For a long time, the IT security risk thinking of many companies was characterized by the assumption that they themselves were not a worthwhile target for attackers and that buying the latest security technology – such as a new network firewall every few years – was enough. Typically, the available funds were allocated to the evaluation and procurement of standard prevention technologies. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the number and damage potential of cyberattacks increased again and faster than ever before. Threats against companies’ data and applications have become real and omnipresent. When it comes to security in the digitalized economy, prevention alone is de facto no longer enough. “Companies are reallocating their IT security spending. They are moving away from pure prevention approaches to focus more on detecting and responding to attacks,” predicted Gartner back in spring 2017. Managed security services make it easier for companies to meet the increasing demands in the area of detecting and responding to IT security attacks by bringing more control and transparency to IT security with expertise, dashboards and tools.
Since phishing, DDoS, ransomware, code injections and countless other forms of cyberattacks have reached record-breaking proportions, attacks can hardly be reliably prevented with pure prevention measures. The less crude forms of observed threats have – as is only fitting – already been given their own acronym: The security industry calls them APTs, Advanced Persistent Threats.
On average, 8 out of 10 websites are vulnerable. This is shown by the Vulnerability Scan from United Security Providers, which checks websites for vulnerabilities free of charge for companies. There is certainly nothing wrong with a free and selective check of the status of a website, but this is at best only suitable as an initial determination of location and urgency. An integral check and holistic protection of applications and services that are mission-critical and/or process sensitive data is essential. The complex setup of such systems, which are increasingly being used over the internet or operated in the cloud due to digitalization, opens up an ever-growing attack surface for attackers. The probability of occurrence and the potential extent of damage of the associated security risks are increasing for companies.
Skills shortage as an additional aggravating factor
“The skills shortage in IT, and in IT security in particular, is another important driver for the increased demand for managed security services. Sound expertise in the field of IT security is scarce and therefore not cheap,” says Urs Binggeli, Head of Managed Security at United Security Providers. “Most organizations lack knowledge and experience of detection and response strategies in IT security, as they have primarily relied on preventative approaches to date. They are therefore increasingly opting for external support in the area of IT security.”
IT security: from isolated solutions to an overall concept with improved transparency and control
Whereas in the past IT security often consisted of a set of numerous stand-alone solutions that functioned independently of each other, today they are moving closer together. Preventing attacks is good. However, it is even better to be able to detect attacks first, then to be able to react appropriately and to regularly check the effectiveness of the measures taken later on. The central collection, evaluation and presentation of security-relevant information is essential for this. Modern IT security requires comprehensive control options and intelligent control mechanisms. The individual security systems should interact and communicate with each other. Cockpits and management dashboards, which used to be the focus of corporate management, are finding their way into information security. Managed security services providers and security operations centers (SOCs) have their finger on the pulse of the times with their comprehensive offering and satisfy the need for greater transparency and control.
Six advantages of USP Connect®: cyber security under control
United Security Providers offers its Managed Security Services customers an overview of the status of their global IT security infrastructure in real time in addition to the modular service package. With numerous tools, statistics, analyses and reports, USP Connect® provides all important information on the status and performance of the managed security solutions at a glance.
1. overview in real time
The Services Dashboard provides an overview of key performance indicators and status information for all services or individual service objects (e.g. locations, devices) in real time. This means that all stakeholders can find out about the status of the security services they are using around the clock.
2. security dashboard
The Security Dashboard provides an overview of prevented attacks, detected anomalies and the current threat situation. It highlights the urgent need for action by showing critical security events. A powerful trend analysis and statistics form the effective basis for recognizing and assessing the relevance of detected anomalies – such as frequent incorrect logins or access from geographically unusual regions – and responding accordingly.
3. digitized service management
In addition to the detection mechanisms for potential attacks, USP Connect® offers extensive options in the area of service management. Service requests are conveniently processed via the ticketing system. The status of open incidents is visible, as are commissioned changes or service enhancements. The error-free implementation of changes is ensured by means of specific control views and optimally coordinated approval processes.
4 Agility and efficiency despite managed security: user self-services
Managed security means that the security infrastructure is operated cost-effectively by professionals and monitored 24/7. Nevertheless, United Security Providers’ MSS customers do not have to sacrifice their agility: For example, user self-services in USP Connect® offer the option of adapting dedicated parts of the configuration independently. This enables customers to carry out specific tasks efficiently themselves and independently of the MSSP, which brings efficiency gains when implementing standard changes, for example.
5. standard and ad hoc reporting
USP Connect® has extensive and reliable reporting options and data analysis tools. Users have a wide range of predefined and free analyses at their disposal and reports can be downloaded easily and without great effort.
6. well protected and user-friendly
The USP Connect® user interface is intuitive to use and protected against unauthorized access by WAF technology and multifactor authentication. Users benefit from role-based views and access rights, as well as many useful functions such as tailored context help, quick navigation, favorites and search functions. In addition to USP Connect®, Managed Security Services customers can of course always call the United Security Providers Security Operations Center 24/7 for competent and friendly support from an expert.
Conclusion
Choosing a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) is a proven way for a company to quickly improve its ability to detect and prevent attacks. Thanks to anomaly detection, attacks can ideally be detected early and stopped before they can succeed and cause damage to the corporate network. By choosing an MSSP that offers a digitized service management platform, IT departments gain more transparency about the actual status of their IT security, can make more informed decisions and have solid arguments for discussions about the strategic development of their IT security strategy.
Would you like to find out more about Managed Security Services from United Security Providers? Then watch our webinar “Top 10 requirements for a strong Managed Security Service Provider” now.