India, Sept. 18 -- Managed service providers (MSPs) are moving beyond the traditional role of managing IT infrastructure and security technologies to become de facto cybersecurity leaders for their customers. The shift is highlighted in Sophos' 2026 MSP Perspectives Report, which finds that 46% of customers rely on their MSP to act as their CISO, while 84% of MSPs expect demand for CISO services to increase over the next 12 months.

The findings point to a fundamental change in the MSP business model. As organisations contend with increasingly complex cyber risks, regulatory requirements and a shortage of specialist security leadership, MSPs are being asked not simply to operate security controls but to provide strategic guidance on risk...