Security vulnerabilities cost companies money, clients and reputations. Partnerships build resilience, stability and agile solutions that mitigate these vulnerabilities, writes Richard Frost, head of technology and innovation at Armata Cyber Security.
Cybersecurity remains a challenging priority for the South African organisation. The CSIR State of Cybersecurity in South Africa 2024 report discovered more than one worrying number in its survey of 1200 companies – 47% had experienced an incident over the past year, 90% were targeted multiple times, 63% have cybersecurity roles that are unfilled or partially filled.
Companies are wrestling with zero-day vulnerabilities, unexpected attacks, employee errors – the CSIR found that only 32% of respondents had received training – and limited access to skilled people while simultaneously trying to do business in a complex and disruptive market.
The cost of a successful breach continues to rise and the risk of losing the business to the damages and fines is increasing exponentially. It’s becoming incredibly challenging for companies to balance their security hygiene alongside their need for growth and market share.
Organisations are increasingly partnering with managed security services providers (MSSPs) to bolster and refine their defences and better manage their visibility around security costs. However, finding the right MSSP is often as challenging as managing the security in the first place.
Many traditional security vendors operate in silos. Some focus on product deployment, others on managed services while some consultancies may restrict their involvement to an advisory capacity.
Problem is, this fragmented approach creates vulnerabilities that sophisticated threat actors are increasingly ready to exploit. You want a trusted security partner that does more than just offer you point solutions or one side of the coin. A partner that delivers end-to-end security coverage alongside scalable solutions that grow with your business.
You also need to ensure that your MSSP is agile with adaptable strategies that respond quickly to emerging threats and with highly skilled teams that have proven, deep industry expertise. Then, added to this demanding mix, you also want a team that will communicate with you clearly and often – transparent communication is the foundation of a trusted partnership.
Another often overlooked advantage that comes with partnering is the economic benefit of economies of scale. A MSSP has access to enterprise-grade security solutions that are traditionally only affordable for larger corporations but thanks to the as a service security model, they are now available to organisations of all sizes.
It is a democratisation of security capabilities that protects everyone throughout the security chain, not only reducing risk for all companies, but minimising the risk of a small supplier potentially infecting a large enterprise due to poor security hygiene.
This then brings the conversation back to the capabilities of your MSSP. A solid partnership goes beyond traditional vendor relationships, providing instead customised solutions, proactive advisory, flexible engagement models and comprehensive support all wrapped within one easy to use package.
When you and your MSSP are on the same page, it is far easier to identify and address vulnerabilities before they become liabilities and to respond effectively to security incidents. And, you get to enjoy ongoing compliance to evolving regulations because they are, well, your MSSP’s problem.
And you want your security to be someone else’s problem. Peace of mind has become, in modern business, as much a commodity as gold.
So, ensure that your chosen MSSP can provide you with comprehensive security coverage, has proven technical expertise, is agile enough to adapt to your needs, and is responsive and accessible. Working with a trusted security partner isn’t just about technology implementation; it’s about establishing a relationship capable of evolving with your needs and the threats.