Your Roadmap to a Managed Security Service Provider

At a glance

• The main takeaway: Cybersecurity is not something your business should tackle independently. It doesn’t matter the size of your company or the industry you’re in, you need to partner with a managed security service provider to level-up your security program.
• Impact on your business: Security challenges are more complex today than they were 10 years ago and show no signs of slowing down. The strategies cyber criminals use to exploit your network are more invasive and evolve daily to adapt with emerging capabilities.
• Next steps: Aprio’s Cybersecurity Advisory Team can guide you on the managed security service provider path to protect your network from cyber threats.

Let’s discuss how Aprio can help you customize security solutions to fit your business objectives.

The full story:

Cybersecurity is more complicated today than it was 5 or 10 years ago. Before you could easily visit a local electronics store to purchase a security software, load it on your computer and you’d be good. Now, the challenges have become more invasive and the ability for cyber criminals to take advantage of companies has increased implications.

What’s unique about cybersecurity and security programs, is it’s not isolated to any one element of your digital program. It exists in the data within your infrastructure, the computing environment and the cloud. There is no place where you store data that you could say, “I don’t need security here.”

If you want to do security right, you need to engage a partner

Most companies do not have the proficiency or the skillset for counter threat intelligence. The ones that recognize the importance for an effective security program early, partner with a managed security service provider.

Think of a managed security service provider as an extension of your IT team. Their role is to protect your business and data by offering rapid response to potential cybersecurity threats as they arise using a variety of solutions, such as holistic security monitoring, threat intelligence, penetration testing and vulnerability management.

The drivers for why you need a managed security service provider

1. The right partner will set the stage
   The size of your company does not reduce your need for a security partner. And unfortunately, you can’t hire one person with all the knowledge and technical skills to manage your overall risk. The first step in the roadmap to a security provider starts with recognizing you can’t go at it alone. You need a good partner (who you can trust) to build an organized and effective security program.
2. A security threat is 24/7
   Do you remember the days when you’d log off your computer, lock your office door and return the next day and everything would be right as rain? Businesses today run 24/7 with employees working all over the world and networks are always connected. The security challenges your business faces today are significantly more complex and you need someone to continuously monitor for possible threats to minimize the impact to your network.
3. Rapid response is essential
   Attack profiles have significantly progressed over the last 10 years. Cyber criminals used to move like a low and slow burn, taking their time to get to where they wanted within your network. Now they move lightning fast and can penetrate entire networks within a matter of hours if not minutes. In today’s world, it’s unrealistic to expect your employees to be available 24/7 to monitor for cyber threats. One of the benefits to a security provider is the comfort in knowing they are always monitoring for potential threats and have rapid response capabilities.
4. How you extend your team varies
   To establish effective security coverage, you must start with defining what expanding your team looks like. Ask yourself, “What solutions and resources do I need the most and where will it benefit my company the best?” A good security provider gives you options. You could choose to outsource your entire security program, only the critical aspects of your program or something in between. No matter the option you choose, expanding your team will free up internal resources to focus on higher-level projects.
5. You still own the risk
   Just because you outsource your security, does not mean you outsource the risk. A good security provider gives you feedback, presents reports and offers solutions to help you make key business decisions. They do not take sole responsibility if something goes wrong. At the end of the day, you are still responsible for owning the risk.

The bottom line

There is no indication that security will one day be less complicated. In reality it’s the opposite, which is what makes cybersecurity so unique. As new trends, applications and capabilities emerge, it will continue to drive complexity and increase your need to partner with a managed security service provider. Aprio’s Cybersecurity Advisory Team can guide you on the path to a security partner and comprehensive solutions to protect your business.

Related resources

Ransomware: King of Cybersecurity Threats
A Better Approach to Building Your Cybersecurity Team
5 Ways to Close the Labor Gap in Cybersecurity
Aprio’s Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Services