Key Takeaways
1. Outsourcing information security is more cost-effective and efficient, especially with the current shortage of cybersecurity professionals.
2. Hiring in-house IT specialists offers the advantage of knowing your operations more in-depth.
3. I.S. Partners can help you assess information security systems and third-party vendors to help you secure the privacy of your operations.
What Does an IT Security Specialist Do?
An IT security specialist installs, configures, and maintains security networks and software to protect a company’s data and internal network. They also detect vulnerabilities and prevent breaches and data leaks.
IT security specialists are also responsible for troubleshooting IT security-related issues, helping other company employees learn about security protocols (such as access controls), and setting up employee devices to maintain network security.
Other common jobs IT security specialists perform include the following:
- Test firewalls and run network tests
- Monitor security implementations and enforce protocols
- Create patches for vulnerabilities in the company network to prevent the leakage of sensitive information
- Make sure security tools are running properly, e.g., end-to-end encryption
- Implement the most effective security protocols for all types of company devices
- Build network security checklists and ensure their implementation
What Does Outsourcing IT Security Mean?
Outsourcing IT security is when a company’s IT security is handled by a third-party provider. Instead of having to build or expand an IT team, businesses can outsource some or all of their security-related functions.
Outsourcing IT services helps businesses focus more on their core business operations, such as software development, logistics, or manufacturing, while ensuring their IT networks—both internal and external—are safe from cyber threats.
Why Are Companies Outsourcing IT Security?
Companies often choose to outsource their IT security to resolve problems with human resource availability and overhead cost reduction. This approach tackles the difficulty of hiring and keeping skilled cybersecurity experts, saving time and money.
Labor Shortage in the IT Security Industry
The demand for cybersecurity professionals has been steadily increasing in recent years as organizations of all sizes and industries face a growing threat from cyberattacks. Despite the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, there are not enough skilled workers to meet the needs of organizations.
Outsourcing offers an effective solution to labor shortage. Companies offering outsourcing services often offer specialized features with enough manpower to get the job done fast, allowing you to expand your operations effectively.
Increasing Focus on Cost Reduction
Compliance costs can include things like hiring additional staff, purchasing specialized equipment or software, conducting audits, and implementing new policies and procedures.
Many companies aim to reduce compliance costs, which can significantly burden their finances and operations. Companies may try to reduce compliance costs by automating IT security tasks and outsourcing IT security roles–from basic fieldwork to C-level positions.
The Pros and Cons of Hiring an In-House Specialist
The idea of hiring a traditional, full-time specialist is still attractive to many IT leaders due to the stability and reliability of this option. You have likely vetted your IT staff and feel confident in their IT security abilities.
But it is always worth taking a deeper look at all aspects of this choice.
Pros of Hiring an In-House IT Security Specialist
Hiring an in-house IT security specialist provides immediate access to cybersecurity expertise tailored to your business needs. This ensures quicker responses to threats and enhances overall protection. Additionally, having someone on-site improves collaboration across departments, making security practices more cohesive.
Better Familiarity With Your IT System
The longer someone works on a job, the more efficient they become at identifying and troubleshooting problems. If a new hire succeeds, they will likely improve their efficiency by understanding how your network is built.
The Chance To Work Together as a Team
Hiring a permanent employee for the role allows them to become an integral member of your team. With this type of engagement, the organization and the employee become mutually invested in one another, which works to everyone’s advantage.
Better Protection of Intellectual Property
Any time intellectual property is on the line, trust is essential. If you plan to write your own programs or create anything specifically for your firm, you might consider the advantages of hiring an in-house IT expert.
Cons of Hiring an In-House IT Security Specialist
Despite being an attractive option, hiring an in-house IT specialist can limit your potential to tap into other professionals. The process can be restrictive in terms of finding new potential and a better fit for the required tasks.
A Limited Number of Qualified Candidates
The global cybersecurity labor shortage is at a critical point for businesses worldwide. In 2021, it’s currently a contributing factor to rising business risk. Not only are the options for a qualified, experienced full-time IT security staffer very limited, but the cost of hiring has also gone way up with the soaring demand.
Higher Costs
Depending on the availability of an expert in your organization, hiring an in-house specialist can be more expensive. Internal hiring involves higher overhead cost as it include increase of incentives, which is not a common inclusion with outsourcing.
Ongoing Training Updates
Technology continually evolves, and cybercriminals never rest, so you need to make sure your IT security specialist always has the most current credentials.
Unlike outsourcing where you are already sure that you are getting an expert, insourcing often will require you to train your chosen employee.
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Your IT Security Needs
Outsourced cybersecurity helps you enhance security functions without the high costs of an internal team. This process allows you to tap into a broader selection of expertise.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Let’s look at the pros and cons of outsourcing to help you decide.
Pros of Outsourcing Your IT Security Needs
Outsourcing is an effective way to employ the help of experts when you need them. This process allows your organization to expand focused operations without the extremely high overhead cost.
Access to a Team of Qualified IT Security Professionals
When you reach out to a firm that features a talented team of IT security specialists, you can rest assured that help is available at any time. The firm that you choose will ensure that its IT security experts have the education, experience, certifications, and credentials that you need to keep your computing system safe.
Cost Savings
Engagement with an IT security firm costs significantly less than the annual salary of an IT security expert. Outsourcing allows you to employ an expert to do a specific job and only pay for that service.
When you have an in-house team, this IT security team member is sometimes relegated to “on-call” status, leaving you paying a high salary for someone with little to do.
Access to a Wider Range of Skills and Experience
The chances are good that your chosen IT security firm will feature specialists who have a great deal of hands-on experience. And because firms are composed of multiple security practitioners, your organization will benefit from access to professionals with a broader range of specialties.
