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Growing issue is also fuelling managed services consideration, claims NTT report
Reducing security risks is the biggest challenge faced by IT teams globally, as well as the top reason for managed service provider (MSP) consideration.
That is according to research from technology and services provider NTT, which found that other popular reasons considering service providers were to aid the development of key IT skills and to help with updating and improving internal processes or operational efficiencies.
NTT’s new Global Managed Services Report emphasised that the current working environment, which has led to the majority of IT and business staff working from home, is being exploited by threat actors due to the high probability that employees are working on inadequately secured devices and networks.
Matt Gyde, president and CEO of NTT's security division warned that “the rapidly growing digital footprint needs to be secured (...) from a rise in malicious activity targeting the remote worker”.
“Organisations' journeys have fundamentally changed how security is deployed, configured and managed. The traditional perimeter security model is being questioned as we see the proliferation of end point devices,” he said.
The report also found that a third (32%) of the 1,250 surveyed business and IT leaders rated security as the most important factor for supporting the business case for using a service provider. In fact, security was found marginally more important than improved operational efficiency (30%) and better performance and availability (29%).
The report also found that security is no longer seen as a reluctant purchase, but as a long-term investment. A significant majority (84%) of organisations believe that managed service partnerships will provide value over the next three to five years through their security capabilities.
Damian Skendrovic, executive VP of Managed Services Go-to-market at NTT Ltd, said that “during these challenging times, organisations move through a series of phases and are prioritising security as an initial response and recovery mechanism”.
“They want more than a supplier. And instead, look for true partners to help them do the smart things well. Service providers need to help them adapt now, but also help them bounce back quickly when the business environment reignites,” he added.
Last week, (ISC)2 found that nearly half (47%) of security professionals had been taken off some or all of their typical duties during the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, they are being asked to assist employees with IT-related tasks such as supplying them with the right equipment for working from home.
