7 Key Benefits of Enterprise Security Operations Services

Mainstream media outlets run splashy headlines when foreign hackers breach American governmental agencies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently issued a warning that threat actors in China are poised to level digital attacks on U.S. infrastructure. While this specific example has little to do with private companies, it does have an underlying point that industry leaders should heed.

Cybercriminals halfway around the globe can breach companies and steal valuable and sensitive data with impunity. Neither the Russian, Chinese, Iranian or many other governments are inclined to prosecute their citizens for crimes against your organization. Heightening the threat of a 2 am strike on your network and data is the fact that rogue nations fund the efforts of advanced persistent threats.

They support efforts to infiltrate networks that may store information regarding military policies and products or serve critical infrastructure in the U.S. Aside from the constant barrage of garden-variety hackers rolling out phishing scams and malware, those are essential reasons to level up and take advantage of expert security operations services.

What are Security Operations Services?

Sometimes referred to as SecOps by IT and cybersecurity insiders, security operations services involve combining data protection policies and practices with IT operations. Merging these distinct elements improves collaborative efforts to insulate digital assets and networks from outsider and internal threats. Often part of a security operations center (SOC), companies typically work with third-party managed IT firms with experience in cybersecurity to handle SecOps off-premises. Some refer to the outsourcing as “managed SOC” or “vSOC,” the “V” meaning “virtual.”

Bringing these historically separate aspects of a company’s digital footprint together has not necessarily trended high because someone caught lightning in a bottle. Managed IT and cybersecurity typically revolve around different processes and applications. Some industry insiders saw this siloed approach as inefficient. But like so many innovations, necessity has been the mother of the SOC invention.

Research indicates that network intrusions such as computer worms, distributed denial of service and man-in-the-middle attacks were among the favorite methods used by cybercriminals. In 2023, nearly 70 percent of American organizations were battered by some type of cyberattack. Employing security operations services brings wide-reaching elements under one umbrella, thereby reducing threat exposure.

Do Security Operations Services Make Sense for Your Enterprise?

The decision to outsource security operations services to a firm with managed It and cybersecurity expertise starts with a realistic evaluation of existing network protections. As statistics bear out, U.S. companies are getting hit by a high percentage of cyberattacks. While low-level incidents are often thwarted by commercial-grade firewalls and anti-virus software, skilled hackers are not as easily deterred.

It wasn’t long ago that the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas was brought to its proverbial knees. Hundreds of millions in losses later, reports indicate a loose-knit group of Gen Z miscreants outflanked the deep-pockets security of one of the world’s most secure networks. The MGM hack is now considered a teachable data protection moment, and business leaders need to assess their cybersecurity posture through the following lenses.

Frequency of Attacks and Successful Breaches

The number of yearly data breaches has climbed from approximately 91 million people and companies being compromised in 2013 to a stunning 353 million last year. Hackers have been hard at work scheming their way into seemingly secure systems. Review your cybersecurity reporting and highlight the number of credible threats and intrusions that have occurred during the last year. Weigh that figure against incident reporting from previous years. If the trajectory is heading in the wrong direction, it would be prudent to gather more intel about security operations services.

Your Business Has Outgrown Its Cybersecurity Infrastructure

Inadequate cybersecurity infrastructure leaves organizations vulnerable to a wide variety of attacks. Failing to update software opens the door to zero-day and brute-force attacks. Not having adequate anti-virus applications and firewalls can leave an operation open to malware infections. And if your organization has not invested in proactive 24-hour network monitoring, hackers in different time zones recognize the opportunity to breach your company while no one is minding the store.

Ineffective Password and User Protections

One of the common issues that leads to data breaches involves how passwords and user credentials are managed. Weak passwords make it easy for digital thieves to guess their way into a system. By that same token, not placing restrictions on user profiles allows the same hackers to run roughshod. If your enterprise is not utilizing security measures such as two-factor authentication and zero-trust login policies, you are the low-hanging fruit hackers are likely to harvest.

It’s also important to consider whether your enterprise has outgrown its current cybersecurity measures. As companies approve remote workforces, an increased number of employees and independent contractors log into your system from unvetted endpoint devices. Needless to say, personal laptops, tablets and phones rarely have the enhanced protections needed to repel cybercriminals. Those are all good reasons to look into leveraging scalable security operations services.

