The last time I spoke with Securonix, it was to discuss its acquisition of ThreatQuotient, adding a threat intelligence capability to its existing portfolio of security analytics, threat detection and incident response through its cloud-native Unified Defense SIEM.
Several months on from that announcement, new steps have been taken to enable a wider user base, alongside the launch of new capabilities designed to support AI measurement and management.
The combination of unified SIEM and managed security services, which together support scalable, AI-powered security operations, comes at a crucial time. AI is transforming SOC operations, but organizations still need human expertise, and managed services are increasingly becoming the preferred way to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap.
Securonix Head of UK, Carl Pharoah, said that Securonix provides the platform and technology through which customers can use their data and apply AI-powered capabilities, while its partner Acora delivers the managed service component.
“We provide the technology; they essentially provide the people who look at that data and use it to make decisions,” Carl Pharoah said.
“When customer feeds come in and log sources are connected, everything goes into a single platform. Our AI can handle triage, threat intelligence ingestion and analysis of where threats are coming from. Acora then brings that all together through its platform and helps customers take action based on that information.”
Is it a case of existing Securonix customers coming to the company and saying, “Your technology is great, but how do we use it?” Pharoah said this is not uncommon. With the current cyber skills shortage, organisations often find themselves asking: “I’ve got all this technology, but how do I use it? How do I manage it when I don’t have the people or the time?”
He admitted that the threat landscape is constantly evolving. Even if organisations try to manage security on their own, everything moves at a rapid pace. Something that appears effective today could be outdated six months later as new malware families emerge.
“If you have a managed service, it can scale very effectively by combining that service with the AI-powered technology behind it,” he said.
So, could this be a way for businesses to better adopt AI into their workflows? Pharoah said that AI is a major topic, but many people still do not fully understand what it is capable of. As a result, organisations often dip their toe in the water rather than fully embracing its potential. While AI cannot perform 100% of the tasks required, it can take on much of the routine and repetitive work.
“When we talk to customers about AI, we emphasise that a human element is still needed. AI can identify patterns and conduct analysis, then provide the human analyst with the information they need, without them having to carry out all that research themselves,” he said. “They can get there faster and make better decisions.”
Do What’s Right For You
He explained that Acora provides flexibility. Customers can opt for a fully managed service, a model that combines AI and internal teams, or a fully outsourced approach where they are comfortable with the technology being used and are primarily focused on outcomes and maintaining security.
Is this a case of customers wanting to use specific technology but not knowing how to use it properly, and therefore turning to Securonix and Acora for support? Pharoah said it is typically a combination of factors.
“There is lots of data, lots of threats and lots of things people can do. When you’ve got AI-powered analytics and people behind the scenes who can act on that information, it takes away much of the overwhelm and allows customers to focus on what they need to do.”
Is buying the technology only the first hurdle, with managing, running and using it being the next challenge? Pharoah said:
“The good thing about Acora and us is that we’re very open about what the journey looks like from the start. From that first conversation, yes, you’ve got to buy the technology and buy into the AI element and how it works, but we also need to understand the operation of your business.”
SAM and the Human-in-the-loop
This led us on to the launch of Sam, the AI SOC Analyst, and the Securonix Agentic Mesh earlier this year, which introduced an operating model for security operations designed to scale analyst productivity, govern AI in production and deliver board-ready outcomes. Pharoah described this as a complementary service to human-managed AI, where triage is carried out at the outset and acts as an extension of the security team.
“That takes a lot of the work away and integrates into the security platforms,” he said. “It looks across the different agents operating within those platforms and brings everything together through the Agentic Mesh. It enables threats to be detected more quickly and delivers the information needed to the human analyst.”
Returning to the partnership with Acora, I asked whether this was intended to solve precisely this sort of challenge. Pharoah said it was, largely because of its scalability. AI carries out much of the background work, determines which threats are imminent, identifies what needs to be addressed immediately and reduces false positives, ultimately helping to tackle alert fatigue.
“It’s actually a cocktail of things that benefits the end customer. You use new technology, mixed with established technology and an experienced managed service – it’s the perfect mix.”
Clear and Consistent Strategy.
Looking ahead, both Acora and Securonix remain focused on expansion and innovation, ensuring that joint initiatives align to a clear and consistent strategy. By combining their expertise, market presence and commitment to customer success, the partnership provides organisations across the UK and beyond with greater confidence as they navigate an increasingly complex security landscape and make long-term technology investments.
Pharoah said: “Their ideal customer profile is very similar to ours and the route to market is very similar, so we complement each other very, very well.”
As organisations continue to move away from point solutions, the demand for integrated security platforms and managed services will only grow. Together, Acora and Securonix are helping customers embrace a shift-left approach to security design, modernise through cloud-native architectures and strengthen resilience without compromising service quality or user experience.
The Acora and Securonix partnership represents more than a vendor relationship. It is a strategic alliance built on trust, shared ambition and a common vision for growth.
