Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with attackers employing advanced techniques like social engineering, ransomware and zero-day exploits. Legacy security solutions are often unable to keep pace, leaving organizations vulnerable. And the damage is harsh. According to an IBM repor t, the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million, a 15% increase over three years.
That is why it is important for businesses of all sizes to upgrade their security posture. Doing this allows them to stay ahead of the curve by proactively identifying and mitigating threats before they can cause harm.
A company taking the reins to help SMBs upgrade their security posture is MindPoint Group . We had the chance to speak with Matt Shepherd, vice president, co-founder of MindPoint Group, and he provided insight into what services MindPoint Group brings to MSPs, a success story they had experienced in the past and what they are looking forward to at MSP Expo 2024 , part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW. MSP Expo will take place February 13-15, and Silver sponsor MindPoint Group will be in booth #366.
Here is what Shepherd had to say.
What recent innovations in your products or services are particularly relevant for MSPs?
MindPoint Group has developed a customizable SOCaaS solution for enterprise and SMB organizations looking to upgrade their security posture. MindPoint Group’s 15 years of creating and maintaining SOC solutions for the U.S. federal government, as well as the organization’s designation as a FedRAMP 3PAO, translates into a highly informed, cybersecurity first organization that is built on enabling the mission of our customers in a secure and proactive manner.
What are the top 2-3 trends you are seeing in the MSP space and why they are important to MSPs?
MindPoint Group is seeing an overall consolidation of service providers by organizations seeking to get the most out of the managed services they receive. In addition, businesses are requesting and expecting specific data and KPI measurements, as they are constantly assessing the benefits of their services against the costs. Increasingly, we see a drive for holistic cybersecurity services: for business to engage a trusted security partner, capable of protecting against threats and making recommendations towards the business’ continued growth. In fact, internal IT departments work well with managed service providers like MPGSOC, and the separation of duties between technology and security is an essential asset to a company’s overall security posture.
Matt Shepherd,
How are these trends impacting your business?
As in other industries, we are seeing longer sales cycles and the desire to achieve more results with smaller budgets. Business leaders are careful to do their due diligence, making choices based on repeatable, scalable processes, and prioritize continuous improvement to maintain security in a rapidly changing threat environment. To that end, savvy IT leaders and CISOs know the measurements and key performance indicators that most matter to their business and expect managed security service providers to report those indicators faithfully.
How do your services/products integrate into the MSP landscape, creating symbiotic relationships rather than a mere vendor-client dynamic?
MindPoint Group is dedicated to fostering a trusted partner relationship with our clients, to be a managed security service provider enabling business leaders to make decisions in their best security interests. Many tech stacks and integrations require custom cybersecurity solutions and practices designed around an organization’s priorities, including refining content and tuning alerts to the client’s specific needs. MindPoint Group works closely with client IT or governance, risk and compliance departments to create a more secure posture for their organization that matches their risk tolerance in a collaborative way.
What emerging technologies (e.g., IoT, 5G, AI, generative AI, etc.) should MSPs be considering and incorporating into their service offerings to help their clients stay ahead in their respective industries?
Emerging technology of many kinds will continue to impact the cybersecurity landscape. Complexity is the enemy of security, so managed security service providers like MindPoint Group must examine the added variables technology presents to an attack surface. With generative AI, the opacity of data storage and protection in language learning models is of particular concern to cybersecurity. Increasingly, the practical adoption of new technology implies the responsibility for maintenance belongs to the organization; managed security services are key to helping SMBs navigate the risks of the tech that empowers them. Similarly, the Internet of Things (IoT) complicates security, requiring specialized attention to secure smart devices. MindPoint Group focuses our managed security service offerings on helping our customers secure and protect their data regardless of the boundaries to monitor — whether that involves implementing zero trust architecture, disabling IoT devices from connecting to company assets, or any other preventative and remedial measure that will best protect the client. Ultimately, MindPoint Group is ready to support new emerging technologies for our customers through tailored services, key to our relationship as a trusted managed services provider.
What sets your solution apart from competitors in the market?
MindPoint Group strives to be a trusted partner in our business relationships. To that end, our focus is on continuously improving, training, and maintaining our tools, people and technology, so our clients can prioritize the running of their business. MindPoint Group’s managed security service offering, MPGSOC, is staffed 24/7 by hands-on experts with a mission-first attitude that do not shy away from the difficult tasks part of threat hunting and remediation. Using best in class tools like CrowdStrike and Sumo Logic, the MPGSOC team can tailor managed security services to fit businesses of all sizes.
Please share a success story or two about how your strategies helped MSPs navigate the growth minefield, turning challenges into opportunities.
Meeting governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) standards are a key benchmark for many of our customers, especially cloud service providers (CSPs) preparing for FedRAMP certification. The path of compliance to government-mandated standards includes preparation, auditing, and continuous monitoring, and often is best achieved with a trusted advisory team. MindPoint Group is able to leverage many areas of expertise and services towards attaining and maintaining compliance. MPGSOC is able to support compliance customers with a variety of relevant services with access to high level proactive security services, like penetration testing, conducted by cyber range-certified staff, and security engineers and architects capable of automating repeatable commands. Using a managed security service with experience in shepherding CSPs to their target market ensures you aren’t making often-repeated mistakes.
How do you see the MSP industry evolving in the next several years and how is your company preparing for these changes?
MindPoint Group is a holistic managed security service provider (MSSP), focused on cybersecurity services that protect businesses of all sizes. With the ability to source more services through a single vendor, small and medium businesses are not willing to sacrifice service for cost. As technology is constantly evolving, customers of managed security service providers are seeking high-level expertise across multiple services to protect their organizations from new and continued threats. Customers are more knowledgeable about the threats they are facing, and more savvy about what to expect from MSSPs. They’re often outsourcing to service providers for multiple departments, such as HR and IT, so they know the value of a good SLA, purchasing agreement, and menu of services, and hold their providers accountable to those promises. MindPoint Group delivers cybersecurity services through customer relationships that prioritize customization to support our clients’ needs.
What technological changes/evolution do you expect to see in the coming year and how will those changes impact your business and/or the MSP market?
MindPoint Group’s holistic cybersecurity services can support organizations with any new technology evolutions, evaluating the risk of the organization and managing security posture. Our SOC services use best-in-class cybersecurity technology like CrowdStrike and Sumo Logic; engaging us as a MSSP offers SMBs access to enterprise level technology without paying the premium price tag. MindPoint Group customizes and tunes our SOC services, engaging in research and communication with our clients to support their goals. You’re an expert in your business; we are experts in cybersecurity. We will work wiht you to protect your environment and recover from malicious activity, and you can stay focused on your mission.
Why are you participating at MSP Expo 2024 and what are you highlighting at your booth?
MindPoint Group is looking forward to meeting with prospects, vendors and partners in Ft. Lauderdale, highlighting our managed security services provided through MPGSOC. If you’re looking for a trusted partner to protect your digital threat surface, connect with MindPoint Group at booth #366 to review our service offerings and meet our team.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
