As your company grows, it becomes increasingly important to have a world-class cybersecurity team in place. But today’s cyber threat landscape is highly complex. It’s difficult to determine what are the top threats against your industry or your company, let alone what cybersecurity talent and capabilities you should prioritize in-house.

 

That’s where managed services providers (MSPs) come in. MSPs can provide your company with the cybersecurity capabilities you need without the hassle of having to build everything in-house. But even if you’re using an MSP, you still need significant cybersecurity know-how internally. 73% of organizations had at least one intrusion or breach from 2021 to 2022 due in part to a gap in cybersecurity skills, Forbes reports.

 

No matter your organization’s core business goals, you need to ensure you’re making the right choices and guiding business decisions with cybersecurity in mind. In this article, we identify best practices for growing companies whose leaders plan to leverage managed cybersecurity services but still need to build some cybersecurity capacities within their organizations. We will demonstrate how even small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) can have high-performing teams, no matter their size.

 

Modern Cybersecurity Challenges for SMBs

Evidence increasingly suggests that SMBs face similar if not more severe risks in terms of cyber attacks. According to a recent industry survey in Australia, small businesses reported a financial loss from a cyberattack lost 9,000 AUD (roughly 5,600 USD) on average—far less per company than their enterprise counterparts. But as Get Cyber Resilient observes, “those sums will hit smaller companies harder [than sums for larger companies], seeing as how those amounts represent a larger portion of their revenue.”

 

Most SMBs have some IT security measures in place. But as cybersecurity threats have become more sophisticated, the need for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions has increased. Traditional IT security isn’t enough—SMBs need in-house expertise to implement advanced cybersecurity solutions, the outside support of MSPs, or both.

 

What is the difference between IT security and cybersecurity?

IT security is the practice of protecting one’s computer networks and user data from unauthorized access or theft. Cybersecurity, on the other hand, is a broader term that refers to the protection of internet-connected systems, including devices, applications, data, and people, from cyberattacks. SMB leaders should begin by distinguishing between the IT security measures they have and the cybersecurity capabilities they need. 

 

As indicated, traditional IT security doesn’t measure up to modern cybersecurity threats. “Most [SMBs] dump cybersecurity responsibilities on their existing IT team, who aren’t always trained or equipped to handle security,” as Get Cyber Resilient describes. This ad hoc cybersecurity approach can put your business at risk—you need to have dedicated cybersecurity team members who are up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity threats and solutions, which is often only available through partnerships with cybersecurity MSPs.

 

MSPs supplement internal teams with industry-leading capabilities

MSPs can provide your company with the advanced cybersecurity capabilities you need without the hassle of building everything in-house. MSPs offer benefits unachievable via most in-house teams also, such as:

 

                    • Flexible pricing models (as opposed to one or more six-digit salaries)

                    •  Round-the-clock protection

                    • Seamless and proactive software updates

                    • Cybersecurity expertise and consulting

 

But even if you’re using an MSP, you still need significant cybersecurity know-how internally. In addition to interfacing with your cybersecurity MSP partner, this cybersecurity employee or team of employees can ensure you’re making the right choices and guiding business decisions with cybersecurity in mind.

 

What to Prioritize in Internal Talent

 

 

Whether you’re recruiting a full-time chief information security officer (CISO), a team of cybersecurity professionals, or a single cybersecurity liaison to work with your MSP, it behooves modern companies to keep an open mind in terms of whom they consider for their open positions.

 

SMBs typically start by taking a play out of enterprise companies’ playbook: they recruit cybersecurity professionals based on education and years of experience. This can be an effective method if you’re recruiting for only a small number of non-senior positions. But in today’s competitive labor market, it behooves SMBs to broaden their definition of desirable candidates.

 

Cybersecurity vs. IT degree: Which is better?

Let’s begin by considering SMBs who plan to leverage cybersecurity MSPs more than internal teams for their cybersecurity capabilities. These companies might benefit from focusing on potential hires with IT and IT security educational backgrounds rather than potential hires with cybersecurity degrees alone. IT professionals with some security background can serve as liaisons with cybersecurity MSPs, for example; they can communicate with MSPs about their companies’ business goals and relay important messages, updates, or concerns from MSPs to senior company leaders.

 

Additionally, many cybersecurity vendors are now offering certification programs that can give employees the skills they need to excel in specific cybersecurity roles. These certification programs can be completed online and often take only a few weeks or months to complete—much shorter than most cybersecurity degree programs. With the support and guidance of an MSP, companies can secure leading cybersecurity skill sets without costly recruiting, hiring, and training in other aspects of their business.

