A managed security service is the act of enlisting a third party to monitor and manage a company’s security systems. It can involve evaluating security policies, coordinating firewalls and intrusion detection, coordinating patch management, and performing regular assessments. It could also involve responding to threats and incidents and providing support when needed. It should not be confused with the term security operations center (SOC) which is an in-house team that monitors and responds to cyber attacks in real time.
An MSSP is a cost-effective alternative to hiring a full-time cybersecurity expert for your company. This is especially true for smaller businesses, such as medical or dental practices or attorneys. Additionally, MSSPs are able to assist governments in consolidating their security services, meeting compliance needs and mitigating risk.
The best managed service providers will protect you from sophisticated cyber-attacks. They accomplish this by monitoring network activity, identifying irregularities and suspicious behavior, and deploying multilayered threat intelligence. They can also help your business in establishing or enhancing the vulnerability management program and provide a constant eye to review cyber alerts.
When choosing an MSSP take into consideration the vendor’s prices and the services they provide. Ask them about their client reviews, accreditations, as well as the number of staff they employ in-house. Think about whether the MSSP can analyze data and detect advanced threats without any prior knowledge of the behavior. This is done by establishing a baseline for normal user behavior, and comparing it to the latest actions.