6 Steps to Bringing a Security Offering

to Market

With business gone digital, IT security is more important than ever. Today’s cyber threat landscape is becoming increasingly complex, leaving small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) vulnerable.

You need to support your clients’ IT needs, and that now includes protection.

So, the time to shift from MSP to MSSP is now—but if you aren’t properly defining what robust cybersecurity looks like in 2017, you’ll be putting your clients at risk of becoming obsolete.

What is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)?

A true MSSP will bake the following elements into their security offering:

A true MSSP will bake the following elements into their security offering:

Knowledge - By understanding cybersecurity trends and gaining extensive threat knowledge, clients will see you as a trusted security partner and their go-to provider.

A true MSSP will bake the following elements into their security offering:

Due diligence - MSSPs who perform due diligence will deliver a multi-layered security solution that is effective and vigilant.

Follow these six steps to become the MSSP your clients can count on.

Defining and Deploying the 3 Pillars of Cybersecurity

Step 1

Providing your clients with robust IT security starts with knowledge, preparedness and agility.

The following 3 pillars of cybersecurity will help you lay the groundwork for a delivering an offering that truly protects your clients and helps build a trusting relationship.

1. Training and EducationWhen employees are properly trained on how to navigate the modern threat landscape, they will understand how to assess vulnerabilities, secure their network and endpoints and mitigate security incidents.

2. Detection and IsolationThe ability to remotely monitor, manage, back up and secure clients’ IT environments from a central location will enable you to detect and isolate a security incident as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

3. Remediation and ResolutionIf organization-wide roles for resolving security incidents are established in advance, the business will have a well-documented system which will inform employees exactly how to shut down any vulnerabilities that come through the network.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Managing Multiple Security Vendors

Step 2

Traditionally, MSPs that offer security services have provided their clients with one-off solutions, such as proper password etiquette and anti-virus software. Unfortunately, this disparate approach to endpoint protection will no longer cut it in the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

As you work to provide truly effective security services, consider the following downsides to managing multiple security vendors: It creates a barrier to effective training It creates a lack of flexibility It creates added complexity 

As you work to provide truly effective security services, consider the following downsides to managing multiple security vendors: It creates a barrier to effective training It creates a lack of flexibility It creates added complexity Your security solution should simplify your clients’ IT landscape, not complicate it!

Examining the Lifecycle of a Cyber Attack

Step 3

Before devising a solid cybersecurity plan, it’s important to understand what the lifecycle of a cyber attack entails.

Consider these questions: Is your business sufficiently protected? What risks currently exist? What details should the plan of action include?

With sufficient training and education and a detailed plan for remediation, your clients will know the specifics of what it takes to avoid disaster and achieve business as usual.

Effectively Selling Cybersecurity to SMBs

Step 4

The way you speak to your clients about cybersecurity will inform the way they think about it and allocate their resources accordingly.

Touching on the following areas will help you stay focused on what matters most to clients:

Touching on the following areas will help you stay focused on what matters most to clients:

Enhanced protection - A successful security strategy will not just focus on preventing a breach, but also on how to effectively stop and lock down an attack if one were to occur.

Touching on the following areas will help you stay focused on what matters most to clients:

Cost-efficiency - Since security talent is both rare and expensive, it is important to ensure that your security solution utilizes expertise efficiently. Combining the support of a Security Operations Center (SOC) with intelligent software is the best way to remain vigilant yet cost-efficient.

Scaling Your Business with Security-as-a-Service

Step 5

It can be overwhelming to ensure the security solution you’re offering is both robust and profitable. In order to capitalize on the cybersecurity opportunity among SMBs, MSPs should focus not only on what they’re providing but how they’re modeling it.

With the right product and positioning, and a solid plan of action, you will enable both your and your client’s business to grow and scale. 

Embracing Cybersecurity Services in 2017

Step 6

As traditional IT service providers prepare for the necessary shift to a comprehensive managed security offering, the following considerations will set them on the path to scale.

Provide an all-in-one platformMSPs who offer their clients one security solution that integrates well with their existing services will enable a more comprehensive approach to vulnerability management and position themselves as that one-stop-shop clients can turn to.

Plan for protectionDevising a well thought out cybersecurity plan will fit your client’s needs and involve multiple layers of defense to prevent potential disasters.

Offer layered vulnerability managementTaking a comprehensive approach will secure all devices across the network, offering multi-layer protection via the combination of software and services.

We hope you find these six steps helpful in bringing your security offering to market!

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