Cyber security is a top priority for organisations worldwide. However, the cyber security skills shortage has long been a concern among cyber security professionals. With more and more cyber threats emerging every day, organisations must ensure they have the right personnel and resources in place to protect their assets. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is one of the most effective ways to tackle the cyber skills shortage, and in this blog post, we will explore why.

What is the Cyber Skills Shortage?

The cyber skills shortage is a term used to describe the shortage of skilled cyber security professionals. Cyber security is a complex field that requires a range of skills and knowledge to be effective. These skills include risk assessment, vulnerability management, threat detection and analysis, incident response, and penetration testing, among others. However, the number of cyber security professionals with these skills is far from sufficient to meet the growing demand for cyber security personnel.

The Impact of the Cyber Skills Shortage

The impact of the cyber skills shortage on organisations is significant. Organisations that are unable to fill critical cyber security positions risk becoming vulnerable to cyber threats. The consequences of a cyber-attack can be devastating, including financial losses, reputational damage, legal issues, and loss of customer trust. Cyber security incidents can also lead to the loss of sensitive data, which can have severe consequences for the affected individuals and organisations.

Tackling the Cyber Skills Shortage with MDR

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a comprehensive cyber security service that helps organisations detect, investigate, and respond to cyber threats. MDR providers like Integrity360 use a combination of technology, expertise, and processes to provide 24/7 monitoring and response to potential security incidents. MDR providers also provide valuable threat intelligence and incident response support to their clients.

MDR can be an effective solution for tackling the cyber security skills shortage for several reasons:

• MDR providers have a team of highly skilled cyber security professionals that are dedicated to monitoring and responding to cyber threats. MDR providers employ experts with a range of skills and expertise, including threat hunting, incident analysis, forensics, and incident response. These professionals are often more experienced and skilled than the average cyber security professional, which means that organisations can benefit from their expertise without having to invest in training or hiring.
• MDR providers use advanced technology to monitor and detect potential security incidents. MDR providers use a combination of detection and response platforms (EDR/XDR/NDR), security information and event management (SIEM) systems, machine learning, and behavioural analytics to identify anomalies and potential threats. This technology is continuously updated to ensure that it is effective against the latest threats. This means that MDR providers can detect threats that may be missed by traditional security solutions.
• MDR providers use well-defined processes and have established playbooks that define how to respond to different types of security incidents. This process ensures that incidents are handled consistently and efficiently, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that incidents are resolved quickly.
• MDR providers provide threat intelligence and incident response support to their clients. This support includes regular reports on threat activity, as well as assistance with incident response. This means that organisations can benefit from the expertise of MDR providers and improve their own cyber security posture.
• MDR providers offer cost-effective solutions that can help organisations to manage their cyber security risks. MDR solutions are often priced on a subscription basis, which means that organisations can benefit from a range of cyber security services for a fixed monthly fee. This makes it easier for organisations to budget for their cyber security needs and to avoid the costs associated with hiring and training new staff.

MDR vs. Traditional Security Solutions

MDR is a different approach to cyber security, and some organisations may be hesitant to adopt it. However, there are several key differences between MDR and traditional security solutions that make MDR the better option for organisations that are struggling with the cyber security skills shortage.

Traditional security solutions are often focused on prevention. This means that they are designed to prevent cyber threats from entering an organisation’s network. While prevention is definitely important and belongs as part of any organisation’s security strategy, it is not sufficient. Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, and it is becoming more difficult to prevent all threats from entering an organisation’s network, applications, or user base. MDR solutions, on the other hand, are designed to detect and respond to threats that have already entered an organisation’s environment. This means that MDR solutions are better equipped to deal with the latest cyber threats and can provide a more comprehensive level of protection through increase visibility and response to threats.

Second, traditional security solutions are often focused on protecting the perimeter of an organisation’s network and are designed to prevent threats from entering in the first place. However, cyber threats can come from a variety of sources, including insider threats, third-party vendors, and supply chain partners. MDR solutions are designed to monitor an organisation’s entire environment, including its endpoints, servers, network, identities, and cloud infrastructure. This means that MDR solutions can detect threats that may originate from within an organisation or from third-party sources.

Third, some traditional security solutions often rely on signature-based detection methods. This means that they are designed to identify threats based on known signatures or patterns. However, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, and attackers are using more advanced techniques to evade traditional security solutions. MDR services overlayed onto machine-learning platforms and tools use a combination of signature-based and behavioural-based detection methods. This means that MDR can identify threats that may not have a known signature or pattern.

Fourth, traditional security solutions can often generate many false positives and is often cited as a significant customer pain-point. This means that they generate alerts that are not actually indicative of a security incident. False positives can be a significant burden on an organisation’s cyber security team, as they can waste valuable time and resources investigating non-existent threats. MDR solutions use advanced technology to reduce the number of false positives generated by their systems and/or deal with them automatically. This means that organisations can focus on investigating genuine threats and reducing their cyber security risks.

A solution to the cyber skills shortage?

The cyber security skills shortage is a growing concern for organisations worldwide. With more and more cyber threats emerging every day, organisations must ensure they have the right personnel and resources in place to protect their assets. MDR is one of the most effective ways to tackle the cyber security skills shortage.

MDR providers offer a range of cyber security services, including 24/7 monitoring and response, threat intelligence, and incident response support. MDR providers also use advanced technology and well-defined processes to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber threats. By partnering with an MDR provider, organisations can benefit from the expertise of highly skilled cyber security professionals without having to invest in training or hiring. MDR solutions are also cost-effective and can provide a comprehensive level of protection against the latest cyber threats. If you are a CISO or cyber security manager looking to improve your organisation’s cyber security posture, then MDR is a solution that you should consider.

Want to find out more about what priority risks our MDR service can help your organisation mitigate? Contact us  today.