Managed IT Cybersecurity Services Guide

Like with any other managed service, cybersecurity services are handled by an external organization. That company then works with your business to successfully implement agreed-upon information security solutions. Everything from access to the company network to incident management and more can be handled off-site by an MCSP.

Every day, security risks are becoming more complex, and no industry or business is safe from cyber-attacks. That is why more and more businesses are switching from internal security to managed cybersecurity services. MCSPs can provide a level of safety that is unmatched by any individual department. This is possible because managed providers have many clients that see all kinds of different attacks, which gives them invaluable experience compared to a single organization.

While your business may not deal with threats daily, your cybersecurity provider will. The more threats an MCSP deals with, the more knowledge they can gain to handle future problems. This is one of the major reasons managed security services are growing in popularity.

There are many benefits to successfully utilizing managed security practices. More often than not, a business will look into a provider to save on expenses. While being cost-efficient is important, security solutions can range from broad to very specific and have much more than just a monetary impact. Below you can find some of the most common reasons to switch to an MCSP and how they can positively affect your business:

Security of sensitive data and information is critical to the success of your business. This means that keeping your data secure requires more than just one part-time employee or a single "IT Guy." Having a dedicated security department can be extremely expensive and still not provide the same level of safety as an MCSP. Because providers have many clients they work with, they can implement security services at costs unmatched by single entities. Hiring a third-party provider is almost always more cost-efficient than paying a full-time employee or building out an internal department to handle your cybersecurity needs.

As mentioned above, full-time IT employees can be expensive due to their expertise and scarcity in the current job market. One of the most significant reasons to hire an MCSP is that your business then gains access to the provider's many IT professionals. Having many IT experts allows the MCSP to provide a level of service that is unmatched by any internal department at a fraction of the cost.

Learning on the job is simply not an option for information security professionals. You may have the fiscal resources to set up an internal cybersecurity department, but without specific experience in the field, you could be opening yourself to costly learning experiences or setbacks that could do irreversible damage to your business. Managed providers can guarantee a higher level of success because of their past experiences. MCSPs see and deal with security threats daily, which enables them to be ready at any moment to protect your information. In some cases, a provider can even offer your employees training to help mitigate damage from lack of experience.

Managed services can be incredibly specific depending on the industry that your business operates in. An advertising company, for instance, could have vastly different needs than an insurance agency. Even so, the diverse experience of a managed security provider makes this a non-issue. While specific solutions are important and can provide significant benefits to your business, it may take some time to realize what those particular solutions could be. Standard services, however, can often be deployed on day one and provide near-instant results to improve cybersecurity. Below you will find a list of some common services offered MCSPs and how they can quickly benefit your business.

One of the main ways that malicious parties will try to attack your business is by gaining access to private and valuable information. Intruders on your internal network can essentially have access to any part of your business, which can be detrimental to client safety or your organization's longevity. Because an MCSP monitors your network 24/7, they are ready to detect and prevent attacks at a moment's notice. The diverse experience of a provider also provides a level of protection far greater than any single employee or department.

Even with the most advanced security solutions in place, cybersecurity incidents can still occur. When they do, it is imperative that you deal with the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible. Often, attacks take place during off-hours or at times when hackers think your business is most vulnerable.

Addressing security breaches can also take away time and focus from other areas of your business. Luckily, with an MCSP, there are no downtimes when it comes to your cybersecurity. When an incident does occur, a provider can quickly deploy solutions at any time to tackle the problem and get your business up and operating safely again. When using an MCSP, you will have access to their entire incident management department, which will allow your internal employees to stay focused on their intended workload and further mitigate any loss caused by a security breach.

Controlling who has access to your network at any given time is essential to your organization's cybersecurity. Log-in credentials are some of the most valuable information stored within your network because they provide access to the rest of the data stored internally. Managing employee access successfully can take an entire department, and problems such as forgotten passwords or work from home solutions can quickly add many hiccups to daily operations.

By allowing your MCSP to handle your network access, you enable employees to focus on their intended workload rather than losing valuable time dealing with access issues. A managed cybersecurity services provider can also help implement autonomous solutions for common access issues such as forgotten credentials or new employees' addition to the network.

With the advent of the Internet of Things and digital transformation, access solutions apply to physical security of office buildings and campuses as well. IP-enabled door access controllers and modern credentials — including cards, mobile apps and biometrics — can be integrated with video surveillance for complete situational awareness and managed by a third party provider. 

Here are some of the most significant benefits of managed cybersecurity services compared to an in-house solution: 

Internal departments typically only function during business hours. If an attack happens in the middle of the night, you may not be aware of it until the next day when it is too late, and the damage has been done. Paying for internal departments to be available 24/7 can skyrocket your expenses and is not fiscally possible for many smaller businesses. An MCSP, however, can provide round-the-clock protection to your organization for an affordable price. This is possible because they have numerous clients requiring similar solutions, which allows them to utilize security protocols for many clients at once, reducing their overall costs.     

You may have the best IT employee in the world, but having a full-time employee compared to an MCSP is always going to be more expensive. This is because providers can offer specific service packages that cater to the exact needs of your business. If your internal network has minimal users, access can be handled internally, while an MCSP can conduct threat monitoring. With full-time employees, you need to constantly pay that employee even if there is no need for them daily. The flexibility and scalability of a managed cybersecurity provider makes them incredibly cost-efficient. 

Any modern business requires some level of IT infrastructure. Forcing employees with strengths in other areas to learn IT security practices can take away valuable time from your business's profit-generating activities. Implementing a third-party provider instead creates an ease of use for your employees, letting them focus on their intended responsibilities so they can operate as efficiently as possible. Your provider and their extensive resources can quickly handle problems like network access, threat mitigation, endpoint protection, and more. 

While your business may not have an IT focus, you will still need to protect your information in today's modern business environment. A managed cybersecurity services provider can help your business operate safely while saving you valuable time and expenses. An MCSP can handle everything from network access to damage mitigation, allowing your employees to focus on their intended workload and helping your business to operate as efficiently as possible.

Implementing MCSP services is easy and can relieve a significant amount of stress from internal IT departments. The ability to only pay for services you need makes using an MCSP very affordable and also allows your security services to grow and scale with your business as needed. Remember, with an MCSP, you can gain all the benefits of a full-time team of security experts at a fraction of the cost.

CDW Amplified™ Security services can identify gaps in security frameworks, help you maintain compliance and automate routine security procedures to reduce risk to your organization.