Industry Voice - The accidental MSSP: From digital to defence

Cyber security is high on the agenda for every business leader today.

With attacks shattering the UK economy and bringing some of the country’s largest organisations to an operational and revenue-driving standstill, leaders are fully aware of the devastating consequences that successful breaches can inflict.

Threat activity continues to rise, the cost of attacks has reached business-destroying levels, and complex supply chains with multiple third-party applications leave organisations dangerously exposed. Yet, many businesses do not have the resources or skills to manage the threat in-house.

While some turn to cyber insurance to provide a financial backstop, business leaders are learning that cover is often unachievable without adequate security protections already in place.

This is driving organisations to turn to their trusted MSP partners for support.

These providers have delivered IT and communications services for years, so many assume cyber security expertise naturally sits with them too.

A new expectation for MSPs

MSPs have long been the first call when businesses want to strengthen their digital infrastructure. Clients value their knowledge, their understanding of existing systems and the continuity of working with a single provider.

Faced with pressure to support loyal customers while unlocking new revenue opportunities, MSPs often feel compelled to say yes to the demand for cyber security services.

However, the reality is far more complex.

Security cannot simply be bolted onto existing services. It is not a set-and-forget solution.

It requires continuous monitoring, specialist tooling and the ability to detect and respond to threats 24/7, 365.

Cyber security is not just a new service deliverable. It is an entirely new business function that requires trained personnel, new processes and significant investment.

Furthermore, the consequences of mistakes are also far more serious than a missed ticket. One exposed gap can lead to a client-wide breach and lasting reputational damage for the MSP.

Before rushing in, MSPs must therefore take a step back, conduct due diligence and consider how they can meet these new expectations, keeping their client safe, without compromising their own stability.

Strategic partnerships to fill the gaps

The most successful MSPs are choosing to collaborate with experienced Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to navigate these changing customer requirements.

These partners understand the challenges faced by MSPs and can support them, allowing them to deliver these new services to clients, without burdening their internal teams or having to make significant upfront investments in new cyber security tooling.

Some, such as CybaVerse, have even built platforms designed specifically for MSP use.

These tools do the heavy lifting, alleviating the burden from MSPs, allowing them deliver the security services their clients need, but without the need to build all cyber security capabilities in house.

Instead, these platforms offer a marketplace where MSPs can choose and deliver the cybersecurity services their clients need, such as security operations, managed detection and response, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and compliance checks, all while relying on the MSSP to manage and execute them.

This ensures security is handled by experts and prevents excessive strain on the MSP’s internal resources.

The shift is happening

MSPs have always been trusted advisers, and today that trust extends to security.

Clients are demanding stronger protection, and there is a clear opportunity for growth in meeting those needs. However, most MSPs do not have the expertise to assume full security responsibility in house.

Working with an MSSP can alleviate some of this burden, enabling MSPs to deliver security services to their clients but without building out security from scratch internally.

This article is sponsored by CybaVerse.