Do I Need a Cyber Security Company If I Already Have an Internal IT Team?

Quick Answer

Yes, you may still benefit from external cyber security even if you already have an internal IT team.

Many internal IT teams already handle important security tasks such as user accounts, updates, backups, antivirus and Microsoft 365. But cyber security can require additional time, specialist tools, monitoring and independent checking that an internal team may not always have available.

The aim is not to replace your IT team.

A cyber security company can work alongside them, providing extra expertise and helping to check that the protections already in place are working as expected.

The first thing to establish is what security your internal IT team already covers and whether there are any gaps that need additional support.

What does an internal IT team normally handle?

An internal IT team is usually responsible for keeping the technology the business relies on working properly.

That can include:

• Setting up computers and user accounts

• Managing Microsoft 365

• Supporting staff with technical problems

• Installing updates

• Managing servers and networks

• Looking after backups

• Managing printers, phones and other business systems

• Controlling access to company systems

Security is often part of that work too.

Your IT team may already manage antivirus, multi-factor authentication, software updates, firewall settings and user permissions.

The challenge is that internal IT teams often have a very wide range of responsibilities. They may be dealing with everything from a broken laptop in the morning to a server problem in the afternoon.

That does not mean they are not doing security properly. It simply means cyber security is one part of a much bigger job.

Does my internal IT team already handle cyber security?

Possibly, and in many businesses they will already be doing quite a lot.

Your IT team may already manage things like multi-factor authentication, antivirus, software updates, backups, firewalls, user permissions and Microsoft 365 security settings.

The important thing is not to assume either way.

Some internal IT teams have strong cyber security knowledge, dedicated tools and enough time to manage security properly. Others are focused mainly on keeping systems running and supporting staff, with security handled as part of their wider workload.

That is why it is useful to understand exactly what is being covered.

A few simple questions can help:

• Who is responsible for reviewing security settings?

• Are vulnerabilities being checked regularly?

• Are backups being tested?

• Are old or unnecessary accounts being removed?

• Is Microsoft 365 being reviewed for security issues?

• Are staff being trained to recognise phishing and other common threats?

If your IT team already has these areas well covered, you may not need much additional support.

If there are gaps, that is where an external cyber security company can help.

Why would I bring in an external cyber security company?

The main reason is to add extra security capability without replacing your internal IT team.

An external cyber security company can provide a second pair of eyes and focus specifically on security rather than day-to-day IT support.

That may include things like:

• Reviewing security settings

• Checking for vulnerabilities

• Looking at Microsoft 365 security

• Reviewing user and administrator access

• Helping with security monitoring and reviewing suspicious activity

• Staff security awareness training

• Checking whether existing protections are configured properly

It can also be useful to have someone independent look at the environment.

Your IT team may have built and managed the systems for years. An outside review can sometimes spot things that have been missed, changed over time or simply never been checked in detail.

The idea is not to take control away from your IT team. It is to give them additional support and help fill any gaps that exist.

Is external cyber security replacing my IT team?

Usually not.

In most cases, external cyber security should work alongside your internal IT team rather than replace it.

Your internal IT team already understands your systems, your users and how the business operates. That knowledge is valuable and should not be lost.

An external cyber security company adds another layer of support by focusing specifically on security.

That might mean reviewing existing controls, helping with monitoring, carrying out security checks, supporting staff training or providing advice when something needs a more specialist look.

The best arrangement is usually one where both sides work together.

Your IT team continues to manage the technology and day-to-day support, while the cyber security company helps strengthen the security around it.

Is there an advantage to having someone independent check security?

Yes, there can be.

Even a good internal IT team can benefit from having someone outside the business take a fresh look at security.

Over time, systems change, new users are added, permissions are adjusted and new services are introduced. Small security gaps can appear without anyone deliberately doing anything wrong.

An independent review can help identify those gaps and provide a second opinion on the controls already in place.

It can also give business owners and managers an independent view of their current security position. This can be particularly useful when the same team responsible for managing the technology is also responsible for assessing its security.

The purpose is not to find fault with your IT team. It is to provide another layer of checking and help confirm what is working well, as well as highlight anything that may need attention.

How do I know if my internal IT team needs extra help?

There is not always an obvious sign that additional cyber security support is needed.

Your IT team may be doing a good job of keeping everything running, but there can still be areas of security that are not being regularly checked.

Some signs that it may be worth taking a closer look include:

• Nobody can clearly explain who is responsible for cyber security

• Security is mainly reviewed when something goes wrong

• Multi-factor authentication is not used consistently

• Backups are not regularly tested

• Old accounts and administrator access are not routinely reviewed

• Staff have not received security awareness training

• Vulnerabilities are not being checked regularly

• Nobody is monitoring for suspicious activity or signs of compromise

None of these automatically means your IT team is doing a bad job.

It may simply mean they are concentrating on keeping the business running and could benefit from some additional security support in specific areas.

What should I ask my internal IT team before buying anything else?

Before paying for additional cyber security, find out what your internal IT team already has in place.

You do not need to turn this into a technical audit. Start with a few straightforward questions:

• Who is responsible for cyber security?

• When was our security last reviewed?

• Is multi-factor authentication required for our important accounts?

• When were our backups last tested?

• How do we check for vulnerabilities?

• Who has administrator access, and how often is that reviewed?

• What security training do staff receive?

• If something suspicious happened, how would we know?

The important part is not simply getting a yes or no. You want to understand what is actually being done and how regularly it is checked.

If your IT team can clearly answer those questions and show that these areas are being managed, you may already have much of what you need.

If some answers are unclear, that helps identify where additional support may be useful.

What should I do next?

Start by talking to your internal IT team.

Ask what cyber security they already manage, what is being monitored, how often security is reviewed and whether there are any areas they feel need additional support.

You may find that more is already being done than you expected.

If some areas are unclear or not currently covered, that does not necessarily mean you need to replace anything or start a large security project. It may simply mean getting extra help in the areas that need it.

The important thing is to understand what is already being done, where the gaps are and whether anything actually needs to change.

Systems Secure works alongside internal IT teams to provide additional cyber security support where it is needed.

In short

• Having an internal IT team does not mean you do not need cyber security, but it also does not mean you automatically need an external provider.

• Many IT teams already handle important security tasks such as backups, updates, antivirus, user accounts and Microsoft 365.

• The key is understanding what is already being covered and whether anything is missing.

• External cyber security can provide extra expertise, independent checking and support without replacing your IT team.

• Before buying anything new, ask your IT team what they already manage, what is monitored and how often security is reviewed.

• If there are gaps, bring in additional help only where it is needed.