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Evolution of cloud has encouraged advent of an impressive spectrum of solutions including cloud security and associated services. Cloud applications demand effective mitigation of cyber threats through real-time monitoring. It is therefore hardly surprising that more enterprises are planning to leverage proven and reliable option for outsourcing cloud security to keep hackers and cyber criminals at bay.
Look before you leap
Cloud adoption is marked by the tendency to jump on the bandwagon and adoption of Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) is no exception to this. Companies need to exercise utmost caution before choosing a security partner because they need to hand over control of majority of digital assets in the bargain. It would be better to insert an exit clause in the agreement to make room for you to regain the controls and exit if you sense any kind of threat to your data assets.
This calls for an established Cloud security service provider with demonstrated capabilities of managing security of some reputed organizations. These vendors are also known to have experienced and professional security experts on board. You must be able to differentiate between an MSSP and automated security provider because a right MSSP is able to identify security logic flaws specific to your business by implementing tailor-made security checks and accordingly executes the process of blocking attacks.
Instead of going by a broader perception of a highly reputed MSSP, it would be logical to look for a provider that has earned sound experience in securing data of enterprises that are operating within the same vertical as that of yours such as healthcare, insurance, or banking to name a few.
Established MSSPs are a busy lot and you should never grant them the responsibility of looking after your in-house security operations as well. Ideally, an enterprise should make the MSSP align its operations to comply with your procedures and policies. In fact, before starting to search for a Managed Security Provider one should have a clear idea about what to expect from the vendor.
Unless an enterprise is capable of defining the security issue and an associated goal or an objective in terms of which particular applications, or database must be secured, there is hardly any point in engaging an MSSP. Secondly, your organization must have some responsible and knowledgeable person who would be acting as a point of contact with provider of managed security service.
Vital qualities of right MSSPs
Evaluation of a proposed MSSP must be carried out by making sure that the vendor is capable of offering a scalable model of managed security service. The present market conditions are extremely volatile and one should always anticipate a merger or acquisition. Scalability must accommodate upward as well downward movement to facilitate flexibility.
Proven managed security vendors are prepared to work with clients by understanding their varying security requirements and offer to make relevant adjustments in plans so that there is an optimum utilization of fees. This is particularly applicable whenever an unexpected forensic bill is due and the budget does not permit additional expenditure. In such situation, the MSSP must rearrange the breakup by throttling back some of the services of lesser importance. If any single cloud security service provider is not consumed, then the expenses should be allowed to cover other services with greater consumption rates.
Prior to appointment of an MSSP, an organization is bound to have made considerable investment in terms of internal security arrangements. This may include staff, equipment, and software applications. There is no point in substituting the entire gamut of such cost intensive infrastructure with new services of MSSP. The best approach would be to combine the current in-house infrastructure to its maximum with new solutions provided by MSSP.
What to expect from a right MSSP
Your chosen Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) must empower your security team with a broader knowledge and solutions that are backed by state of the art technology with seamless compatibility with the existing security arrangements at your site. It should be easy to collect references if your future MSSP has been associated with enterprises of repute. However, you should select your security vendor with past record of serving organizations that are identical in terms of size and category of your business venture.
In the very beginning, users of MSSP must define their security needs as well as vendor’s responsibilities by including these in well laid out Service Level Agreements. MSSP must provide a detailed list of the internal resources that can be accessed by users by thoroughly understanding their individual requirements. There is no point in getting associated with an MSSP with poor financial background because this may jeopardize your data security in the event of any future events or unexpected closure of MSSP.
Takeaway
Security of your digital assets can only be appreciated by you in terms of its value to the organization’s existence. This calls for a careful assessment of any outside agency, which is going to take over controls of such mission critical data.
