MSP vs MSSP: Do You Need Managed IT or Managed Security?
An MSP keeps your technology working. An MSSP watches it for attackers and responds. Many providers now say they do both, so this page gives you a comparison table and a set of questions that reveal which one you are actually talking to.
Reviewed by the ITRS security team · Last updated
The difference in plain terms
A managed service provider (MSP) is paid to keep systems running: helpdesk, devices, patching, backups, Microsoft 365 administration, network gear. Success is measured in uptime and tickets closed.
A managed security service provider (MSSP) is paid to detect and contain threats: watching security alerts, investigating suspicious sign-ins or endpoint detections, isolating machines, and producing evidence. Success is measured in how quickly a real attack is spotted and stopped.
The two overlap on configuration. Turning on MFA, blocking legacy sign-in and setting up email authentication are security work, but most MSPs do them as part of basic administration.
Side by side
| Item | MSP | MSSP |
|---|---|---|
Main job | Keep systems available and users productive | Detect, investigate and contain attacks |
Typical services | Helpdesk, patching, backups, devices, accounts, network | Alert monitoring, endpoint detection and response, log review, incident handling, threat hunting |
Who they answer to | Office manager or owner | Owner, often also counsel and the insurer during an incident |
Tooling | Remote management and patching platform, backup software, ticketing | EDR console, log collection (SIEM), identity alerting, case management |
Hours that matter | Business hours, with after-hours for outages | Around the clock, because attacks often start at night or on weekends |
What a good report shows | Patch compliance, backup results, tickets | Alerts triaged, true vs false positives, actions taken, time to contain |
Contract terms to read closely | Scope and exclusions, project billing | What 'respond' means: notify only, or actually isolate and remediate |
Questions that reveal which one you are talking to
Ask these in the first meeting. A provider that does both properly will answer each one specifically. Vague answers to the security questions usually mean an MSP that resells a security product.
"Walk me through the last real alert you handled."
An MSSP describes the alert, how it was triaged, what was contained and how long it took. An MSP often describes a ticket.
"When an alert fires at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, who looks at it, and what are they allowed to do without calling me?"
You want a named role and pre-approved actions (disable account, isolate laptop). 'We'll email you' means notify-only.
"Which logs do you collect, and for how long?"
Look for Microsoft 365 or Google audit logs, sign-in logs and endpoint telemetry, with retention stated in days. Our unified audit log guide explains why this matters.
"Do you investigate, or hand off to someone else?"
If a breach may need to be reported under PIPEDA, someone has to establish what was accessed. Ask whether they can preserve evidence or will bring in a forensic firm.
"What is the security tool you would install, and who owns the licence if we leave?"
You should be able to keep or export your data and configurations.
Do you need both?
Not always. A 10-person office with Microsoft 365 configured well, MFA everywhere, tested backups and DMARC at enforcement has removed many of the common ways in. In our August 2026 scan of 481 mail-enabled GTA business domains, only 20.6% enforced DMARC, so the basics are still unfinished for most firms. Do those first.
You need real monitoring and response when an undetected compromise would be expensive: you move money on email instructions, you hold health, legal or financial records, your insurer requires endpoint detection, or you have had an incident before. The MDR guide covers what to look for.
One provider or two?
One provider for both means one call during an incident and no finger-pointing between the people who changed the configuration and the people watching it. Two providers can work if the security firm has read access to everything and a written right to act. Either way, write down who leads during an incident before you need it.
Our longer piece on running IT support and security together lists the handover points where incidents get dropped.
Getting help
If you have had a suspected compromise, call the 24/7 incident line at (289) 582-9930. For a scoping conversation about support, security or both, contact us.
Related reading.
- ArticleIT Support and Security Services in Toronto: One Provider or Two?Should IT support and cybersecurity come from one provider or two? What each half covers, the handover points where split arrangements fail, and what to ask.
- Article24/7 MDR Services: A Guide to Managed Threat Detection and Monitoring for GTA BusinessesWhat 24/7 MDR services and managed threat detection actually do, how MDR differs from antivirus, and what to look for when choosing a provider: for Toronto & GTA…
- ServiceCybersecurity Services in Toronto: Managed Security for GTA BusinessesWe run the day-to-day security of GTA businesses: account and email protection, endpoint detection, firewall management, alert review and incident response, with a 24/7…
- GuideUsing the Microsoft 365 audit log in an investigationAlmost every Microsoft 365 investigation comes down to the audit log: who signed in, what they read, which rule they created, what they sent.
Want this handled for your business?
Tell us your users, devices and sites. We are staffed 24/7 and reply with next steps. Quotes are built from your environment, not a price list. Active incident? Call (289) 582-9930, 24/7.