The importance of cybersecurity processes is more than ever for enterprises. The rising taxonomy and sophistication of cyber-attacks have left enterprises with no other choice. Also, the number of cybersecurity processes has drastically increased over the years. From synthetic monitoring to incident prioritization, there are numerous processes to take care of. Unfortunately, enterprises do not have the manpower to manage all the cybersecurity processes internally. As a result, they are exploring outsourcing options for enhanced security. However, an enterprise needs a definite strategy to outsource the cybersecurity processes and enhance the overall service availability. It includes determining the skills of internal employees and finding tasks they are confident in completing. They should also make sure to outsource the cybersecurity operations to MSPs that have Enterprise AIOps capabilities. Read on to understand the considerations before cybersecurity outsourcing and its benefits.
Considerations before cybersecurity outsourcing for enterprises
Identifying in-house competencies – When it comes to cybersecurity, enterprises often have an obsession with in-house processes. They believe they have the best cybersecurity team and are better off without anyone. Most enterprises believe they have the tools to eliminate security threats and boost service availability. Contrary to popular belief, most enterprises do not have the talent to manage diverse cybersecurity threats.
It is essential that the management analyses the competencies of internal cybersecurity employees. For example, internal cybersecurity experts might be good at event correlation. However, they lack the skills to handle complex cyber-attacks like DOS. In such a case, the enterprise can seek the help of an outsourcing firm to become resilient against complex cyber-attacks. Enterprises must make a list of tasks that cannot be completed by internal employees. All those cybersecurity tasks must be outsourced for increased productivity and service availability.
Control over cybersecurity operations – Most firms believe they lose power over their IT operations by outsourcing. It is why some firms only outsource redundant cybersecurity processes. They outsource non-core cybersecurity operations and retain other tasks internally. It can be done when a firm has a team of highly skilled cybersecurity employees. Enterprises must retain processes that give them control over cybersecurity operations. A decent outsourcing partner will also help you maintain control over cybersecurity operations. Enterprises can ask their outsourcing partners to report cybersecurity insights frequently. It will help them maintain governance and internal control over cybersecurity operations.
Confidentiality – By outsourcing cybersecurity operations, you will give another firm permission over your data. Cybersecurity experts of the outsourcing firm will collect, manage, and analyse performance data. They will know how every element of your IT infrastructure works and interacts. To maintain the standards of service reliability, the outsourcing firm will take control of your sensitive data.
Before outsourcing cybersecurity operations, an enterprise must check the confidentiality standards. A reliable outsourcing partner will never provide a client’s data to someone else. An enterprise can also limit the extent of information the outsourcing partner can access. You can provide them with authorisation of only a few databases. Before making any decision, ask the outsourcing firm about initiatives to ensure data confidentiality. Don’t undermine the privacy of your data in any case.
Managed cybersecurity or break-fix support – An organisation must decide between managed or break-fix outsourcing. With managed outsourcing, an enterprise will completely transfer some internal processes. The outsourcing partner will have control over those processes 24*7. It will report the progress of outsourced processes to the client. On the other hand, some firms call their outsourcing partners as and when required. For example, a company might call an external team of cybersecurity experts only during a security breach.
If your company has the talent to maintain a minimum level of service reliability, it can choose outsourcing on an ad-hoc basis. Some enterprises might have a vast IT infrastructure to manage. In such a case, they can look for managed cybersecurity services.
The level of innovation – The cybersecurity landscape has gone through a major shift in recent years. The change was inspired due to rising taxonomy of cyber-attacks on enterprises. Enterprises are targeted with phishing, SQL injection, denial of service, zero-day exploits, malware, and many other cyber-attacks. These attacks are sophisticated and require immense skills to counter. In addition, malicious actors are implementing targeted and automated attacks on IT infrastructures.
Why should an enterprise fall back when cyber attackers harness the power of automation technologies? Before partnering with a firm for managed cybersecurity, don’t forget to check for the level of innovation. A cybersecurity firm that uses AI-led solutions is the right choice in 2023. Don’t go for an outsourcing firm that still uses traditional tools to counter modern-day attacks.
Many cybersecurity firms have started using AIOps based analytics platforms for operations. An AIOps based analytics platform is capable of automated pattern discovery and event correlation. It will identify abnormal behavior and alert the concerned teams in real-time. An AI-led strategy will help your organization become resilient to future attacks.
Why consider cybersecurity outsourcing in 2023?
Here are the benefits of cybersecurity outsourcing for enterprises:
- An outsourcing partner will help you bring down cybersecurity costs. Since you don’t have to hire many cybersecurity experts, operational costs will come down.
- Many enterprises cannot afford 24*7 monitoring of the IT infrastructure. With an outsourcing partner, a company can ensure round-the-clock cyber defense.
- Cybersecurity firms are already mature in cyber defense. They know about the existing cyber threats and how to counter them. By partnering with a mature firm, your company will also move towards cybersecurity maturity.
- MSPs can offer rich insights to boost the security of your IT infrastructure. You will get to know the existing loopholes within the IT network.
- Since the outsourcing partner will ensure 24*7 security, there are fewer chances of downtime. A business can ensure continuity when there aren’t any setbacks due to security breaches.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is not as simple as it was a decade ago. Enterprises have to seek help from MSPs to raise the standards of service availability and security. Organizations must focus on partnering with MSPs using Enterprise AIOps-led cyber defense solutions. Modern-day cyber-attacks require accuracy beyond humans, which is achieved via AI. Outsource your cybersecurity operations now for reduced costs!