In today's digital world, cybersecurity threats are evolving at an alarming rate. That's where a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) comes in. An MSSP provides comprehensive security solutions and expert monitoring. If you are a Managed Service Provider (MSP) who does not have security expertise, partnering with an MSSP can help you effectively protect your clients’ online assets.
MSSPs offer security services through a team of skilled experts who work around the clock to manage and monitor your clients’ security systems. These providers have specialized knowledge, advanced tools, and proven methods to keep your clients safe from cyber threats.
If you are an MSP, partnering with an MSSP can provide you and your clients with significant advantages. Here are 10 of the most important ones:
In this article, we outline these benefits in greater detail and explore how outsourcing managed security services to an MSSP can strengthen your clients’ overall security.
Modern cyber threats don't follow a 9-to-5 schedule. 24/7 monitoring by an MSSP can serve as your clients’ digital guardian, ready to detect and neutralize threats at any hour.
MSSPs run advanced security operations centers (SOCs) staffed with skilled analysts who monitor your clients’ systems round-the-clock. These dedicated teams use sophisticated threat detection tools to identify:
The speed of incident response can make the difference between a minor security event and a major breach. MSSP incident response teams typically achieve response times of under an hour (or even less) for critical alerts, compared to the industry average of 4-8 hours for in-house teams.
Consider this real-world example: An MSSP's continuous monitoring system detected unusual outbound traffic patterns at 2 AM from a client's network. The incident response team immediately:
This rapid response prevented what could have become a costly ransomware attack. The client's systems remained secure, and business operations continued without interruption.
MSSPs maintain dedicated incident response teams equipped with battle-tested playbooks and automated response capabilities. These teams conduct regular drills and stay updated on emerging threats, ensuring they're prepared to handle any security incident effectively. To further enhance these capabilities, MSSPs can leverage solutions like ContraForce, which offers acomprehensive security operations workspace designed specifically for service providers, allowing them to build and expand their Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Managed SIEM capabilities seamlessly.
The shortage of cybersecurity professionals poses significant challenges for organizations. As our report on US security analyst employment trends concludes, there has been growth, but it isn’t keeping up with demand.
With 2.7 million unfilled cybersecurity positions worldwide, MSPs and businesses struggle to build and maintain in-house security teams. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) help solve this problem by offering access to a wide range of security experts. They also eliminate the hassle of hiring, training, and keeping them on board.
Working with an MSSP gives you immediate access to:
These professionals bring specialized knowledge in critical areas:
MSSPs stay competitive by continuously training and certifying their teams. You benefit from this expertise without having to manage professional development programs internally.
The distributed nature of MSSP teams also provides geographic coverage and time zone flexibility. Security experts work in shifts, ensuring your organization, and your clients, have access to specialized skills around the clock. This model is especially valuable for businesses operating in multiple regions or time zones.
By leveraging an MSSP's team, you can scale your security capabilities based on demand. During security incidents or major deployments, you can tap into additional expertise without the lengthy process of hiring new staff.
Building a comprehensive security stack requires significant investment in tools, licenses, and infrastructure. A typical enterprise-grade security setup includes:
When you partner with an MSSP, you gain immediate access to their extensive security toolset, which can augment your own and fill in any gaps you may have. MSSPs have already invested in robust security infrastructure, allowing you to leverage their existing resources.
The cost advantages of MSSP partnerships extend beyond tool access:
Shared Infrastructure Benefits
Eliminated Internal Overhead
The MSSP model operates on economies of scale, translating to significant savings for your organization. You pay a predictable subscription fee rather than managing variable costs associated with:
This cost-effective approach allows you as an MSP to access enterprise-level security capabilities at a fraction of the cost of building and maintaining an in-house security infrastructure. Small and medium-sized MSPs particularly benefit from this model, accessing the same level of security as larger enterprises without straining their budgets.
This model also makes it easy for you to capture the margins you need to run your business by calculating the prices you charge your clients off of the subscription fees you pay an MSSP.
MSSPs bring essential configuration expertise to any existing security tools your clients may have, ensuring they operate at peak effectiveness. Your clients’ security stack requires precise tuning and regular updates - tasks that demand specialized knowledge and constant attention. MSSPs handle these responsibilities through:
Threat intelligence forms a critical component of modern cybersecurity strategy. MSSPs maintain connections to global threat feeds and intelligence networks, providing:
The proactive threat hunting capabilities of MSSPs add another layer of protection. Skilled security professionals actively search for:
Your MSSP partner can also streamline compliance management across various regulatory frameworks by undertaking a range of tasks including:
These capabilities integrate seamlessly with existing security operations, creating a robust defense system that adapts to new threats while maintaining regulatory alignment. MSSPs leverage advanced analytics tools to process vast amounts of security data, identifying patterns and potential risks that might go unnoticed in traditional security setups.
When selecting an MSSP partner, prioritize providers who:
ContraForce allows you to skip the MSSP vetting process and jump straight to delivering profitable security services to your clients from qualified MSSPs.
ContraForce Storm is a commercial program that matches MSPs with qualified Storm Providers that deliver Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Managed SIEM services on your behalf.
Partnering with an MSSP through ContraForce allows you to immediately add a new line of business as we have eliminated the barriers to getting you started:
Your cybersecurity strategy deserves a partner who understands your unique challenges and delivers comprehensive protection. With ContraForce you can focus on growth while maintaining robust security measures. Take the next step – contact us today
A: A Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) is a third-party company that provides cybersecurity services to organizations. This includes continuous monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and access to specialized security expertise, helping businesses enhance their cybersecurity posture in today's digital landscape.
A: Outsourcing to an MSSP offers several benefits for MSPs including 24/7 threat detection and rapid incident response, access to specialized skill sets, comprehensive tool management, threat intelligence support, proactive threat hunting capabilities, and predictable subscription fees.
A: MSSPs provide continuous monitoring through dedicated incident response teams that operate 24/7. These teams utilize advanced tools and technologies to detect threats in real-time and respond quickly to minimize potential breaches.
A: Organizations often encounter a cybersecurity talent gap, making it difficult to find skilled professionals. MSSPs help bridge this gap by providing access to a larger pool of experts with specialized knowledge across various domains such as cloud security and network defense.
A: By leveraging existing tools and resources provided by an MSSP, MSPs can avoid the overhead costs associated with maintaining an internal security team and security operations center.
A: Compliance management is critical for businesses across various industries to meet regulatory standards. MSSPs assist organizations in navigating these requirements by providing compliance reporting processes and ensuring that necessary regulations are adhered to through their cybersecurity practices.
