Managed IT services can give a growing business access to technical and cybersecurity support without building every capability in-house. They can help maintain systems, configure safeguards, monitor activity and support incident response—but they reduce risk rather than guarantee that a breach will not happen. The security depends on the work the provider performs, the access it receives and the responsibilities both sides agree to in writing.
What managed IT services can do for cybersecurity
Small and midsize businesses may turn to managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs) or fractional security leaders when they do not have the staff, expertise, resources or budget to cover those functions internally. NIST describes outsourcing as a common option, while emphasizing that the business remains responsible for protecting its own and its customers’ information. NIST’s guidance on building a small-business cybersecurity team recommends setting desired outcomes, evaluating provider fit and documenting service levels and responsibilities.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Depending on the contract, a provider may maintain devices and software, configure security controls, monitor systems, manage remote access, help investigate alerts or assist with recovery. “Managed IT” does not automatically mean that every one of these security tasks is included. Confirm which systems, data and services are in scope, and who is expected to act when something goes wrong.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThere is no universal security outcome established for hiring an MSP: a provider relationship alone does not quantify how much an organization’s chance of an incident will fall. Its value depends on whether the agreed controls are appropriate, consistently operated and matched by the business’s own actions.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
Why provider access needs its own safeguards
Many MSPs use remote monitoring and management (RMM) software to check endpoint health and administer systems remotely. Remote administration is not inherently unsafe, but it creates a route into customer environments that must be carefully secured. NIST’s NCCoE describes how attackers have exploited RMM platforms to gain a foothold in MSP infrastructure and, in turn, customer networks. CISA and partner agencies have warned that threat actors can use MSPs as launch pads to breach customers’ networks; that warning describes a risk, not a claim that every provider is compromised.
The provider and customer therefore have a shared security interest. CISA and international partners recommend defenses that include secure remote access, multifactor authentication (MFA) where possible, monitoring and logging, endpoint detection and network defenses, as well as contractual expectations for security measures. CISA Director Jen Easterly said in the agencies’ May 11, 2022 advisory announcement: “I strongly encourage both managed service providers and their customers to follow this and our wider guidance – ultimately this will help protect not only them but organisations globally.”
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Controls to agree on before granting access
Use the contract and onboarding process to turn broad assurances into verifiable practices. CISA’s MSP hardening guidance and customer risk guidance support controls such as least privilege, secure connections, activity logging, backups and incident planning.
- Limit privileges. Give provider accounts access only to the systems and tasks they manage. Avoid unnecessary administrator rights, use named accounts and remove or disable accounts that are no longer needed or are not in use.
- Secure remote access. Require MFA for remote access where possible, verify connections between provider and customer systems, and restrict provider VPN traffic to a dedicated VPN rather than allowing broad access across the business network. A security key can be an option if the relevant account and access system support it; confirm compatibility rather than assuming every setup does.
- Review activity. Agree which provider actions and connections are logged, who reviews the logs, how long records are kept and how your business can inspect them. Logs should be retained and validated, not merely enabled.
- Clarify subcontractor access. Establish whether the MSP uses subcontractors, what controls apply to their accounts and how their access is approved and removed.
- Define incident duties. Specify what counts as a reportable suspected or confirmed incident involving the provider’s infrastructure or administrative networks, how quickly the MSP must notify you, who the contacts are and how each party will cooperate.
- Plan for continuity. Include the MSP in incident-response and business-continuity planning so that roles, communications and dependencies are understood before an emergency.
Make backups and recovery testable
An MSP’s involvement is not proof that a business can restore its data after ransomware, accidental deletion or another loss event. CISA’s NCCoE guide for MSPs addresses planning, maintaining and testing backup files. The NIST NCCoE guide is a useful basis for asking how recovery is handled rather than relying on the phrase “backups are included.”
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Document who configures and monitors backups, which systems and data are covered, where copies are stored and whether copies are offsite or otherwise protected from the same event affecting production systems. Ask how often restoration is tested, what evidence of a successful test is available and who is responsible for restoring services. Put recovery responsibilities and any relevant service expectations in the agreement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare MSPs for a growing business
Compare providers against the same requirements before comparing quotes. CISA’s SMB vendor and supplier fact sheet includes guidance for vetting MSPs with critical access to business systems or data. NIST also advises considering industry and legal, regulatory or contractual needs and cautions against choosing on cost alone.
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
- Write down the outcomes and scope. List the security outcomes you need and identify the business systems, devices and data that must be covered. Ask each candidate to state what is included and excluded.
- Check relevant experience. Ask about experience with businesses of your size and your industry, including the obligations that apply to your data and operations.
- Map responsibilities. Get a written division of duties: what the MSP will operate, what your staff must do, how service levels are defined and which decisions remain yours.
- Examine access controls. Ask how the provider uses least privilege, named accounts, MFA and secure remote access, and how it manages its own staff and subcontractor access.
- Understand monitoring and logs. Find out what is monitored, who reviews alerts and records, how long logs are retained and how you can verify provider activity.
- Walk through incident response. Request the notification triggers and timing, escalation contacts, cooperation expectations and how the provider will participate in your response planning or exercises.
- Verify backup and recovery arrangements. Confirm coverage, storage locations, ownership, restoration-test practice and the provider’s role during recovery.
- Compare equivalent quotes. Once scope and responsibilities are clear, compare prices for the same services and controls. A lower quote is not comparable if it omits monitoring, recovery, incident support or systems you need covered.
What the business still needs to own
Outsourcing changes who performs particular tasks; it does not remove the business’s accountability for its information or its customers’ data. The business must decide what it needs protected, provide accurate information about systems and obligations, approve appropriate access, meet its assigned duties and make sure the agreement reflects the actual service it expects. CISA’s 2023 fact sheet describes the U.S. context as more than 30 million small and medium-sized businesses, which account for nearly half of the nation’s gross domestic product; those figures describe SMB scale, not the effectiveness of MSPs.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