Benefits of Security Operations Services

Even for companies with substantial revenue streams, few can build an in-house SOC and staff it with enough qualified cybersecurity experts to deliver protections 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The global shortage of digital security professionals continues to drive up the cost of salaries. Even if an enterprise could invest enough revenue into building SOC infrastructure, professionals needing to attend conferences, augment their cybersecurity knowledge and attrition tend to disrupt seamless defenses.

That’s why the most cost-effective way to approach security operations is by working with a firm that offers vSOC services. Companies that opt for remote, managed SOC gain access to expertise they might otherwise not be able to afford or keep on staff. These are other critical security operations services benefits to consider.

1: Comprehensive Threat Management

Bringing managed IT and cybersecurity together through a vSOC creates enhanced visibility. Office desktops, cloud-based assets and endpoint devices used by off-site team members can all be monitored by detection technologies and cybersecurity specialists. Trained professionals also know how to create algorithms and identify credible threats over possible ones. Rather than chase down every alert with vigor, the process emphasizes quality incident responses over quantity.

2: Minimize Alert Fatigue

Picking up on the previous point, security operations processes can categorize threats. Prioritizing imminent threats and suspicious activity triggers security analysts to investigate in real time. Issues that are not inclined to pose a danger are dealt with accordingly. Using AI and machine learning to separate the wheat from the chafe helps professionals invest their time and energy wisely. It also prevents human decision-makers from becoming overwhelmed.

3: Real Time Detection

Security operations services are typically designed to provide 24-hour monitoring and real-time detection. This differs significantly from passive security measures that send out notifications to off-duty personnel. When a 9-to-5 staff member hears an email alert on a cell phone in the middle of the night, the decision involves either getting up or leaving it until morning. By contrast, a vSOC succeeds by always having a security professional on standby. It’s a type of 24/7 emergency service that involves a prompt response. By the time morning coffee is brewed, hackers could have you completely locked out of your own business network.

4: Threat Hunting Capabilities

There are programs that can help identify and notify IT staff members that something is awry. But this passive approach gives hackers far too much time to penetrate areas of your network that house valuables and confidential information. Cybercriminals may also have enough time to install ransomware and take over your entire system.

Security operations services flip the script on hackers. Instead of them slipping into your digital assets undetected like a burglar in the night, cybersecurity professionals are on a seek-and-expel mission. Digital intruders will not have the time to maneuver because they immediately find themselves under attack.

5: Regulatory Compliance

Adhering to federal, state and international data privacy regulations has become a yolk weighing corporations down. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the recent Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification rolled out by the Pentagon, among others, turn regulatory compliance into a full-time endeavor. Security operations services streamline the process by integrating the rules into the monitoring and protection processes. Business leaders can rest easy knowing the enterprise meets regulatory standards at all times.

6: Reduce the Risk of Civil Lawsuits

Until an enterprise gets blindsided by hackers, leadership teams do not fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. Government agencies may launch a probe to determine whether the operation maintained mandated data protection standards. If there were deficiencies, the company could face hefty fines. The legal quagmire following a data breach does not end with penalties. Organizations and people whose personal identity information was compromised may file civil lawsuits. Protracted litigation can prove costly and embarrassing. Investing in security operations services cures these ills because it demonstrates enhanced protections were in place.

7: Avoid a Tarnished Business Reputation

Having to pay off a hacker’s ransom in crypto or suffering significant downtime are both costly. But the reputational damages that stem from having sensitive digital assets compromised linger long after operational integrity has been restored. When an enterprise gets hacked, it’s not unusual for customer information such as credit cards, driver’s license information and health and wellness files to be exposed. Hackers usually sell them on the Dark Web.

Companies you do business with may also feel the sting of cybercriminals as well. Thieves may gain access to a supplier’s network through a stored username and password. Regardless of how the files were stolen, or a secondary breach transpired, people will remember you and your brand are the reason they took a hit. Colleagues will remain hesitant to do business with your enterprise for a long time.

Red River Provides Determined Security Operations Services

Protecting valuable and confidential data grows increasingly difficult as hackers revise their criminal schemes. The financial losses, downtime, regulatory fines and tarnished reputation accompanying a data breach or ransomware takeover can hamstring an otherwise productive enterprise. If you are interested in learning more about the advanced data protection of security operations services, Red River has solutions. Contact us today, and let’s get the process started.