A Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) is a must for any company. There are many different ways to increase your business’s security, but this post will specifically focus on what you can do with the help of a managed security service provider.
An MSSP can provide your company with monthly or annual services that include risk assessment, response plans, vulnerability management, network performance monitoring, intrusion detection and prevention, cryptography, mobile device management, application protection, and more.
These services will help to ensure the safety of your employees and customers by reducing the chance of an attack. With these services in place, your company is better equipped to protect its data from being stolen or tampered with.
And if an attack does happen, you have someone to call who knows how to respond appropriately. It really doesn’t take much to improve the security of your business- just ask for help!
01What is a Managed Security Service Provider?
A managed security service provider is a valuable asset for any business. They are the ones who will provide your company with services, such as risk assessment, response plans, vulnerability management, network performance monitoring, intrusion detection and prevention, cryptography, mobile device management, application protection, and more.
These services can help you reduce the chance of an attack on your company.
Risk assessment is one way that an MSP can keep you safe. This method helps to identify weaknesses in your business’s security by determining what data needs protection most urgently. It will also offer advice on how to avoid future attacks.
An MSSP is also valuable because they are able to provide you with a response plan in case an attack does happen. It’s not always easy to know what to do when something goes wrong with your computer system or if someone finds out sensitive information about your business.
With their assistance, you know what steps need to be taken in order to protect your company from further damage or loss of valuable data.
Managed Security Service Providers typically provide three main services: Patch Management, Compliance, and Incident Response Services.
What is Patch Management?
Patch Management is the process of keeping your Mac OS X, Windows and Servers secure by ensuring that they are patched quickly and thoroughly.
In the wake of a major vulnerability like the "Heartbleed" bug, a good customer-managed service provider might be able to patch a critical vulnerability before an attacker could exploit it.
What is Compliance?
Compliance refers to the process of managing regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, etc. A good MSSP can help you get up to speed with these regulations if you're new to this field or if you're looking for enhanced security.
An MSSP should know what services you need specifically for compliance or have knowledge in areas such as HIPAA or PCI DSS. For example, if you're a health care provider, finding and keeping up to date with the latest HIPAA updates will help ensure that your sensitive data is as safe as possible.
What is Incident Response and Security Operations?
Incident Response and Security Operations (IR&SO) includes similar services. It provides the capability of dealing with security incidents quickly and productively, whether it's a malicious attacker trying to gain access or a problem within your system from malware or virus.
A good MSSP should have a 24-hour incident response process so that they can react faster than an attacker to prevent further damage.
The Benefits of MSSP Services
Security is a serious matter for any company. You never know what could happen, and it’s always better to be prepared than not.
MSSP services offer the following benefits:
Improved security:
A managed security service provider can help your company increase its protection against intrusions and decrease the risk of data theft or tampering. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) are a type of third-party vendor that offers comprehensive, on-demand services for IT companies to protect their networks from cyber threats.
They provide support with network monitoring, vulnerability assessment, intrusion detection, and prevention systems as well as managing access control policies in order to reduce risks related to malicious attacks within an organization's system.
Emergency response:
If an attack does happen, you don’t have to worry about how to respond because your MSP has a plan in place. The most important part of emergency planning is having a well-documented and tested crisis management plan (CMP) which outlines everything from what would happen during the event itself, through its aftermath.
A CMP should be updated regularly so it's up-to-date with current threats and best practices for responding if they do occur.
Peace of mind:
When you partner with a Managed Security Service Provider, you can focus on running your business by knowing that all of your company’s digital systems and assets are being taken care of.
The MSSP companies provide various services to help protect information from hackers or other cybercriminals as well as keep up-to-date on the latest security threats for a more secure network environment.
They also offer advice on how best to implement new technologies in order to keep ahead in today's competitive marketplace.
How to Choose the Right MSSP for Your Business
Choosing the right MSSP for your business can be difficult. There are many different types of providers to choose from, and all of them offer something different.
As you search for an MSSP, there are seven main things to consider that will help you decide which one is right for your company:
Company size
Choosing a large MSP can provide you with many benefits. The larger the company is, the more resources it will have for your business. If your company is very small and its needs are simple, then a smaller MSP may be more appropriate.
Larger companies will likely be able to provide you with more services and perhaps even better pricing.
