Outsourcing Cybersecurity Functions
This article was written by Emily Mosack
In today’s digital landscape, where cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, organizations face the challenge of staying ahead of malicious actors while managing limited resources and expertise. One solution gaining momentum is outsourcing cybersecurity functions to specialized external providers.
What is outsourcing?
The use of outsourcing is the practice of contracting out specific business functions or tasks to third-party vendors or service providers rather than managing them in-house. Many functions of outsourcing would entail cost savings, access to specialized expertise, scalability, and increased focus on core business activity.
Cost benefits of outsourcing
Hiring a third-party or service provider can save time and money. Outsourcing allows companies to access skilled labor at a lower cost than investing in expensive infrastructure such as office space, equipment, and technology. This will also allow the providers to perform those specialized tasks more efficiently and at a lower cost than would be incurred if the company were to perform them in-house without resources with the appropriate level of expertise. Companies would no longer need to divide their immediate focus away from core business activities that drive growth and innovation.
What services can be provided?
There are a wide range of services that can be provided by these specialized outsourcing providers, including:
Managed Security Services (MSS):
- Provide incident detection, analysis, and response to security incidents.
- Improve management of firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and antivirus solutions.
- Enable organizations to enhance their security posture and effectively manage cybersecurity risks.
Security Operations Center (SOC) Services:
- Monitor and manage security alerts and incidents.
- Threat intelligence analysis and correlation of security incidents.
- Help ensure that the organization’s security operations and practices comply with relevant regulatory requirements, industry standards, and best practices.
Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) Services:
- Provides high-level information security executive consulting services, with years of experience in the field.
- Specialized guidance regarding policy implementation and compliance guidelines (including; Guidelines, controls and standard, Risk Management, Vendor Risk Management, Business continuity, Database management, etc.)
- Help to orient an organization’s information security program to provide predictive budgeting to Senior Management, in a more cost effective way than a full time CISO.
Penetration Testing:
- Regular scanning and assessment of systems and applications for vulnerabilities.
- Prioritize and remediate identified vulnerabilities to reduce the risk of exploitation by attackers.
- Provide guidance and recommendations to the organizations on how to remediate the identified vulnerabilities effectively, such as patches, configuration changes, or other security controls to mitigate the risks.
Cloud Security Services:
- Assess and implement security controls for cloud-based infrastructure and services.
- Monitor and manage security in cloud environments to ensure data protection and compliance.
Security Awareness Training:
- Employee training and awareness programs to educate staff about cybersecurity risks and best practices.
- Phishing simulations and other interactive exercises to test and improve employees’ vigilance.
There are many other services that can be provided when utilizing an outsourcing provider. It is important to use trusted providers when thinking of using their services. Strategic outsourcing can be a viable option for enhancing cybersecurity posture. To maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks, organizations should conduct thorough due diligence when selecting outsourcing partners.
How can our team help you?
Our team offers many different types of cost-effective compliance and risk management services that can benefit your organization, such as SOC services, vCISO Services, IT Audit Services, Vendor Risk Management Services, Penetration Testing Services, and many more. Please contact us or visit our page for more information on how FoxPointe Solutions can help you today.