CensorNet looks to 'cause pain' to Websense and Trustwave

Newly acquired content security vendor on hunt for more partners as it slams opposition

Security vendor CensorNet is looking to "cause pain to its competitors" as it goes on an aggressive partner and sales push following its acquisition by a group of industry veterans in October.

The company provides security for internet access, cloud applications and email by delivering increased visibility for in-office and mobile users. In October, CensorNet was bought out by a consortium of investors, led by security veteran Ed Macnair, who was previously the boss of web and email security vendor M86 Security and is now chief executive of CensorNet.

Macnair told CRN that CensorNet is hoping to "shake up the market" which he described as "dull and stale", and go after its opposition.

"I am looking forward to causing a lot of pain in my competitors," he said.

"Trustwave, Websense and Symantec, they have taken their eye off the ball and are not focused on this space at all. If you look at Trustwave, they haven't updated their web security solutions for over five years and threats have moved on, so we are seeing their customers leave them in droves.

"We are offering our partners something current and leading edge, we are very partner friendly and we don't have the arrogance of a Trustwave or a Websense," Macnair added.

"If you look at the way Websense is treating their channel, it's shocking. They have taken deals direct and renewals direct and that's no way to engender trust in their channel. They have also reduced some of their margins and their partners are unhappy about this and that's why we are winning some of their partners at the minute."

Both Trustwave and Websense denied Macnair's accusations.

Macnair said that CensorNet's up-to-date solutions give it the edge over other content security vendors which have developed their technology when demands were different.

"The content solution market is dominated by two or three large players, people such as Websense and Trustwave, and if you look at their solutions, they were architected 15 years ago and 15 years ago there was no Facebook and very few SaaS applications or cloud applications and all these people were looking to do was stop their employees searching [for] pornography on the web.

"The world has changed and now we are living in an application-driven world – if you don't have visibility into the applications you are using, you are flying blind. That's what differentiates us from the other players."

He also said these old security solutions have left many partners feeling "disillusioned".

Founded in 2005, CensorNet has about 120 worldwide partners, but Macnair said he is now launching an "aggressive partner recruitment drive" and is looking to bring on experienced security VARs.

"What I have done with the acquisition and with the investors sitting behind us is really pumped a lot of money into channel recruitment, sales and marketing and I want to achieve 10 times year-over-year growth by the end of my first year."

Macnair also said that in the past two weeks, CensorNet has enhanced its partner programme, and introduced better levels of discounts for certain partners, five per cent MDF funds and deal registration.

Cas Purdy, vice president of corporate marketing and communications at Trustwave, branded Macnair's claims "false".

"Trustwave regularly updates its web security portfolio including new product features as well as 'behind-the-scenes' updates that protect our business customers from the latest malicious websites, targeted malware, advanced persistent threats and zero-day vulnerabilities," he said.

Websense told CRN it sells only via the channel.