By Sascha Giese, Head Geek, SolarWinds

Avoiding the Security Blame Game, MSSP-Style

Managed services providers (MSPs) have become a critical component of IT departments too vast to manage internally. Using an external partner to organize, store, and manage data has allowed IT to flourish by granting organizations access to experts, cutting redundant costs, and allowing internal IT teams to focus on business performance without getting bogged down in day-to-day activities. But there's one area where businesses still need assistance: security.

The next step in implementing managed services or an MSP vendor in 2020 will be integrating a managed security services provider (MSSP). MSSPs are particularly appealing to organizations with limited budget, staff, or resources to maintain good cybersecurity. Employing an MSSP eliminates the internal "blame game" and tech pro finger-pointing when it comes to data security disasters.

2019 has seen unprecedented instances of cybersecurity crises-from data breaches at Capital One and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection contractor, to the ransomware attacks targeting hospitals and local governments, to the supply chain attacks at Asus and more. This past year has proven any organization can be vulnerable to an attack, making it more important for organizations to take responsibility. When something goes wrong, organizations can't afford to play the corporate blame game for their security failures. Enter an MSSP.

There are many good reasons to outsource cybersecurity responsibilities to an MSSP, including a sole focus on security, access to round-the-clock skilled staff, access to tools typically more expensive than other IT solutions, and flexibility to take on specialized services to meet compliance regulations. For these reasons, in 2020, we'll continue to see an uptick in organizations integrating MSSPs. Those who will get the most value from MSSPs will be organizations taking more responsibility for their data security and not looking for a scapegoat for when something goes awry.

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About the Author

Sascha Giese holds various technical certifications, including being a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA), Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), VMware Technical Sales Professional (VTSP), AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, and Network Performance Monitor and Server & Application Monitor SolarWinds Certified Professional® (SCP).