Why it's time for MSPs to sharpen their security focus. Issue 12 (December 2019) - Brown, Tim
Abstract : When huge businesses, government offices and even entire towns fall victim to data breaches, hacks and ransomware, it tends to grab the headlines. What these headlines miss is that smaller businesses are far more vulnerable to these attacks. Last year, a Ponemon Institute study on the state of cyber security found that 70% of small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) experience cyber attack attempts. 1, 2 And despite SMBs facing the same level of threat as big enterprises, over 50% don't know how to protect their businesses. Small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) are susceptible to cyber attacks because they don't have in-house expertise and they lack the deep pockets that could buy the tools and skills to protect themselves. While SMBs may feel helpless in the face of ever-more-sophisticated cyberthreats, the good news is that these companies are not alone. Just as they rely on their managed service provider (MSP) partners for their IT needs, they can also turn to MSPs to make sure their IT estates are secure. All MSPs have insight and knowledge on security, argues Tim Brown of SolarWinds MSP.