The Managed Security Services Landscape Is Changing

In late 2019 we began the process of formally shifting what our alignment to Managed Security Services (MSS) would be going forward. After seeing a vast number of changes over the past 3 years, both from consumers and vendors. As well as the introduction of large numbers of Detection and Response focused providers, it was pretty clear that the changes we were seeing were reinvigorating and redefining MSS.

These changes are covered in detail our most recent research for MSS ‘The Managed Security Services Landscape is Changing’.

By 2024, more than 90% of buyers looking to outsource to security services providers will focus on threat detection and response services.

What are the key drivers for change?

• The Market has Stagnated.
  Little change in MSS Magic Quadrant leadership since 2008.
• MSS Portfolios Continue to Diversify.
  The diversity in naming and deliverable functions makes it nearly impossible for buyers to simply compare capabilities.
• Traditional MSS Functions are Commoditized.
  Many more organizations that do not primarily specialize in security or directly identify as an MSSP have entered the market.
• Increased Focus on Pure Threat Detection and Response.
  Buyers recognize that their immediate requirement is to have improved visibility of threats in their networks or on their infrastructure

What will the market look like going forward?

The center of the MSS market is structured around three main functional areas; Delivery Platforms (Saas, Cloud/Locally Hosted), Technology Maintenance (Delivering Content and Maintaining Tech), Security Operations (Outcome Based Delivery).

As of 2020, we have graduated the Gartner MSS Magic Quadrant to a Gartner MSS Market Guide to be released in the latter half of the year.

The changes to this research are likely to correspond with other definitional changes around markets such as ‘Co-Managed SIEM’ and ‘Managed Detection and Response (MDR)’.