Can I Outsource Cybersecurity and Keep Our Internal IT Team?

A question that surfaces when business leaders are aware that they need to pump up their cybersecurity posture is – Can we augment our internal IT team with outsourced cybersecurity?  The answer is “yes,” and it can be the solution to not only improve security but to enable everyone in the IT department to be more successful, as well as secure.

The impetus for this rising tide is that just about everything in IT needs to be accomplished with cybersecurity in mind. And access to cybersecurity guidance that comes with outsourced services will bring security into conversations earlier rather than later. The outcome is that security is never an afterthought.

In this article, we’ll dig into:

• Which Businesses Should Outsource Cybersecurity?
• What Are The Benefits of Outsourced Cybersecurity Services?
• How Do Cybersecurity Companies Work With Internal IT Teams?
• The New Role Businesses Need – vCISO

Which Businesses Should Outsource Cybersecurity?

Outsourced cybersecurity is a great option for companies that need to attain a high level of security very quickly. For example, it’s not uncommon to suddenly be faced with a situation where accountability for security is a requirement for doing business with a new customer.

Another scenario that many companies are facing right now is that they’re discovering that they can’t get cyber liability insurance, or they can’t get good rates on insurance unless they drastically improve their cybersecurity posture.

Companies that need to comply with regulations for data confidentiality and safety also benefit from outsourced security services. In many cases, compliance isn’t anything new but keeping up with compliance requirements is more than the internal team can handle.

New compliance requirements like Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for manufacturers in the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain are placing compliance requirements on companies that they’ve never had before. As a result, these businesses are having to scramble to interpret the regulations into a viable cybersecurity process.

Outsourced cybersecurity services are just about the only option for those companies that want to retain their DoD contracts.

What Are The Benefits of Outsourced Cybersecurity Services?

While these scenarios point directly to the need to augment your internal IT team with outsourced cybersecurity services, there are many benefits that make this arrangement a win-win for any organization that wants to improve how they manage cyber risks.

When you outsource cybersecurity services, you get:

• Access to a whole department of cybersecurity knowledge and skills.
• Guidance in the creation of a cybersecurity strategy that fits your risk profile and tolerance.
• Relief from the burden of recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining security talent.
• Access to a tech stack that has been vetted for effectiveness.
• The ability to move fast when tactics need to change in response to evolving cyber threats.

How Do Cybersecurity Companies Work With Internal IT Teams?

IT management and cybersecurity management are woven together but can sometimes conflict, so you should expect the two teams to develop a solid relationship built on consistent communication. What you don’t want to happen is for changes to be made to your network that negates security. The best case is that the two teams are involved in any discussion about network additions and improvements.

To get started with developing your cyber strategy, the cybersecurity company should perform a security assessment or gap analysis to get a lay of the land. This will feed the recommendations they will have for bringing your cyber defenses up to speed.

Then the outsourced and internal teams will decide who will do what.

Naturally, the outsourced company will manage the cybersecurity tools they use to monitor, detect, and respond to suspicious activity. There are security activities that fall under IT management that your internal team may do, like patch software and establish a refresh schedule for updating software and hardware.

The cybersecurity company may also have recommendations for other services that you should implement, such as ongoing cybersecurity awareness training for your people.

Regardless of how the two teams split up the work, the responsibilities should be clear and documented so nothing is missed.

The New Role Businesses Need: vCISO

Because cybersecurity is about cyber risk and business leaders hold the responsibility for managing overall business risk, companies these days need a cybersecurity expert on their leadership team. It’s not practical for many small and medium-sized businesses to have an executive whose job is completely dedicated to security – that’s where a vCISO comes in.

A vCISO (Virtual Chief Information Security Officer) is provided by the outsourced cybersecurity company to lead high-level security conversations and oversee everything that’s happening with cybersecurity. The vCISO acts as a guide and source of knowledge so that executives can make well-informed decisions about their cybersecurity strategy.

Wondering If Outsourced Cybersecurity Services Are Right for You?

Whether you know that you need outsourced security services or feel that you’ve outgrown what your internal IT team can provide, a security assessment is a great first step in your research. Not only will you get an objective view and actionable recommendations, but you can get a feel for them.

VC3 is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) as well as a Managed Service Provider (MSP). We work with organizations of all sizes to help them defend against modern cyber threats. Whether you want to augment cybersecurity, IT management, or both, we’re here to help. Contact us for a security assessment.