Cons of Outsourcing Your IT Security Needs
Despite the many advantages of outsourcing, this process can expose your operations to more risks. In addition, adding another layer to the communication channel can complicate a simple process.
Spending on Services You Don’t Need
Some outsourcing companies operate on a subscription-based model that includes services that you won’t need. This means you’ll pay for services you don’t need, which is why it’s better to go with specialized companies for your specific needs.
It’s also a good idea to go with a one-stop shop service that can tailor its offerings according to your needs. For example, while I.S Partners provides all essential services under one roof, we are flexible and tailor our plans according to your needs so you don’t end up paying for services you don’t need.
Less Control
When you outsource your IT security operations, you’re putting data access out of your hands. This means that if your provider doesn’t have robust data processing integrity and privacy protocols, you may experience more security threats.
You also won’t have much say in how your provider handles threats, especially if you went with a subscription service.
Handling Multiple Clients/ Inconsistent Turnaround
Some cybersecurity companies have lots of clients—especially those that offer packages and done-for-you services—so they may not be able to guarantee consistent turnarounds on risk assessments and network security issues. Companies that only focus on you—one client at a time—are what you should look for.
Key Indicators for Outsourcing Cybersecurity
Reasons for outsourcing cybersecurity include addressing threats, improving incident response times, lacking an in-house IT team, having an overburdened in-house IT team, and the need to access more advanced technologies.
When Facing Persistent or Escalating Threats
If you’re facing network threats your team can’t handle effectively because of a lack of resources or expertise, you should think about IT security outsourcing. It’ll help you get access to experts who know exactly how to address the threats you face.
To Improve Incident Response Time
Cyber security incidents often require immediate attention because even a few minutes of delay can cause significant damage and increase the risk of data breaches, significant financial losses, and reputational damage that can be hard to recover from.
You should consider IT security outsourcing to get access to a team that can quickly tackle any issues that pop up and actively monitor and respond to threats in real-time.
When You Lack a Dedicated Security Team
Hiring and maintaining an in-house IT security team is expensive (even for large businesses because their network security processes have many moving parts).
Outsourcing your IT security needs to a managed security service provider (MSSP) ensures that you have round-the-clock network coverage and spend only on services you need.
To Relieve an Overburdened In-House Team
Outsourcing cybersecurity services like penetration assessments, disaster recovery planning, and vulnerability assessments reduces the pressure on your in-house team without adding significant overhead costs.
To Gain Access to Advanced Technologies and Expertise
Outsourcing gives you access to experts with the knowledge and tools that your team might not even be aware of.
If your company’s current infrastructure and systems cannot handle certain types of threats, you can outsource these services to a third-party provider to make the threat identification and mitigation process easier with more advanced technology.
5 Best Practices for Outsourcing Information Security
IT security outsourcing best practices include understanding your cybersecurity needs, finding a provider that can handle all your needs, checking certifications and industry accreditations, asking about the provider’s processes, and requesting samples of deliverables.
A critical step to outsourcing information security is to seek the help of an auditor to verify the third-party organizations’ operations.
“Auditors’ familiarity with frameworks and their discrete elements make them the ideal resource for companies to understand exactly how to comply with framework requirements.”
Understand the Type of Cybersecurity Service You Need
Instead of going for a package that covers every threat and cybersecurity service relevant to your industry, narrow down the type of cybersecurity service you need.
For instance, if you’re in the healthcare industry, you might need a provider that offers standard cybersecurity services like firewall monitoring, antivirus solutions, and 24/7 threat monitoring, along with experience with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance.
Find a Provider That Can Handle All of Your Requirements
Check if the companies you’re looking to work with can handle your cybersecurity challenges. Can they perform the service you’re looking for to the level you’re expecting?
If you’re looking to outsource your compliance management, can the company you’re looking to work with help you comply with all relevant regulations for your industry, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cybersecurity disclosure rule? Can they also monitor and update your compliance process to stay relevant over time?
Check Certifications and Industry Accreditations
Security certifications and industry accreditations are proof that a provider has the expertise, skill, and understanding of security frameworks they’re saying they have.
If you’re working with a cyber risk management company, look for the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification. This indicates that your provider has people on board who can find and fix vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
You also want to ask for a SOC 2 report, which details an organization’s cybersecurity knowledge and preparedness.
Ask About Their Process
When you’ve found a provider you could work with, ask them about how they would meet your requirements.
For instance, if you’re working with a compliance management company, ask them how they’d assess your current security posture. Will they perform ongoing audits or periodic checks?
You should also ask them about their experience with industry-specific regulations and standards that apply to your business, such as GDPR, PCI DSS, and SOC.
Request Examples of Deliverables
The best way to understand if your provider can deliver their promises is to ask for examples of reports or assessments they’ve delivered to past clients.
You can also ask for specialized service examples, such as past response plans, case studies of breach management, or SOC 2 compliance reports. These examples will help you see firsthand the quality of work your provider offers, understand their approach, and find out whether their services meet your expectations.
Strengthen Your IT Security with I.S. Partners
Many businesses face challenges with IT security, such as high costs, limited in-house expertise, and the constant need to stay compliant with evolving regulations. These issues can strain resources and expose your organization to potential threats.
I.S. Partners addresses these problems by offering tailored IT security solutions that reduce costs and relieve pressure on your internal team. With over 20 years of experience in data protocol auditing, our team ensures that you meet compliance standards and enhance your overall security posture.
We provide a full spectrum of services, including compliance management, auditing, and advanced cybersecurity solutions, designed to fit your specific needs. Let I.S. Partners streamline your IT security processes and protect your organization.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to see how we can deliver the right solutions for you.
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