6 Reasons You Should Be Outsourcing Your Cybersecurity Operations

Cyber-attacks are now a daily routine for digital businesses without exception. Businesses could get away with simple security measures years ago, but ever-changing threats now require the latest security measures. Cybersecurity spending in the US USA It increased from $ 27.4 billion 8 years ago to $ 60 billion in 2017.

Along with the increase in the number and frequency of cyber-attacks, the complexity of the attacks and the variety of TTP (tactics, techniques and procedures) is continually increasing.

This poses a global and well-considered challenge to companies in various industries from qualified security experts.

Given the Outsourced Cybersecurity Operations that is so important to businesses today, large and medium-sized companies need qualified teams of information security analysts and information technology engineers, in addition to daily security measures. However, the combination of security knowledge, technology, and intelligence required for internal cybersecurity teams cannot facilitate or manage every business.

WHO SHOULD DEFINE THE CYBER SECURITY OF THE HOUSE?

The choice of internal or Outsourced Cybersecurity Operations depends on factors such as the size of the company, the volume of data and the availability of resources.

Internal cybersecurity management enables a company to maintain full control over operations, and it also means that there is someone on site who can personally address their concerns. However, it is difficult to solve the right problems and find the right person or team with the skills to lead an internal cyber security team. And with an increasing variety of attack surfaces, companies must trust that they can keep up with changing reach and technologies.

Outsourcing to cybersecurity experts

Companies that choose to outsource cybersecurity professionals have clear benefits that should not be overlooked. We have broken down six main benefits:

# 1 - A team of experienced security experts

• Qualified security professionals are in high demand and availability is low
• Once you actually find employees, less time and money are wasted on a onboarding process
• Access to security experts for an immediate response.
• Outsourced experts are up to date on the latest threats and security tools.

# 2 - Better threat detection and incident response times

• A team of experts who monitor 24 hours a day can respond to threats in real time.
• A managed detection and response (MDR) platform provides quick information for a quick response
• With MDR, there is no tedious log and alarm review

 # 3 - Advanced technology

• New attack methods mean new defense tools that require a learning curve to install and use effectively
• Outsourcing avoids delays in determining the value of a new software solution provided by internal employees
• Buying and maintaining new software solutions is also expensive

 # 4 threat information and safety knowledge

• Using an outsourced threat intelligence platform enables a comprehensive analysis of a company's news profile, resulting in accurate and actionable indicators of threat intelligence
• The platform can also mitigate threats before they turn into security breaches.
• With data from millions of sources, it is increasingly difficult to develop and maintain these functions internally

# 5 Independent cybersecurity validation

• Outsourcing provides independent vulnerability analysis using tools like pentesting and other automated simulations of complex attacks.
• Outsourced service providers can coordinate a variety of attacks to verify a company's resilience and subsequent response time
• Automated testing tools are supported by teams of experts so customers can react to results.
• Using historical data, a company can see how its security situation has improved over time.

# 6 Better control of the supply chain.

• Protecting against security breaches in the security of a provider or service provider is crucial
• Understanding the entire digital ecosystem of these additional attack areas is a major challenge for internal teams
• Outsourcing providers can map their entire supply chain and their digital ecosystem
• The supply chain can be monitored for signs of compromise, weaknesses, and an overall assessment of the level of maturity of supply chain processes.
• Supported by a security team along with automated capabilities for immediate mitigation measures

 When deciding to outsource, it's important to find the right cybersecurity provider to meet your long-term partnership needs and provide the advanced tools and security equipment necessary for a truly comprehensive cybersecurity solution. The provider's solution must be dynamic and evolve to stay one step ahead of emerging cybercrime tactics.

Or choose a combination of internal and external cyber security, depending on where your core team's strengths and weaknesses lie. The combination can be very variable; Here is just one scenario: security operations - internal; On-site threat detection, but outsourced and managed by a provider; Response to internal (level 1) and outsourced (level 2 and 3) incidents.

The ability to create highly effective mixed teams of external and internal cybersecurity enables you to define and execute the combination based on your threat map, in its defined context for business and risk management.

If you don't know what approach to take, first map out your threats and evaluate how you can address them to find out what makes the most sense to you right now.

THE DOLLAR AND THE SENSE OF EXTERNALIZATION

For most companies, cybersecurity is not a priority and, despite its importance, it may be overlooked or not managed optimally. Organizations can't afford to ignore cyber security when the average cost of a phishing attack (for example) costs a median business $ 1.6 million. For small businesses, this can be a fatal blow as 60% close the business within six months of an attack.

