Did you know that outsourcing cybersecurity can become a threat in your business? In general, the average of a single breach has reached $4 million in the past years. What is meant to protect your business can be its greatest downfall.

Outsourcing is known to be the go-to answer for all business who might need some help in areas like payroll and accounting, recruitment, IT, and customer service. It is a known fact that outsourcing is popular because it provides cheaper yet quality service.It is because of this that the benefits of outsourcing cybersecurity are immensely useful. It is cost-efficient in which the quality of service can be greater than when you hire in-house expertise. However, it can be a threat.

So in choosing a cybersecurity vendor, here are some facts.

1. Never use an offshore cybersecurity provider

The bargain-basement prices offered by offshore cybersecurity providers are tempting to budget-conscious organizations, especially since many other IT functions, such as mobile app and software development, are routinely offshored.

Outsourcing cybersecurity is just too trusting and too risky. There is also a practical matter to consider: Offshore providers are unable to provide on-site security staff at your location, which leads into our second best practice.

2. Steer clear of providers that suggest solutions that are completely remote-based

Some cybersecurity companies provide services that are strictly remote, conducted entirely via telephone and the internet. However, a remote-only solution cannot fully protect your organization, especially since over half of all data breaches can be traced back to negligence, mistakes, or malicious acts on the part of company insiders. These on-site personnel can help your organization establish cybersecurity policies and employee training, as well as immediately respond to security breaches.

3. Beware of providers that claim their solutions provide 100% protection against breaches

When evaluating cybersecurity vendors, you will inevitably come across providers who claim that their solutions are foolproof and will prevent all breaches. This is impossible. Cybersecurity experts are engaged in a never-ending war against hackers. As soon as one vulnerability is fixed, hackers devote themselves to finding the next one, and every new technology that is introduced presents brand-new vulnerabilities.

While a comprehensive cybersecurity solution will protect your organization against most breaches, the cold, hard reality is that there is no such thing as an impenetrable security system. Steer clear of providers who try to tell you otherwise. Not only are they being dishonest, they may also be unable to effectively respond when a breach does occur.

4. Ensure that the provider’s team has real-world experience in cybersecurity

Some cybersecurity providers hire recent college graduates or certificate-holders with plenty of classroom training in information security theory but little or no actual work experience protecting critical infrastructures. Cybersecurity expertise cannot be honed within the confines of a classroom. Entry-level trainees lack the experience to fully grasp the nuances of real-world information security procedures and challenges, which means they are far more likely to make mistakes than enterprise security professionals with years of experience. Make sure that your provider hires only seasoned security experts.

5.  Beware of providers who talk about “magic hardware” and little else

Enterprise security hardware platforms are a hot topic in the information security industry right now, and many exciting new developments are being made in this area. However, security hardware is not a standalone solution, and you should be wary of any provider that tries to sell you on a “magic hardware” platform that will purportedly address all of your security needs. Security hardware is a tool for human security professionals; it does not replace them.

Outsourcing cybersecurity is serious business. Although it is not advisable to trust a third-party company in this, it doesn’t mean that when you find a reliable and loyal vendor you should choose to stop. It’s best to continue with proper precaution knowing that these are the risks you go through.

Original article from Mike Baker. Read his full article here: http://mspmentor.net/guest-bloggers/5-best-practices-outsourcing-cybersecurity