking advisor, differentiating from competitors.
He gave a real example of AI usage: a client believed employees were following company-wide AI policies, but the Atakama audit revealed seven people using ChatGPT for 14 hours despite a no-AI policy. This insight allowed the MSP to train staff, enforce controls, and guide AI adoption responsibly.
Leveraging AI for Insight
AI is central to Atakama’s platform. With massive telemetry, the system establishes baselines for typical user behavior and detects aberrant activity: downloading unusual files, visiting risky sites, or misusing AI tools. This minimizes false positives while giving MSPs actionable intelligence.
Alex explained, “You can’t just turn everything on alert like old-school network monitoring. AI helps us provide meaningful insights without overwhelming MSPs or clients.”
Preparing the Channel for the Future
Alex believes that SMBs are leading the cloud revolution, accelerated by remote work and COVID. Browser security isn’t just a tool; it’s the next industry revolution. MSPs who embrace this early position themselves as leaders, driving client trust and new revenue streams.
Time to Act is Now
If you’re an MSP, this is the moment to act. Start with assessments, leverage AI for insights, and educate clients about browser risks and productivity.
Connect with Alex on LinkedIn or visit Atakama.com to explore the platform. Or you may connect with me, I can put you in touch with him and his wonderful team.
The key takeaway? As Alex put it, “This is much bigger than Atakama. It’s time to take action, fit it into your strategy, and differentiate yourself.”