It is important to be a type of strategic decision. Businesses must focus on their core business and ensure that appropriate security measures are taken when outsourcing services. In the long run, companies can save money by avoiding data breaches. In some cases, the annual cost of outsourcing may be less than the salary of a single safety engineer.

Smart Hand Services: When Your Time is Worth Money

In your company's IT department, the point comes when a task must be performed and no one is available or cannot process it. Maybe it's after business hours. The task can be small or large: basic diagnosis; Plug in a cable. Add IP addresses to a firewall. Regardless, no one is available. And the task has to be done, otherwise there are serious consequences. So it makes sense to get a Managed IT Smart Hands Services from a company like Externetworks. Your time and that of your employees are best used for tasks that grow your business, and not for maintaining your IT infrastructure.

On-site assistance service

For many growing companies, maintaining an expensive and highly trained IT team onsite 24 hours a day may not be profitable. For some, this may never be a realistic part of their growth model or business plan. However, these companies continue to require certain services to be provided to meet their operational needs. This is where an intelligent hand service system comes into play. Smart Hands offers the highest level of service, offering remote management, facility customization, and device troubleshooting 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The cost of a Smart Hands service plan is often offset by minimizing downtime and service interruptions by freeing key people for other important tasks and automating daily maintenance tasks and services. With Smart Hands packages, companies don't have to give up control or adaptation of their infrastructure. Immediate responses to data breaches not only improve your company's productivity, but also reduce the risk of liability issues.

What Kind Of Tasks Can Smart Hands handle?

Smart hand packs vary according to your business requirements, as do the tasks involved. The best way to think in smart hands is as a concierge in a busy hotel. They always meet your requirements and can also react immediately to urgent circumstances or questions as soon as they arise. A concierge can also work with other clients, but information is not shared, so there are no security issues. A concierge provides you with the highest quality support in limited areas, rather than trying to act as your swimming guide and instructor. Smart Hands employees use their resources more efficiently to perform various functions towards their external staff. Smart Hands services may include:

• Configure a firewall
• Complex cable configurations
• Placement device management.
• Test devices and fix error.
• Rack and stacking services
• Shipping and receiving
• Automated maintenance
• Backups
• Pack and unpack
• Inventory
• Detect and respond to threats.
• Moving equipment
• Operating system and server installation.
• Power cycle
• On-site / off-site technical support and troubleshooting
• The remote server restarts.
• Cloud cross-connect

Smart Hands vs. Remote Hands

There are a few things we need to know when we talk about remote hands and smart hands.

Remote hands

Remote hands can include things like securing wiring, checking port numbers, observing or reporting indicators on devices, basic environment monitoring, and restarting the server. These data center services are provided under a data center contract at no additional cost.

When talking about remote hands, keep in mind that these are all things that can be done without on-site data center technicians entering devices. When a technician really needs to join the team, we enter the smart hands area.

Smart hands

Smart hands involve more complex tasks than remote hands. These data center services include colocation device management, firewall configuration, media and supply management, complex cable configurations, device testing and troubleshooting, circuit and rack and stack testing. Smart hands are services that are generally billed hourly.

It is important for us to clarify which services are in remote hands and which are in smart hands when we speak to a data center. We do not want surprises on the first invoice. Unexpected costs are never fun.

Remote hands and smart hands in the data center come in handy when we don't have anyone available to manage the task. Or maybe the person who normally does this is out of town and needs someone if necessary. These are the two reasons why we want to use experienced data center technicians.

Ask in the data center what is included and what is not, so that we cannot experience surprises with the next invoice. If you have any questions about how RACK59 can support your placement project with our support services, please arrange a site visit or contact us using the button below.

6 Reasons to Outsource Your Cybersecurity Operations

Cybersecurity has become increasingly important to businesses of all sizes, but so has the burden and responsibility to protect access to sensitive data in the wrong hands.

The complexity of cyber crime is due to rapid advances in the technologies we use, from smartphones to laptops to the Internet of Things. Bad actors are now using more sophisticated methods to take advantage of networks. To counter these threats, highly skilled and committed professionals must now respond effectively to incidents before damage occurs.

Businesses can start to improve cybersecurity by improving their IT infrastructure, such as: B. Integrate cloud-based IT services, outsource to a managed DNS provider, and use a professional VPN service. Reading the Surfshark manual gives you a more complete overview of how VPNs can be used as an additional layer of protection. While building and maintaining an IT infrastructure can be accomplished with in-house IT staff, managing all network security at the same time can be daunting and even risky.

