Challenges Faced by Managed Service Providers in Addressing Cyber Security Skills Shortages: Study

Managed service providers (MSPs) are facing a significant challenge in the form of a severe shortage of cyber security skills, a new study by IT security firm Sophos has revealed.

According to the study, human staff are crucial to effective cyber security, with skilled professionals needed to handle various tasks such as configuring, deploying, managing, responding to, and updating technology solutions. However, the ongoing shortage of cyber security professionals is hindering MSPs’ ability to support their clients effectively.

The report highlighted that organizations are increasingly turning to MSPs to fill the gaps in their cyber security teams, further exacerbating the skills shortage issue. Technology alone cannot fully protect against cyber threats, making the need for skilled professionals even more critical.

In response to the shortage of in-house cyber security skills, 66% of MSPs are using third-party vendors to deliver managed detection and response (MDR) services. Additionally, 15% of MSPs are providing MDR services through a combination of their own security operations center (SOC) and a third-party vendor.

Hiring new cyber security analysts to keep up with customer growth and evolving cyber threats is a major challenge for MSPs. The study found that 34% of MSPs offering MDR services have an in-house SOC, requiring specialist analysts to manage the security operations.

Keeping pace with the rapid evolution of cyber security solutions and technologies was identified as the biggest challenge by 39% of respondents in the survey. The speed of innovation in the cyber security space makes it difficult for MSPs to stay ahead of emerging threats and the corresponding security controls.

Despite the challenges, MSPs are striving to streamline their cyber security operations by working with a limited number of vendors and leveraging integrated platforms. Sophos reported that MSPs could potentially reduce their day-to-day management time by 48% by managing all their cyber security tools from a single platform.

Scott Barlow, vice president of MSP at Sophos, emphasized the impact of the global skills shortage on MSPs’ ability to navigate the evolving threat landscape. With the increasing complexity of cyber threats and the difficulty in attracting and retaining cyber security analysts, MSPs are finding it challenging to keep up with the changing security landscape.

Overall, the study underscores the critical need for MSPs to address the cyber security skills shortage and adapt to the rapidly changing threat landscape to effectively protect their clients’ digital assets.