Defending your business against evolving cybersecurity threats goes beyond installing anti-virus software or purchasing cyber insurance.
While these methods are supplemental, they fundamentally lack the proactivity necessary to mitigate breach potential in the first place.
It is far more effective to enlist a dedicated team of cybersecurity professionals to monitor online systems 24/7/365, known as a managed security service provider (MSSP).
In this explainer, we’ll introduce MSSPs, services they provide, differences from MSPs, and more.
What Are Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)?
Managed security service providers (MSSPs) offer continuous monitoring of network, endpoint, and cloud devices through security operation centers (SOC) to enhance cybersecurity posture.
MSSPs may provide continuous monitoring, risk assessment and mitigation, breach and attack simulations, incident response, and security awareness training.
By outsourcing to a team of cyber professionals, businesses can maintain full visibility over risk posture and proactively mitigate threats while reducing strain on IT staff.
This is especially crucial as ransomware-caused breaches have spiked by 41% in the past year alone, reads IBM’s 2022 “Cost of a Data Breach” report. Costing an average of $9.44 million on average in the United States, it adds, nearly a third (31%) of businesses fail after falling victim to ransomware.
This underscores the importance of not only swiftly remediating threats when they occur, but enlisting an MSSP’s services to proactively curb threats before they strike.
What Services Can an MSSP Provide?
While SOC-as-a-service (SOCaaS) providers vary in scope, leading MSSPs offer a combination of services.
Continuous Monitoring
MSSPs leverage a team of experienced cyber professionals to monitor your endpoints, networks, and cloud environments, 24/7/365.
This helps detect, contain, and eradicate threats before hackers have the opportunity to do damage.
Risk Assessment & Mitigation
MSSPs will evaluate your online infrastructure, employee cyber practices, and other factors to identify and close security gaps.
Assessing current system vulnerabilities enable mitigation before exploitation.
Breach & Attack Simulations
These test your security posture against simulated email and web gateway, endpoint, and lateral movement attacks.
MSSPs then determine how your security controls and policies respond, and offer remediation strategies.
Incident Response
Should a breach occur, the MSSP instantly identifies, contains, and eradicates the threat for swift recovery and lessons-learned analysis.
Leading SOCaaS solutions leverage NIST SP 800-61 and FIPS 200 frameworks to ensure businesses can seamlessly continue operations while remaining fully compliant.
Security Awareness Training
The human element plays a significant role in 74% of breaches, meaning poor password health or email practices can create vectors for hacker intrusion.
MSSPs help transform your staff into your first line of defense with security awareness training covering the basics of spam, phishing, malware, and the dangers of social engineering.
Differences Between Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) & Managed Services Providers (MSP)
An MSSP differs from a managed services provider (MSP) in a few distinct ways.
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Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) |
Managed Services Provider (MSP) |
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Monitors networks, endpoints, and cloud environments to enhance cybersecurity |
Provides remote IT services to help organization manage systems, databases, and applications |
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Services can include continuous monitoring, risk assessments, breach and attack simulations, incident response, and security awareness training |
Services can include break-fix and help desk support, endpoint back-up and management, IT infrastructure management, onboarding, log data reporting, and bug fixes |
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Works 24/7/365 to proactively prevent cyber threats |
Usually called after an IT asset needs fixing |
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Manages system and data security through a security operations center (SOC) |
Receives and manage alerts through a network operations center (NOC) |
Cybersafe: An Industry-Leading MSSP
As you’re selecting the right MSSP to meet your needs, consider a provider specializing in these services, state-of-the-art technology, and safeguarding assets.
Industry-leading MSSP Cybersafe Solutions provides all the aforementioned offerings and more: continuous monitoring, risk assessment and mitigation, breach and attack simulations, incident response, security awareness training, endpoint detection and response, dark web monitoring, and security information and event management (SIEM).
Recently named AT&T's 2023 Global Partner of the Year and among MSSP Alert’s Top 250 MSSPs of 2022, Cybersafe’s tailored solutions prime every facet of your security posture for defense against today’s evolving threats.
Leveraging cutting-edge technology, top-tier threat intelligence, and more than 20 years of cybersecurity expertise, we are committed to protecting your systems, 24/7/365.
Cybersafe Solutions is a distinguished MSSP with more than 20 years of experience in the online threat landscape. To enhance your cybersecurity posture with industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR), contact us today.
