'Subscription-Based Security Services' Gain Attention as Solution for Hacking-Prone SMBs

Nearly 90% of Ransomware Incidents Affect Small and Mid-sized Businesses
Advanced Security Systems Available at Reasonable Cost

The "subscription-based security service" model is attracting attention as an alternative for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Amid a series of large-scale hacking incidents and personal data breaches, these services provide advanced security systems at reasonable costs for SMEs that find it difficult to invest in specialized personnel or infrastructure. Demand is on the rise, particularly among companies in the manufacturing and financial sectors—where service interruptions can result in significant financial losses—and those dealing with sensitive data such as personal information.

According to SK Shieldus on August 14, sales of its "MDR (Managed Detection & Response)" service increased by 125.4% last year compared to the previous year. The number of client companies also rose by approximately 50% year-on-year. SK Shieldus explained that demand is expanding for service-based professional security personnel and incident response systems, particularly among SMEs and mid-sized companies. An SK Shieldus representative commented, "As the need to strengthen supply chain security and respond to various regulations increases, related inquiries have also grown."

SK Shieldus Cybersecurity Control Center

MDR is a service that provides 24/7/365 threat detection, analysis, and response—offering an integrated system from detection to blocking. Since it's available as a monthly subscription, SMEs can obtain professional response capabilities at reasonable costs. The growing interest in MDR services is due to the increasing number of companies seeking to build proactive response systems, preferring to prevent incidents rather than struggling to respond after a hacking incident has occurred.

Especially notable is that hacking damage targeting companies is concentrated among SMEs with weaker security. According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), 89.4% of ransomware incidents last year involved SMEs and mid-sized companies. In addition, SMEs are slower to respond to security incidents: SK Shieldus analysis found that it took more than 100 days for these companies, after an incident, to recognize the signs and launch an actual investigation. This is because smaller organizations have more difficulty securing specialized security personnel and establishing rapid response systems. A security industry official said, "A significant number of SMEs have difficulty operating their own security teams, and there are also clear limits to securing immediate response capabilities when cyber incidents occur. That's why demand is rising for leveraging external specialists for round-the-clock monitoring and rapid response systems."

SK Shieldus's MDR service supports building response systems in advance of incidents and enables professional personnel to respond immediately when an incident occurs. In other words, it goes beyond simply providing security solutions by establishing a proactive response system. An SK Shieldus representative stated, "The aspect our clients notice most is the well-prepared response system. When an incident happens, it reduces the decision-making burden and initial confusion faced by in-house staff, and enables professional personnel to be deployed immediately to swiftly bring the situation under control."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.