BlackBerry & Dicker Data announce new cybersecurity partnership

BlackBerry and Dicker Data have announced a new distribution agreement aimed at extending the reach of BlackBerry's AI-driven cybersecurity solutions throughout Australia and New Zealand.

This collaboration is set to bolster cybersecurity efforts amidst an increasing wave of cyber threats targeting the region.

The agreement will enable Dicker Data to offer a suite of BlackBerry's cybersecurity solutions. These include the Cylance AI, which is designed to predict and prevent cyberattacks, the NATO-certified BlackBerry SecuSUITE for preventing eavesdropping and interception, and BlackBerry Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) for protecting data and applications used by mobile workforces. Additionally, BlackBerry AtHoc will be available for critical event management and incident response, relevant for IT outages, cyber-attacks, and natural disasters.

This partnership also follows recent enhancements in BlackBerry's cybersecurity portfolio, notably with the launch of CylanceMDR Pro. This managed detection and response service, built on an Open XDR platform, aims to address modern cybersecurity challenges. It is designed to alleviate operational pressures on security teams who are dealing with complex cyber adversaries while faced with limited resources and talent.

Maria Pinna-Kardasis, Senior Director for APAC Channels at BlackBerry Cybersecurity, commented on the partnership, stating, "BlackBerry is thrilled to announce our new channel distribution partnership with Dicker Data, a trusted Australian and New Zealand solutions and services distributor with more than four decades of experience."

"As the Asia Pacific region faces geopolitical uncertainty and cyber-skills shortages, the demand for trusted solutions to defend against escalating threats and new methods of attack is intensifying. We believe our partnership with Dicker Data will help resellers across the region support governments and businesses, large and small, to bolster security defences while creating new growth opportunities for the channel."

The announcement comes in the wake of BlackBerry's latest Global Threat Report, which reveals that Australia remains one of the top five most targeted nations globally. According to the report, 60% of these attacks are directed at critical infrastructure sectors such as government, healthcare, financial services, and communications, underscoring the critical need for enhanced security measures.

Under the new distribution agreement, Dicker Data's engineers will receive full training and certification from BlackBerry. This will enable Dicker Data to provide expert and specialised support for BlackBerry's solutions in both Australia and New Zealand.

"We understand organisations in both the private and public sector have a broad range of requirements right across the cybersecurity spectrum that BlackBerry is able to address. Through this partnership, we are offering our reseller partners access to a range of world-class solutions and services that address more market sectors, from military requiring top-secret communications to SMEs looking for enterprise-grade tools, skilled cyber experts on demand or incident management for IT outages," explained Vlad Mitnovetski, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Dicker Data.

"We expect our partnership with BlackBerry to create significant value for our partners looking to grow their cybersecurity businesses, increase service revenues, and add value through additional services. Together, we are committed to providing top-tier cybersecurity solutions that meet the diverse needs of our partners and their end-customers in this region."