Think your company isn’t at risk? Most organizations (79%) say they have seen an increase in the number of cyber attacks over the past year. More specifically, on average, U.S. businesses have experienced eight attacks during that period. While not all attacks are equal, and they take many forms, their sheer number inherently put businesses at risk. Unfortunately, many attacks are successful, putting business operations, revenue, and reputation in jeopardy.
The result is a shift in business priorities. Cybersecurity, once relegated to the IT security department, a second priority among organizations no more. With the growing sophistication in cyber attacks, decision makers in the U.S. now believe safeguarding and protecting their organizations against cyber attacks is of utmost importance.
Small- and medium-sized businesses have come to terms with the risks their organizations face. In Vade’s “SMB Cybersecurity Landscape Report 2022,” more than two-thirds of SMBs say cyber security is the top priority. While some recognized the inevitable and prepared themselves for the possibility the day their organization would be attacked, others came to a new realization of cyber security importance after a devastating breach.
It’s clear that improvement is needed for defenses to be as robust as possible. Around two-thirds of organizations agreed that their security solutions are not as advanced as they could be. Add that to the cybersecurity talent skills shortage, which makes them susceptible to attacks and in need of extra support.
"Decision makers are in agreement that cybersecurity is extremely important, and it's only going to become more important as the sophistication of cyberattacks increases," said Georges Lotigier, CEO of Vade.
The time for MSPs is now. The overwhelming majority of organizations, 96%, outsource at least some of their needs to MSPs or plan to in the future. MSPs are a critical resource for organizations, particularly for SMBs, as they help tighten the defenses of organizations.
Organizations look to MSPs for access to latest technology upgrades and solutions, access to advanced cybersecurity solutions and access to technical expertise. Because of this, MSPs need to ensure they are recommending tools that are easy to use, reducing the complexity so IT decision makers have confidence in their cybersecurity defenses.
"It's important that as an industry we understand how we're prioritizing cybersecurity and how we can utilize and strengthen the resources we have, like MSPs, to help smaller businesses," said Lotigier.
There is one area IT decision makers are showing overconfidence to a fault — email security. The majority of decision makers say they are confident their current email security solution can protect them from a data breach, but nearly seven-in-10 say a serious breach bypassed their current email security in the past. Regarding email security, MSPs will ensure any complacency is guarded against.
MSPs, viewed as specialists, must provide organizations access to advanced solutions and expert advice. Those that become strategic partners to their clients will fare best among competitor MSPs.
Edited by
Erik Linask
