As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) must stay ahead by rethinking how they handle incident response (IR). Traditional document-based IR plans—often just Word files collecting dust—are no longer effective in today’s fast-moving threat environment. A recent workshop with cybersecurity experts Chris Laer from Solace and Noam from Exigence highlighted the urgent need for MSPs to adopt a platform-based approach to incident response.
Static IR documents lack interactivity, are difficult to maintain, and offer limited value during tabletop exercises. They can’t support real-time collaboration, automate workflows, or provide the audit-ready reporting needed for compliance. A modern platform-based IR solution changes all that. It enables always-accessible planning, real-time collaboration with clients and partners, automated scenario testing, role-based access, and comprehensive reporting.
The workshop emphasized the importance of starting with a thorough Business Impact Analysis (BIA), helping MSPs and clients identify critical systems and dependencies. Incident response isn’t just about technology—it’s about business continuity, SLAs, and data privacy. Communication also becomes more seamless with platforms, ensuring all stakeholders stay aligned in real time. Most importantly, this shift offers a major monetization opportunity. Offering IR planning, tabletop exercises, and compliance documentation can be packaged into recurring services for clients.
MSPs are encouraged to assess their current response strategy, explore available IR platforms, and begin integrating these tools into their service offerings. With training, marketing, and smart packaging, IR as a service can drive both better security outcomes and business growth. In a world of increasing cyber threats, a modern IR platform isn’t a luxury—it’s a competitive advantage.
