DefenTec began as a managed services provider (MSP) before transitioning into a managed security services provider (MSSP). Now, in addition to optimizing their clients’ data environments through managed services, IT support and consulting, and cloud computing, DefenTec also fortifies them through a full range of managed security services, including secure Wi-Fidesign, network audits, and of course, password management.

“When clients come to us, it’s because they need help with their security, not just help with their IT services,” explains company CEO, German Saldivar. “Presenting ourselves to potential clients as a cybersecurity company puts them on notice that if they don’t value security, they should go elsewhere.”

Saldivar is quick to point out that password management is DefenTec’s top security priority, both internally and when securing clients’ systems. “The biggest issue with any breach is weak passwords,” he says. “When a client gets breached, it’s usually because of a compromised employee password.”

Problem password hygiene

Because MSPs/MSSPs manage other companies’ IT systems, they have unique password management needs themselves. “In addition to all of our internal passwords, we need to keep track of and secure all of our clients’ passwords as well,” explains Saldivar. “We struggled to find a platform that could house all of our data, and sometimes, it was spread across three different platforms. We needed the ability to manage all of our client information from one dashboard.”

Prior to partnering with Keeper, DefenTec briefly experimented with a different password management solution. “I used it for two months,” Saldivar recalls. “It was really difficult to use, and policy changes were absolutely horrible. As an admin at an MSSP, you need to be able to give rights to different users at different clients. When we made changes, it would take at least five to 10 minutes, and sometimes as long as a halfhour for the changes to take effect. This was completely unacceptable. When users request access, they need it immediately.”

Additionally, none of the other company’s solutions were suitable for MSPs/MSSPs. “They wanted us to make a separate account for every client, with a separate admin dashboard. That doesn’t work for an MSSP; we need everything on one dashboard. They don’t consider the needs of security companies at all, which is a real downfall, because we need this service.”

Solution: KeeperMSP

An internet search steered Saldivar towards KeeperMSP. “I really liked how Keeper had a product designed specifically for the managed services market, that let providers manage their clients all from one portal,” he says.

In addition to using Keeper internally, DefenTec offers it as a managed service to their clients. “In addition to folders with our internal login information, we use Keeper to create shared client access folders, where we can share all of the information that clients have stored with us, such as their Active Directory, OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 logins, etc. The client can access their folder and see all of the information we have on them.”

Results & benefits

Saldivar and his team rave about Keeper’s ease of use. “I love that if the user takes the time to read the prompts as they come up, Keeper guides you through the process of whatever it is you want to do. No other password manager does this. Sometimes, software developers don’t think like end-users, but Keeper’s developers have clearly gone out of their way to make a user-friendly product. With Keeper, you can’t go wrong if you just read what’s on the screen.”

Saldivar has seen significant productivity gains within DefenTec since implementing Keeper. “We have everything set up the way we want it to. We know exactly where to go, what shared folder to access when we need to resolve an issue. The reduced number of clicks is amazing. Having everything on one platform is saving us a lot of time, and we can work a lot more efficiently.”

Keeper’s security audit score provides clients with a visualization that helps them understand the importance of password hygiene to their overall cybersecurity. “If clients can’t see how bad their password security is, they can’t make it better. When onboard new clients to Keeper, we use a white-glove approach and set it up for them. We import their current passwords and show them the security audit section. I tell them to look at their security score like a FICO score. If we show them a really low number, they almost take it personally; they want to fix it immediately.”

Prior to DefenTec deploying Keeper, DefenTec’s customers frequently submitted password reset requests. Now, when a customer requests a password reset, Saldivar recognizes it as a red flag. “We know that not everyone in their company is using a password manager, and we can have a conversation with the client about that. This visibility is a big selling point for clients. They like that we can see what’s going on.” In addition to keeping an eye out for password reset requests, Saldivar runs monthly reports for all clients to make sure everyone in their organizations is using Keeper.

Saldivar likes that KeeperMSP supports custom branding. “When we set Keeper up, a client may ask if it’s our software. Being able to somewhat white-label it helps bolster their confidence. They know that we’re not just reselling a software package that we don’t know anything about.”

In addition to helping DefenTec improve internal efficiency and keep its clients secure, KeeperMSP provides an additional revenue stream, with the company able to mark up each subscription it sells to its clients. Currently, DefenTec offers Keeper as an optional add-on service, but in the future, Saldivar plans to bundle it into all of the company’s managed security solutions packages. “Password management is number one. If we can’t secure our clients’ passwords, we can’t secure their systems, so we want to make sure everyone is using Keeper.”