In expanding its digital landscape, an organization can expect security threats and data breaches to accelerate and become unpredictable. This unfortunate reality means security has become a much higher priority for businesses to combat these advanced and frequent security attacks. In many cases, internal IT systems may be unprepared to manage these threats. Organizations need to understand what the best-case scenario in these instances is. Enterprises should decide on whether to develop and maintain their security in-house or to outsource security to a specialized third party with expertise in this field.
A global survey of 5,000 companies across 18 industries indicates that 67% of the organizations surveyed actually outsource security operations to vendors because they offer better operational tools and platforms.
One of the most common myths about outsourcing the digital security function concerns whether hosting applications and processes must be on-cloud. Outsourcing may not necessarily mean hosting the service on-cloud; it can be managed in-house by the third party. Depending on the requirement, organizations may choose which solution works best for them among the available managed security services partners (MSSP).
Perceived over-dependence, legal implications, and lack of trust are some other risks associated with outsourcing security. However, selecting an able partner is crucial. Organizations are well-advised to consider the following important factors before finalizing a third-party vendor for data protection:
- Operation model: Depending on the sensitivity of data, check whether the service provider operates within both cloud-based and managed-service models. Organizations might not want to host their confidential data on public clouds, if they are concerned about potential data leaks.
- Number of partners: Before finalizing a vendor, organizations should thoroughly analyze their processes and requirements. Depending on these requirements, organizations can choose a single- or multiple-service providers to manage all services depending on their expertise.
- Categorization of processes and data: Organizations must give deep thought to the types of applications and data to be hosted on-premises and on-cloud.
- MSSPs are well-versed with protection implications and maintain proactive awareness regarding potential threats. Following are some other benefits that come with outsourcing security to an MSSP:
- An MSSP constantly monitors the entire system for weak spots that might be prone to attack.
- Security systems are always under scan, and in case of any breach, instant action can be taken.
- MSSPs have expertise in managing security portals. This enables them to provide better firewalls and deploy required measures for ensuring that security remains robust.
An organization’s decision to outsource its threat management or manage its security in-house is specific to each organization. In an increasingly competitive and fast-paced business environment, it’s advisable to outsource your security to an appropriate MSSP that adheres to both best practices and your company’s best interests.
