Managed Service Provider (MSP)

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a third-party business that provides network, application, and system management services to companies. MSPs allow businesses without IT expertise to improve their cybersecurity framework and avoid potential security incidents. MSPs often work remotely, offsite from the company they’re performing IT tasks for but do go onsite to ensure success in various IT projects when needed. MSPs allow small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to reduce their IT budget, be cost-effective, and focus on the core business.

MSPs will perform a number of tasks that typical staff members may not be able to do. Examples include:

• IT project upgrades and server management/deployment/migration to the cloud
• Network deployment, management and security
• Data Backups and Restoration Systems
• Printing, Wifi network deployment, and application installation/support
• Patching of Devices 
• Risk Assessments
• Policy and Process Creation
• Awareness and Product Training for your Staff
• Phish Testing of Staff
• Dark Web Monitoring of Staff Data
• Antivirus/Antimalware Deployments
• SPAM prevention and email security

MSPs do all this and more.  You can uniquely benefit from their experience and knowledge supporting not only your business but those of dozens of other companies in the area.  All that experience means they can usually resolve your issues quickly and effectively.  With flat-rate billing, it’s in their interest and yours to fix your problem properly the first time.

What does this mean for an SMB?

SMBs should be utilizing vCISO and MSP services in every possible instance. With hackers constantly finding new ways to exploit companies, it’s vital that you have some sort of structure around your Information Technology, and a cybersecurity risk management framework in place. BY working with CyberHoot’s vCISO services, or one of our MSP partners, you’re doing the minimum essential to stay secure online today.  So many news stories tell the tales of companies that didn’t do enough to secure themselves and their people.  Don’t be the next ransomware footnote on the evening news… be proactive today and get cyber secure on your terms. 

SMB PROTECTIONS BEYOND MSPs

In addition to working with an MSP, CyberHoot recommends the following best practices to protect individuals and businesses against, and limit damages from, online cyber attacks:

• Adopt a password manager for better personal/work password hygiene
• Require two-factor authentication on any SaaS solution or critical accounts
• Require 14+ character Passwords in your Governance Policies
• Train employees to spot and avoid email-based phishing attacks
• Check that employees can spot and avoid phishing emails by testing them
• Backup data using the 3-2-1 method
• Incorporate the Principle of Least Privilege
• Perform a risk assessment every two to three years

To learn more about Managed Service Providers (MSPs), watch this short 3-minute video:

Sources: 

Gartner

Avi Networks

NuMSP

Additional Reading:

Related Terms:

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