What are the benefits of outsourcing to a managed cybersecurity provider? 

1. Dedicated security specialists at hand

Having a dedicated security team is a great advantage for any business, but it is especially beneficial for small businesses that would otherwise abandon themselves if their IT staff lacked security knowledge.

Cybersecurity specialists can help monitor cybercriminal tactics and behavior, identify network vulnerabilities, and most importantly, quickly identify and respond to incidents. Rapid problem resolution can prevent an attack from escalating, reducing the impact on a company's trust and reputation with customers.

2. Less expensive

Cybersecurity experts are in high demand and therefore demand higher wages. Therefore, it is not possible for many medium-sized companies, much less for smaller companies, to use an internal security team

Even existing IT teams can be overwhelmed by cyber security challenges and take the time to easily manage IT networks and create new solutions for the business. Cybersecurity is therefore a full-time function in itself.

Reaction to threats, adequate staff training, and the cost of investigating and patching issues can increase corporate spending over time.

Fortunately, managed cybersecurity companies can provide small and midsize businesses with an experienced team of online security experts, an affordable, tiered solution.

3. Stay updated as technology evolves

This may be one of the best reasons for companies to outsource cybersecurity operations, as technology advances, so too are the skills and knowledge necessary to deal with cyber threats that are new devices for networks. YOU.

Computers, laptops, and smartphones are not only connected to corporate networks, but home or office devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), create more endpoints that need to be examined for vulnerabilities and continuous monitoring . However, with such sophisticated network facilities, it is difficult for human analysts to keep up with such developments. Many cyber security companies are now turning to artificial intelligence and machine learning to scan vulnerabilities and identify threats that are faster and more efficient than manual inspections.

By outsourcing to cybersecurity specialists, you benefit from their ability to continually evolve with technologies that can identify malicious activities and detect vulnerabilities.

4. Make sure your company meets the requirements

Regardless of whether it is the GDPR in Europe or different government regulations in the United States, companies must ensure that they comply with the regulations or that they can be fined in the event of a serious data breach. Therefore, businesses of all sizes must recognize the importance of protecting their data.

No company is considered a low risk target for cyber attacks. Hackers are equally interested in infiltrating systems with malware or ransomware, as small business owners may think they are immune. The consequences of a data breach can range from loss of trust between clients or customers, damage to reputation and legal measures.

Outsourcing a dedicated team can build more confidence in today's IT infrastructure and protect personally identifiable information about customers from prying eyes.

5. 24/7 support

You get a higher level of service with a team that can respond to threats around the clock. In the case of a cyber attack, the longer an incident goes unnoticed and the longer the recovery time, the more damage IT systems can suffer. A dedicated team can ensure less downtime occurs during an incident, reducing the impact on other business operations.

6. Helps train internal IT staff

If you have an in-house IT team but intend to outsource much of the heavier security work to an outside company, it can be a great benefit to your employees when they acquire new knowledge and skills.

Dedicated security specialists can help identify vulnerabilities in networks, operating systems, and web applications that many IT staff members may be unaware of. By working with external managed service providers, you can reduce the risk of human error data breaches by discovering blind spots on your own computer.

When it comes to cyber security, being alone can be a costly mistake for most companies. The level of knowledge and skills required to identify and respond to threats can go far beyond what many companies have in their internal IT team. Outsourcing a dedicated security provider will greatly reduce the burden of protecting corporate data and ensure you have a strong team of professionals who are ready to protect themselves from bad actors.

How to Migrate Exchange to Office 365: Step by Step

When planning an Exchange to Office 365 Migration, it can be quite confusing to understand what steps to take and in what order.

This article describes the steps and decisions you must make when migrating to Exchange Online. In Part 1 we will consider the first two most important steps: deciding on a migration approach and taking the central steps for identity. We do the hybrid configuration of Exchange and we do the mailbox migration.

Although we will cover a lot of information in no time, you will find detailed instructions at all times.

Prepare to migrate from Exchange to Office 365

Before starting the migration, you must ensure that the source environment you are migrating from is in good condition.

If the Exchange environment you're running today is unhealthy, this can often serve as a motivator for getting around. What could be an easier solution for Exchange's low daily performance than switching to Office 365?

