What is a managed security service provider?

Managed Security Services

Managed security services refer to outsourced cybersecurity operations provided by third-party experts who monitor, manage, and support an organization’s security posture. These services encompass threat detection, incident response, compliance management, and risk mitigation to help businesses navigate today’s complex cyber threat landscape.

With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, many internal security teams are overwhelmed by limited resources and regulatory pressures. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) bridge this gap by delivering tailored protection aligned with each organization’s unique environment and compliance requirements.

Benefits of Managed Security Services

Organizations leveraging managed security services enjoy several key advantages:

Faster Incident Response: According to Gartner, companies that integrate MSSPs into their security frameworks experience up to 50% quicker resolution times during cyber incidents.
Enhanced Compliance: MSSPs help maintain regulatory readiness and adherence, reducing risk of penalties.
Increased Operational Efficiency: Outsourcing security allows businesses to focus on core operations while maintaining robust cyber defense.

Core Cybersecurity Services

Managed security services offer end-to-end protection against a wide range of cyber threats, including Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), malware, data breaches, DDoS attacks, and more. With expert-led monitoring and real-time defense, these services secure sensitive data and critical systems across various industries.

This section outlines key cybersecurity challenges and how Managed Security Services deliver innovative, real-time solutions to address them effectively.

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Protection: APT attacks exploit system vulnerabilities, such as Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), to gain prolonged, unauthorized access to sensitive data. MSSPs detect and mitigate APTs by providing advanced threat detection and response solutions to secure critical systems and sensitive information.
Data Breach Prevention: Data breaches impact industries like finance and healthcare. MSSPs minimize data leakage and secure sensitive information with continuous monitoring, encryption, and proactive risk management.
Malware Defense: Malware, including viruses, worms, and trojans, can compromise systems and result in data breaches. MSSPs offer continuous malware protection, including real-time detection, automated responses, and network-wide defense strategies to prevent malware infiltration and spread.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Mitigation: DDoS attacks overwhelm systems with traffic from compromised devices. MSSPs mitigate these threats through preventive monitoring and rapid response.
Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) Attack Protection: MiTM attacks intercept communications to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials. MSSPs protect organizations from these attacks by implementing encryption, authentication protocols, and firewall solutions, ensuring secure and private data transmission.
Working from Home (WFH) Security: WFH policies add extra cybersecurity risks because employees use their personal devices, which can give attackers a way in. Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) offer security solutions to protect remote work setups, making sure unauthorized devices can’t access the network.

Growing Threat of Hardware-Based Attacks

Hardware-based attacks pose a serious security risk to computer networks, yet many organizations lack sufficient awareness and effective prevention strategies. Rogue devices can infiltrate systems through various vectors, including the supply chain, insider threats and the use of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) play a vital role in mitigating these risks by implementing advanced hardware security measures that safeguard all potential points of entry, reinforcing the organization’s overall security posture.

Enhancing Managed Security Services with Sepio

Sepio’s platform delivers unmatched device visibility, enabling Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to detect and manage rogue hardware that evades traditional security tools. These harmful devices, often used for data exfiltration or unauthorized remote access, pose serious cybersecurity threats. Sepio provides MSSPs with comprehensive network asset visibility and rogue device mitigation capabilities, integrating seamlessly into both Site-to-Site and Multi-tenant architectures. With rapid deployment, MSSPs can quickly enhance their customers’ hardware-level threat detection, asset control, and overall cybersecurity posture.

By establishing visibility at the physical layer, Sepio provides a critical foundation for securing peripherals connected to endpoints, network infrastructure, and wireless access points. Early detection and mitigation of rogue hardware significantly reduce the risks associated with hardware-based attacks. Even after removal from the network, rogue devices can still provide attackers with remote access. Spoofed peripherals, such as fake Human Interface Devices (HIDs), mimic legitimate equipment and remain invisible to traditional security tools. Meanwhile, network implants operate stealthily at the physical layer, using no IP or MAC address, and create out-of-band communications that can even compromise air-gapped environments.

With Sepio, Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) gain proactive defense against hardware threats, ensuring their clients are protected from invisible, sophisticated attacks.

Improving Managed Security Services with Sepio

Managed security services security teams often struggle to protect hardware assets fully due to limited device visibility and weak access policies. This vulnerability can lead to security incidents like ransomware or data leakage. Cybercriminals exploit these blind spots using rogue devices like USB HID-emulators and network implants, bypassing traditional defenses. Sepio provides MSSPs with real time visibility and control to detect, stop, and prevent hardware threats, strengthening security and resilience.

Sepio’s Discovered Assets: Full Hardware Asset Management

Sepio’s platform addresses the critical gap in device visibility. As a leader in Rogue Device Mitigation, Sepio’s solution identifies, detects, and manages all peripherals, ensuring no device goes unmanaged.

Utilizing physical layer fingerprinting and Machine Learning, Sepio creates digital fingerprints based on the unique electrical characteristics of devices, comparing them to known fingerprints. This provides complete device visibility and uncovers vulnerabilities in the infrastructure. A policy enforcement mechanism offers recommendations for best practices and enables administrators to establish strict or granular rules. When a device violates the policy, Sepio automatically initiates a mitigation process to block unauthorized or rogue hardware.