As the gap in cybersecurity skills, the need for round-the-clock response, and the continuously rising demands from customers continue to put pressure on smaller IT teams, executives at Magna5 stated that medium-sized market companies need a security operation model that can be sustained over the long term.
Based in Pittsburgh, Magna5 is a national provider of hosting, cybersecurity, cloud, and compliance services. The company's security director stated that medium-sized market companies are using general-purpose IT teams to meet enterprise-level cybersecurity needs. According to ISC2's "2025 Cybersecurity Workforce Study," nearly six in ten cybersecurity professionals indicated that their organizations have severe or significant skill gaps. The same study also found that budget constraints continue to limit organizations' ability to hire the necessary cybersecurity professionals.
For medium-sized market companies, the pressure often falls on the general information technology ( IT ) teams, which are already responsible for infrastructure, cloud environments, user support, and daily operations. Magna5 The senior director of vCISO virtual chief information security officer services, William Hale, stated that when network security requirements begin to exceed the reasonable manageable scope of these teams, enterprises should take it seriously.
Hale said, "If management realizes that they are always passively responding to security gaps rather than proactively managing risks, then that is both a structural issue and a staffing issue. At that point, the problem is not about working harder, but about recognizing that the existing model has reached its limit."
Detection and response are in progress for the general-purpose IT team.
The World Economic Forum's "Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026" points out that the uneven distribution of cybersecurity resources and expertise remains a persistent resilience challenge, especially for organizations with fewer resources. The security teams at Magna5 and vCISO work alongside the IT departments in mid-sized markets to help bridge this gap.
Detection and response require professional skills, which may be difficult for general-purpose IT teams to maintain over the long term. Identifying subtle signs of intrusion and responding under pressure require skills that go beyond regular infrastructure management and user support.
This challenge also extends to the scope of coverage. “Attackers choose the time, not the target,” said Magna5 senior vCISO Brandon Bell. “Monitoring must be continuous so that alerts received on weekends and holidays receive the same attention as those on Tuesday mornings.”
Each security tool requires a person in charge.
Adding network security technologies does not automatically fill the gap in capabilities. New platforms also bring operational tasks, including configuration, monitoring, alarm review, maintenance, and follow-up. For medium-sized market teams that are already stretched thin between infrastructure, user support, and security responsibilities, these tasks may further squeeze their limited human resources and time.
Bell indicates that problems often arise when a company purchases technology after an incident occurs. "As a result, expensive software generates constant alerts, yet no one goes to tune, review, or handle them," says Bell.
This may lead management to mistakenly believe that security gaps have been addressed, when in fact, the operational responsibilities at the grassroots level have not yet been implemented. "Every tool purchased requires a corresponding operational plan, not just a line of expenditure in the budget," says Bell. "Who will configure it, who will review the alerts, who will take action, and who will report on it—these issues of responsibility attribution are precisely where Magna5 helps medium-sized market teams establish sustainable models."
Compensating for skill gaps without replacing the team
Co-managed support can enhance professional capabilities without the need to replace internal teams. According to the Hiscox '2026 Cybersecurity Preparedness Report', 55% of the surveyed organizations are investing in professionals as part of their cyber resilience efforts, reflecting an increasing demand for specialized security capabilities in the market. For medium-sized companies whose budget constraints may limit recruitment, co-managed support can supplement these capabilities without replacing their internal teams.
Hale indicates that this approach works best when responsibilities are clearly defined. 'The internal teams continue to do what they do best, while the co-management partners fill in the gaps in threat response and 24/7 coverage,' he said. Establishing clear boundaries around daily work, escalation handling, incident response, and reporting helps to prevent security responsibilities from being overlooked between different teams.
Cybersecurity requirements are also increasingly reflected in business relationships. Customers are more frequently requesting proof of security status before signing contracts, and supplier evaluations have become more stringent. Cyber insurance companies may require the implementation of specific control measures before underwriting or renewing policies. These pressures increase the responsibilities that companies in the mid-sized market must continuously bear.
Hale said, "The responsibilities for network security are constantly expanding, but the teams that support these responsibilities are not always expanding in tandem. Management needs to know what internal teams can continue to handle, where professional support is needed, and who is responsible for each task. Only in this way can a security program be established that a company can maintain over the long term."
About Magna5
Magna5 is a national provider of IT, cybersecurity, cloud, and compliance services, serving small and medium-sized enterprises, mid-market organizations, and regulated industries across the United States. The company helps organizations manage critical IT infrastructure, protect networks and data, support users, and enhances operational resilience through 24/7/365 monitoring, managed security, cloud, backup, disaster recovery, and compliance support. Magna5 serves industries that value security and uptime, including the defense industry base, healthcare, financial services, law, manufacturing, education, construction, government, and professional services. For more information, please visit www.magna5.com.
source:Hiscox. (2026b). The Hiscox cyber readiness report 2026: US focus. hiscox.com / documents / Hiscox-Cyber-Readiness-Report-2026.pdf; ISC2. (2025, December 4). 2025 ISC2 cybersecurity workforce study. isc2.org / Insights /2025/12/2025- ISC2-Cybersecurity-Workforce-Study; World Economic Forum. (2026, January 12). Global cybersecurity outlook 2026. weforum.org / publications / global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026
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