You've seen it in the news: cyberattacks on big, billion dollar companies expose millions of customers’ personal information, and that draws a lot of media attention. Attacks on smaller companies tend to fall under the radar, leading many to think they’re "too small" to attract the attention of cyber criminals.

This is a mistake.

As bad publicity forces big companies to take steps to improve their cybersecurity, smaller companies are very quickly becoming targets of choice for attackers and cybercrime groups.

Over 50% of cyber attacks target small and midsize businesses.

Forbes reported that more than half of all cyber attacks targeted small and midsize businesses (SMBs) in 2018. The consequences of a breach that disrupts a small company’s operations—and cash flow—can be severe. As a result, many mid-sized organizations are left having to increase IT and security budgets to counter these threats.

Despite increasing budgets, it’s hard for organizations of this size to handle cybersecurity on their own. The scope of the protection challenge is broad: threats can target the business through a variety of channels including web apps, networks, endpoint devices, and insider threats.

Information Security (InfoSec) talent shortages leave gaps in coverage.

The challenges of protecting multiple threat vectors are compounded by the difficulties small organizations face when building an IT team to handle their security needs. Security professionals are in high demand and talent is scarce, considering the 0% unemployment rate in the cybersecurity sector.

While this 0% unemployment rate statistic is great news for cybersecurity job seekers and students pursuing a career in the field, it's not-so-great news for the small and mid-sized organizations seeking to staff a security team in-house.

The state of the cybersecurity job market is forcing many organizations to rely on IT generalists to handle both internal technology infrastructure and security issues, or look beyond IT for security support. While cybersecurity and information technology are interconnected, the rapidly-evolving cyber threat landscape makes security-specific expertise a necessity for organizations of all sizes. These factors and others are roadblocks to monitoring systems 24/7 and keeping networks adequately protected.

MSSPs bridge IT talent gaps.

A growing number of small and mid-sized organizations deal with their IT shortages by outsourcing cybersecurity to a managed security service provider (MSSP). This has several benefits, including:

1. More time to focus on core business functions. Because data security is in the hands of an expert team, your own employees can focus on business operations and activities that more directly impact revenue. Fully-managed security services take the configuration, upkeep, and monitoring off your plate, giving your organization time and resources back for what matters most: your business.
2. Access to extensive resources. Handling your own security means going it alone. With an MSSP, small businesses have access to the MSSP’s resources. The knowledge the MSSP shares about security risks can lead to better technology decisions, properly-configured hardware, well-supported security technology and tools, and more. The MSSP’s knowledge of new risks and defensive methods help you optimize protection, even as as threats change over time.
3. Increased data security. The MSSP makes sure your data is fully protected. MSSPs offer a variety of services which may include: implementing and configuring firewalls, installing operating system security patches and anti-malware software, training employees to detect and avoid social engineering cyberattacks, and monitoring network logs. All of these services add significant value to the defense of a small business’s IT systems.
4. The company will be prepared for an incident. No security measures can guarantee that a breach, or a breach attempt, won’t happen. By working with an MSSP, you can develop an incident response plan, have solutions in place to detect signs of compromise, and be prepared to react when an incident occurs.

The best MSSPs offer best-in-class cybersecurity technology AND 24/7 eyes on your network.

If you choose to work with an MSSP and outsource your information security, work with a partner that has access to best-in-class technology and a team of experts to back it. Infogressive is focused on one thing: cybersecurity. Our 24/7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs), with our MSSP offerings and bundles, can help you identify your biggest threats and create a defense-depth infrastructure to prevent them.

Content originally published 2016, updated 4/14/2020.