Canadian businesses are increasingly looking to managed security services as a better approach to help them fight cybercrime and protect data. According to the 2015 Security Pressures Report from Trustwave, 63 percent of Canadian IT security professionals plan to partner with a managed security services provider (MSSP) in the future. Ninety percent of those surveyed expect the relationship to be a partnership between an MSSP and in-house staff.
The bottom line is that because Canadian businesses face serious cybercrime risk and lack the resources, skills and time to build out their own security programs, we're seeing so many of them moving or planning to move to the managed security services model.
This brings us to Rogers Communications, a leading diversified public Canadian communications and media company, which announced this week it is working with Trustwave to deliver managed security services to Canadian businesses. You can read the news release here.
To both stay protected and ensure they can remain focused on their core focus area, businesses are finding relief by partnering with third-party experts whose sole responsibility is to manage their security. Since many businesses do not have the manpower and expertise in-house to ensure their security controls are installed properly, constantly updated and monitored around the clock, they are increasingly migrating to this approach. Managed security services are the fastest-growing security segment according to analysts - and for good reason: It offers better protection from cybercrime, data loss and security risk.
Specifically, what is driving Canadian businesses to move to the managed security services model?
1. Canadian businesses realize they aren't immune.
Many businesses have realized they need a security-first mentality. They should not assume that because of their size or location they are exempt from falling victim to a data breach.
2. Canadian businesses don't have large dedicated IT security teams, and the ones they have are under an abundance of pressure.
In-house IT pros often are overwhelmed and frustrated. According to aforementioned Security Pressures Report, 75 percent of Canadian IT security professionals reported the need for additional staff to help manage their security programs. Only 25 percent said they had the ideal sized team. Businesses are lucky if their IT team is strong, let alone fully staffed. Either way, the pressure is on. The consequences of having inadequate resources are only compounded by having to cope with increasingly skilled attackers, sophisticated threats, massive data proliferation, continued worker mobility and the meteoric rise of internet-connected devices.
3. Canadian businesses can't always afford to deploy the latest 'shiny new security technology object' - never mind manage it on a daily basis. They need a partner to do it for them.
Too many businesses purchase the latest security technologies only to realize they do not have the manpower, skills or time to ensure the solutions are properly installed, updated and working. As a result, the software turns into "shelfware," unused and collecting dust, further opening up the organization to attack risk. Managed security services reduce the shelfware problem because a services provider is managing security on a business's behalf. Fifty-five percent of Canadian IT security professionals said they faced pressure to use the "latest" security technologies, but 40 percent said they did not have the proper resources to do so.
The Rogers Communications and Trustwave announcement is a testament to the power of managed security services for businesses of all sizes and all geographies. For more information about Trustwave Managed Security Services, visit here.
Brent Davidson is Trustwave vice president of sales and country manager for Canada.
