The certification programs offered by ISACA and (ISC)2 will give Microsoft partners security skills that go beyond Microsoft products -- a key requirement for security tools, Dawkins said.

For instance, technology-centric certification programs such as (ISC)2's Certified Information Systems Security Professional and its Systems Security Certified Professional course are designed to ensure that Microsoft resellers can handle infrastructure security issues, he said.

The new program can help users "feel more comfortable knowing that Microsoft is requiring its partners to have a wider perspective on security, [not] just a Microsoft vision," said John Pironti, principal security consultant at Unisys Corp., a Microsoft partner in Blue Bell Pa.

Pironti said Microsoft had to align with internationally recognized programs to become a credible security vendor.