Managed security service providers (MSSPs) are IT service businesses that specialize in providing security-as-a-services offerings for their customers. While MSPs (managed services providers) have been around for 25+ years, MSSP practices gained momentum in more recent years.

What’s the Difference Between MSSPs and MSPs?

MSSPs function similarly to MSPs (Managed Service Providers), but are primarily focused on security, while MSPs provide a broader range of IT services and are generally less focused and less specialized with regards to cybersecurity. Additionally, while MSPs frequently establish their own network operation center (NOC) from which they monitor and administrate over customer operations, MSSPs typically establish a security operations center (SOC), which is responsible for protecting the infrastructure (networks, applications, databases, servers, etc.). Some MSSPs may manage multiple SOCs.

5 Reasons You May Want to Leverage an MSSP

An MSSP can help its customers:

1. Scale up security

2. Layer on needed expertise where there is an internal IT skills gap

3. Understand the best solutions in the market

4. Apply their know-how of having tackled similar challenges for diverse client environments

5. Increase visibility into threats while expediting a security response (by having visibility into threats across multiple customers, an attack on one customer can allow MSSP adapt security to better protect its other customers)

An MSSP can take over security, step in to fill in-house skills and resources gaps, or provide back-up as needed. Trends such as decentralization, increased remote work, and a prolonged cybersecurity skills gap have all served as catalysts for growing demand for the services of MSSP vendors, in recent years.

What Are the Typical Security Technologies Managed and Deployed by MSSPs?

Typical MSSP technology offerings may include deploying, configuring, and/or managing the following technologies:

  • Intrusion prevention systems (IPS)

  • Web content filtering

  • Identity access management (IAM)

  • Privileged access management (PAM)

  • Vulnerability scanning

  • Patch management

  • Anti-virus (AV)

  • Anti-spam

  • Firewalls (UTMs, NGFWs, etc.)

  • VPN

  • Data loss prevention (DLP)

  • Threat intelligence

What Kinds of Services do MSSPs Offer?

An MSSP may offer a broad, generalized suite of security capabilities and services, or it may specialize in one or a few core focus areas, such as IAM, privilege management, or threat intelligence. MSSP services may include:

  • Risk assessments and gap analysis

  • Policy development and risk management

  • Solution scoping

  • Solution/tool research and requisition

  • Solution implementation

  • Management of security systems

  • Configuration management

  • Security updates

  • Reporting, auditing, and compliance

  • Training and education

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