A managed security service provider (MSSP) offers clients a comprehensive array of security services. Operating as a third party, an MSSP can reduce an IT team’s workload and free up crucial time to support and expand other essential organizational operations.
Trevor Young, chief product officer at Security Compass, a firm that helps enterprises build secure and compliant software, notes that an MSSP brings economies of scale, proactive threat intelligence, and a deep understanding of best practices to security-struggling clients. “They also help fill skill gaps, reduce alert fatigue, and ensure a more consistent and robust security posture,” he explains. “This allows internal teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day operational security tasks.”
Has your enterprise’s IT team reached its cybersecurity breaking point? Here’s a look at seven signs that indicate it may be time to consider teaming with an MSSP.
1. Your security team isn’t providing adequate protection
An MSSP provides access to expert-level security support without the overhead of building and maintaining a full in-house team. “They bring the tools, the knowledge, and the 24/7 monitoring most businesses just can’t maintain internally,” says Gyan Chawdhary, founder and CEO of cybersecurity training firm Kontra. “Whether it’s spotting threats early or responding to incidents quickly, an MSSP can seriously level up your security game.”
Look beyond flashy tools, Chawdhary suggests. What really matters is experience, reliability, and how well the MSSP communicates. “You want a provider who understands your industry, responds quickly when things go wrong, and is transparent about what they’re doing and why.”
Yet while MSSPs are great at handling tech and threat issues, they can’t fix everything, Chawdhary warns. “Things like a weak security culture, poor internal policies, or insider threats often fall outside their control.”
2. Your security team is wasting time addressing and evaluating alerts
When your SOC team is ignoring 300 daily alerts and manually triaging what should be automated, that’s your cue to consider an MSSP, says Toby Basalla, founder and principal data consultant at data consulting firm Synthelize.
When confusion reigns, who in the SOC team knows which red flag actually means something? Plus, if you’re depending on one person to monitor traffic during off-hours, and that individual is out sick, what happens then?
“You wouldn’t run 24/7 data processing without redundancy,” he says. “Security is no different.”
3. Your internal team spends more time firefighting than fortifying
Organizations typically realize they need an MSSP when their internal team struggles to keep pace with alerts, incident response, or compliance requirements, says Ensar Seker, CISO at SOCRadar, where he specializes in threat intelligence, ransomware mitigation, and supply chain security.
This vulnerability becomes particularly evident after a close call or audit finding, when gaps in visibility, threat detection, or 24/7 coverage become undeniable. “Another key signal is burnout when internal teams are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of operational tasks and can’t focus on strategic defense,” Seker notes.
When evaluating MSSPs, enterprises should prioritize experience, transparency, and integration readiness, Seker advises. “Look for providers that offer detailed SLAs, real-time visibility into alerts, clear escalation paths, and native integration with your SIEM, EDR, or ticketing systems.” Equally important is close cultural and communication alignment. “The MSSP must feel like an extension of your team, not a black box.”
4. Your organization can’t afford an internal cybersecurity team
Many smaller enterprises simply can’t afford the cost of a full-time cybersecurity staff, or even a single dedicated expert. This leaves such organizations particularly vulnerable to all types of attacks.
An MSSP can significantly help such organizations by providing a full array of services, including 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and access to a broad range of specialized security tools and expertise.
“They bring economies of scale, proactive threat intelligence, and a deep understanding of best practices,” Young says.
The biggest mistake enterprises make when seeking an MSSP is treating the task as a purely cost-driven decision. Other common errors are offloading all security responsibilities onto an MSSP without first conducting proper due diligence and then maintaining ongoing engagement, Young says. “Enterprises often fail to clearly define their security needs, expected outcomes, and the scope of services, leading to mismatched expectations and inadequate protection.”
5. There’s an internal knowledge shortage
If an in-house team keeps running into questions they’re not 100% sure how to answer, it could be time to seek help from an MSSP. A lack of specific knowledge in even one or two areas of cybersecurity can quickly spiral into a fairly major oversight while reducing the potential for efficiency gains, says Aimee Simpson, a director at Huntress, a cybersecurity company founded by former NSA members. “Alternatively, your team may simply just not want to spend all of their time monitoring and responding to incidents.”
Simpson says that for many enterprises cybersecurity can be both an essential and all-consuming task. She observes that small IT teams often spread themselves thin handling even basic cybersecurity issues. “An MSSP can free-up your team to focus on tasks they believe are more essential to improving their cybersecurity posture instead of just maintaining it.”
6. You want continuous packaged protection
For enterprises searching for a hands-free 24/7 cybersecurity solution, an MSSP offers a handy and generally affordable pre-packaged alternative. An MSSP can monitor your business for threats around the clock, making sure that you respond to any emerging threats without delays that put you at risk, Simpson says. “The scope of care an MSSP provides, by itself, is a major improvement to any security posture.”
“Look for an MSSP that offers a comprehensive suite of services, from vulnerability management to incident response, and that demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and staying ahead of new threats,” Young advises. “Excellent communication and taking a collaborative approach are also crucial for a successful partnership.”
7. Reporting has become a time-consuming headache
Reporting requirements are a significant overhead for many enterprises, says Tony Anscombe, chief security evangelist at security services firm ESET. He notes that when an organization operates in a location that mandates data breach notifications, it may have to keep an experienced team on hand just to deal with reporting tasks.
“This burden, particularly while simultaneously dealing with a significant cyber incident, is probably most efficiently handled by an MSSP or an external cyber-incident response team familiar with specific reporting methods and requirements.” Anscombe adds that MSSPs that complement their services with cyber-incident response capabilities are best positioned to help enterprises stay on top of general security tasks, as well as continually changing reporting requirements.
Anscombe believes that besides handling reporting tasks, a good MSSP cybersecurity bundle should include an incident response plan and regular security testing and monitoring to ensure that patches and software updates are applied rapidly and effectively.
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