End the vicious circle of security fatigue with third-party-supported cybersecurity services.
Managing the totality of an organization’s cybersecurity services makes cybersecurity fatigue a fact of life for today’s IT professionals. Remote and hybrid work has brought about greater reliance on cloud services. Consequently, safeguarding digital assets now comes with additional layers of complexity. An abundance of data, devices, users, and systems now produces a tremendous amount of security information.
Surveilling cybersecurity threats is a constant for IT teams and can lead to burnout. Managed security service providers (MSSP) help shoulder the burden.
As latent threat possibilities continue to grow, so do security vendors’ services and product offerings. “Most enterprises have, on average, partnerships with about 35 security vendors and consume north of 70 products. That’s tiring,” said Rice.
But today’s cybersecurity landscape necessitates more tools because enterprises depend more on the Cloud—thanks to a dispersed workforce. However, incorporating new tools into the existing security framework can pose challenges. Issues arise as more and more tools are added. This can hurt operations as response times lag when rectifying problems.
This is where “platformization” comes in. Platformization improves cybersecurity services by consolidating various vendor solutions into a single platform. Clients reap the benefits as platformization allows them to integrate different security tools into a single forum. Not only does this enhance visibility and efficacy, but it also cuts back on cybersecurity fatigue.
Managed security service providers can realize those rewards quickly and continuously for clients, bringing more value to the table and assuring correct configuration. Aligning with a managed security service provider is a path toward more dynamic cybersecurity in an ever-changing digital landscape.
Learn more: CIO’s definitive guide to achieving secure cloud networking
Sprawl has led to platformization
The nature of cybersecurity services is changing as more security tools are coming down the pike. In fact, the number of security tools on the market has grown in tandem with the explosion of potential threats in the last several years. Selecting the tool that best combats a particular risk is a natural solution but has resulted in tool sprawl, which leads to platformization.
When security events do happen, rapid responses are critical. This need also gives rise to platformization. “The correlation between different departments, agencies, and toolsets becomes wildly important,” said Lloyd.
Platformization connects security tools such as firewalls, virtual firewalls, remote browser locations, zero-trust networks (ZTN), and endpoint detection response (EDR), so they function in unison. Each tool effectively “collaborates” with the others, with data exchanged in a shared language to diminish risks.
Learn more: Navigating new frontiers in security
Platformization and cybersecurity services
Cybersecurity is moving away from a product-based approach to a platform-centric strategy. Platformization has become a function of supply and demand. In addition to cybersecurity fatigue, tool sprawl has led to clients commonly asking for enhanced cybersecurity services, such as:
- Consolidated security functions into a single platform.
- A single dashboard with visibility into all security tools for more effective platform monitoring.
- Less time invested in training teams on how to use new security tools.
- More time spent by teams operating the tools.
Platformization is also gaining a foothold because more and more tools have some of the same features. The tools will ultimately serve different purposes but have at least one joint function. When clients invest in multiple security tools that perform a similar function, cost control comes into question, and security teams are now doubling their efforts to monitor and track everything.
Platformization is the solution to these pain points, removing the issue of overlap and streamlining security measures.
Learn more: What to look for in a cloud security partner
Cybersecurity awareness vs. fatigue
When in-house security teams struggle to keep up with potential threats or real-time responses, it could be time to partner with a service provider. Employees can create additional vulnerabilities when cybersecurity overwhelms or burns them out. Unfortunately, there is no single solution to remedy this issue.
However, ongoing cybersecurity training combined with the services of a managed service provider can help. Every organization should have both training initiatives and phishing policies in place. Practical training programs and phishing policies are essential for any organization. Keeping up with constant updates can be overwhelming for employees. Strike a balance between the reality of security threats and employees’ ability to adopt these changes.
OnX cybersecurity services include recommending strategic alliances with other industry businesses like KnowBe4, which offers educational programs and cognizance training that can give employees greater cybersecurity awareness.
Determining the need for an IT service provider
Managed service providers can also serve as security operations centers (SOCs). However, some organizations may build an in-house SOC and work with multiple MSSPs. This can be a significant investment, but the entirety of the security operation isn’t dependent on one partner.
SOCs are complex to manage; monitoring their security activity is a 24x7x365 commitment. Without continuous monitoring and tracking, responding to unusual activity and possible security breaks is impossible. Threats can and will turn into security incidents without a sizable in-house security team and respective labor budget. A small staff overseeing such a significant operation is bound to cause cybersecurity burnout.
The threat environment is only moving forward, and security tools must evolve alongside it. Developing a security program is not a one-time occurrence. Rather, it is an ongoing undertaking. A managed security services provider can offset the workload, keeping clients abreast of new technology developments and threats.
Security staff suffering cybersecurity fatigue can jeopardize your business. Consider partnering with a cybersecurity services provider.
Contact OnX today to find out more about our managed security services.