The benefits of engaging an Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP)

The risk of cyber attack is growing

Cyber Security is now a core business requirement for most organisations as the threat landscape continues to grow and evolve. As hackers and malware become more skilled at infiltrating vulnerable networks, leaders who have not previously considered cybersecurity are struggling to meet the evolving threat. So the risks are accelerating and compliance obligations are increasing, but often internal skills and capabilities remain static for many organisations.

The impact of a cyberattack

The damage cyberattacks inflict on organisations ranges from unauthorised access via a relatively simple hack to large-scale theft of sensitive data. If a company falls victim of a ransomware attack, this can cause extended downtime and significant brand damage which can sometimes result in a business not being able to recover.

• Managed SIEM, log collection and monitoring
• Unparalleled visibility and insights to internal security events
• Proactive monitoring 24/7/365
• Incident resolution recommendations
• Assistance with Remediation and Rectification of cyber security issues
• Custom Reports and Dashboards development
• Managed endpoint detection and response (EDR)
• Threat hunting
• Digital brand protection
• Vulnerability Management
• Improvements in internal Incident Response Processes
• Regular reporting on security issues

1. Access to industry leading expertise

When you work with a MSSP to are gaining access to the best cyber-security expertise, these experts aren’t merely tech-savvy – they are seasoned, qualified security professionals. This is something that many companies don’t have in-house as experienced and dedicated staff for IT security are not only expensive, but also difficult to find.

Outsourcing this to a Managed Security Service Provider means you can be certain that a security expert will protect and manage your data and organisation properly. The certified employees of good MSSPs are always aware of developments in industry and in modern cyber threats.

In addition, a MSSP will be solely focussed on the task and won’t be juggling several other tech-related tasks, therefore the level of protection will be significantly higher.

2. Dedicated time to focus on your business

Many organisations informally task their IT employees to take on cybersecurity tasks and monitoring. This approach is not ideal as not only do they not have the expertise they don’t have the time and therefore the results are mediocre.

An MSSP frees up time, so the IT team can focus on other things that really moves their business forward. Most IT teams specialise in optimising company operations – not protecting them. This IT relief is probably one of the greatest benefits of MSSPs.

3. 24/7 Threat detection

MSSP efforts are not mere spot checks; they provide 24/7 proactive network monitoring. Cyberattacks can occur at any time, and the longer that an attacker has access to an organisation’s systems, the greater the cost and potential impacts to the organisation. 24/7 threat detection and response capabilities ensure that an organisation can minimize attackers’ “dwell time” on its network.

However, most organisations do not have the resources necessary to maintain an effective 24/7/365 SOC in-house. Partnering with an MSSP enables these organisations to take advantage of a mature, effective SOC at a fraction of the cost of maintaining it internally.

4. Cost effective

The cost of attracting and retaining a security team made up of skilled experts, as well as the need to acquire the necessary cybersecurity solutions can rapidly add up.

With an MSSP, the cost of security is distributed over the MSSP’s entire client base. Many cybersecurity solutions are designed for multitenancy, enabling the MSSP to independently support each client in isolation with a single appliance. By distributing costs across its customers, an MSSP can offer each of them a higher level of security protection than they could independently achieve at a fraction of the price of maintaining it in-house.

MSSPs are not only lower in cost but outsourced teams can accomplish more with greater efficiency than what in-house teams can.

5. Advanced technology

Protecting against all of the cyber threats that an organisation may face requires an array of security solutions and is constantly evolving. An in-house team will then have all of the investment in purchasing, configuring, and maintaining them which can be significant.

When partnering with an MSSP, your organisation takes advantage of their existing security investment which can be rapidly deployed to a new client’s environment.

6. Scalability

MSSPs can be scaled up or down according to your organisations needs and budget. For example, initially your organisation may only require assistance with monitoring and incident response but as it grows you may require further services. Or you may temporarily need extra capacity then you simply scale up. If you had an in-house team then it is much more difficult to scale up and down and it becomes a very costly exercise. 

7. Reliable support and fast response times

MSSPs can respond immediately to successful intrusions to prevent lost or stolen data. After resolving an incident, they can use the incident to adapt to the evolving cyber-threats.

Good MSSPs offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs) alongside their 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year support. An SLA includes guidelines on incident response times and guarantees in the event of security incidents.

This means that all potential risks associated with cyber threats are lifted from your organisation to a specialised third party, the MSSP.

Conclusion

Cybercrime is fast evolving and without proper protection, monitoring and tracking these threats would take a considerable amount of time and energy, for an in-house team. For many organisations an MSSP really is a no brainer, its cost-effective, provides specialised cyber security expertise and a much stronger, more efficient service.

How can CyberCX help?

CyberCX Managed Security Services brings you unified expertise from leading cyber security specialists as a 24/7/365 managed service, providing security that gives you peace of mind and the ability to focus on other important parts of the business.

To learn more about how CyberCX’s managed security services work, speak to one of your consultants today.