SMX partners with Microsoft to deliver email security solution for Office 365

Email security provider SMX has launched its second co-sell solution since joining Microsoft's key partner programme.

The company manages more than half of New Zealand's local government emails.

Called SMX365, the solution leverages Microsoft Exchange Online / Advanced Threat Protection (EOP / ATP) to provide dual-layer email security and deliver targeted, regional threat detection for Enterprise and Government organisations across Australasia.

While traditional gateway security providers have to switch off the built in email protection on Office 365 when offering their services, because SMX is partnered with Microsoft it integrates into the system, meaning the built in security features can remain on. SMX can then layer its own products and services on top of the built in security, making email safer for business.  

According to the security specialist, cyber threats on businesses have increased exponentially in 2020 as more workers have been forced to work from home. This has created an increased reliance on tools like email and Microsoft Teams for collaboration and file sharing.

While this has been great for business continuity, it's also opened businesses up to cyber-attacks, it says.

"We've created SMX365 to reap the benefits of both Microsoft's and SMX's security offerings," says Ian McDonald, chief executive oficer at SMX.

"It's win-win for customers. SMX 365 integrates multiple anti-abuse technologies to improve accuracy, reduce risk and make protecting workers easy," he explains.

"It has been a tremendously useful to be able to work closely with Microsoft teams in New Zealand, Singapore and the United States, and our customers to develop this solution."

Hamish McNee, partner development manager at Microsoft, says he is excited to see such a timely co-sell solution on the market and available for businesses in Australasia.

"Microsoft's co-sell partnerships are designed to give our partners access to global scale, so they can take locally developed products to the world," he says.

"We're naturally excited to support such an outstanding local innovator as SMX to introduce its new solution to businesses around Australasia," McNee says.

"SMX365 will be of real help in protecting organisations everywhere from cyberthreats, and demonstrates what great things we're achieving locally and on the world stage," he says.

In June this year, SMX rolled out its full suite of SMX email security and management services to most third party cloud email services, which the company said was a response to demand for upgraded email client security.

McDonald said the rollout particularly impacted mid-sized organisations using Microsoft Office 365 or Google apps such as Gmail.