The cybersecurity talent crisis has reached a critical juncture. The global cybersecurity workforce gap reached 4.7 million professionals in 2024. Sixty-seven percent of organizations reported cybersecurity staffing shortages. In North America, the talent gap added up to more than half a million jobs unfilled, up 4% from the year before. For middle-market firms caught between limited budgets and escalating cyber threats, managed security service providers (MSSPs) offer a strategic lifeline.
What Are Managed Security Services?
Managed security service providers (MSSPs) lend cybersecurity capabilities to organizations grappling with talent shortages and cyber risks. These specialized firms offer security services that many middle-market companies struggle to develop internally.
MSSP services include round-the-clock monitoring, vulnerability management services, incident response, advisory services, and more. Many MSSPs provide 24/7/365 security operations centers (SOCs), ensuring continuous protection for organizations that don’t have the resources to stand up SOCs of their own.
Middle-market firms have increasingly embraced these services. Nearly half (46%) of the US middle-market companies that outsource cybersecurity functions rely on external providers for incident response and outsourced security operations center services.
Why Middle-Market Companies Struggle with Cybersecurity Talent
Middle-market companies face unique challenges in building adequate security teams. Competition for cybersecurity professionals has become fierce, with these firms competing against larger enterprises offering higher salaries and clearer advancement paths.
Rising costs compound the challenge. For companies operating within constrained budgets, paying competitive wages for even a small security team strains resources. Effective security requires multiple specialists, from system architects to incident responders to compliance experts. They will need regular salary increases to stick around.
At the same time, the threat environment changes rapidly, requiring continuous adaptation. Small internal teams often lack the bandwidth to stay current while managing daily operations. Nearly all organizations (90%) surveyed by ISC2 report skills gaps within their cybersecurity teams, with cloud security topping the list of the most critical missing competencies.
How Managed Security Services Reduce Cyber Risk
MSSPs deliver cybersecurity risk mitigation benefits extending beyond filling staffing gaps, including the following.
Continuous Threat Monitoring
MSSPs provide uninterrupted surveillance through security operations centers with analysts working in shifts. This 24/7 coverage ensures immediate detection of suspicious activities, reducing the window of opportunity for attackers.
Advanced Tools and Expertise
MSSPs invest in sophisticated technologies that might be cost-prohibitive for individual middle-market companies. That includes security information and event management (SIEM) platforms, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, and AI-powered threat detection. Clients of MSSPs gain access to such enterprise-grade tools without additional capital expenditures of their own.
In addition. MSSP security professionals encounter diverse threats across multiple clients. Along the way, they develop insights that benefit all customers. And when new threats emerge, MSSPs can quickly adapt their clients’ defenses based on intelligence gathered across a potentially broad client base.
Scalable and Predictable Security Costs
Managed services transform security into an operational expense with fixed monthly fees. During incidents or new initiatives, MSSPs can rapidly scale support without requiring additional hires. And because MSSPs spread costs across multiple clients, they can achieve economies of scale that make enterprise-level security affordable for middle-market organizations.
Co-Managed vs. Fully Outsourced Models
When working with MSSPs, organizations have a choice to make between two primary engagement models.
In co-managed security arrangements, MSSPs augment existing teams while sharing duties. Internal teams typically retain authority over strategy and policy while leveraging an MSSP for monitoring or specialized expertise.
Fully outsourced models give full operational duties for security to the MSSP (although the ultimate responsibility for security remains with the client). In the fully managed model, the provider handles all aspects of detection, response, and management.
Business size, internal expertise, and regulatory requirements all may influence model selection. For example, smaller organizations are more likely to lack the resources needed for all internal security functions, making outsourcing cybersecurity completely more attractive.
Governance and Integration: Making MSSPs Work for You
Successfully integrating an MSSP into your security operations requires careful planning and clear governance.
Transparency is key here. Providers should offer visibility into the tools and processes they use, as well as provide the full details of their service level agreements (SLAs) or service level objectives (SLOs).
Clear communications help prevent misunderstandings. Designate specific contacts for handling requests to and from providers, establish escalation procedures, and schedule regular reviews for work in progress.
While MSSPs can handle operational tasks, that doesn’t absolve organizations from responsibility for maintaining governance over strategic decisions. And, while a provider can advise on security policies, each organization must evaluate its own tolerance for risk and make the ultimate decisions about tradeoffs between operational efficiency and controls.
Choosing the Right Managed Security Partner
Selecting an MSSP requires careful evaluation to ensure alignment with organizational needs and security objectives. The right partner becomes an extension of your team, making thorough vetting essential before committing to the relationship.
Look for providers with:
- Relevant certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and industry-specific credentials
- Expertise in your sector
- Strong client references from organizations of similar size and complexity
- Flexibility in service offerings (co-managed vs. fully managed, customizations, etc.)
- Fast incident response times
- Ongoing investment in continuous improvement
Watch for red flags that signal potential problems, including:
- Lack of reporting transparency
- Unwillingness to provide detailed SLAs or SLOs
- Inability to demonstrate clear incident response procedures
- Unfamiliarity with your industry’s specific requirements
Be particularly wary of providers promising unrealistic outcomes or those unable to articulate their security methodologies clearly.
Final Thoughts: Strengthening Security Through Managed Services
The cybersecurity talent gap will only continue to widen, even as threats grow more sophisticated. IDC predicts that nine out of ten organizations (more than 90%) will suffer from the IT skills gap by 2026.
Yet, leveraging MSSP expertise, technology, and round-the-clock coverage enables middle-market firms to close critical security gaps while maintaining predictable costs. Whether through co-managed security or fully outsourced models, managed services help organizations focus on core business functions while specialists handle cyber defense.
Reach out to learn more about how managed services can help your organization close the cybersecurity talent gap.
FAQs
What are the most commonly outsourced cybersecurity tasks?
The most frequently outsourced functions include 24/7 security monitoring, incident response, vulnerability management, and compliance reporting.
How much do managed security services cost?
Costs depend on organization size, service scope, and security requirements. Organizations need to evaluate what level of service they require based on an informed assessment of their risk tolerance and the data and infrastructure they need to protect.
What’s the difference between co-managed and fully outsourced security?
Co-managed services augment internal teams with specific capabilities, while fully outsourced services transfer complete operational duties to the provider.
Can managed security services improve risk posture?
Yes, MSSPs enhance security through continuous monitoring, advanced tools, and specialized expertise often unavailable to internal teams.
Who should consider managed security services?
Any organization facing cybersecurity resource constraints or seeking to enhance its security posture cost-effectively can benefit from working with an MSSP.
