Regardless of size, industry, or the resources they possess, no business is immune to the growing risk posed by cybercriminals. Cybersecurity is now a necessity for every company, but not all have the ability to hire a sufficient in-house department. This is where managed cybersecurity services can be useful, by providing these businesses with another way to protect themselves.
The Importance of Cybersecurity
Proper cybersecurity is critical for all businesses, for the following reasons:
- Protecting Sensitive Data: Businesses collect and store vast amounts of sensitive data, including personal information, financial records, and intellectual property. Cybersecurity helps protect this data from unauthorized access.
- Ensuring Business Continuity: Cyber-attacks can disrupt operations, leading to downtime and financial loss. Cybersecurity solutions can help organizations prevent or quickly recover from attacks, minimizing this downtime.
- Compliance with Regulations: Many industries are subject to regulations that require strict data protection measures. Companies with better cybersecurity are more likely to meet these regulations, avoiding costly fines and legal consequences.
- Building Trust: Protecting customer data is critical for maintaining trust. A solid security posture reassures customers that their information is safe and improves the organization’s reputation.
Benefits of Managed Cybersecurity Services
Outsourcing cybersecurity tasks to a managed service provider (MSP) can provide a large number of benefits:
Cost Efficiency:
MSPs are often able to provide their services for a lower cost than an in-house IT team. This is because they can leverage economies of scale to keep prices low. They will also usually charge a flat monthly fee, which helps businesses to budget more easily.
Scalability:
Managed services are easy to scale up or down depending on the business’ needs, allowing for flexibility and growth.
Access to Expertise:
Because they have many staff specialized in different areas, MSPs can offer access to far more expertise and experience than most companies can achieve with in-house teams.
Key Managed Services
MSPs provide a wide range of cybersecurity services to their clients, including the following:
1. Risk Assessment and Management:
This service involves identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities, as well as the impact they could have on the business. The MSP will perform this assessment, as well as developing and carrying out a risk management strategy.
2. Threat Detection and Response:
Threat detection and response are basic services offered by almost every MSP. This usually involves around-the-clock monitoring of their clients’ systems and networks, access to threat intelligence, and incident response to help businesses recover if a cyber-attack does occur.
3. Compliance Services:
Many industries must deal with strict data protection regulations. MSPs will often provide compliance services, to help businesses understand and meet their obligations.
4. Network Security:
Network security services are designed to protect the integrity and availability of networks and data. MSPs will use next-generation firewalls, virtual private networks (VPNs), and intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to achieve this.
5. Security Awareness Training:
Cybersecurity awareness training programs teach the business’ staff how to recognize and prevent potential cyber threats, creating a culture of cybersecurity that will better equip companies to protect themselves in the future.
In-House or Managed Cybersecurity?
The decision between an in-house cybersecurity team or an MSP can be difficult to make. There are a few factors that businesses should consider:
Size and Finances:
The size and financial situation of the company will help determine whether in-house or managed cybersecurity is best. Smaller businesses with limited resources may find that an MSP is the more cost-effective option.
Industry:
Certain industries have much stricter security regulations than others, and this can be difficult to navigate. Companies in these industries may want to consider managed cybersecurity to help them stay abreast of tightening laws and regulations.
IT needs:
Each business will have its own unique IT needs. A business that only has one computer, for example, has very low IT needs and may not require the services of an MSP or an in-house team at all. On the other hand, a business that is almost entirely digital will have much more reason to outsource their cybersecurity.
Protect Your Business with Expert Assistance
Managed cybersecurity services may seem pointless, but they can provide businesses with many benefits they would not otherwise be able to access. Advanced cybersecurity solutions, additional training and guidance, and 24/7 monitoring can all make a big difference to a company’s long-term success.
The experts at Soaring Towers provide comprehensive cybersecurity services to not only protect your business now, but far into the future. We monitor for potential threats, stop them in their tracks, and train your staff into a formidable cyber defense force ready to shield your data from attack. Explore our cybersecurity services today to learn more.