Most small businesses do not get hacked because they lack a firewall. They get breached because nobody was monitoring the early warnings of attacks until it was too late.
Many businesses are surprised to learn that their IT staff aren't always focused on security. In reality, IT teams are often busy keeping hardware, software, and users up and running, which is itself a full-time job.
Security is a separate discipline, and it deserves its own focus and budget line.
That's where the difference between MSP and MSSP comes in.
Generally, an MSP (Managed Service Provider) keeps your technology running. This often includes help desk support, device setup, software updates, backups, and day-to-day administration of services. This is an important service, and the offerings can vary between providers, which is why we recommend asking a few questions up front.
Services often include:
Support & operations
Help desk / IT support (remote and on-site)
Network management and monitoring
Device setup and deployment (PCs, Macs, mobile)
Patch management and software updates
Remote monitoring & management (RMM)
Server management
Cloud & productivity
Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace administration
Cloud migration and management (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud)
Email management
VoIP / phone systems
Data protection
Backup and recovery
Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Asset & vendor management
Hardware lifecycle management
Software license management
Vendor management
IT procurement
Strategy
IT strategy and roadmapping / vCIO
Project and implementation planning
Technology budgeting
An MSSP (Managed Security Services Provider) focuses on protecting that technology: monitoring for threats, detecting intrusions, filtering malicious content, and responding to incidents. By nature, an MSSP tends to be more proactive, preventing attacks from becoming a bigger problem.
Services often include:
Detection & monitoring
24/7 security monitoring / Security Operations Center (SOC)
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
Managed Detection & Response (MDR)
Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR / XDR)
Intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS)
Protection
Anti-virus/endpoint protection
Managed firewall
Email security and anti-phishing
Content/web filtering
Zero trust and access control
Identity
MFA deployment and management
Identity and access management (IAM)
Privileged access management (PAM)
Risk & vulnerability
Vulnerability scanning and management
Penetration testing
Risk assessments
Dark web monitoring
Training & readiness
Security awareness training
Incident response
Digital forensics
Compliance & governance
Compliance-as-a-Service (CaaS)
Policy and procedure development
Audit and assessment support (C3PAO)
vCISO (virtual Chief Information Security Officer)
Specialized & other services
OT/ICS security
AI governance and secure AI deployment
Most businesses need both, but juggling multiple vendors can create gaps and added cost. Our recommendation is to find a provider who handles both IT operations and security together.
With one provider managing both IT and security, they have the ability to monitor activity across your environment, identify threats, and take the right actions when needed.
MNS Group provides both MSP and MSSP services under one roof, keeping clients secure since 1999. We hold ISO 20000, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 certifications. We're also an authorized C3PAO, and we apply the same standards and rigor to our own operations that we deliver for our clients.
This includes information security, intrusion detection, anti-phishing, content filtering, network/email monitoring, and ongoing compliance management programs.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can help your business.