The Benefits of Co-Managed Security Service

A good in-house security professional is hard to find. To find a team of them is a daunting task. For every company, securing intellectual property, customer data, software applications, and other businesses assets is a must. Protecting these assets requires the right people, the right technology, the correct strategies, and a continual understanding of the dangers and risks IT systems are susceptible to. Cyber criminals and competitors are getting increasingly clever at attacking company accounts. The challenges for preventing attacks and theft are becoming harder to manage.

One new approach to protecting data is the use of co-managed security services. Here, the in-house company works with a third-party vendor that has the human and technical resources to use the latest and best security strategies.

SIEM and co-managed security

Security services are more formally known as SIEM (security information and event management). Co-managed security service is an arrangement in which the company and a third-party vendor combine their security efforts to create an effective SIEM platform. As data centers and cloud service providers develop more advanced security systems, companies are recognizing that there are benefits to outsourcing their security to these outside providers because those providers can offer more expertise and more services – often at much lower costs.

Co-managed security is becoming more viable for the following reasons:

•       As companies acquire more and more data, it is simply becoming a much tougher task to make all that data secure.
•       It is easier to control the entry and exit points to the data through the cloud and other outside infrastructures, which have more security measures built-in.
•       Outside data centers are better able to do the type of data analysis that is needed to determine where, when, and how threats to security and breaches might occur.
•       Security is layered. Instead of building security through firewalls, software, and other solutions for each device, security is targeted toward the whole information system.
•       Co-managed security is designed to address breaches to data, applications, networks, servers, and other security components. The security applies to the cloud, hybrid cloud arrangements, desktops, smartphone, and other devices.

SIEM security works because of effective planning and because of an understanding of the complexities of securing information systems. Experts are needed to do the planning, installation, and the constant adjustments needed to keep current. In-house security teams can work with and learn from the experts through co-managed security, which is more time and cost effective than hiring independent experts or continually re-educating your current security staff.

Coordination of security services

Co-managed security services need to coordinate which security tasks the in-house company is going to do and which ones the outside party is going to perform. The boundary lines of these two security providers need to mesh properly to avoid duplication and to prevent openings in security at the boundaries.

Both providers need to review the full range of vulnerability in company information systems. The vulnerabilities are only likely to expand as the company acquires new locations, hires more employees, expands its services, and obtains new customers.

The providers need to review which security services will be on the premises of the company, which services will be at the third-party site, and which services will be part of the connections between the two security teams.

Encryption techniques and authorizations should be clear so that the business protects its information but the outside provider can perform its security obligations.

Contact Vault Networks to learn more about co-managed security

The bottom line with co-managed services is collaboration. The more the two teams work together for the benefit of the company, the better their security will be. Co-managed security is built on exchanging essential information to maximize security, minimize human resources, and reduce costs. To discuss our security expertise and to learn how your security resources can be partnered with ours. Our experienced security professionals are able to address security needs across industry sectors and for companies of all sizes.