What Is MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider)?

Sometimes, you must take some of the stress off your plate. When things are getting a bit too much, it’s important to acknowledge that you can bring others in to help - and that’s where a managed security service provider comes in. The meaning of an MSSP, in short, is that it serves as a third party that can take on some of the burdens of maintaining the security of your IT systems, network, and even IT users.

It also frees up more time and space for your own organization to thrive and expand operations elsewhere. At Velo, our managed security services program helps to tackle security from within the core of your IT system all the way to the far-reaching points of your network. As such, we can protect you from any number of potential threats.

What is included in an MSSP, and what are the benefits?

The wide-ranging nature of an MSSP means that you can zone in on specific IT problems and attend to them in a committed way. Trend analysis, remote maintenance, vulnerability management - there’s a lot of coverage, and your colleagues can be made acutely aware of any possible problem before it has time to do any major damage.

When you have an expanded security team of dedicated professionals at your fingertips, you don’t have to be constantly looking over your shoulder. The MSSP can configure your setup in a way that helps grow your business, and at all hours of the day, you can rest easy knowing that everything is being protected by layers of effective defense for your IT systems, protecting your business from ransomware, data breaches, viruses, malware, phishing, data corruption, and more. 

With that being said, we’ve decided to comb through a few of the main benefits of an MSSP.:

1. Incident Response

It can be fairly daunting to hear that it’s not a case of “if” but “when” when it comes to cybersecurity. However, even though that rings true, a comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy can be exactly what the doctor ordered when tackling these issues.

There are many variables to consider within an Incident Response unit. For us, we like to prepare for issues by creating an IR plan document, and from there, we can have frequent risk-based discussions with clients to ensure that we can mobilize when necessary.

2. Multi-Factor Authentification (MFA)

Cybercriminals like to take over accounts through hacks, viruses, and scams, which is why MFA is one of the foundational security measures implemented by an MSSP. It combines what you know with what you have, setting up a strategy that massively decreases the odds of having your business accounts hacked by cybercriminals who may purchase a list of hacked passwords on the dark web. They may have the password, but they won’t have the multi-factor authentication, and they won’t be able to gain access.

Within our own managed services program, we take a look at where an MFA should be applied and implement that goal as soon as possible. Additionally, we integrate Single Sign-On (SSO) wherever possible, and in doing so, we can reduce the number of prompts and logins required. This serves to counteract the effects of password fatigue in which users become overwhelmed and fail to maintain a defensive posture with their online accounts - using the same passwords at home and at work, writing important passwords on sticky notes, and failing to see the harm in sharing passwords with co-workers and friends. SSO cuts down on the amount of effort it takes to keep multiple accounts secured.

While passwords, authenticator apps, and SSO may not sound like the height of cybersecurity sophistication, their criticality cannot be overstated.

3. Data Encryption & Data Backups

Managing your security can be tricky, and quite often, the complexity can be found in the data. With data encryption, though, you’re able to restrict unwarranted access to your files, with an MSSP being able to take a closer look at the data and figure out what needs to be encrypted.

From there, there needs to be work done in the backup department. It’s of critical importance to have your data backed up because these attacks often rely on being able to push through the first line of defense. So, it can’t hurt to have a few linebackers on your roster, right?

4. Software Updates

The world is changing at a rapid rate, and in the IT realm, that’s particularly true. Making sure your software is up to date is vital in not only securing your environment but keeping up with what’s going on in the industry. When blended together, that doesn’t seem like a bad cocktail.

A new update being installed leads us down the path of minimizing disruption. An MSSP will glance at your key software vendors and come up with a solid plan to keep outside forces away and, in equal measure, make sure that your team isn’t being bothered along the way.

5. Email & Web Filtering

Fraudulent emails are sent in their billions every single day, and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve been a victim of that. The intention of the fraudsters is to trick people into providing money or personal information, with malware and financial gains at the heart of their goal.

Through email and web filtering, an MSSP can stem the tide of inbound threats. This wave of traffic can be blocked off at the source with customizable web filtering services helping to organize and filter out what is necessary and what amounts to little more than trash mail.

An MSSP: The Velo Method

At Velo, we work with a very straightforward method and mentality: support, security, strength, and strategy. We aim to work with our clients to create the best relationship possible, with peace of mind being at the forefront.

If this is a journey you want to be part of, feel free to get in touch!