The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing, with new threats emerging to accompany the old and familiar dangers. Devastating data breaches are constantly in the news, reiterating the importance of having a strong, well-conceived cyber strategy. According to a 2017 survey, 80 percent of small and medium businesses are planning to rethink their approach to cybersecurity in the next 12 months.
In the face of this uncertainty, many businesses are choosing to partner with a managed security services provider (MSSP) rather than go it alone. MSSPs represent an evolution of the traditional managed services provider (MSP) business model, but with a focus specifically on cybersecurity. Consider the most important services that an MSSP can provide to stabilize your network for businesses in Union County, New Jersey.
What is an MSSP?
Managed services providers are third-party companies whose responsibility is to manage the IT infrastructure and systems of their customers. MSPs may specialize in a number of different services or industries; for example, many MSPs focus on serving businesses in healthcare or finance. In exchange for a monthly or annual fee, the MSP agrees to provide continuous support and maintenance for their clients’ IT resources.
The MSP market is extremely specialized and fragmented, which has led to the emergence of MSSPs: managed security services providers. MSSPs assume responsibility for their clients’ cybersecurity policies and procedures, monitoring and managing their networks and infrastructure.
IT security skills are high in demand and in short supply. Many companies don’t have all the in-house competencies that are required. Therefore, a growing number of businesses are choosing to work with a third-party MSSP.
A 2017 study found that 80 percent of small and medium businesses who don’t already outsource their cybersecurity to an MSP were planning to do so in the near future. These trends are particularly relevant for the SMBs of Union County, which likely don’t have the technical breadth and depth necessary to secure their own computing resources.
How an MSSP Can Stabilize Your Network in Union County, NJ
MSSPs provide a variety of valuable services to their clients. Below, we’ll go over five of the most important ways that MSSPs can help businesses in Union County, NJ with network stability.
1. Blocking Spam and Phishing Emails
Spam and phishing emails may contain a variety of malicious content, from viruses and malware to spoofed websites that attempt to steal your sensitive information. More than three-fourths of IT security professionals said that their organization was the subject of a phishing attack in 2017.
MSSPs can provide their clients with sophisticated email filters that detect and block spam and phishing emails. You should also combine these filters with dedicated employee training programs that help your staff identify any malicious emails that fell through the cracks.
2. Firewall Management
Businesses spend 87 percent of their cybersecurity budget on their company’s first line of defense—the firewall. With so much money and effort going toward the firewall, it’s important that you select the solution that best fits your goals and requirements.
Nowadays, modern MSSPs often combine firewalls with an intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS). These software applications monitor your network events for anomalous behaviors and alert you when they find something wrong or suspicious.
3. Virtual Private Networks
Even when you take extreme precautions with your enterprise IT security, attackers can still exfiltrate data if you connect to the company network over a public Wi-Fi connection. By installing a virtual private network (VPN), MSSPs can help you encrypt the data that you send and receive over public Wi-Fi, hiding it from anyone trying to listen in.
Not only do VPNs reduce the risk of security breaches and cyberattacks, they also allow your computer to appear as if it were in the same location as the VPN. This is useful for situations where web content may be restricted based on geography.
4. Penetration Testing
Penetration tests are like using a burglar to try to break into your house: you simulate an attack on your networks and see how secure the system really is. In doing so, you can identify and correct the vulnerabilities that you discover.
Market intelligence and consulting firm Future Market Insights predicts that the penetration testing market will grow by 14 percent year over year. MSSPs with penetration testing skills stand to profit greatly from the demand ahead.
5. Data Loss Prevention
From trade secrets to intellectual property, nearly every business has its own information that it would like to keep confidential. Not only can a hacker wreak havoc with your enterprise data, your own operations will be severely disrupted if you temporarily lose access to it.
MSSPs know to back up their clients’ data at regular intervals in the cloud, helping them restore it in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophe.
Find the Right MSSP Partner in Union County, NJ
Companies in Union County, NJ need network stability in order to protect their IT resources and continue to function as a business. If you’re thinking about partnering with an MSSP in Union County in order to defend against cyber attacks and improve your IT security posture, reach out to us for a free consultation to help us understand your business needs and objectives.