 

Broaden your cybersecurity talent pool

On the other hand, and in a competitive labor market, hiring for large teams or senior positions is often difficult when focusing on education and experience alone. “The number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide grew 350% between 2013 and 2021, from 1 million to 3.5 million,” Fortune reports; these openings continue to increase. This doesn’t bode well for smaller companies struggling to compete with larger, better-branded companies who are recruiting for similar internal cybersecurity roles.

 

There is reason to be optimistic. Keep in mind, degrees aren’t everything—especially in a field where results must speak for themselves, year after year. “By requiring a college degree for cybersecurity roles, CISOs arbitrarily limit their talent pools… despite there being limited concrete evidence showing that a college credential bears on the work,” as Forrester describes. Companies recruiting cybersecurity professionals can “look beyond the degrees and certifications to dive into the practical abilities of candidates” instead.

 

Choose the right cybersecurity talent mix

Given these challenges, even SMBs who set out with the intention of bringing 100% of their cybersecurity in-house may find it necessary to supplement those capabilities with some outside support. But in addition to relieving difficulties associated with recruiting and hiring, this approach can ensure better cybersecurity performance in the long term.

 

The critical factor is a sustained sense of purpose, direction, and teamsmanship. After all, “one of the defining characteristics of a high performing team is that they have a shared purpose and values,” as Forbes describes regarding the potential of cybersecurity teams. “High-performing teams have clear directives, and all team members are working toward the same overarching goal.”

 

With today’s communication technologies—and even some tools within cybersecurity technologies themselves—it’s easier than ever to bring internal and external teams together within a single collaborative environment. This way, companies can choose the cybersecurity talent mix that’s right for them and change it as their business needs evolve over time.

 

What to Prioritize in Your Internal Cybersecurity Technology

 

Cybersecurity technologies are growing exponentially in their sophistication; so much so that on-premise cybersecurity technologies are becoming impractical, if not entirely obsolete. Indeed, cybersecurity as a service (CSaaS) can provide access to the latest cybersecurity tools and technologies, which are often too expensive for small businesses to purchase themselves.

 

In this new environment, CSaaS tools, outside expertise, and regular software updates are critical to today’s successful cybersecurity mix. But as indicated the platforms that internal and external security teams use to communicate and collaborate are critical as well. Companies should focus on tools that:

 

             • Make it easy to share information and files between internal and external cybersecurity team members

             • Offer secure, real-time messaging and video conferencing capabilities

             • Include a centralized dashboard for tracking cybersecurity risks, incidents, and response progress

 

By building the right cybersecurity team mix—including choosing MSPs with leading cybersecurity technologies—companies can ensure they have the capabilities they need to protect their businesses today and into the future.

 

How to use AI and machine learning for cyber security

AI, machine learning, and automation of key processes and communication are essential to cybersecurity success between internal and external teams as well. Increasingly, the latest cybersecurity software leverages AI to identify and respond to threats with little or no human intervention.

 

In just about every case, AI-enabled cybersecurity tools can provide better protection than traditional cybersecurity solutions. “In 2019 approximately 83% of organizations based in the United States consider that without AI, their organization fails to deal with cyberattacks,” IT Business Edge reports.

 

How is machine learning used in cyber security?

 

In this paradigm, machine learning technologies can detect anomalies in user behavior, systems behavior, and network traffic. This allows for the early detection of cyberattacks at any time of day, with or without human oversight.

 

It’s these automated capabilities in part that make success possible with hybrid cybersecurity teams. As the automated tools we use to protect, collaborate, and communicate improve, so too will our ability to strengthen these relationships and better defend against ever-evolving cyber threats. Putting in place automated solutions for otherwise laborious tasks can streamline the adoption and integration of MSP-provided talent, technologies, and capabilities as SMBs begin those relationships as well.

 

Start Your Own Cybersecurity Conversation

By investing in the right cybersecurity technologies and building the right cybersecurity team mix, companies can ensure they have the capabilities they need to protect their businesses today and into the future. Consider these points above as you begin your own conversation about the right “mix” with your internal stakeholders. In time, you’ll be able to better protect your business—and maintain the cybersecurity edge you need to succeed.

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The cybersecurity experts at Uvation have the experience and expertise you need to build a cybersecurity program that meets the unique needs of your business. Contact us today to learn more about our capabilities and team members.