Page 40 - Cyber Warnings

MSPs Can Leverage Security Training to Stay Ahead of the Curve

By Christopher D. Porter

Managed service providers, system integrators and value-added resellers know that the IT
landscape never stops changing.

And to ensure that their clients' technology strategy is cost effective and strategic to their business,
many are seeking the most up-to-date certifications to enhance their services portfolio.

Businesses look to MSPs, system integrators and VARs to take care of their IT needs, including
security because many lack the skilled staff necessary to do the job.

In the past, an MSP could offer a soup-to-nuts IT service for clients, but as threats become more
advanced, MSPs are finding the basic level of security service they once offered is now inadequate.

The IT landscape never stops changing. This is also true for the threats organizations face. Cyber-
crime has become so lucrative that it is now a business model for some.

The bad guys are able to invest millions of dollars in their own infrastructure and staffing. If one of
these organizations targets an enterprise, you can be sure that a basic level of security will not be
enough to prevent them from breaking in to the network.

Yet as threats become more advanced and difficult to stop, it is very difficult for MSPs to keep up
with constant changes in the security landscape.

The threat spectrum is now so broad that security teams must master many different domains.
From Web and application hardening, to network security, and even physical security - you really
need to out-think the bad guys across many domains.

If the attacker is determined, he’s going to continue to search and probe until he finds a gap in an
organization’s defenses.

MSPs must keep their security knowledge fresh and constantly updated in order to anticipate and
block these attacks.

If an MSP wants to compete for a customer’s business, they have to demonstrate that their people
have the latest certifications. They need to show that they are knowledgeable and can handle any
modern threat.

The training they need to keep up with these changes is available.

40 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – January 2016 Edition
Copyright © Cyber Defense Magazine, All rights reserved worldwide