In order to understand the power and importance of managed security services, we first need to look at today’s threatscape. It’s colored by runaway cybercrime so vast and omnipresent that if the cybercrime industry were its own country, it would already be the third-largest in the world (behind the United States and China).
Cybercriminals, cloaked in part by state sponsors, particularly throughout the former Soviet Union, are rarely caught and have become brazen in their activities, offering up service models like ransomware-as-a-service as growth vehicles. No longer the domain of elephant-hunting hackers and hacktivists, today’s cybercrime industry is run at scale, targeting businesses of all sizes and stripes.
To help companies combat this ever-growing menace, managed cybersecurity services have emerged as vital strategic tools that companies large and small can leverage to protect themselves.
What is Managed Cybersecurity?
Managed security services provide a comprehensive and proactive approach to cybersecurity that helps organizations identify, assess and respond to risks in real time. By outsourcing security tasks to a team of experts, businesses can free up internal resources and focus on their core competencies.
When combined with cutting-edge security tools and technology, managed security services help protect against a wide range of threats, including ransomware, malware, phishing attacks, and other types of cybercrime. For businesses of all sizes, managed security services can be an invaluable line of defense against the ever-evolving threat landscape.
MSSPs in Today’s Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Managed security service providers (MSSPs) can, directly – or indirectly, by becoming cybersecurity partners with a provider specializing in delivering services on behalf of MSSPs – provide around-the-clock monitoring and support to all manner of companies. Notably, this list includes SMBs, which are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals because of their limited cybersecurity resources. Outsourcing security to MSSPs offers several benefits, including:
- Access to high-value cybersecurity talent that’s hard to recruit and retain
- Significant cost benefits versus building in-house (especially in Managed SOC or other services relying on a SOC)
- Always-up-to-date defenses
- Easy scalability
- Always-on operations and monitoring
- Global insight into emerging threats
Freeing up internal IT teams to focus on business-building activities
Fully managed vs. Co-managed Cybersecurity
Managed cybersecurity comes in two forms – fully managed and co-managed:
- Fully managed cybersecurity: This is when all, or nearly all, cybersecurity services are outsourced to an MSSP, including the management of cybersecurity systems, ongoing monitoring, incident detection and response, and recovery.
- Co-managed cybersecurity: This term typically refers to a process of managing some security in-house while outsourcing other components to an MSSP. It also can refer to scenarios wherein an MSSP provides some security services while a partnered MSP provides other security services to its client.
Examples of Managed Cybersecurity Services
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Cloud Security
Cloud security refers to the measures taken to protect data, applications and infrastructure associated with cloud computing. As more businesses move data and services to the cloud and SaaS apps, risk mitigation becomes increasingly important. Common threats include data breaches, denial of service attacks and malware. To reduce the likelihood of these threats, organizations should implement robust security controls such as identity and access management, data encryption and firewalls. In addition, it’s prudent to source cloud services from a reputable and experienced cloud service provider that can offer robust security measures. And overtop of all of this, managed security services can both protect cloud assets and deliver restoration in the event of a breach.
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Endpoint Security
Cloud computing and our shift to a work-from-anywhere (WFA) culture have greatly increased the endpoint risk to businesses as workers connect to resources from home or third-party networks. Managed EDR (endpoint detection and response) services can block suspicious activity and provide remediation steps (often automated) in order to build resilience against cyberattacks.
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Network Security
With full visibility into a customer’s network, an MSSP can prevent unauthorized access and protect the data exchanged within that network. Though network security can cover a wide swath of cybersecurity services, fundamental facets include protection against malware, viruses, denial of service (DoS) and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Managed NDR (network detection and response) typically employs the use of an SOC staffed by security analysts that deliver 24/7 monitoring and support. Using an outsourced SOC provider supplies always-on monitoring and enables unified security measures across hybrid environments.
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Security Awareness Training
The human element is often the weakest link in any secure environment. Careless mistakes and/or a lack of knowledge about cyberthreats (and cyber hygiene in general) are at the center of many security breaches, making education a key piece of any cybersecurity strategy. Many MSSPs offer packaged training curricula that use a variety of teaching tactics to inform even the most security-savvy employees. Some security awareness training (SAT) programs even gamify the process, incenting participants to complete modules with speed and accuracy.
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Managed Firewall
A managed firewall service provided by an MSSP helps businesses secure their network by managing and configuring their firewalls. Firewall management services may include implementation, monitoring, reporting and analysis.
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Patch Management
MSSPs can monitor software and application configurations to ensure timely updates and maintenance. Patch management is required to eliminate network vulnerabilities created by out-of-date applications. This, of course, protects uptime by preventing data breaches and ensuring all infrastructure and programs are optimized.
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Compliance
Compliance with industry and government standards is a significant concern for some companies. MSSPs often provide tools like policy templates, compliance reports and assistance with security audits.
How MSSPs Help Clients Budget for Cybersecurity Services
Security is one of the most critical concerns for any business, yet it can be difficult to know how to budget for managed security services. Compared to operating cybersecurity operations in-house or the cost of a breach, managed cybersecurity is surprisingly affordable to companies while providing recurring revenue streams to MSSPs. But services need to be right-sized to each company’s needs. A good MSSP can help companies flesh out those needs with questions like:
- What type of data does your client need to protect?
- How many disparate networks and/or endpoints does your client have under management?
- What systems and protections are in place already?
- Does your client currently utilize any type of security awareness training?
- Does the customer have any personnel dedicated to information security or business continuity?
- What are your client’s compliance requirements?
- How long would it take to recover from an incident?
Why Overwatch Managed Cybersecurity By High Wire Networks?
High Wire Networks is an innovator in cutting-edge security tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning and automated remediation, providing a comprehensive, customized security solution to guard against today’s threatscape. Our Overwatch Managed Security Services are backed by more than 20 years of cybersecurity experience and expertise, along with a 24/7 SOC, and our enhanced SOAR capabilities deliver scalability and speed to threat remediation, reducing response times for MSP partners and their business clients. Our customized services are delivered over a multitenant platform, providing extensive control and visibility to MSP partners and their clients alike.
And when you work with High Wire, you have instant access to a dedicated and proven channel team that can help you plan, establish and deliver those solutions to your end-customers.
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