Why outsourcing it security functions is a sensible option

Why Outsourcing IT Security Functions Is a Sensible Option Computer security is a prime concern for every business and to ensure maximum security of information, many organizations utilize business process outsourcing services

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Computer security is a prime concern for every business and to ensure maximum security of information most business organizations either have strong security measures in-house, or choose to utilize the services of a business process outsourcing company.

Today, cyber criminals hacking websites and stealing critical data such as customer information and trade secrets has become common. This is due to improper IT security.

Importance of Computer Security Computers are not inherently open to risks such as hacking or data breaches. Internet activity is the primary highway for many transactions and many computer users do not realize that simply accessing the web could make their computers highly vulnerable. The Internet is a wide canvas for cyber criminals who can cause harm by breaking down computer security. Downloading any data such as software applications or screensavers could be risky and lead to data breaches. A compromised computer can also be manipulated and made into an agent of a cyber crime ring. Viruses and malware are often designed to hijack and exploit critical data. Computers that have been hacked become unusable and often run very slowly and constantly divert memory space to running malicious scripts. Therefore computer security is an essential element for any business.

It:  Allows people to carry out their job and research easily  Supports critical business processes  Protects personal and sensitive information  Prevents hacking and other cyber threats  Prevents third parties from accessing sensitive information Why Should You Outsource Security Functions?

Many companies are now in the process of outsourcing computer security to reliable providers due to the increasing number of data breaches. For most organizations it is a challenge to provide enough staff with the security who have the skills to keep the network secure. Outsourcing computer security to providers that are specialized in network security prevents security threats and helps to stay up–to-date with the latest threats and the methods that hackers use for data breaches.

In a recent survey of 287 US based IT and business professional conducted by CIS, CSO and Computerworld, 56 percent of the respondents said that their organizations enlisted outside consultants to help with information security and 40 percent said that they rely

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on Managed Security Service Providers (MSSP). As per the survey, the main functions that are being outsourced are: 

Penetration testing or threat assessment

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Spam filtering

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Threat intelligence

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Log monitoring

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Anti- DDoS or web application firewall protection

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Disaster recovery and business continuity

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Awareness training

Security analysts say that, increase in the number of malicious hackers and proliferation of products designed for enterprise security force companies to outsource. To take an example from real life, Phenix Energy Group, an oil pipeline operator and construction company is preparing to increase its IT infrastructure phenomenally in a matter of months. The company is preparing to grow from a relatively small office environment to a data center setting of 75 servers and 250TB of storage. Naturally, security has become a top priority for them because a system that is compromised could cost about $1 million an hour. 

This company is planning to outsource security because they don’t have time to recruit staff and set up a dedicated information security department in-house.

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They feel they don’t have an alternative to outsourcing since they need to bring someone in who can provide the security level they need and help them with the deployment, and later they can move everything to on-premises.

Similarly, Blackhawk Community Credit Union also sought help from outside providers to lighten their security responsibilities and also get assistance from highly trained experts on a 24x7 basis, 365 days. The vice president of their IT says that his 8-member staff would not be able to provide that kind of service because they have to handle all types of IT issues including security for more than 150 users. This company does the security strategy and policy planning on its own, enlisting consultants to take care of specialized functions such as periodic firewall reviews, and depending on its MSSP for functions like managing the firewall and the intrusion protection system.

Select Your Provider Carefully However, when outsourcing security functions to a third party provider, it is important for companies to have all necessary processes and communications channels in place to provide the outsourcing provider the necessary input to give them the right context for evaluating alerts. They must be given the right information regarding business units that

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are most sensitive. Companies that work with third party providers must be prepared to explore and troubleshoot more events because these providers ensure a better job than an in-house team when it comes to identifying suspicious activity.

The outsourcing model is ideal for small and mid-size businesses with limited resources.

They may not have people with specialized security skills. Apart from this, with most organizations the time saved is considered the primary benefit of utilizing outsourced solutions, maybe even a higher advantage than cost savings.

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