What Is an MSSP?

Defending your business against evolving cybersecurity threats goes beyond installing anti-virus software or purchasing cyber insurance.

While these methods are supplemental, they fundamentally lack the proactivity necessary to mitigate breach potential in the first place.

It is far more effective to enlist a dedicated team of cybersecurity professionals to monitor online systems 24/7/365, known as a managed security service provider (MSSP).

In this explainer, we’ll introduce MSSPs, services they provide, differences from MSPs, and more.

What Are Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)?

Managed security service providers (MSSPs) offer continuous monitoring of network, endpoint, and cloud devices through security operation centers (SOC) to enhance cybersecurity posture.

MSSPs may provide continuous monitoring, risk assessment and mitigation, breach and attack simulations, incident response, and security awareness training.

By outsourcing to a team of cyber professionals, businesses can maintain full visibility over risk posture and proactively mitigate threats while reducing strain on IT staff.

This is especially crucial as ransomware-caused breaches have spiked by 41% in the past year alone, reads IBM’s 2022 “Cost of a Data Breach” report. Costing an average of $9.44 million on average in the United States, it adds, nearly a third (31%) of businesses fail after falling victim to ransomware.

This underscores the importance of not only swiftly remediating threats when they occur, but enlisting an MSSP’s services to proactively curb threats before they strike.

What Services Can an MSSP Provide?

While SOC-as-a-service (SOCaaS) providers vary in scope, leading MSSPs offer a combination of services.

Continuous Monitoring

MSSPs leverage a team of experienced cyber professionals to monitor your endpoints, networks, and cloud environments, 24/7/365.

This helps detect, contain, and eradicate threats before hackers have the opportunity to do damage.

Risk Assessment & Mitigation

MSSPs will evaluate your online infrastructure, employee cyber practices, and other factors to identify and close security gaps.

Assessing current system vulnerabilities enable mitigation before exploitation.

Breach & Attack Simulations

These test your security posture against simulated email and web gateway, endpoint, and lateral movement attacks.

MSSPs then determine how your security controls and policies respond, and offer remediation strategies.

Incident Response

Should a breach occur, the MSSP instantly identifies, contains, and eradicates the threat for swift recovery and lessons-learned analysis.

Leading SOCaaS solutions leverage NIST SP 800-61 and FIPS 200 frameworks to ensure businesses can seamlessly continue operations while remaining fully compliant.

Security Awareness Training

The human element plays a significant role in 74% of breaches, meaning poor password health or email practices can create vectors for hacker intrusion.

MSSPs help transform your staff into your first line of defense with security awareness training covering the basics of spam, phishing, malware, and the dangers of social engineering.

Differences Between Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) & Managed Services Providers (MSP)

An MSSP differs from a managed services provider (MSP) in a few distinct ways.

Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP)

• Monitors networks, endpoints, and cloud environments to enhance cybersecurity
• Services can include continuous monitoring, risk assessments, breach and attack simulations, incident response, and security awareness training
• Works 24/7/365 to proactively prevent cyber threats
• Manages system and data security through a security operations center (SOC)

Managed Services Provider (MSP)

• Provides remote IT services to help organizations manage systems, databases, and applications
• Services can include break-fix and help desk support, endpoint back-up and management, IT infrastructure management, onboarding, log data reporting, and bug fixes
• Usually called after an IT asset needs fixing
• Receives and manage alerts through a network operations center (NOC)