“What will I gain by outsourcing security management? My in-house team takes care of things well enough!”
If this thought has crossed your mind, we’re about to change your opinion on outsourced security or Security as a Service.
Security is a highly trust-driven area. Therefore, many companies struggle with the idea of outsourcing security management. It’s natural to worry about the integrity of services when it comes to the most sensitive areas of your business. But these fears are easily assuaged by real-world experiences and cold hard facts.
There is a lot to gain from partnering with a Security as a Service provider. In 2023, every business is looking for opportunities to reduce costs without hampering productivity. This, factored with numerous cases of cyberattacks every day, makes Security as a Service the only recourse for an efficient, impactful, and cost-optimized cybersecurity setup.
What is Security as a Service?
Security as a Service (also called managed security services) is an outsourced service that provides security management to companies on a subscription basis. The outside party maintains the company’s entire security posture using cloud services.
The scope of security as a service may vary, depending on client needs and expectations. At its most basic, security as a service can be using an online antivirus solution. Although, in most cases, clients opt for a much broader scope of services. Security as a Service includes:
- Network security management
- Endpoint security management
- Email security management
- Vulnerability and risk assessments
- Web protection services
- Threat detection and response
- Intrusion management
- Identity and access management
- Security information and event management
- Remediation services and strategic support
- Data loss prevention
- Business continuity and disaster recovery
- Governance and compliance management
Security as a Service accommodates accelerated digitalization. Businesses migrating from on-premises operations to cloud services are often ill-equipped to deal with emerging business risks and threats. As a result, savvy cyber criminals increasingly target SMBs with limited cybersecurity capabilities.
Why Do SMBs need Security as a Service?
If you think your small business will fly under the radar of cyber criminals, you’re mistaken.
The cybersecurity incidents that make global headlines always involve large enterprises with millions of customers and thousands of employees. But that does not mean SMBs are left unbothered by bad actors.
According to the latest National Cyber Security Alliance report, 74% of all SMBs suffered a successful cyberattack in 2021. Out of that, 60% of the attacked businesses never recovered. This implies that 28% of all US SMBs went out of business after a cyberattack.
You are not alone if you think your business might be exposed to cyberattacks. Cisco’s research shows that 47% of small businesses need help understanding how to mitigate and protect from cyberattacks.
As cybercrimes grow more lucrative, criminals readily invest in attack technology and maneuvers. Attacks have become more complex, well-orchestrated, multi-stage, and evasive.
You can’t afford to delay when it comes to cybersecurity preparedness. As a first step towards enhanced cybersecurity, understand all the business benefits of using Security as a Service.
6 Unparalleled Benefits of Security as a Service
Several reasons justify employing Security as a Service. Here is how Security as a Service ensures business advancement.
1. 24/7/365 Support and Comprehensive Security
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and 356 days a year. Security as a Service providers cover your infrastructure with a vigilant eye at all times. Many businesses do not have the budget or resources to maintain and run a security operations center (SOC) round-the-clock. Security as a Service providers can give you a security operations center (SOC) on demand, negligent capital expenditure, and in-depth protection.
Suggested Reading: MSP vs MSSP: What’s the difference between them? (Infographic)
The benefit of security as a service is that you can rest assured that your organizational IT environment is secure even when the entire team is offline. Many SECaaS providers ensure physical security along with virtual protection. Their teams leverage AI/ML capabilities to monitor all sections of your IT environment, including the network, endpoints, emails, and web access.
2. High Cost-efficiency with Low TCO
Reducing costs can often mean compromising quality, efficiency, or productivity. But the opposite is true with Security as a Service. The cost benefits of Security as a Service are crystal clear when contrasted with hiring an in-house security team.
Cybersecurity professionals have salaries in the six figures. And companies need an entire team of such high-cost resources to staff an in-house SOC. Additionally, resources are required for the following:
- obtaining the necessary licenses
- implementing security technologies
- creating a supportive infrastructure
- developing a knowledge base
With Security as a Service, you get a ready-made team of experts with access to cutting-edge technologies and the latest threat intelligence. The low total cost of ownership (TCO) is a popular criterion for selecting Security as a Service.
