With an MSSP, companies are better protected

Service Provider Summit 2022 With an MSSP, companies are better protected

Those who rely on the expertise of a managed security service provider experience up to ten percent fewer cyber incidents. Waldemar Bergstreiser, Head of Channel Germany at Kaspersky, refers to studies by the security provider that prove this connection.

ITB:Why is the demand for managed security services increasing? From your point of view, what are the main drivers?

Bergstreiser: A Kaspersky survey of 1,500 decision-makers in Europe in 2021 provided exciting insights into this question. 56 Percent of respondents would like to bring external security experts on board, but do not have the necessary resources to find a trustworthy expert. Both SMEs and large companies cite “requirements for special expertise” as the main reason why they get support from outside. The fact is: companies that rely on external experts are better protected. After all, they are confronted with almost ten percent fewer cyber incidents than companies that work entirely or predominantly with internal resources. So there is still enormous business potential here, and we are happy to actively support sales partners in developing their individual roadmap for Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) and Managed Detection & Response (MDR).

ITB: Which services are customers primarily asking for: Are you looking for services for clearly defined areas of responsibility or are you looking for a managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) who takes comprehensive care of the protection of your IT?

Bergstreiser: In response to the outbreak of the corona pandemic in 2020, digitization in the economy was accelerated by months or even years, but the IT infrastructure was also more complex and insecure at the same time. Cybersecurity experts are hard to find on the market, and the company’s in-house training is lagging behind. Many companies therefore want to outsource their IT security to managed service providers or, above all, to managed security service providers. The main motives for such outsourcing include access to special knowledge, financial considerations and compliance reasons.

ITB: What special skills does an MSSP need beyond what distinguishes a system house in the traditional security business?

Bergstreiser: In our opinion, almost every partner is MSP-capable. Although a change in its business model is required, it can be mastered without major challenges. An MSSP, on the other hand, has to take care of much more and be willing to go into more detail. This also means that they must have even greater cybersecurity expertise, including a good understanding of cybersecurity trends, and should also understand the latest solutions. This is the only way he can weigh up which technology is really needed, and also adequately protect larger customers with more complex needs.

ITB: In addition to knowledge of technologies and solutions, service providers also need expertise in terms of threat vectors and attack patterns. How important is threat intelligence in this context?

Bergstreiser: Fortunately, threat intelligence is now an important aspect of the security architecture of companies. It helps security experts to identify, classify and investigate threats. Threat Intelligence is about applying big data analytics with the expertise of cybersecurity experts to a company’s comprehensive security strategy. This is the future of sustainable cybersecurity. Here, the demand for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as in the enterprise segment will increase significantly.

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