Managed service providers (MSPs) are trusted partners helping their customers solve a raft of problems. From providing strategic advice to the implementation and support of the systems organisations rely on, MSPs provide critical resources that can be much broader than just technology including professional services and access to current technology.
With almost 90% of all cybersecurity and IT employees saying they are negatively impacted by burnout and fatigue, there is an opportunity for MSPs to support their customers by helping to reduce workplace stressors related to defending a business from cyber threats.
The relentless flow of log events and vulnerability reports that may be indicators of compromise and a shortage of skilled personnel explain why burnout has increased significantly over the last year according to Sophos’ latest The Future of Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific report. The impact is substantial with large groups of employees saying they are not diligent enough in their performance, feel heightened levels of anxiety if subject to a breach or attack and experience feelings of cynicism, detachment and apathy towards cybersecurity activities and their responsibilities.
In terms of financial cost, the report found the cost was more than four hours per week of lost productivity. And that does not include the cost of recruitment when burned out employees move on.
With AustCyber reporting that Australia will need another 17,000 cybersecurity professionals by 2026, it’s not surprising that Sophos’ report found 30% of the people surveyed say the situation is so dire they want to either resign or change career with almost a quarter of those surveyed saying they have already acted on this and resigned.
The issue is significant with the World Health Organization[AC3] listing workplace burnout in its International Classification of Diseases. MSPs are uniquely positioned to help organisations overcome these challenges. Their capability to augment technical resources with services such as 24/7 monitoring and assistance when investigating potential threats can reduce the workload for in-house teams. Late night alerts and alarms can be triaged and managed by the MSP with only critical incidents escalated to the internal team.
The breadth and depth of experience MSPs bring to their customers is also strategically valuable. As MSPs typically work across a number of sectors, they can help customers develop, test and maintain response plans and playbooks. With Sophos’ report finding that 75% of those plans were developed after a breach or attack, MSPs can help organisations become proactive. This can help reduce the risk of a successful attack and MSPs will have experience in minimising the blast radius should an attacker succeed and breach defences.
Delivering timely and pertinent information to boards and executive leadership teams is a key challenge for cybersecurity teams. With increased pressure from boards and with executive management reacting to changing regulatory and legal obligations relating to cybersecurity, security teams are being asked to provide more information. However, many security teams struggle to communicate cybersecurity messages to senior leaders in a way that is meaningful. MSPs can be powerful allies in this with half of those surveyed saying their cybersecurity partners or vendors are “very good” at helping to educate their board and executive team.
MSPs looking to augment their capability and offer security services can look to programs such as Sophos MSP Connect Flex that equip service providers with the tools they need including managed detection and response services, endpoint protection, email security, firewalls, secure networking and more.
Securing the data and information assets of any organisation is becoming a perpetually interactive sport – and there needs to a team that provides adequate coverage around the clock. With new attacks being reported every few minutes and the impact of breaches felt right across the community, cybersecurity teams are under increasing pressure. The never-ending flow of alerts, vulnerability reports and system patches mean there is no respite for workers who are feeling the effects of burnout.
Managed service providers that can support their customers with market-leading security services, such as those offered through Sophos MSP Connect Flex, can help minimise burnout by complementing internal staff with 24/7 monitoring and services and support to alleviate the burden on internal staff.
You can learn more about Sophos MSP Connect Flex by contacting Sophos.
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