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What Do You Want To See From An MSS
By Dan Morrill
Expert Author
Article Date: 2007-06-18
One of the hallway conversations we have been having lately is what would a customer want to see in a Managed Security Service.
Many security companies leave behind a report, maybe some schwag, and a bill for work that is done under contract.
Nevertheless, if you had the opportunity to build out a client vendor relationship for managed security services, what would you want to see?
I think personally I would want to see the following:
1. Trust - I would want to be able to trust them and know that as a client I was important, I would want to have them follow up with me to see how things are going based on the original work done.
Then of course as a manager, I would have to be available to the contractor company as well.
So this would be a two way street in keeping a relationship alive.
However, I would want the MMS to make the first steps, and be available after the report for questions.
I would want to build up a trusted relationship between the company and the MMS.
2. Honesty - I would want to believe that the MMS had at least some of my interests at heart, and understood the business model.
If I am in health care, then I want an MMS to understand that I am in health care, and we have particular things we need to do.
So if they scan our MRI machine, they know that it is an FDA protected device, and I can not add patches to it without FDA approval.
Yet I still need to protect my MRI system, help me out here.
3. Competent - I would want to make sure that they are well versed in the technology that I am using, and they understand how that technology works, or does not work for that matter.
If they don't know how it works, that they can refer someone who does.
That is about all I can think of that I would want. Of course these are vague, but it makes a great starter, what would you like to see in a security company? Assuming you could start from scratch.
Comments
About the Author:
Dan Morrill has been in the information security field for 18 years, both
civilian and military, and is currently working on his Doctor of Management.
Dan shares his insights on the important security issues of today through
his blog, Managing
Intellectual Property & IT Security, and is an active participant in the
ITtoolbox blogging community.
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