Managed Services

More organizations are turning to managed security services to gain security expertise and lessen the workload of their in-house security staff.

What are Managed Security Services?

Third-party providers offer managed security services for the oversight and administration of a company’s security processes. Managed security service providers (MSSPs) conduct services either in-house or remotely, typically via the cloud. MSSPs offer a wide range of security services, from setting up infrastructure through security management or incident response. Some managed security service providers specialize in certain areas while others offer full outsourcing of an enterprise’s information security program.

Organizations choose to work with MSSPs for a variety of reasons; often this decision is driven by a lack of in-house resources or expertise for certain areas of security or the need for security monitoring and management outside of normal operating hours. In other cases, organizations will hire managed security service providers to conduct security audits or respond to and investigate incidents.

Benefits of Hiring a Managed Security Service Provider

The primary benefit of managed security services is the security expertise and additional staffing they provide. The ability for MSSPs to manage security processes from an off-site location allows enterprises to conduct business as usual with minimal intrusion due to security initiatives, while the MSSP interface maintains a constant line of communication and seamless reporting to the business. MSSPs ensure that enterprise IT is always up-to-date with the status of security issues, audits, and maintenance, enabling the hiring organization to focus on security governance rather than administrative tasks.