4 Reasons SMBs Should Consider an MSP for Threat Hunting

In today’s complex, ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, organizations need a strong, layered defense that spans everything from endpoints to the network core. Sometimes, however, that’s not enough. Cybercriminals continuously evolve their strategies and tactics and can evade detection by even well-constructed defenses. But if attackers have already penetrated your network, how can you find them?

Threat hunting is a human-led activity that supplements your existing defensive measures. Put simply, threat hunters start by assuming your network has already been breached. By monitoring everyday activities across your network and investigating possible anomalies, threat hunters seek to find any yet-to-be-discovered malicious activities that could lead to a full-blown breach or uncover unaddressed vulnerabilities in your security posture.

It takes a fair amount of knowledge, specialized training, and skill to effectively hunt threats. And since they need to process and find patterns in large amounts of data, threat hunters often rely on advanced technologies, like machine learning and AI, to help target their searches and hone on the signals of an attack.

Unfortunately, many organizations — especially small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and mid-market companies — barely have the resources to employ specialized cybersecurity professionals, let alone dedicated threat hunters. And even when they do, a massive shortfall of qualified cybersecurity professionalsmakes qualified threat hunters hard to come by.

That doesn’t mean that threat hunting is entirely out of reach for smaller organizations. By working with a managed service provider (MSP), SMBs can gain access to advanced cybersecurity technologies and capabilities, including threat hunting, on a subscription basis for a fraction of the cost of bringing these functions in-house. It’s no wonder then that many smaller organizations are looking to outsource their security. According to recent research, 88% of organizations outsource their cybersecurity processes or tools, and the most common outsourcing agreement is with MSPs (55%). 

Let’s dive deeper into why SMBs turn to MSPs for threat hunting and other cybersecurity services.  

Access to dedicated professionals to augment their proactive security capabilities

Threat hunting is one of the most technically demanding fields in cybersecurity, requiring years of experience and unique expertise. That makes threat hunters very sought-after and pricey to bring in-house. Coupled with the fact that they also depend on advanced technology, it’s often economically unfeasible for SMBs to employ their own threat hunters. MSPs offer not only the talent but also the technical solutions that can give SMBs a defense they might otherwise not be able to afford. 

Deep Intel on current threats to uncover threats before being breached

While pricing and capacity are the two most obvious reasons for an organization to rely on an MSP, another is access to deep industry knowledge on current threats. These specialized security providers often have hundreds or even thousands of clients. What they learn by working with one client can be applied to others. Economies of scale apply to knowledge and expertise, as well as pricing.  

Faster reaction times, to improve their cyber resilience

With dedicated security teams, access to industry information, and telemetry across a broad range of clients, MSPs can often see problems faster, identify new threats, and respond more quickly than internal IT teams. They can also scale people and resources when more serious incidents occur, leading to quicker resolution and better outcomes.

Tailored, always-current cybersecurity solutions to anticipate security risks

Many organizations will see their cybersecurity needs change over time due to growth, the adoption of new technologies, or unforeseen events (like the massive and sudden shift to remote work). These changes are often accompanied by an expansion of their attack surface or an increase in the number of critical assets that need protection. The subscription-based, pay-as-you-go model offered by many MSPs makes it easier for organizations to add new cybersecurity capabilities (like threat hunting) that map to their current business realities.

By working with an MSP, SMBs can ensure that their security posture is current with the latest services and capable of scaling up quickly to meet new demands. Choosing the right MSP — one with the relevant service mix, skills, and business model — is essential. By knowing what to look for and what questions to ask, organizations can choose the partner best positioned to provide comprehensive and advanced capabilities when they need them.   

Wondering what a threat hunting service can do for you?