One of the first questions most people have when they’re told about a cybersecurity solution is: “Does it really help my business?” This question is often followed by: “Do I really need it?” Network threat detection solutions are designed to help alert businesses to potential threats that may be compromising their networks.
However, do network threat detection and security alert services really provide a meaningful return on investment (ROI)?
They can, but it’s a matter of how well the solution is configured and whether you have an incident response plan in place to actually do something with the alerts you receive.
What is Network Threat Detection and How Does It Work?
First thing first, just what is network threat detection and how does it work? Network threat detection and alert services can cover a wide variety of tools. However, the simple explanation is that network threat detection is a combination of services and tools designed to generate alerts to suspicious network events.
There are many different kinds of threat detection and alert systems. Some of the most frequently-used types of these are:
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). At its most basic, SIEM software is a type of software that logs all network activity for you so you can identify unusual activity. If not properly configured, SIEM software can create a massive amount of data bloat, making it hard to manage. But, expert users are able to easily leverage the forensic data SIEM solutions provide to study attacks and close security gaps.
- Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). IDS software does what it says on the box—it detects intrusion attempts and sends an alert to the security team so they can neutralize the threat. This type of software is more focused than SIEM software, making it easier to parse the data it provides—however, it may not provide as much context because it doesn’t record everything the way SIEM solutions do.
- Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS). An IPS solution takes the basic functionalities of an IDS solution and adds some kind of automated threat response. Instead of waiting for the security team to take action, an IPS solution will proactively work to contain an active attack once it’s detected. This helps improve response speed and makes it harder for attackers to cause harm or steal data. However, a false positive can easily disrupt operations, so it’s important to configure IPS solutions to avoid them.
In addition to these threat detection and security alert systems, many businesses use a cyber threat intelligence feed. Such intelligence feeds help companies know what kinds of threats are most prevalent so they can configure their network security tools to better counter them.
What Is a Network Threat Detection and Security Alert Service?
A network threat detection service is when a managed security service provider (MSSP), like Compuquip, manages a company’s threat detection solutions for them. There are several advantages to using an MSSP’s network threat detection services rather than handling these solutions in-house, including:
- Automation of Threat Response. An MSSP will often have more tools for managing network threats than any individual company not specializing in cybersecurity services. After all, network security is their entire business—not a small initiative or effort. Using these tools, MSSPs can respond to a wide variety of threats on your behalf without you or your IT team having to lift a finger.
- Reduced Cybersecurity Costs. When you implement any new cybersecurity tool internally, you need to account for software licenses, employee training to use the software, and labor hours spent configuring, installing, using, and updating the software. The labor costs for a cybersecurity expert, in particular, can be prohibitive for all but the largest enterprises. With an MSSP’s managed network threat detection service, you get access to their cybersecurity experts, software, and labor for one convenient subscription fee that’s easy to predict—and often much lower than doing everything in-house would be.
- Access to Cybersecurity Experts. Speaking of the MSSP’s cybersecurity experts, another benefit of using a network threat detection service is that you get access to an experienced team of network security professionals. These experts will know how to use your network threat detection and security alert solutions to their fullest potential—maximizing your ROI for investing in cybersecurity systems. They can even help provide advice for choosing the right cybersecurity systems to best meet your needs and budget.
These benefits of using a managed network threat detection service can help your business realize greater cybersecurity while controlling costs—which is a must for any company regardless of industry.
Curious about how you can guard your business against the most severe network threats that it faces? Reach out to Compuquip to learn more!
