CrowdStrike & Nord Security partner to target SMBs

CrowdStrike and Nord Security have announced a strategic partnership focused on small and midsize businesses, with new routes to buy and deploy CrowdStrike's Falcon products through Nord Security's business platform and through a managed service provider channel.

The companies said small and midsize businesses now face the same level of attacks as larger organisations, while adoption of newer security tools remains limited. CrowdStrike cited results from its State of SMB Cybersecurity Survey. It said 36% of SMBs are investing in new security tools and 11% have adopted AI-powered defences.

The partnership combines CrowdStrike's Falcon platform with Nord Security products in secure access and credential management. The companies positioned the arrangement as a way for SMBs to access products associated with larger enterprises.

NordLayer channel

The partnership includes a commercial distribution arrangement through NordLayer, Nord Security's network security platform for business. Nord Security will offer Falcon Go and Falcon Enterprise directly through NordLayer.

Falcon Go is an AI-powered product aimed at SMBs. Falcon Enterprise is a higher tier in CrowdStrike's Falcon line. The companies said SMB customers will be able to purchase and deploy these offerings through NordLayer.

NordLayer forms part of Nord Security's business portfolio. The company said NordLayer provides a "toggle-ready" approach to network security. The partnership links that approach with CrowdStrike's endpoint security and threat detection products.

MSP expansion

The second element of the partnership targets managed service providers through Pax8, a cloud commerce marketplace used by MSPs. CrowdStrike, Nord Security and Pax8 said they will launch an add-on for Falcon Next-Gen SIEM.

The add-on combines CrowdStrike detection with Nord Security secure access and network solutions. The companies said the package includes 90 days of free access for qualifying customers.

The companies framed the Pax8 arrangement around procurement and deployment for smaller organisations. They said managed service providers often act as a route to market for SMB cybersecurity products, particularly where in-house security expertise and budgets remain limited.

Market backdrop

CrowdStrike said SMBs face constraints in cyber security expertise and spending. It also said threat actors increasingly target smaller organisations with "enterprise-level attacks".

The companies did not disclose commercial terms of the partnership. They also did not provide pricing for Falcon Go, Falcon Enterprise or the Falcon Next-Gen SIEM add-on.

In its announcement, CrowdStrike linked the partnership to a gap between the scale of threats and the tools deployed by SMBs. The company also pointed to AI-powered security as an area where adoption remains low among smaller firms.

Nord Security, known for consumer security products, has expanded its business offerings in recent years. Its portfolio includes secure access products and credential management tools. CrowdStrike sells endpoint security, threat intelligence and incident response services, including its Falcon platform.

"This partnership transforms how SMBs secure their business," said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike. "Together with Nord Security, we're redefining cybersecurity for SMBs - combining the power of the Falcon platform with Nord's SMB go-to-market prowess and secure access technology to deliver enterprise-grade protection that's fast to deploy, simple to manage, and built to stop breaches."

Nord Security described growing complexity for smaller organisations as workforces, devices and cloud services expand. It said its products in secure access and credential management will sit alongside the CrowdStrike Falcon platform under the partnership.

"Every growing business faces the same challenge: their attack surface is expanding faster than their ability to secure it," said Mantas Ulozas, Chief Business Development Officer at B2B Commercial, Nord Security. "By combining our secure access and credential management solutions with CrowdStrike's Falcon platform, we're removing barriers of cost and complexity that have long limited SMBs' access to enterprise-grade protection - giving them the visibility and confidence to defend against modern threats."

The companies said the NordLayer route and the Pax8 add-on will form the initial focus of the partnership, with Falcon Go, Falcon Enterprise and the Falcon Next-Gen SIEM add-on set for availability through those channels.