5 Questions to Ask When Selecting MSP Security Tools

With Gartner predicting that the information security and risk management market will reach $289 billion by 2027, cybersecurity continues to be a lucrative revenue stream for MSPs. But with so many MSP security tools available, it’s challenging to choose solutions that integrate seamlessly with your business while providing the best possible service to your customers.

Let’s explore the types of tools available and review five questions to ask before adding any of them to your business. 

What Is an MSP Security Tool?

An MSP security tool is software or a platform that helps you manage and secure your customers’ IT infrastructure or data. These tools automate and streamline routine security tasks, allowing you to provide robust cybersecurity services efficiently and effectively.

The market for solutions that enhance MSP security offerings continues to grow yearly. One study by EMA revealed that more than 80% of MSPs in North America view cybersecurity as a primary growth driver for their business. 

Consider these options if you’re an MSP or MSSP looking to protect your customers:

Discover MSP best practices to help you better protect your clients. 

How to Choose the Best Cybersecurity Tool for MSP Business

Ask these five questions before adding a cybersecurity solution to your MSP software stack:

1. Does This Tool Provide Comprehensive Threat Detection?

When comparing the security features of various MSP monitoring tools, ensure they actively detect a wide range of potential threats such as malware, ransomware and phishing attacks. Covering a broad spectrum reduces blind spots in your defenses, ensuring data remains secure against evolving risks. 

Your security tool should have these features:

• Continuous monitoring: Continuously scanning networks and systems for suspicious activity and providing instant cybersecurity alerts enables faster responses, which mitigates risks.

• Behavioral analysis: Analyzing user behaviors to identify anomalies and unusual patterns helps flag security breaches and potential insider threats.

• Threat intelligence integration: Leveraging up-to-date external threat intel helps businesses identify threats up to 28 days faster on average, according to IBM.

2. Does This Tool Offer Automated Remediation Features?

Cybersecurity tools for MSPs should offer both detection and responses to alerts. Automated remediation can resolve issues much more quickly than relying on human intervention, significantly minimizing downtime and reducing risk exposure. 

Select a software that provides:

• Automated response actions: Detected threats trigger predefined actions, such as isolating and locking infected accounts or blocking malicious IP addresses, reducing the window of opportunity for a bad actor to compromise data.

• Predefined playbooks: Included playbooks help outline step-by-step responses to common threats, ensuring a consistent and efficient reaction to incidents and allowing the tool to be effective immediately.

• Customizable responses: Integrated customization to define your customers’ unique needs and policies allows tailored responses that align with specific security requirements and operational workflows.

3. How Does This Tool Integrate with My Existing MSP Software?

As you evaluate MSP security tool offerings, consider how well they integrate with your current software stack. Compatibility should be a primary focus, as seamless MSP tool integration can enhance efficiency, unify your data and reduce the complexity of managing multiple systems. 

Here’s what to look for:

• API support: Ensure the software offers robust API support for easy integration with your current systems.
• Compatibility with existing platforms: Verify that the solution is compatible with your other software and platforms, such as RMM and PSA tools.
• Data synchronization: Check that the tool allows data synchronization to maintain up-to-date information across all systems.
• Vendor support: Evaluate the level of support the vendor offers to assist with integration and address any compatibility issues that may arise.

4. Will This Tool Provide Comprehensive Reporting?

When choosing the best cybersecurity tool for your MSP, ensure it offers comprehensive reporting capabilities. Detailed dashboards provide insights into the effectiveness of your security measures and help identify areas for improvement. Additionally, reports enable you to demonstrate value to clients by showcasing key security successes.

Your tool should be able to provide you with the following types of metrics:

• Incident reports: Detailed logs of all security incidents, including the nature of the threat, actions taken and the outcome.
• Compliance reports: Documentation that demonstrates compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Performance metrics: Data on the security tool’s performance, such as detection rates, response times and false positives.
• Trend analysis: Monitoring trends over time helps you identify recurring issues and emerging risks.
• Customizable reports: Flexible reporting options allow you to create custom reports of relevant data tailored to your customers and stakeholders.

5. Can This Tool Support the Growth of My MSP Business?

The MSP security tools in your stack should support both the scaling of your MSP and changes in the industry. Ensure its features include:

• Multi-tenancy support: Ability to manage multiple clients within a single instance, letting you streamline the management of your operations.
• Resource management: Features that optimize the use of your resources, such as automated task allocation and performance monitoring, to maintain high service levels without overextending your team.

• Regular updates: Ongoing product updates and enhancements, keeping the tool relevant and effective in the face of emerging threats.

Protect Your MSP Cybersecurity Tools with SaaS Alerts 

SaaS Alerts monitors your software stack, protecting the tools you need to run your business and enhancing your ability to offer your customers robust data protection. Our SaaS security platform:

• Detects abnormal or high-risk behavior and data breaches in your MSP tools 
• Integrates with your existing PSA, IT documentation and RMM tools
• Unifies security alerts across all your customers’ SaaS applications into a single view
• Automates the detection and remediation of compromised accounts
• Provides comprehensive reporting of all security alerts

Ready to see how SaaS Alerts protect your MSP security tools? Request a demo today.