Acronis has expanded its managed detection and response service with dark web monitoring, broader language support and new customer communication options. The update also includes early access plans for managed identity threat detection and response.
The additions are aimed at managed service providers that need round-the-clock security monitoring and response without building their own security operations centre.
Acronis said its managed detection and response, or MDR, service now supports Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese alongside English, with French to follow. It has also introduced an optional add-on that sends incident notifications and reports directly to designated customer contacts.
Eligible telecoms customers can now self-activate MDR through the management console once their provider has enabled the offering.
Dark web focus
A key part of the expansion is dark web monitoring. Partners can request an immediate one-off scan to identify leaked information, data and credentials linked to a customer domain. Ongoing domain-based monitoring is due to be added later.
The service is intended to help managed service providers identify compromised credentials or other exposed data already circulating online. This gives providers a way to start client discussions with evidence of exposure while assessing follow-up actions.
Acronis is also preparing managed identity threat detection and response, or ITDR, for selected partners in early access ahead of a wider launch. The service is designed to address risks linked to user identities, a common route into business systems when attackers gain access to accounts and credentials.
Broader protection
Acronis presents the changes as part of a broader move beyond endpoint-focused security. Modern working environments span devices, cloud applications, identities and business data, creating connected risks that can spread across systems when one account or asset is compromised.
That creates a practical challenge for managed service providers, which are often expected to maintain continuous coverage despite limited specialist staffing. Security incidents can emerge outside normal working hours, and providers may need outside support to investigate and respond before damage spreads.
Acronis said its MDR service is delivered through its own security operations centre and backed by the Acronis Threat Research Unit. The service works alongside the company's endpoint detection and response and extended detection and response tools, with the aim of giving providers both alerting and operational support.
The company also outlined how its more advanced service tier links security response to backup recovery and remote monitoring and management actions. In practice, incident response can include not only containment and remediation but also rollback and restoration, depending on the agreed service scope and available licences.
Partner uptake
Acronis said all partners that joined the early access cohort for its MDR service continued into general availability, giving it a 100% conversion rate. It said this showed managed service providers see value in outsourcing parts of security operations rather than building a full internal security operations centre.
One example came from Dutch managed service provider SIX ICT, whose Chief Executive Officer Robert Nieuwenhuijse said the service helped it add continuous security monitoring without creating its own in-house operation.
"It shows the seniority of the experts protecting our systems," said Nieuwenhuijse.
Acronis also pointed to Australian provider IT&T, which serves medical practices and other health care organisations. The provider uses monthly security operations centre reports from the service in customer discussions with boards, turning incident monitoring into a reporting and governance tool as well as a technical function.
Market context
The changes reflect a broader shift in cyber security services as providers seek to widen protection from endpoints to identity, data exposure and recovery. Dark web monitoring has become a common add-on in managed security, particularly as service providers look for ways to show customers evidence of risk beyond traditional malware alerts.
Identity-related monitoring is also gaining attention because compromised accounts can give attackers direct access to software services, internal documents and administrative systems. By adding ITDR to its roadmap, Acronis is pushing its managed security service further into that area.
For telecoms providers and managed service partners, the operational changes may be as significant as the new monitoring features. Direct customer communications and self-activation can reduce administrative work, while multilingual support may help providers handle incidents across broader customer bases.
Acronis said the latest additions are intended to make continuous security support easier to deliver across customer environments that now extend across devices, applications, identities and data.