What are MSSPs? Understanding MSSPs by Service Category

Consultancy and Advisory MSSPs

These MSSPs operate as security strategists, consultants, and program builders rather than day-to-day incident responders. They focus on assessing, designing, and improving an organization’s cybersecurity management services through risk assessments, architecture reviews, gap analysis against frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2), and virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) engagements.

As a trusted cybersecurity service provider, they help organizations establish security baselines, optimize tools, prepare for compliance audits, and improve incident response planning.

Security Operations and Monitoring MSSPs

Security operations providers form the backbone of managed detection and response (MDR) ecosystems. They deliver constant surveillance of corporate networks, cloud environments, and endpoints.

Their core services include:

• Managed Detection and Response (MDR) with SIEM, EDR, or XDR tools
• Managed security monitoring for real-time threat detection
• Threat intelligence integration and indicator of compromise (IOC) analysis
• Vulnerability scanning and exposure management
• Incident triage and coordinated response through a Security Operations Center (SOC)

These MSSPs provide outsourced cybersecurity services such as 24/7 threat monitoring, proactive containment, and compliance-driven reporting. Many offer Security as a Service (SECaaS) and advanced threat intelligence services.

Technology Maintenance and Management MSSPs

This class of MSSPs focuses on maintaining and operating security technologies. Instead of threat hunting, they ensure that core defensive systems—such as firewalls, VPNs, and endpoint protection platforms—are properly configured, patched, and monitored.

Common functions include:

• Security tool administration (firewall, IDS/IPS, WAF)
• Cloud posture management across AWS, Azure, and GCP
• Endpoint and identity management (EDR, PAM, SSO)
• Application security operations for code scanning and container security

These teams are recognized managed cybersecurity provider and outsourced IT security services partners for organizations looking for ongoing support and security tool lifecycle management.

Pure-Play MSSPs

These MSSPs focus exclusively on cybersecurity, offering targeted MSSP solutions for threat detection, vulnerability management, compliance support, and managed response services. Pure-play MSSPs are ideal for enterprises with mature IT teams seeking specialized cybersecurity management services without shared responsibility for other IT operations.

Full-Service MSSPs

Full-service providers combine cybersecurity functions with broader IT management such as network maintenance, data backup, and cloud services. This model suits small and midsize companies seeking both IT and security from a single vendor—essentially an MSP with advanced cyber capabilities and end-to-end outsourced cybersecurity services.

Niche or Specialized MSSPs

These MSSPs cater to specific industries or threat scenarios, such as healthcare (HIPAA), financial services (anti-fraud and regulatory defense), or other compliance-driven domains. Their focus ensures depth of expertise in high-risk, regulated sectors, delivering tailored MSSP and SECaaS solutions.

Cloud-Based MSSPs

Cloud MSSP is a fast-growing category, emphasizing secure operations across public and hybrid cloud estates. These managed cloud security providers offer cloud posture management, CASB deployment, cloud-specific SIEM tuning, identity governance, and cloud compliance enforcement under frameworks like ISO 27018. Their services enable scalable managed cybersecurity provider solutions for organizations rapidly adopting cloud environments.

Hybrid MSSPs

Hybrid MSSPs provide seamless protection for both on-premises and cloud environments by integrating endpoint, network, and cloud defense under a unified monitoring platform. This model offers flexibility for organizations in digital transformation stages, with outsourced IT security services and managed security monitoring spanning diverse infrastructures.

Conclusion

In essence, MSSPs vary from strategic advisors to operational defenders, offering everything from MSSP solutions to advanced Security as a Service (SECaaS) models. Organizations select among these categories based on their maturity, internal capabilities, and regulatory demands, enabling a flexible, scalable approach to cybersecurity management in an increasingly complex threat landscape.