MSPs can net significant wins in cybersecurity by protecting Operational Technology (OT) environments from a rising tide of malware, says Littlefish CISO Sean Tickle.
Nottingham-based MSSP Littlefish has placed OT security at the centre of its portfolio after identifying a marked increase in criminals targeting this attack vector into organisations.
OT systems, which control physical devices and processes in sectors like manufacturing, energy, and healthcare, are increasingly under siege, notes Tickle. “There’s been a staggering 400% increase from 2022 in malware against OT environments.,” he said. “These environments, often part of critical national infrastructure, simply can’t afford downtime.”
The challenge with OT security is that many systems operate on outdated technology, lacking the cybersecurity defences that are standard in IT systems. This makes them vulnerable, requiring a different approach to protection.
Littlefish is addressing this challenge head-on, with a strategy that blends traditional IT security with specialised OT solutions. “The beauty of being within Littlefish is we can bring our teams together and reimage devices. We can then leverage the expertise of our teams to provide a comprehensive service,” Tickle explained.
Acknowledging the growing risks, Tickle believes that integrating OT security into its strategy is crucial for its growth.
“OT is a huge opportunity, not just for MSSPs, but MSPs in general. Our growth is going to be very much focused on keeping an eye on the horizon of that OT struggle that our clients, both existing and new, are experiencing, and on what we can do to alleviate those pain points,” Tickle said.
Cybersecurity has been integral to Littlefish’s growth in recent years, with the organisation experiencing 42% year-on-year growth. The company’s team has grown to over 650 employees with approximately 45 of those making up its cyber team.
“At the end of the day, cybersecurity is about the confidence we can give the customer to know that they’re secure. That they're [clients] taken care of, with a protective blanket around them, so to speak,” added Tickle.
“When we go to our clients, we're very user-focused. Littlefish, being an MSSP ourselves, is a very user-centric organisation, so we want to focus on those users," said Tickle.
He points out that the ability to offer similar terms across core services and cybersecurity services is crucial in preventing customer confusion. "It's very easy for organisations to have a per-use or per-device model, and then in cybersecurity, they lean on an EPS events-per-second model. That can get very confusing very quickly," he explained.
Retaining top talent: ‘Trust is built on the relationships we’ve developed’
The ultimate way to prevent customer confusion and make customers feel safe remains staff and Littlefish acknowledges that cybersecurity is ultimately about people. Skilled analysts and engineers are the heart of the company’s success, and retaining top talent in a competitive industry is no small feat.
“Analysts are not cheap; they’re not cheap to train, they’re not cheap to keep,” Tickle acknowledged. “Even if you train fresh talent, within six months to a year, they’ve got recruiters knocking at their door offering them 40, 50k because that’s the market.”
To keep its top talent engaged and loyal, Littlefish invests in continuous professional development, career advancement opportunities, and a supportive work environment. “We want to make sure that we treat our security analysts and professionals even better,” the Tickle noted. “That’s the way to go.”
The importance of people extends beyond the internal team at Littlefish. The company places great value on its relationships with clients, understanding that trust is essential to effective cybersecurity.
“We don’t just look at this as a job; this is our career, our way of life,” the Tickle said. “Our clients trust us to protect their most critical assets, and that trust is built on the relationships we’ve developed.”
This does not rule out the role of automation in cybersecurity which can be a key part of maximising profit margins within managed services and cybersecurity.
Tickle notes that, by automating routine tasks such as threat detection and incident response, the company can deliver faster, more reliable services while keeping operational costs low.
“Automation is key for all of our services,” he said. “When it comes to cybersecurity, if you can automate containment, escalation, anything that allows us to be quicker, leaner, faster, smarter, without increasing human resources, you’re onto a winner.
