SPECTRA & Blacksmith
Cybersecurity and cyber insurance have historically operated as two separate conversations. Security teams build controls. Underwriters ask questions. And somewhere in between, managed service providers are left assembling evidence after the fact to prove that the protection they deliver is real, repeatable, and worth insuring.
Today, we're announcing a strategic partnership with Blacksmith, the cybersecurity compliance platform built for MSPs, to close that gap.
What the partnership does
Blacksmith is adding support for the SPECTRA framework directly inside its platform. For MSPs, that means the requirements of our Business Advantage Program stop living in a separate assessment cycle and start living inside the compliance workflow they already use every day.
Our Business Advantage Program evaluates the people, processes, technologies, and service delivery practices that determine whether an MSP can genuinely protect its customers and respond effectively when an incident occurs. Operationalizing that framework in Blacksmith turns certification requirements into actionable work: mapped controls, collected evidence, and ongoing accountability instead of a one-time snapshot.
Specifically, the partnership is designed to help providers:
- Map existing security operations and controls to the SPECTRA framework
- Identify and remediate gaps that may affect resilience and certification readiness
- Organize evidence and documentation in a centralized compliance workflow
- Create clearer, more defensible records of their cybersecurity practices for customers, partners, and insurance-related assessments
- Connect security maturity to cybersecurity performance warranties and easier access to broader insurance coverage and lower premiums, for both MSPs and their customers
Why it matters beyond compliance
Our certification-based Business Advantage Program exists to give insurers and brokers validated information about the security services and resilience practices supporting an organization. Certified providers may help their clients qualify for preferred coverage programs and more favorable cyber-insurance terms, subject to carrier underwriting and program eligibility. Qualified programs can provide premium reductions of up to 35 percent.
That's the business advantage in the program's name: strong security practices, made visible enough to be rewarded.
A shared view of where the market is heading
"MSPs are being asked to prove that their services are resilient, repeatable, and aligned with customer and insurer expectations. Having security tools in place isn't enough," said Mike Zbarsky at Blacksmith. "Bringing SPECTRA into Blacksmith helps providers make that work practical. They can manage requirements, collect evidence, and maintain the operational discipline needed to build a stronger security posture."
We agree. As carriers increasingly expect clearer proof of risk management and security performance, the providers who win will be the ones who can produce that proof on demand — not reconstruct it under pressure. Together with Blacksmith, we're giving MSPs a more streamlined way to manage the underlying controls, evidence, and operational practices those expectations rest on.
Availability
The SPECTRA framework will be available in Blacksmith beginning October 1st. MSPs interested in early access or learning more can visit spectracyber.com or blacksmithinfosec.com.