Suggested Reading: What is Cloud Computing Security – and How Does It Benefit You?
3. Experienced Team On-demand
Security as a Service providers offer access to a pool of security specialists with high-level expertise and considerable experience. Security experts of this caliber are typically not readily available for small or medium-sized organizations.
Moreover, the trouble for organizations is enhanced by the ongoing cybersecurity skills gap crisis. According to a cybersecurity workforce study published in 2022, the gap has increased by 26.6% compared to 2021—3.4 million more workers are required for adequate asset security across industries. The worrying market shortage in cybersecurity makes Security as a Service providers even more sought out.
4. Boost in Agility and Scalability
Your security solution is compatible with your business’s ambitions and growth potential. A good security posture easily adjusts to business operations, processes, and size changes. Scalability, i.e., adding or removing devices and users as required, should not impact regular security operations.
On-premises security setups don’t offer agility and scalability to this degree. They are limited by the infrastructure’s physical capacity and the team’s bandwidth. Expanding in-house security setups can lead to massive costs and loss of operational productivity. On the other hand, Security as a Service is cloud-based and allows for easy, streamlined expansion as the need arises.
5. Access to the Latest Tools and Intelligence
Just like any other IT field, cybersecurity is marked by continuous technological developments. Solutions go obsolete in record time. For any solution or strategy to be effective, it needs to be continuously updated.
Security as a Service teams consist of people with a profound and relevant understanding of cybersecurity. They know what’s new and what doesn’t work anymore. Security as a Service providers also monitor emerging cyberattack trends and employ the latest solutions to block those tactics.
6. Frees-up Internal Staff for Value-driven Work
Who doesn’t want their teams to focus on work that drives business development? Security as a Service frees up the bandwidth of internal teams by taking over routine monitoring activities, prioritizing alerts based on urgency, and automating initial threat response.
With Security as a Service, in-house teams don’t have to sort through constant alerts of SIEM dashboards, and threat intelligence feeds. Instead, they can focus on supporting the smooth functioning of the organization and meeting overarching business objectives.
What To Look for in Your SECaaS Provider?
“Will the provider prioritize my best interests?”
The right Security as a Service provider will always prioritize your organization’s objectives. That’s the central pillar of providing outsourced security management. Security is a trust-based relationship, so it’s essential you ask potential vendors all the crucial questions.
Ask each prospective Security as a Service provider about the following criteria:
1. Affordability
Ask about the total cost of ownership that will fall on you. Inquire about the pricing model, hidden charges, and possible extra fees at a later stage.
2. Capabilities
Ensure the provider has the capability to cater to your needs. What services can the vendor provide? Which of those services are provided through third parties?
3. Availability
How often can you reach out to the provider’s team? Are the channels of communication open round-the-clock? How long do they take to respond adequately? In times of crisis, instant availability is paramount.
4. Speed
What uptime does the vendor guarantee? How quickly does their team respond to threats? How long does the deployment process take? The answers will reflect on the seamlessness of operations.
5. Reporting
Even with a consultant, the ultimate responsibility lies with you. How often will the vendor share reports? Are the reports actionable and jargon-free? What degree of intelligence will you get?
7. Flexibility
How easily can the vendor accommodate adding or removing new devices and users? Will you experience service interruptions during expansion phases? A smooth operator needs to demonstrate agility.
In Conclusion
In this age of rampant cyberattacks and cost reductions, businesses need to employ intelligent strategies for cybersecurity. A good plan is one that provides comprehensive and updated security with cost-effectiveness and zero burdens on available resources.
ACE managed security is a Security as a Service provider that does exactly that. The ACE team starts with a detailed consultation of the organization’s current security posture, vulnerabilities and risks, and long-term security objectives. After thoroughly understanding, the ACE team tailors the perfect multi-solution security posture for your unique organization.
Want to know how? Take a zero-cost security consultation call with ACE experts and let the experience speak for itself.
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