Security is essential for all businesses, and while many organizations can implement it, others stay exposed. Unfortunately, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that cannot afford advanced security tools become easy cyber-attacks targets. However, with the advent of the cloud appeared a new environment of services to deliver cyber protection through service providers. These providers offer multiple services to companies to meet their IT needs, where SMBs have access to cost-effectiveness. One such service is security as a service (SECaaS), a subsection of SOC as a service (SOCaaS).
What is Security as a Service?
Security as a Service (SECaaS) is a cloud-based service that provides robust cybersecurity solutions to companies. To better understand it, you can look at it this way. By paying a monthly or an annual subscription fee, SMBs can outsource all their cybersecurity needs to managed security providers who become fully responsible for the companies’ online security.
What are the benefits of security as a service?
Robust security 24/7
With Security as a Service comes a lot of peace of mind. Businesses can be assured that their company is being monitored and protected from any possible cyber threats 24/7, whether malware, ransomware, phishing, data theft, or attacks like DoS(Denial of Service), DDoS(Distributed Denial of Service), and Hacked APIs. SECaaS protects from all such security breaches.
2) SECaaS is cost-efficient
On average, SMBs lose £65,000 to cyber-attacks of penalties, business downtime, and damaged assets. Security as a Service protects companies from the attack itself. This allows saving a lot of money that could be lost in the attack.
In addition to this, SECaaS also eliminates the need to buy complex security hardware, software licenses or pay a hefty fee to security experts. The subscription-based model is far cheaper and can save a lot of money in the long run.
3) Saves time
Time is money, they say, and rightly so. By employing SECaaS for their security needs, businesses can save their IT teams and administrators time and effort. The teams can use this time to focus on more important tasks like product development, testing, or controlling security within the organization.
4) Access to experts
It is a known fact that to get an expert to work for your business; you have to pay a hefty fee. But, that’s not the case with SECaaS. Security as service providers have the best and most experienced cybersecurity experts at their beck and call. Companies can be assured that the security of their business is in the hands of these experts without actually having them on their payroll.
5) Latest and most advanced security tools
For anti-virus software and other security tools to be fully effective, they need to run on their latest versions at all times. Security as a Service takes care of this. By deploying SECaS throughout the organization, companies can work with the latest and the most advanced security tools without paying for them separately.
SECaaS Examples
1) Network security
The software helps you manage and monitor traffic that moves in and out of your network to prevent attacks.
Best providers: UTMStack, Qualys, Tripwire
2) Website and app security
Tools and services that protect all of your company’s digital assets like apps and websites.
Best providers: UTMStack, White Hat Security, Veracode
3) Data loss prevention
Tools that continuously monitor your data and protect it from loss or theft.
Best providers: UTMStack, SolarWinds, CoSoSys
4) Email security
A lot of data and internal information travels through your company’s mail. SECaaS provides email security tools that protect your business from phishing, malware, and other security breaches.
Best providers: Proofpoint, Cisco, Barracuda
5) Disaster recovery
Software and services ensure that your business and operations are back in no time in case of an attack.
Best providers: UTMStack, Software: Zerto, Carbonite. Services: IBM, Microsoft Azure Site recovery
How should companies choose a security as a service?
Choosing the right Security as a service provider is extremely crucial to the success of your business. A SECaaS provider can make or break your business so, here are a few things you need to consider before choosing your provider security as a service.
Certifications
Before anything, you need to ensure that your service provider is certified and complies with all the regulatory requirements in your industry and country. Some industries even require HIPAA and PCI-DSS certifications for the management and storage of customer data. Make sure that you double-check before taking the plunge.
Security requirements
As an initial task, you need to jot down all the cybersecurity requirements of your business. Knowing your requirements will help you shortlist a few SECaaS providers who specifically appeal to your specific needs.
Service level agreement (SLA)
This is an important document that lays down important things like the services, available support, attack response time, service fee, and non-compliance consequences of the service provider. It is important to go through this document thoroughly to see if the SECaaS provider matches your needs.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
IAM is yet another important policy that documents which has and does not have access to specific areas of your network. It is crucial to review this document with your service provider. Otherwise, unauthorized people from the service provider’s end or your end might end up getting access to your systems.
Security expertise
Your security as a service provider is responsible for employing professionals who take care of your security. You might want to do a little research and find out if your provider has qualified and experienced professionals working for them. After all, you do not want to give your business into inexperienced hands, do you?
Frequently asked questions?
Are SECaaS and SaaS the same?
Security as a Service(SECaaS) and Software as a Service (Saas) are not similar. SECaaS can be thought of as a subset of SaaS. SaaS delivers a variety of applications over the internet on a subscription basis. SECaaS is also based on a similar model but is limited only to providing security services.
Is SECaaS dangerous?
Giving up the security of your business into the hands of a third-party service provider can be quite daunting and seem dangerous. But, there are trusted providers, such as UTMStack, in the market, and businesses have had success with SECaaS. It all boils down to choosing the right provider. When choosing a SECaaS provider, a little research into their background and history can go a long way.
Conclusion
In today’s times, both SMBs and large enterprises are leaning towards outsourcing their cybersecurity. This can be attributed to SECaas providing convenient, affordable, and easy solutions to all their security needs. Besides, in a world where cyber threats are increasing by the day and security resources are not sufficient, security as a service provides a sense of peace and reliability to companies.
