A managed security service is a standardized method that a third-party uses to manage the security requirements of a business. This includes monitoring firewalls, managing firewalls, and managing intrusion detection, implementing patch management, and updating, carrying out penetration and vulnerabilities assessments and responding to emergencies and providing reports. Managed security service providers are an economical solution for companies who are unable to afford hiring or support their own cybersecurity team or have limited capabilities.
A security-focused MSP focuses on cybersecurity while IT service providers focus predominantly on IT operations. MSSPs offer monitoring of security for information and management throughout the day to help organizations detect and respond to cyberattacks. They typically use high-availability operations centers to provide services such as managed firewalls, intrusion detection, virtual private network management as well as endpoint threats detection and response and vulnerability scanning.
An MSSP must be able to provide a customized service based on an extensive understanding of the environment in which the business operates and security goals. Premium MSSPs provide monitoring throughout the day of threats, threat intelligence, and data analysis. This helps them proactively uncover threats and eliminate vulnerabilities that are critical to your security.
A security-focused MSP should also have the capabilities to offer advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) and XDR solutions. XDR is a monitoring tool that monitors many sources of data, including firewalls, intrusion detectors, anti-virus, next-generation firewalls, and other enterprise devices. It also offers central management and automation. The platform can detect new attackers using multi-layered detection techniques and provides an overview of the entire attack area to prioritize and address any weaknesses.