If you have everyday problems with Exchange, p. For example, user issues with remote access to Exchange, error messages, and slow mailbox access times, or worse, database corruption, switching to Office 365 is most likely another problem; Not only for people accessing the environment you want to migrate from, but also during migration, as errors are likely to occur along the way.

The first step before starting a migration should be to make sure that the environment is reasonably error-free and fix any underlying issues before migrating.

Hybrid migration or tool-based migration?

If you are considering moving your Exchange environment to Office 365, you probably know that there are many options available.

From Microsoft, you have options for staged migration and transition migration, as well as hybrid migration, and third-party providers have a variety of different tools in the mailbox and email file migration market.

If you have a Microsoft-compatible version of Exchange Server (Exchange Server 2010 and later) and it's part of your Active Directory, your default should generally be an Exchange hybrid migration.

An Exchange hybrid builds on a minimal or full Exchange hybrid and creates a relationship between your on-premises Exchange servers and Exchange Online. This allows movements of native mailboxes, similar to those made between local Exchange servers, with Outlook clients that switch natively without having to download copies of emails offline again. With Full Hybrid, this also extends to the secure flow of messages between the two environments and to coexistence features such as free / busy and free calendar.

Azure AD

Azure AD Connect complements Exchange Hybrid. You must use hybrid if you want to sync your identity with the cloud. Azure AD Connect synchronizes your on-premises Active Directory domain with Office 365 and creates a copy of the on-premises AD accounts in Azure Active Directory that are linked to the master copies. Azure AD Connect is also the part of the puzzle that maintains a consistent global address list between installations and the cloud.

Because AD and Azure AD Connect understand when an existing Exchange organization exists, existing mailboxes on the site do not create Office 365 mailboxes. You are expected to use Exchange Hybrid to move mailboxes.

The same rules do not apply to tool-based migration. A fully hybrid-compatible Exchange hybrid migration provides an excellent experience. However, the correct configuration can be complex, particularly in environments with multiple forests. Azure AD Connect or Exchange Hybrid often cannot be configured in hosted environments. If you have earlier versions of Exchange, you can install additional Exchange 2010 or later servers that contain the hybrid components. Therefore, there are valid uses for an Office 365 custom migration tool. However, this article assumes that you have chosen Exchange Hybrid.

Understand the requirements and dependencies.

If you have decided that migrating to Office 365 with Exchange Hybrid is right for your business and you have a healthy migration environment, you need to make sure that you have completed the necessary planning activities.

Many organizations beginning this journey at this point will ensure that they have a design that supports the changes that will take place. However, since you are not designing Office 365 or Exchange Online and instead are designing the bridge to Office 365, the design is often not as detailed as a full Exchange migration.

Instead, focus on the changes that are required in your existing environment to make sure you are ready for the changes. We won't see that in this article, but it's worth noting that most large and small organizations don't just go into the unknown without making advance plans.

The most important prerequisite for migration to Exchange is that the correct identity model is available. There are several options available when choosing an identity. However, the most common use is Azure AD Connect with synchronized identities and password hash synchronization.

Before that, we performed a number of key tasks.

Managed Services Best practices

What are managed services best practices? There are several globally recognized best practice standards in the IT industry. If you outsource technical support, you should look for best practices for managed service providers that meet these industry standards. This article will help you understand what these standards are and how they can help your business.

What is ITIL? How does it affect best practices for managed services?

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library, commonly known as ITIL, is a set of international and comprehensive guidelines. It is always included in best practices for managed services. ITIL creates a framework for a company's IT requirements. Use a basic structure to align all IT processes with the company's core goals and values. It is a systematic approach to evaluate and manage the IT department of a company of any size. The best managed service providers adhere to ITIL to ensure that their clients receive first-class service.

What is ISO 20000?

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 20000 are the global standards that follow the best practices proposed in ITIL. This two-part standard contains specifications for IT administration and a code of conduct for IT departments. Businesses can become ISO 20000 certified through an audit that verifies their entire IT system. This is another aspect of best practices for managed services.

How best practices for managed services can help your business

ISO 20000 and ITIL can provide very specific guidelines and formulas for success in IT. By following its best practices, a company can create a laser-like approach to efficiency. While a company can try to follow the ITIL plan or become ISO 20000 certified, using best practices for managed services as a springboard can make the process much easier.

Outsourcing for best practices

Why should you use best practices for managed services best practices instead of using them alone? Both ITIL and ISO 20000 can seem overwhelming. Both include comprehensive processes that delve into all areas of an IT department. A managed service provider (MSP) already has the knowledge and experience to apply these standards. Therefore, they can easily integrate best practices for managed services. This also saves the rest of the company during the process.

