Traditionally, internal IT departments have taken responsibility for managing the hardware, applications, software, and managed information technology services. Regardless of doing it inhouse, outsourced or via some hybrid model, IT must ensure that the network and internal business functions run smoothly while also maintaining the security and compliance programs required by government agencies, vendors, partners, and clients.
Currently, many companies are outsourcing major portions of their IT systems provisioning, maintenance, and management to a Managed Service Provider (MSP). One of the key drivers is that this approach enables them to focus on their core business and potentially reduce or reassign staff. While engaging an MSP can offer the business greater organizational focus, it can introduce a new set of concerns, risks, and compliance issues if the MSP is not managing data and processes in a properly compliant way. It is critical that an organization looking to outsource their IT, closely evaluate the security practices of their MSP to ensure there are no unexpected risks.
Your investment in NIST 800-171 and CMMC compliance can be a significant one – one that we all recognize as simply a cost of doing business with the DoD. We also recognize MSPs are valued partners, helping reduce overhead IT costs and offloading non-core business function. What is sometimes lost in the transfer, is that your MSP will have access to your data, documents, network codes and possibly your Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Since your MSP holds or at least has access to this critical data, it is essential that they take the appropriate steps to protect Your data while adhering to the compliance requirements set by NIST 800-171, CMMC and others specific to your business.
Remember, you can outsource IT and some of the activities associated with compliance, but you can never outsource compliance! You ultimately own responsibility for your overall compliance program and that includes ensuring your MSP is completely aligned with your requirements.
BostonCOMPLY is helping businesses like yours build and maintain the proper compliance program to meet the rigors of NIST 800-171, CMMC, GDPR, ISO and many other frameworks and standards. We are also working with client engaged Managed Service Providers to offer the necessary compliance guidance so that their client’s business and data is properly managed and meeting the compliance demands they face.
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