Managed service providers (MSP) and managed security service providers (MSSP) are both incredibly useful tools for businesses, but there is one major difference that sets an MSSP apart from an MSP: security. Unlike an MSP, which focuses more on IT support, an MSSP provides 24/7 cybersecurity support. It’s important to understand the differences between these two types of third-party services when evaluating your business needs.
MSP
As the internet world developed in the early ‘00s, so did internet speeds and the ability to provide IT services remotely. This allowed businesses who did not have the bandwidth or expertise to internally manage their own systems the ability to outsource their IT management from third-party MSPs.
Today, MSPs provide centralized, remote IT services that typically include: a help desk, managed networks, firewalls, infrastructure, cloud services, and applications; endpoint management and security, and database management. Although this includes some basic security measures, it is nowhere near complete coverage.
Utilizing an MSP is a cost-effective way to keep up with the latest technology, and it allows you to focus more on doing business and less on maintaining the technology behind it. By choosing an MSP, your data, networks, and applications are managed by external IT professionals.
MSSP
As technology advances, so does the potential for cyberattacks. While some MSPs are now including basic security features, their focus remains on IT services. MSSPs make cybersecurity and threat detection their main priority. MSSPs are a great option for businesses who do not have the necessary resources or expertise for an in-house security operations center (SOC).
The benefits of MSSPs are vast with 24/7 threat detection and monitoring to ensure the security of your network and data, and if an attack were to happen, MSSPs have proactive incident response teams and provide post-attack forensic analytics.
In addition, MSSPs utilize risk assessment to analyze your business’s security positioning to ensure protection at every level. They also manage endpoint detection/prevention, handle virtual private network (VPN) configuration, and execute patch/vulnerability maintenance.
With an MSSP, you have the comfort of knowing your business’s security is in the hands of experts, like those at Blue Team Alpha.
So, which one should you choose?
Deciding between an MSP and an MSSP might seem like a daunting task, but with cybersecurity a high priority for businesses, most MSPs eventually contract with an MSSP to provide the security services they are unable to offer. A great place to start your search is by conducting a cybersecurity risk assessment to see your organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
Blue Team Alpha’s Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) provides continuous data analysis, threat intelligence, and security incident reporting by carefully monitoring client systems and investigating abnormal behaviors. At Blue Team Alpha, your organization is in safe hands. With a variety of offensive services and proactive services including threat detection, incidence response, vulnerability testing and penetration testing, Blue Team Alpha’s cybersecurity experts are ready to protect your business at any level.
