Why to Rely on an MSP for Security — and How to Pick the Right One

Organizations struggle to keep up with the increasingly complex and evolving cybersecurity landscape. The latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Risks Report again highlights cyber threats as one of the most significant risks worldwide: 19.5% of respondents identified cybersecurity failure as a “critical short-term threat” to the world. This, coupled with a huge shortfall of qualified cybersecurity professionals, is driving organizations to seek the help of managed service providers (MSPs). According to recent research, 88% of organizations outsource their cybersecurity processes or tools, and the most common outsourcing agreement selected is through MSPs (55%).

Part of that outsourcing trend is vendor consolidation — organizations also put a lot of faith in a single partner. According to Gartner, by 2025, 80% of enterprises will have adopted a strategy to unify web, Cloud services, and private application access from a single vendor’s security service edge (SSE).

But why is that? Now more than ever, companies are adopting vendor consolidation strategies due to concerns around information security, demanding new approaches to the hybrid work model, lack of cybersecurity talent, automation, and more. So, organizations need to work with the right MSP. Here are five reasons to seek out an MSP for security and how to choose the right one:

1. They offer a comprehensive platform of services packaged for predictable, reliable security

The right MSP will have the customer experience and cybersecurity knowledge to offer curated solutions to fit your needs. Their technology stack will include a broad range of advanced tools for protecting corporate networks with physical and cloud-based firewalls, management of secure Wi-Fi networks, the best endpoint protection, detection and response (EPDR) technologies, and other benefits, such as identity management for members of the organization through multi-factor authentication (MFA). They will provide exceptional value by combining their expertise and services with usage-based pricing.

2. They work with technology vendors who are continuously innovating

Cybersecurity technology is continuously evolving to meet new challenges posed by threat actors. Your MSP’s next-gen cybersecurity capabilities should offer or integrate solutions that include XDR, threat hunting, artificial intelligence, and zero-trust strategies, as well as advanced authentication.

3. They can automate service delivery and provisioning

Consolidation, intelligence, and automation come together to create simple, scalable, and deployable solutions. Artificial intelligence and machine-learning algorithms drive automation of threat detection, classification of running processes, and prioritization of alerts. MSPs should also be able to provision devices and services remotely to make installation “plug and play” for customers.

4. They can provide integrated management of all those services

Cloud-based, single-pane-of-glass management of services enables MSPs to provide better visibility, awareness, response time, and reporting. Integration also helps MSPs to provide services more efficiently and cost-effectively at scale. MSPs must provide powerful visibility and reporting tools that demonstrate value efficiently and effectively. 

5. They offer continuous threat monitoring

In today’s complex and ever-changing cybersecurity environment, vulnerability management is a top concern for organizations. MSPs should be able to provide consistent analysis of network alerts to ensure timely intrusion detection and proper response.

By working with an MSP, organizations can ensure that their security posture is current with the latest services and capable of scaling up quickly to meet new demands. Choosing the right MSP — one with the service mix, skills, and business model — is essential. By knowing what to look for and what questions to ask, organizations can choose the partner best positioned to protect their business today and in the future.

If you’re evaluating an MSP, be sure to validate that they can meet your security needs in each of these critical areas.