If your company has ever fallen victim to a ransomware or malware attack, you’ll know that a security incident can be extremely stressful to deal with. In the short term, you may lose access to your systems, which causes disruption and can lose you money.
In the long term, a high-profile breach can also lead to regulatory consequences and a loss of trust from your customer base.
Unfortunately, in today’s hyper-connected world, cyber-attacks are a very real and imminent threat. Whether you’re yet to suffer an attack or have already experienced one, it probably won’t be too long before hackers are knocking at your door again.
For SMBs, in particular, defending against cyber-attacks can prove extremely tricky. While large organisations have bigger budgets to spend on security defenses, SMBs don’t have the same luxury. This means, firstly, that their defenses may not be as robust as their larger counterparts and, secondly, that they may not have the resources to effectively deal with a cyber-attack.
This is where managed security services providers (MSSPs) come in.
What is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)?
An MSSP is a third-party organization that specializes in cybersecurity. A good MSSP will help you with implementing a robust security program. They will then provide professional monitoring and management of your IT infrastructure to protect against and deter cybercriminals.
Common duties of an MSSP include:
- Blocking viruses and spam
- Managed Firewalls
- Detecting and deterring intrusion attempts
- Implementing system changes or upgrades
- Ongoing monitoring
- Device management
- Log monitoring and management
- Vulnerability patches
- Consulting
Most MSSPs offer their services on a monthly retainer basis. This means you get ongoing access to security expertise and knowledge for a flat monthly fee.
The Benefits of Working with an MSSP
There are numerous benefits to working with an MSSP instead of managing security by yourself, including:
1. An MSSP will lead to lower costs
In the long term, working with an MSSP will help you to reduce costs in a number of ways. For one, by avoiding a security incident, you’ll save a lot of money that would be lost due to downtime and reputational damage.
Moreover, hiring an MSSP is much cheaper than hiring your own full-time security team. With an MSSP, you get access to a wealth of expertise and knowledge at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone full time.
Many MSSPs also bundle security solutions and hardware into their offerings, so you don’t have to worry about these costs separately.
2. Less stressing about security!
Rather than worrying about data security, cyber-attacks and compliance with regulations, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands. This gives you more time to focus on building your business and fostering innovation.
3. Access to excellent expertise and tools
MSSP employees are experts in their fields. They are typically IT security consultants with relevant training and degrees. These guys – like us – live and breathe security. This means you get access to premium, expert advice that is up to date with the latest threats and trends.
4. 24/7 protection
Cybercriminals rarely take a day off. It’s not enough to protect your company from Monday to Friday. You need solutions that provide round the clock security. With an MSSP that’s exactly what you get. A great provider will be committed to protecting your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
5. Find cybercriminals before they cause a data breach
When a cybercriminal first comes across your business, they have to go through a few steps before they successfully get into your network and steal customer data. A good MSSP provider will implement security tools that enable them to detect malicious activity before it causes a breach.
6. Enable your business to grow
Your MSSP should have experience in working with businesses of all sizes across sectors. They can then channel this expertise to evolve their advice and services as your business grows and your security requirements change.
In this way, your MSSP will always be fit for purpose and keep you secure – whether your company has 5 employees or 50.
7. Guaranteed, fast support
Look for an MSSP that offers 365-days-a-year support and also offers a guaranteed response time. That way, if an unexpected issue pops up, you know they’ll be there to support you urgently.
Let Us Handle Cybersecurity For you!
PartnerIT’s CISO and Managed Security Services program is designed to keep your organization safe from cyber attacks. Our team has been expertly trained and is constantly sharpening their skillset in an effort to keep what’s most important to your business safe.
Contact us today to learn about our cyber security managed services! Call 519-672-0900 or reach out online.
