Interview: IT security today -
 Make or buy?

Managed Security Services, or Security-as-a-Service (SaaS), are a specialty of Sycor. Jonas Kieselbach, Head of BDU Modern Workplace, reveals in an interview what is behind the term and how this service optimizes the IT performance and security of companies. 

Why is the topic of IT security a challenge for so many companies?

Jonas Kieselbach: "In the past, the IT world did not change so rapidly. Back then, 3-year plans for IT strategy were not uncommon. Today, the speed at which threats and the resulting demands on IT change is completely different.  

Through cloud usage, we now live in a world where everything can connect to everyone. There is the Internet of Things, smart objects and so on. With the entry into the cloud, the threat situation for companies also changes. In order to cope with these risks, specialists are needed who deal with these new risks. As a rule, however, the resources in IT departments are not sufficient for this. The new threats require a certain expertise. Necessary re-education or training does not take place. At the same time, however, the cybercriminals' technologies are getting better and better. Therefore, it may be necessary to change IT strategies several times a month. So today's companies face a multitude of risks that they are countering with methods from a previous world."

Which security risks are currently a particular threat to companies?

Jonas Kieselbach: "Behind today's attacks are highly professional, organized, criminal networks. Here, people work all day to produce malicious software, which is specifically spread to corresponding companies in phishing campaigns. If the attackers succeed in penetrating the company systems, they can paralyze the entire company operation. In order to regain access to the data, companies are now extorted for ransom. This is highly professional crime. Every minute counts. Only those who recognize such an attack quickly, i.e. who have a short response time, have a chance of averting greater damage.

In the past, attackers first had to physically penetrate a company in order to gain access to computers at all. Cloud technologies have made it possible to use mobile devices for business purposes as well. So the points of attack have become more numerous.

In addition, it is also about the human factor. The information we share on social media makes it easier for attackers to spy on us and, for example, to steal passwords. Through so-called social engineering, cyber criminals can quickly obtain the necessary data."

What does Managed Security Services from Sycor mean exactly?

Jonas Kieselbach: "We want to give our Microsoft customers the opportunity to fully use the security features from the manufacturer. The service provides our customers with more security for their cloud services. The Managed Security 365 service simplifies the management of the M365 tenant and automatically checks the security of the cloud services 365 days a year. The customer thus benefits from automated processes for their security requirements."

So how can the IT security situation for companies improve if you use managed services in this area?

Jonas Kieselbach: "Due to their daily tasks, IT departments lack the time and also the resources to deal with the current threat situation. As a result, there is a lack of know-how, which is also not so easy to produce. A company should ask itself whether it can cope with the speed of the market with its own resources, or whether it needs external know-how to be able to withstand today's pressure to innovate.

A managed security provider can address this area. They are informed about the current security situation, new threats and the latest technology, can evaluate this and have their best practices from many customer projects. This improves the IT security situation of companies and IT has time again for value-adding activities."