Smarter SOCs Help MSPs Navigate the Global Cybersecurity Shortage

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Overcome Staffing Challenges with a Smarter SOC

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In an era dominated by digital transformation and increasing cyber threats, cybersecurity is an important consideration for managed service providers (MSPs). But finding enough skilled personnel to fill cybersecurity roles is a challenge. The global cybersecurity landscape is facing a significant shortage of cybersecurity talent. However, advances in technology may alleviate some of the pressure on MSPs. Smarter Managed Security Operations Centers (SOCs) are becoming the beacon of hope for MSPs, enabling them to navigate the cybersecurity shortage efficiently. 

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Demand for cybersecurity talent has never been higher 

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The rapid evolution of technology has given rise to a parallel surge in cyber threats, ranging from sophisticated malware to ransomware attacks and beyond. Unfortunately, this surge has not been matched by a proportional increase in cybersecurity talent. The shortage of skilled professionals has created a gaping hole in the defense mechanisms of organizations, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks. The United States National Institute of Standards in Technology (NIST) says that by 2025, lack of talent or human failure will be responsible for over half of significant cybersecurity incidents. 

The demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals has reached unprecedented levels, and that demand is only expected to increase as businesses continue to become more interconnected and dependent on technology. NIST estimates that there was a deficit of 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide by the end of 2022, and that number is expected to grow significantly by the end of 2023. The escalation of the deficit is becoming an increasingly pressing concern, leaving MSPs looking for a viable solution to keep their businesses growing and their clients safe. 

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The global cybersecurity shortage has five major causes 

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The explosive growth of technology has given rise to a parallel surge in cyber threats, creating a demand for cybersecurity professionals who can safeguard sensitive information and digital assets. However, the supply of skilled cybersecurity talent has not kept pace with this escalating demand, leading to a major shortage. While many factors contribute to the problem, these five major factors stand out. 

• Rapid Technological Advancements: The rapid evolution of technology means that cybersecurity professionals must continually update their skills to counter emerging threats. The pace at which threats evolve makes it challenging for educational resources and training programs to keep up. Plus, a shortage of cybersecurity personnel also equals a shortage of cybersecurity trainers. 
• Lack of Cybersecurity Education: While the demand for cybersecurity professionals is soaring, there is still a deficit of formal education and training programs. Cybersecurity is a field that requires specialized education. There is a steep learning curve. Many government-provided technology training or job retraining programs don’t delve into the field Plus, even experienced technology workers who pursue continuing education find it challenging to gain cybersecurity qualifications, contributing to the scarcity of skilled personnel. 
• High Attrition Rates: The dynamic and high-pressure nature of cybersecurity roles often leads to burnout and high attrition rates. A Forrester blog revealed that in a worldwide study of cybersecurity professionals, 66% of respondents reported significant levels of stress at work, 51% said that they have been prescribed medication for their mental health and 19% said that they consume more than three drinks daily to deal with stress. Employers find it challenging to retain experienced professionals, further exacerbating the talent shortage. 
• Increasingly Diverse Threat Landscape: The expanding attack surface and the diversity of cyber threats, including ransomware, phishing and zero-day exploits, necessitate a broad skill set among cybersecurity professionals. Plus, cybersecurity professionals, already stressed by too much work to do, must spend a significant amount of time researching new threats and mitigations. The constant need for updated knowledge about emerging threats and cybercrime trends intensifies the stress of the job and increases the difficulty of finding qualified individuals. 
• Lack of teachers and accessibility for young people: The talent shortage also extends to instructors at every educational level. In the U.S., many public schools don’t even have basic technology programs. For example, only 40% of schools in California offer a technology program at all. That makes young people less likely to consider technology as a career option, let alone an advanced tech field like cybersecurity. It’s also a field that requires costly hardware and software and expensive specialized training, making it inaccessible to economically disadvantaged students.  

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The role of smarter SOCs 

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These factors as well as others have combined to create a storm of problems for MSPs who are trying to keep their clients’ systems and data safe. There just is not the talent available for MSPs to be able to monitor and react to cybersecurity threats 24/7/365 for their customers. But there are tools that MSPs can employ to bridge the gap.  Managed SOCs represent a paradigm shift in how MSPs can approach cybersecurity. Traditionally MSPs could try to create their own internal SOC which comes with a multitude of challenges including finding enough cybersecurity professionals to operate it. Utilizing a managed SOC relieves much of the stress and proves to be the smarter option for MSPs. When looking for a managed SOC you should keep these key capabilities in mind to ensure it is the right fit

• 24/7/365 Monitoring: A smarter managed SOC provides coverage during all times of the day an night throughout the year, even on holidays and weekends when cyber risk rises. It should be staffed by experienced cybersecurity professionals to properly monitor threats. Bad actors purposefully choose inopportune times to attack businesses so having a 24/7/365 cybersecurity posture is important to combat threats.
• Visibility where attacks happen: A smarter managed SOC must have visibility into the three main vectors for attacks: endpoint, network and cloud. Having comprehensive visibility into these key vectors enables a SOC to ensure it is catching suspicious activity.
• Established cybersecurity veterans: One of the biggest benefits of choosing a managed SOC is the instant access to seasoned cybersecurity veterans who have experience against a variety of threats. With a smarter SOC, you immediately gain access to a team with years of experience to offer you guidance and help hunt and triage threats.
• Built for an MSPs’ needs: Not all managed SOCs are created equal. Some managed SOCs are rife with complexities that render them unsuitable for the needs of an MSP. You’re looking for a solution that makes your life easier, not harder. Choose a smarter managed SOC that offers compatibility and seamless integration with your professional services automation (PSA) system. Streamlining operations lets you focus on your customers instead of hiring additional staff.
• Aligned to MITRE ATT&CK framework: This framework is a global knowledge base of adversary techniques based on contributors’ real-world observations and experiences. When a managed SOC utilizes and aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework it is accessing the knowledge of the greater cybersecurity community enabling it to be a smarter SOC.

In the face of the global cybersecurity shortage, managed SOCs are invaluable resources for MSPs. These innovative solutions not only alleviate the burden on cybersecurity professionals but also empower MSPs to pursue an aggressive growth strategy while navigating the evolving threat landscape with confidence.

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Gain Access to the Cybersecurity Help You Need at an Affordable Price with RocketCyber Managed SOC

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RocketCyber Managed SOC puts the power of years of expertise at your fingertips without breaking the bank. Stop advanced threats with a world-class managed detection and response (MDR) solution that offers an innovative, affordable and effective way to power up your security.  RocketCyber’s Managed SOC leverages RocketCyber’s Threat Monitoring Platform to detect malicious and suspicious activity across three critical attack vectors: Endpoint, Network and Cloud.

By partnering with us, you can gain access to an elite team of cybersecurity veterans that will help you hunt for threats and triage them. They will be available 24/7/365 to dive in immediately and work with your team when actionable threats are discovered.  

RocketCyber Managed SOC includes:  

• Continuous monitoring: Round-the-clock protection with real-time advanced threat detection.  
• Expertise on-demand: Get the cybersecurity expertise you need to keep your organization out of trouble without adding to your headcount.
• Breach detection: Thwart sophisticated and advanced threats that bypass traditional AV and perimeter security solutions.  
• Threat hunting: Focus on other pressing matters while an elite cybersecurity team proactively hunts for malicious activities. 
• Actionable intelligence: Alerts align with the MITRE ATT&CK framework, bringing clarity that enables a fast response.
• No hardware requirements: Patent-pending, cloud-based technology eliminates the need for costly and complex on-premises hardware. 

Best of all, you can choose the trial option to see how it will solve your challenges. Book a demo now!

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