LevelBlue is proud to announce it has been named a Representative Vendor in the just-released 2026 Gartner® Market Guide for Outsourced Managed Security Services (OMSS).
OMSS, which is a subset of Managed Security Services, provides organizations with specialized external expertise and operational support for critical cybersecurity functions.
Gartner noted in the report, “OMSS allow enterprises to maximize the value of security investments, overcome internal cybersecurity resource limitations and enable internal IT teams to reduce risk while maintaining focus on strategic outcomes.”
This has become a necessity in today’s cybersecurity landscape, which is marked by advanced, persistent threats, complex hybrid multicloud environments, and stringent global regulations.
With ongoing talent shortages and prohibitive costs of sustaining in-house 24/7 security functions, organizations are having to turn to OMSS providers for the comprehensive end-to-end specialized expertise and operational resilience essential to defend against modern cyber risks.
Defining the OMSS Market
The OMSS market has evolved beyond the traditional reactive models of compliance checklists and technology deployment, Gartner noted in the report, adding that the OMSS market is shifting toward integrated, proactive, and measurable security offerings that deliver tangible business value.
Driven by the escalating frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, the persistent global shortage of cybersecurity talent, and increasing regulatory pressures, the OMSS market has evolved beyond the traditional reactive models of compliance checklists and technology deployment. Organizations are increasingly turning to these services to address internal expertise limitations, Gartner said.
The available OMSS services consolidate capabilities ranging from advisory and consulting to end-to-end detection and response, threat hunting, and full life-cycle management of security technologies, Gartner said. In addition, the analyst firm noted that this holistic approach is crucial as organizations seek to optimize their security posture, reduce operational overhead, and accelerate incident response times.
Mandatory OMSS Features
Gartner noted that not all OMSS are created equal and recommended that organizations only consider security vendors that offer the following mandatory features.
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Gartner Mandated Features
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Our LevelBlue Capabilities
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Remotely or locally delivered expertise to deploy, configure, update, maintain and operate a variety of security technologies, including, but not limited to, endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, security information and event management (SIEM) platforms, and cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools.
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Co-managed SOC / Managed SIEM
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24/7 availability of comprehensive expertise to support the triage, investigation and resolution of cybersecurity incidents. Operational security expertise in threat detection, investigation, active mitigation, rapid escalation and incident response.
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Detection and Response Services
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Continuous evaluation and validation of digital asset exposures, including visibility, accessibility and exploitability.
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Exposure Management Services
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Availability of accredited staff to support configuration issues and change requests on cybersecurity technologies in scope of the service agreement.
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Co-managed SOC / Managed SIEM
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Service management and third-party coordination including, but not limited to, the delivery of service offerings to a pre-agreed set of service-level agreements (SLAs), regular service reviews, customized reporting, and a dedicated service manager.
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Standard Service Management Layer
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Gartner also set down a list of what an organization must do when engaging with any potential OMSS provider.
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Define clear outcomes and requirements
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Assess provider capabilities for active response
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Plan for a long-term partnership and exit
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Embrace hybrid models and integration.
LevelBlue: The Defined Standard for OMSS Excellence
To us, the recognition of LevelBlue as a Representative Vendor in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide for Outsourced Managed Security Services underscores a pivotal truth for modern enterprises: LevelBlue doesn't just meet the mandatory features—we define them.
As the world's largest pure-play MSSP, we think that LevelBlue is uniquely positioned to deliver the "tangible business value" Gartner demands. While the market shifts from reactive tool management to outcome-based resilience, LevelBlue provides the holistic, high-fidelity security posture required to innovate with confidence.
By integrating AI-powered agentic operations, elite SpiderLabs threat intelligence, and the recent expanded capabilities of Trustwave, Cybereason, and Fortra’s Alert Logic, we believe that LevelBlue offers a seamless, turnkey solution for every Gartner-mandated pillar:
- Operational Depth: From the specialized deployment of EDR, SIEM, and CSPM to co-managed SOC models that eliminate internal resource strain.
- 24/7 Resilience: Round-the-clock global expertise ensuring that triage, investigation, and active mitigation happen at machine speed.
- Strategic Validation: Continuous exposure management that identifies not just vulnerabilities, but real-world exploitability.
- Proven Governance: A standard service management layer built on transparency, dedicated service managers, and rigorous SLAs.
Gartner, Market Guide for Outsourced Managed Security Services, By Christopher Wiles, Joe Trejo, 5 January 2026
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