Cybersecurity is not a new concept, but it is taking on new importance this year. Today’s digital organizations are driven by new technology and dependent on orderly data, and everyday life seems to be increasingly happening on top of connected infrastructures. The risks posed by cybersecurity attacks are monumental, but to mitigate those risks, new skills are needed.
However, modern businesses, specifically small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are struggling to keep up with the cybersecurity skills required to secure IT infrastructures, respond to incoming threats and ensure proper operations. According to CompTIA’s recent report, The Evolution of Security Skills, between 18 and 32 percent of companies say that they need significant improvement to existing security expertise across various topics. So, with the apparent need for improved security skills, how can you present your managed IT services to prospective clients as a solution for bridging this widening security skills gap?
We all know that security skills are in high demand today, but they can be hard to come by for many SMBs who don’t have the budget to hire an in-house security team. Their most practical and financially-sound option is to partner with an MSP like you and leverage your services and expertise to bridge this security skills gap. If you need help convincing your prospective clients of this, you can download the chart below and pair it with the talking points to make the case for why SMBs need your services to stay protected against today’s sophisticated threat landscape.
Network Infrastrcture Security
- Network and infrastructure security is the skill that’s in highest demand, which makes sense because that’s where cybercriminals usually first gain access and wreak havoc on a company’s digital access. Today, network security has expanded beyond basic firewalls into application-aware firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, and network monitoring. In order to protect your whole infrastructure and network, you need to be able to have line of sight into what’s going on, and that’s where a proactive remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution can be most valuable. Our RMM solution will keep an eye on the health and security of your IT infrastructure, and because it’s coupled with antivirus, it will be able to provide actionable alerts, protection against potential threats and help enhance the defenses of your network and your overall business.
Knowledge of Threats & Threat Management
- Because threats are ever changing and evolving, threat knowledge is becoming increasingly important. Knowledge can be your first line of defense against cyber threats, so you need to know what to lookout for. As a business owner, however, you don’t have the time to scour the Web or keep constant watch on current cybersecurity trends. But that’s where we come in.
Partnering with us gives you complete access to our IT expertise. Along with our services, we can provide security training and education and network assessments to ensure your entire businesses is prepared to thwart off any potential threats. No more worrying about learning curves or finding the right hire. With our managed services, you’ll have the knowledge and skills you need to keep up with changes in the threat landscape.
Application and Data Security
- Now, not only do you know what to look out for, you need to be prepared to properly handle and manage threats. Few capabilities are more fundamental to proactive threat monitoring and management than real-time monitoring, and our RMM solution can perform this function for you.
In the event of a cybersecurity incident, your most essential data must be properly secured and easily restorable. To maintain business continuity and mitigate the damage caused by a successful cyber attack, you need our reliable business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution. It is the ultimate failsafe against data breaches and data loss. If your essential files are encrypted by ransomware, our BCDR solution will ensure that your data can be restored from the point at which it was last backed up. This helps minimize costly downtime and allows your business operations to continue as usual.
Compliance and Operational Security
- If you’re in the healthcare or financial services vertical, you know maintaining compliance is vital to staying in operation. Working with a HIPAA compliant IT solutions provider who understands HIPAA regulations will free you from the stress of worrying about all the protocols, policies and procedures you need to follow. Similarly, if you’re offering e-commerce services on your website, you need an MSP who fully understands the PCI security standards and how to keep all of your business data protected.
Author: Lily Teplow, Continuum