How Can Managed IT Services Improve my Business Security: The Quick Take
Managed IT services provide a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to enhance their security posture. By partnering with a Managed IT Service Provider (MSP), companies can outsource their IT security needs, benefiting from continuous monitoring, support from certified security experts, and advanced threat detection tools. A security-focused MSP can handle a company’s security operations entirely, leaving their client’s internal team free to focus on core business goals.
An MSP can significantly improve your business security with:
- Proactive Monitoring and Threat Detection: Continuous surveillance of your network to identify and mitigate threats before they cause harm.
- Access to IT Expertise: Leveraging the knowledge and skills of IT professionals who stay updated with the latest cybersecurity trends and technologies.
- Advanced Security Tools: Utilizing cutting-edge security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies.
- Compliance Support: Ensuring your business meets industry-specific regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.
Small and medium sized companies are experiencing cyber crime like never before. In the latest 2023 ITRC Business Impact Report, 73% of SMBs said they’d experienced a cyberattack, data breach, or both in the past 12 months—up from a 43% rate in 2022. Yet, only 20-34% reported following security practices that could have averted these attacks, such as multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and role-based access controls for sensitive data. Fortunately, managed IT service providers can help, providing scalable, affordable security solutions for companies that can’t afford an extensive internal IT department. If you’re asking yourself “how can managed IT services improve my business security?” —this article has the answers.
Let’s take a closer look.
Understanding Managed Cybersecurity Services
For companies looking for cybersecurity help, managed IT providers offer lots of options that can be customized based on your business needs. For instance:
You can elect to purchase only the licenses to the cybersecurity tools you need through an MSP, while your IT department handles all the other strategy, implementation, budgeting, and maintenance. In this case, you’ll spend money mainly on the license per user seats on a monthly basis, plus any administrative fees the MSP may require.
You can purchase fully managed cybersecurity packages, which offer the license plus daily management, monitoring, maintenance, documentation, and service desk calls only regarding the cybersecurity tools. This is generally considered a co-managed solution, as your internal department would be handling all your other IT concerns.
You can purchase cybersecurity services as part of a fully managed IT plan that covers all your IT needs.
Or, you sign a retainer contract with an MSP only for advanced cybersecurity consulting, with virtual chief information security officers providing expert compliance strategy and reporting.
How much you buy will depend on the strength of your internal IT department, and how involved they want to be in cybersecurity on a day to day basis. In general, however, an MSP can offer a breadth of services more cheaply than an internal department can do on their own. Let’s discuss what kinds of services you can expect from a security-minded MSP.
Components of Managed Cybersecurity Services
Managed IT services encompass a wide range of components designed to ensure the smooth and secure operation of your IT environment. Key components include:
Network Monitoring
Network monitoring involves continuous surveillance of your network to detect and respond to potential threats in real-time. This proactive approach helps identify unusual activities, vulnerabilities, and potential breaches before they can cause significant damage. By constantly monitoring network traffic and performance, managed IT service providers can quickly address issues, ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations and maintaining optimal network health.
Cybersecurity Tools and License Management
Cybersecurity tools and license management are critical components of managed IT services. These tools include firewalls, antivirus software, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies that protect your IT infrastructure from cyber threats. Managed IT service providers also handle the management of software licenses, ensuring that all security tools are up-to-date and compliant with licensing agreements. This comprehensive approach to cybersecurity helps safeguard sensitive data and maintain the integrity of your IT systems.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
Data backup and disaster recovery are essential for ensuring business continuity in the event of data loss or a cyberattack. Managed IT services include regular backups of your data, stored securely offsite or in the cloud. In case of a data breach, hardware failure, or natural disaster, these backups enable quick recovery, minimizing downtime and data loss. Disaster recovery plans are tailored to your business needs, ensuring that critical data and applications are restored promptly, allowing your business to resume normal operations with minimal disruption.
Cybersecurity Budgeting & Planning
Managed IT service providers also conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability scans to identify and address potential weaknesses. The findings are used to put together cybersecurity budgets and implementation plans for the coming year. This is a crucial service that companies need to stay ahead of their cybersecurity needs, and ensure they have the proper resources.
Help Desk Support with Advanced Escalation
Help desk support with advanced escalation provides 24/7 technical assistance to address any IT issues promptly. Managed IT service providers offer a dedicated help desk that handles a wide range of technical problems, from minor glitches to major system failures. When complex issues arise, they are escalated to higher-level support teams with specialized expertise. This ensures that all IT problems are resolved efficiently, minimizing downtime and keeping your business operations running smoothly.
Compliance Management and vCISO Consulting
Compliance management and virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) consulting are vital for businesses operating in regulated industries. Managed IT service providers help ensure that your business meets industry-specific regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS. They provide guidance on compliance best practices, conduct regular audits, and maintain proper documentation. vCISO consulting offers strategic security leadership, helping businesses develop and implement comprehensive security policies and procedures. Additionally, a vCISO can be an invaluable asset to any company dealing with regulators, providing documentation and reporting for their cybersecurity questionnaires. They can do the same for companies going through complicated cyber risk insurance applications, as well.
By integrating these components, managed IT services provide a holistic approach to IT management, enhancing both efficiency and security. This comprehensive support allows businesses to focus on their core activities while ensuring their IT infrastructure is robust and secure.
The Current Threat Landscape and How Managed IT Services Improve My Business Security
With the development of AI for coding, the bar to entry for hackers has all but disappeared. Additionally, most businesses today have bring-your-own-device programs and extensive remote staff, further complicating cybersecurity efforts. This, along with the rise of state-sponsored cyber attacks, has created a dangerous digital landscape for most businesses. Let’s talk about how those threats are playing out in the workplace.
