Parsell said that large vendors should be fostering a network of security organizations to cover the whole gamut of cyber threats and help the small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) get their products to market quickly.

“The threat is dynamic out in the market place….We need as an industry to be more proactive and put solutions together in the same timeframe that we see threats emerging….There are small companies that are much more able to react quickly to threats than any large company”, Parsell told Infosecurity.

Parsell observed that there are two ways to tap into the technology and innovation of the SME community: through acquisition or through partnerships. Thales e-Security, a cryptography and key management firm, has chosen primarily to pursue the partnership route, he added.

Thales e-Security is looking at “creating an ecosystem where you have a thriving SME and emerging community” working with Thales e-Security in a cooperative laboratory environment to address emerging threats, Parsell said.

In the UK, Thales has a laboratory environment in which SMEs can come in and work with Thales personnel to turn research into marketable products on a global scale, he explained.

Parsell said that the SME partnering program is focused on the UK at the moment, but there are plans to expand internationally, including to the US market. He added that the US is hard market for Thales e-Security to penetrate because it lacks a significant presence there. “We don’t have a technology integration center in the US at the moment”, he noted.

As part of its efforts with SMEs, Thales e-Security has launched its Thales Partner Program aimed at building stronger partnerships with suppliers, providing new tools and programs to build long-term relationships, and rewarding partners for their investment.

The program offers partners dedicated sales resources, new marketing tools, and demand generation programs to help engage with customers, and technical support tools and knowledge transfer programs.