However, if your company is still small but its needs are complex or you anticipate that they will become so in the future, then a larger MSP would be appropriate. One thing to keep in mind when choosing a large MSP is that they won't be as flexible as a smaller company.
Company location
If you have offices in more than one city or state/province, then you may want to choose an MSP that is located in those cities. This will allow you to save money on travel time when your staff members need to contact the MSSP.
The more locations an MSSP has, the more it costs to run and maintain all of those locations. Some companies will charge you a little extra for each location they are located in, but this can be much less than paying for travel time and expenses for your staff members.
Service offerings
The services offered by an MSSP are the most important factor in choosing an MSSP. Make sure you understand what kind of services they provide and how they provide them.
Experience of the MSSP
The more experience your MSSP has, the better. The more experience they have, the more they will be able to handle any situation that comes up. This is important because when you are looking for an MSSP you are essentially looking for a partner to help you with your IT needs.
Your IT needs are not going to stay the same forever, so choosing an MSSP that has a lot of experience will allow them to take on new challenges as they arise.
Level of Support
The level of support you receive from your MSSP is important because it affects how quickly and effectively problems can be solved. If your company is dealing with a serious problem and your MSSP does not offer 24/7 support, you are going to have a very difficult time getting the issue resolved.
The more people your MSSP has on staff, the more likely they will be able to respond to your needs quickly and effectively.
Service level agreements (SLAs)
An SLA is a contract between you and your MSSP that details the level of service provided by the MSP, as well as how it will be provided and when it will be provided. You should read your SLA very carefully to make sure that it is clear, fair, and correct for your company's needs.
Why an MSSP is a Must for Your Company
No company is invincible. Cybercrime has increased substantially in recent years, and no company can afford to take their security for granted. According to the Ponemon Institute 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study, the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million per company.
The right MSSP will provide your business with ongoing protection from cyberattacks.
An MSSP will have expert knowledge on how to keep your data safe and secure, as well as what you need to do if an attack does happen.
They are also there for you when you need help and can offer tailored recommendations for improving your systems' security if needed.
Managed security services providers offer a wide range of services that can greatly improve the security of your company and its data:
Risk assessment: A managed security service provider will identify potential risks and vulnerabilities for your business and work with you to develop a plan to mitigate those risks.
Vulnerability management: A managed security service provider will monitor the status of all vulnerabilities that affect your company's networks or devices, as well as those that could be exploited by outside attackers looking to steal sensitive data or disrupt operations; then they'll work with you to develop strategies for fixing vulnerabilities and managing risk.
CONCLUSION
If you’ve been looking for a way to reduce your company’s IT security concerns, a Managed Security Service Provider is the answer.
An MSSP provides you with a team of experts who are the most qualified to protect your network, hardware, software, and data.
Through a 24/7 monitoring service, they can detect potential threats and keep your data safe. To find the right MSP for your business, just follow these four steps:
Step 1: Know What You Want
A good MSSP isn’t just a set of tools. They offer a range of services that can be tailored to your unique needs.
MSSPs are NOT all the same. A service provider may use some of the same tools as others, but how they deliver them is often very different. Not all MSSPs offer Security Patching and other patch management services for example.
Step 2: Figure Out What You Need
A good MSSP should be able to provide the tools you need while taking into account your budget and resources. The tool should be user-friendly, should offer utilities that are easily accessible, and should have the ability to apply rules to a database for data storage and monitoring. Both software and hardware tools can be used for MSSP purposes.
Step 3: Figure Out What You Have
A good MSSP should also be able to take into consideration your existing systems and, if needed, integrate with them. MSSPs should also be able to help understand network structure and, if necessary, identify the security requirements of each system.
The best MSSP will be able to help you understand who is responsible for certain products that are on the network and have a vested interest in these products.
MSSPs also know how to integrate existing technologies in an effort to maintain backward compatibility as well as make sure that new security products fit into existing hardware, software, and operating systems.
Step 4: Figure Out Who You Trust
Whether it’s in-house or an outsourced team, you need to find organizations or companies that can be trusted on Managed Security tasks.
It’s always good to work with MSSP if possible because they bring so much expertise and experience.
Building Strong Relationships with MSSP is a great way to strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and provide better visibility into your enterprise network.
