When it comes to cybersecurity, many companies believe that if a solution is complex, it must be sophisticated. And sophisticated solutions are the best at protecting your customers from today’s online threats. Right?
Not entirely.
Sophisticated technology is, indeed, critical to your defense because it demonstrates a vendor’s ability to continuously innovate and support their products. But complexity is not a necessary part of the equation.
In fact, complex security solutions are more likely to put your customers’ businesses at risk for a costly attack. Why? Because they’re more difficult to deploy, manage and use properly, leading many administrators to either make mistakes during implementation or, perhaps worse, simply ignore sound security practices in favor of convenience. In addition, complex technology (think multi-level firewalls) often takes a tremendous toll on system performance—so much so that administrators become forced to make broad exceptions or even shut solutions down entirely in order to keep traffic moving along.
In other words, complexity can actually elevate your vulnerability potential—and that’s what attackers are looking for. They’re primed and ready to get you in any number of ways. They’ve made an entire industry out of it.
So if complex is risky but sophisticated is good, where should you turn? Is it possible to be both sophisticated and simple—and still provide advanced protection against extremely skilled cybercriminals?
Absolutely.
How to Seek Simplicity
Start by finding a security vendor that understands why keeping it simple matters. Then tell them you need a product that meets these five necessary requirements:
- Easy to deploy. If it feels like you’re assembling a 3,000-piece dresser from IKEA, walk away. A fast and straightforward implementation should only take a few clicks.
- Easy to learn. Not just for your administrators, but for your end-users as well. People need to be on board with maintaining security—and that won’t happen if they can’t figure out how it works.
- Easy to manage. Give your security team tools that help them respond quickly and easily to threats, anytime, anywhere. Think fewer screens to navigate, full mobile functionality and a native mobile interface—anything that helps them become less frustrated and more productive.
- Cost efficient. Security is important, but it shouldn’t break your budget. A simple yet effective solution provides flexible options, such as cloud deployment, that help you minimize your overall system footprint and the resources required to run it.
- Modern protection. Of course, you can’t skimp on the reason you’re looking for a solution in the first place. Talk to a vendor that makes innovating a priority—one who uses cutting-edge technology like machine learning to stay ahead of constantly changing threats. And look for top-notch ratings from independent testing labs, so you know the technology works.
Complexity Causes MSP Headaches
When it comes to security solutions, complexity isn’t just a turnoff for MSPs—it can be downright dangerous. Security products that are difficult to deploy, configure, manage and use are more prone to administrative error—and, all too often, those errors lead to breaches.
The smaller your business, the more likely a costly data breach could put you or your clients out of business. As an MSP safeguarding your customers, you must deliver effective protection that doesn’t create more security issues than it solves. Remember: Keeping it simple keeps everyone safer.
Guest blog courtesy of VIPRE Security. Read more VIPRE blogs here.