Find an IT company that follows best practices for managed services

Not all MSPs use best practices for managed services. If complying with international standards is a goal for your business, you need to make sure you find a supplier that can do it. Many MSPs will openly advertise this as part of their services. Of course, if you select different providers, the easiest way to find out is to simply ask. It is an important question to ask during the evaluation process to select an MSP.

Finding a provider that complies with best practices for managed services is not enough. As you consider the future of your business, consider how following best practices can improve your efficiency over time. Be sure to ask each MSP you consider about best practices for managed services and how they can be used to improve your business.

How Does Office 365 Migration Work?

GoDaddy offers email migration services for Office 365. We take care of the hard work of moving your email data and send you and your users a message every step of the way, along with all the necessary instructions to complete the transition. 

If you have configured your Outlook client with POP email settings, you and your users must download and install the Outlook Migration Wizard to migrate local data. The wizard copies your client's settings and prepares each desktop with the existing settings. Make sure all your computers / users meet the requirements.

Starting The Migration

To start your Office 365 Migration, you need to contact a GoDaddy guide to guide you through customizing your migration, which includes:

1. Which mailboxes are migrated to Office 365?
2. Set up plugins like advanced email security, email archiving or email backup
3. Add email aliases, distribution groups and / or forwarding addresses
4. Choose a date to use Office 365

Step 1: domain verification

To set up Office 365, proof that you are the owner of your domain is required by entering a TXT entry in the DNS domain. We will email you instructions for updating your DNS. It is important to do this as soon as possible, otherwise your migration may be delayed. This change does not interrupt your current email service.

 Note: If you have already set up your Office 365 accounts before contacting a guide, or if your domain and DNS are on the same GoDaddy account as the migration, we will do this for you. TXT for GoDaddy managed DNS is not normally required.

Step 2: collect passwords

1. In order for us to migrate email from your current email service to Office 365, we need to access your accounts to start data synchronization. To this end, our migration partner SkyKick (upgradees@skykick.com) sends each end user an email with a clear and secure link requesting you or your users to provide their email address and password. This is the current email address and password that you are using now.

 Note: If you migrate from GoDaddy Workspace email, you don't have to enter your current email passwords. We already have everything we need for this part and you don't need to provide additional details or passwords to continue.

2.               After entering your current information, the page will ask you to set a password for your new Office 365 account. This is the password you use to access your new account.

3.               Once you have created your new password, we will start migrating emails in the background as you continue to use your current email service.

Step 3: download the Outlook Migration Wizard

Necessary:

Make sure that you and your end users are qualified to use this program following the requirements. If you are not authorized, you may not receive all of your data.

To facilitate the migration process and allow us to move your data and settings even further, we recommend that you and your email users download and install the Outlook Migration Wizard before the scheduled update date. The wizard is only available to Windows PC users.

If qualified users download and install the program before the migration date, the Outlook Migration Wizard does the following for them:

1. Automatically create a new profile in Outlook using new Office 365 email
2. Migrate local .PST content from the old email to the new profile. This means things like:

·        POP email data

·        Contacts / calendar / tasks

·        Firms

·        Autofill cache

The account owner receives daily reports of Outlook Migration Assistant downloads from their email users. We recommend everyone (who can) download and install the wizard as soon as possible.

Anyone who cannot use the Outlook Migration Wizard must manually move local content and configure their client manually. We send instructions to these users on the migration date. Mac users and users without Outlook already configured cannot use the Outlook Migration Wizard.

Step 4: Migration day: DNS change

You can use Office 365 depending on the date and time you choose. You will need to change your DNS settings to point to Office 365 before using your new email.

These settings will be emailed to you 8 hours prior to migration. So if you need to take steps to prepare with your DNS provider, give them these DNS instructions. If your domain and DNS are with GoDaddy, we will make these changes for you.

If you downloaded the Outlook Migration Wizard, you must update DNS so that the wizard can complete the configuration of your Outlook client.

Step 5: finishing the touches

When you use your email, almost all of the data is there, but you may be missing some of your most recent emails. Once you use Office 365, you need to schedule up to 48 hours as we sync the final email from your old email server with your new Office 365 account.

We will monitor your old email accounts for up to 72 hours if emails are diverted during the transition.

Enjoy upgrading to Office 365!