Cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns for businesses of all shapes and sizes today. If you’re a business trying to protect your assets and avoid a disastrous breach, staying safe can feel like an insurmountable task. One of the best ways to approach cybersecurity is to work with a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).
In recent years, we’ve seen an explosion in the number, scale, and frequency of cyber attacks, with entirely new threat categories emerging. But protecting your assets doesn’t have to suck away at your time and resources. An MSSP can save your team time and stress while boosting your defenses.
In this article, we’ll explore what MSSPs are, what they do, and how to find the best cybersecurity provider for your needs.
What Is an MSSP?
Unless your business is large and well-resourced, there’s a good chance you don’t have a big cybersecurity team.
Even if you have multiple team members dedicated to security, chances are they’re very busy. Cybersecurity today is an incredibly demanding and resource-intensive activity — and with the constant emergence of new attack vectors and harmful technology, many businesses are failing to keep up.
This is where MSSPs come in. They’re cybersecurity teams that can take on some of your security capabilities — typically those tasks that are expensive, time consuming, and require advanced or specific technical expertise.
Since MSSPs are specialized in security, they have access to vast resources and knowledge, along with highly experienced experts. They can take on a significant chunk of your cybersecurity needs, freeing up your own team members to work on business-critical tasks.
Why Do You Need an MSSP?
We’ve talked about how cybersecurity can be time intensive and expensive when organizations do it exclusively internally.
But cybersecurity is also critically necessary. The last year alone has seen a steep increase in many concerning security metrics, driving home the need for businesses to prioritize cybersecurity. For example:
- Businesses across the board are still highly vulnerable to attacks, and emerging technologies like AI are creating new risks for businesses and new tools for criminals.
- Ransomware attacks increased by 93% year-on-year in 2022.
- Cyberattacks, when they succeed, can inflict catastrophic damage. The average cost of a data breach is predicted to reach $4.2 million in 2023, according to a report by IBM.
A good cybersecurity provider, specialized in organizations like yours and with an established track record, can be of enormous help when it comes to proactively defending against cyberattacks and building a more resilient security infrastructure.
That way, your own security team members can offer support in necessary areas while remaining free to work on their own mission-critical projects and without being overwhelmed by stress.
What Separates Good From Bad MSSPs?
Not all MSSPs are created equal.
Here are some of the key things to look out for when choosing your next MSSP.
Experience
How long has your prospective cybersecurity provider been around? Some MSSPs have a wealth of experience and a seriously impressive track record, while others are relatively new.
Newer doesn’t necessarily mean worse, just like established doesn’t always mean better, but you should take some time to learn more about an MSSP’s background and what specific clients and projects they’ve worked with in the past, along with their results.
Individualized & Tailored Approach
One of the most important things to look for in an MSSP is a focus on your individual needs, challenges, and goals.
When it comes to cybersecurity, a cookie-cutter approach is no longer good enough. You should always seek out an MSSP that can tailor its approach to your situation and provide personalized solutions.
Specific Skills & Services
MSSPs are all different, and they typically specialize in certain skills, services, companies, and project types.
It’s best to take some time to diagnose your biggest challenges and identify key areas where an MSSP could help. Then, try to connect with MSSPs that specialize in these areas. This will result in a much more productive and successful relationship.
Reputation
You’re unlikely to be the first company to ever work with your chosen MSSP. Its previous clients can be a useful source of information about how the company operates and if it’s a good fit.
Read reviews on websites like Gartner and G2 to get a feel for how others have experienced your potential MSSPs. You can filter reviews by specific areas and individual pros and cons.
Culture Fit
An MSSP isn’t just a product — it’s a team of people that will be working closely with your organization on extremely sensitive and high-stakes tasks.
As a result, it’s important that your MSSP team can work well alongside your own staff and align with your company values and working methods.
Reliability
When it comes to cybersecurity, reliability is essential. An MSSP that’s only available for some emergencies is no use at all — you need a partner you can depend on.
This is another area where reviews and reputation can be a helpful guide. Talk to other businesses that have used MSSPs and ask about their experiences.
How to Find the Right MSSP
Once you’ve decided you want to work with a cybersecurity provider, it’s time to begin the search for the perfect one. The above list should guide you in this, helping you eliminate unsuitable candidates and hone in on potential good fits.
Here is a rough roadmap for finding the right MSSP.
Determine Your Goals
What exactly do you plan to achieve with your MSSP? Take some time to determine clear, concrete goals you’d like to reach and challenges you need help with. Be as specific and precise as possible, and consult with your existing security staff and other members of your organization.
For example, you might want to focus on network security or endpoint protection. Maybe you’re looking for a detailed audit of your security infrastructure. By getting clear on what you want, you’ll be much better prepared to talk to potential MSSPs and identify good options.
Establish Your Budget
It’s tough to put a price on the security of your organization, but most companies will have a limit of how much they can afford to spend on an MSSP.
Establish your budget early on so you can restrict your search to MSSPs you can afford.
Assess Your Current Cybersecurity Posture & Culture
Along with your security team, assess your current security infrastructure. What processes are currently in place? Are there any concerning gaps or vulnerabilities? What tools and software platforms are you using?
Try to be as thorough as possible — this will help you identify areas where you need help the most, and it will guide more productive conversations with potential partners.
Work Out the Specific Services You Need
Next, make a list of the specific services you need from an MSSP. Focus on the areas you want to improve most and the areas that are most urgent from a security perspective.
This will make it easier to narrow down your shortlist of MSSPs, allowing you to target those who specialize in the areas you need help.
Start Some Conversations
By this stage, you should have a list of MSSPs that seem like a good fit for your organization.
Now it’s time to start reaching out and having some conversations. You should have a clear idea of your goals, areas you need help with, and specific services you’d like to benefit from. This should bring structure and direction to your conversations and help you find the perfect MSSP.
Work With DYOPATH
At DYOPATH, we’ve worked as a cybersecurity provider for countless companies, helping them strengthen their defenses, repair vulnerabilities, and proactively deal with threats — all while freeing up their team members to focus on business-critical work.
Contact us to find out more about how we can help you with the same.
