Say the words “hybrid IT” to a group of chief information security officers (CISOs), and you might get a few dirty looks. I can understand why when talking about IT security. The complexity of managing a variety of IT environments — cloud, data centers, mobile, the Internet of Things — is a hard reality that comes with a slew of new applications, infrastructure and devices.

Whether it’s the cloud or other IT platforms, they all have to be secured without busting your budget or sending your security staff to a sanitarium. Yet increasingly sophisticated Internet and network security threats can make this highly challenging, driving up costs and increasing compliance risks.

Savvy CISOs get this, yet they look at hybrid IT security as a business opportunity. They know that, when done right, IT security can be a great enabler for an enterprise’s strategy, providing the type of competitive advantages any rival would envy.

As a result, CISOs are looking at managed security services providers (MSSPs) for the next generation of security monitoring, analytics, intelligence and response — and much of this is now being offered as hosted, cloud-based services.

In this model, the MSSP supplies and manages the software used in your security program, while the client manages the infrastructure in its own IT environment. All data and results remain with the client, while program management responsibilities stay with the MSSP.

By implementing a hybrid approach for securing your IT infrastructure organizations, you get the latest technology in a flexible model. It’s basically a “four A” approach: security delivered anywhere, anytime, any way, for any type of IT environment. The benefits of this approach include the following:

• An open and secure environment that is technology- and data-agnostic. You make the most of your existing investment while leveraging a platform that lets you securely adopt cloud, mobile and social platforms.
• Dynamic and industrial-strength protection with a flexible level of management that can provide hardened support for protecting your crown jewels from cyberattackers.
• A personalized security posture with single-pane-of-glass visibility into your data from security experts around the world.

The real secret to securing a hybrid IT security environment is understanding the difference between what’s needed and who does it. By taking advantage of the resources and expertise provided by an MSSP, you can actually have it all: strong security, flexible, cost-effective services and, most importantly, peace of mind.