Over the last decade, the security needs of global organizations have increased exponentially. Between the evolving threat landscape to the urgent need for remote access that transpired early this year, the list of security requirements for businesses has grown to a level that is unmanageable for a team. It can quickly become too much for a team to execute all of the necessary strategies while managing their day to day responsibilities. This demand has put a strain on all resources ranging from personnel to budgets.
With all of this going on, IT departments have been reaching out to third party vendors to gain support and expertise in this area. Businesses all over the globe are reaching out to managed security service providers (MSSP) to help mitigate the numerous security challenges that they are facing. By aligning with the right MSSP, businesses are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that there is a dedicated, experienced team watching and waiting to mitigate any threats that arise.
Whether you are currently outsourcing this work or if you are considering partnering with an MSSP, the list below will help you know what qualifications you need to look for at a minimum. These characteristics will be important as you establish trust and work to improve the IT security for your organization.
- Customer Service Mindset
The right IT security vendor will bring all of their security expertise and knowledge to your business alongside a high level of customer service. A few vital components to look for from your third-party vendor include having a dedicated amount of resources available for your business, demonstrated open lines of communication, regular updates, and reviews. At the beginning of the relationship, review their responsiveness and their ability to listen. If they aren’t listening or caring about your concerns now, it certainly won’t improve later
- Proven Experience
The right MSSP for you should be able to provide examples and references to demonstrate their proven success record. When meeting with them, ask questions about situations and concerns that are important to you and how they have helped other businesses through similar challenges. Don’t hesitate to ask for references inside and outside of your industry so you can understand how the company presents itself and handles challenges
- Advanced Knowledge
Cybersecurity is one of the most challenging and ever-changing aspects of information technology. This IT landscape demands a high level of education and an understanding of all components of cybersecurity, including the latest issues and the solutions. Your MSSP should be able to show you the requirements they have for hiring cybersecurity professionals and how they show support for all employees to receive continuing education.
- Sophisticated Capabilities
The other part of understanding cybersecurity is knowing how to solve the issues quickly and diligently. You want your MSSP to have an extensive comprehension of cybersecurity solutions. They should be able to explain how and why they developed their security offerings. Your MSSP needs to be consistently reviewing updates and new solutions to have the best offerings available to you.
- Complete Availability
Hackers do not rest. Threats do not take holidays. Your MSSP needs to guarantee complete availability as they are your eyes and ears while you are managing other business needs. Ask questions about what their staffing levels are for overnight hours and on holidays so that you can have a clear understanding of the support they can provide.
Whether you need the support of an MSSP due to a lack of internal resources or because of the high demand of this ever-changing landscape, the cybersecurity team at Advanticom is here to help. Our experts are ready to begin improving the protection of your business today. Contact us today at ateam@advanticom.com or check out our website for more on our cybersecurity services.