Overview of Cybersecurity Threats
Understanding the various cybersecurity threats is crucial for protecting your business. Here are some common types of attacks and system vulnerabilities:
- Phishing Attacks: Deceptive emails or messages designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details.
- Ransomware: Malicious software that encrypts data and demands a ransom for its release, often causing significant operational disruption.
- Malware: Various forms of malicious software, including viruses, worms, and trojans, that can damage or disrupt systems.
- Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks: Attempts to overwhelm a system or network with traffic, rendering it unavailable to users.
- Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: Intercepting and altering communication between two parties without their knowledge, often to steal data.
- SQL Injection: Exploiting vulnerabilities in a website’s database to execute malicious SQL statements, potentially accessing or altering data.
- Zero-Day Exploits: Attacks that target previously unknown vulnerabilities in software or hardware, often before patches are available.
- Insider Threats: Security risks originating from within the organization, either from malicious intent or inadvertent mistakes by employees.
- Unpatched Software: Vulnerabilities in software that have not been updated or patched, leaving systems exposed to known exploits.
- Weak Passwords: Easily guessable or reused passwords that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access.
By being aware of these threats and implementing robust security measures, businesses can better protect their IT infrastructure and sensitive data. Managed IT services can help mitigate these risks through continuous monitoring, advanced security tools, and expert support.
How Can Managed IT Services Improve My Business Security? The Benefits
An MSP does so much more than just install cybersecurity tools and ensure they work. They can offer a true business partnership that has many downwind business benefits for your company. Here’s just a few of the efficiencies you can expect with you work with an MSP for your cybersecurity.
24/7 Monitoring and Threat Detection
Managed IT services provide continuous, around-the-clock monitoring of your network, ensuring that any potential threats are detected and addressed in real-time. This type of vigilance is difficult to achieve for the average internal department. By having a dedicated MSP team constantly watching over your IT environment, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks and ensure the integrity and availability of their systems.
Access to a Broader Range of Cybersecurity Expertise
One of the key advantages of managed IT services is access to a diverse team of cybersecurity experts—including product experts, system engineers, highly trained help desk staff, and virtual chief information officers. These professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, staying up-to-date with the latest threats, trends, and best practices in the field. This breadth of expertise allows businesses to implement comprehensive security strategies that might be challenging to develop in-house.
Preferred Partnerships with Cybersecurity Tool Vendors
Managed IT service providers often have preferred partnerships with leading cybersecurity tool vendors. These relationships enable MSPs to offer their clients access to cutting-edge security technologies at competitive prices. Better yet, when trouble arises, your MSP has a direct line to the escalation desk at all the cybersecurity tool manufacturers—getting swifter, more competent help than a company might be able to get on their own.
Integrated Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
Data backup and disaster recovery are critical components of managed IT services. Yet, too many companies cobble together backups as they grow, the end up with a patchwork of protections that don’t work smoothly with each other. Managed IT service providers develop tailored disaster recovery plans that align with your business needs—and with each other. They can put together a disaster recovery strategy and implementation plan that promises minimal downtime and continuity of operations. This integrated approach helps protect your business from the financial and reputational damage associated with data breaches and other disasters.
Enhanced Compliance Leadership and Regulatory Support
Many industries have stringent regulations regarding data security and privacy. Managed IT services help businesses navigate these complex regulatory landscapes by providing enhanced compliance leadership and support. MSPs implement necessary security measures, maintain proper documentation, and conduct regular audits to ensure ongoing adherence to regulatory requirements. This support not only protects businesses from legal penalties but also builds trust with customers and partners by demonstrating a commitment to data security and privacy.
Scalability and Flexibility
Managed IT services offer scalability and flexibility, allowing businesses to adjust their cybersecurity resources based on their needs. Whether your business is growing, experiencing seasonal fluctuations, or undergoing other changes, MSPs can quickly scale their services to match your requirements. This flexibility ensures that you always have the right level of IT support without overcommitting resources or facing shortages. By providing scalable solutions, managed IT services help businesses remain agile and responsive to changing demands.
Choosing the Right Managed IT Service Provider to Improve My Business Security
Criteria for Selecting a Managed IT Service Provider
Choosing the right managed IT service provider is crucial for maximizing the benefits of these services. Here are some key criteria to consider:
- Experience and Expertise: Look for providers with a proven track record and expertise in your industry. If they have a division dedicated to your industry vertical, like banking, or legal, so much the better.
- Comprehensive Services: Ensure they offer a full range of services, including network monitoring, data backup, and cybersecurity consulting.
- Scalability: Choose a provider that can scale their services to match your business growth. Look for providers who bill by the seat from month to month, preferably without too many restrictive contract riders.
- Customer Support: Opt for providers that offer 24/7 support and have a reputation for excellent customer service.
- Security Certifications: Verify that the provider has relevant security certifications and adheres to industry standards. vCISOs should have a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) credential, and engineers should have a depth of experience, as well as a tech focused degree. Ask if the MSP’s operations center is SOC2/Type2 certified, as this level of best practice is considered critical for many companies with a high level of regulatory compliance.
Looking for an MSP to Handle Your Cybersecurity? Integris Can Help.
With offices across the country, Integris can offer your company advanced cybersecurity solutions and consulting at scale. We’d love to talk to you more about our Responsible IT Architecture philosophy, and how it can help your business. Contact us today for a free consultation.
