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With increased frequency and complexity of cyberattacks, daily news of ransomware, data breaches, previously unknown attack vectors and large-scale security incidents in organizations, the importance of cybersecurity is undeniable. Many organizations are driven by the fear of something similar happening to them, and this fear is prompting businesses to allocate resources to cybersecurity providers sooner or later.

 

Small and medium-sized organizations often do not have budgets to allocate to in-house cybersecurity teams, especially considering the overall cyber talent deficit. The more convenient and affordable option is to hire a third-party cybersecurity provider. Managed security services are in great demand as organizations worldwide try to improve their security postures. However, finding professional security services can be an intimidating task, especially if businesses are not sure what to search for.

 

In this article, we will discuss some tips and suggestions that will make the search easier.

 

Identify your cybersecurity threats

 

First of all, you should be familiar with the cybersecurity threat landscape your organization is facing. Although, the world of cyber threats is broad, the specific issues any organization is trying to resolve are, often, finite. So, be clear what issues you want your cybersecurity provider to resolve. All cyber threats fall into three categories: Internal, External and Partners. You must know what kind of threat your organization is facing before researching for managed security services.

 

Be realistic about what you can do in-house

 

Does your organization have a team to manage security in-house? Be honest with yourself. Is your staff capable of managing all the risks your organization has taken on? There is no issue if the answer is “No”, even large companies do not always have a security operations center in-house. If your organization does not have the expertise to manage certain risks, you need to find professional security services provider that can cover those threats.

 

Define your needs

 

Cybersecurity services are not the same for all organizations, and it is not one size fits all. From Finance to Government organizations, every industry has its own standards, regulations, and best practices to comply with. Moreover, organizations may opt into NIST frameworks, ISO 27000 standards or PCI-DSS compliancy, and companies that do business with clients in Europe must have to abide by GDPR rules.

 

Any cybersecurity provider you partner with must be familiar with the standard rules and regulations applicable specifically for your organization. Always check that security providers have experience working in different industries.

 

Know how your data is accessed.

 

You might be aware of your employee's information security practices, but are you familiar with who else can access your systems and networks? Cybercriminals often access your data through third parties, such as cloud providers or applications that might not have the necessary security standards in place. In this scenario, you are still liable for a data breach, so it is important to know about how third parties mitigate the risks. You should choose a managed security service provider that can also handle third-party threat management.

 

Consider technical support.

 

Technical problems are inevitable. Your organization needs a cybersecurity provider who will have your back when something happens and you need urgent assistance. If they lack interpersonal or technical skills or are slow to respond, your organization can face cyberattacks, reputational damage, and financial loss. Choose professional security services that are available 24/7 and do some research about their offerings and reputation.

 

Read a Service Agreement.

 

Make sure to read the contract provided by the cybersecurity company before signing it. You may be able to detect problematic issues, such as service cancellation fees, minimum contract lengths, or excessive indemnity clauses that can indicate a bad faith negotiation. In this way, your organization can avoid restricting it into a long-term contract with a substandard security partner.

 

Define cybersecurity provider type suitable for your business.

 

While thinking about outsourcing your cybersecurity management, consider different types of services that your business is looking for. Are you looking for periodical vulnerability assessments and penetration tests? Do you think about compliancy with multiple laws and regulations in your industry, such as PCI-DSS or ISO 27001? In this case you would need to look at the range of professional security services that might be provided separately or bundled together.

 

If it makes more sense to outsource your cybersecurity management with proactive monitoring of  threats, such as log management, intrusion detection, threat analysis, risk assessment, incident response, dedicated support by security experts…etc., your choice should be a managed security service provider or MSSP.

 

But why do you even need a security provider?

Partnering with proper MSSP will help you:

  1. Improve organizational security posture.
  2. Reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
  3. Avoid reputational damage.
  4. Avoid legal ramifications.
  5. Increase Customer Trust.

 

There is a lot to consider while choosing the right cybersecurity provider for your business. Managed security services providers vary widely in scope and quality just like products, solutions, and technologies. Proper assessment will help organizations make confident decisions regarding cybersecurity and risk management partners.

If you are not sure where to start, Hitachi Systems Security can help you find a custom-fit solution. Talk to one of our security specialists for a security assessment.

 

 

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