The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous challenges for businesses around the world. The situation has been especially challenging for managed service providers (MSPs).
MSPs are actively helping their clients maintain regular operations, despite facing a litany of uncertainties and changes to their environments, such as the shift to remote operations.
Like the clients they serve, MSPs have had to adapt quickly to these changes. As a result, cyber attackers see this as a prime opportunity to strike and execute large-scale attacks. Since the pandemic began, there has been a steady increase in attacks that specifically target MSPs in an attempt to steal sensitive client data.
N-Able’s State of the Market: The New Threat Landscape report states that nearly all MSPs have suffered from successful cyber attacks over the past 18 months, with 90% of them seeing an increase in attacks since the onset of the pandemic. Additionally, 82% of MSP clients have experienced a surge in cyber attack attempts.
In response to the significant rise in attacks, MSPs have increased their cybersecurity budgets by an average of 5%. While helpful, this has many industry experts wondering whether or not this increase is substantial enough.
At Power Consulting, we understand the importance of protecting your client’s sensitive information.That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 10 important questions to ask your current (or new) managed service provider. These questions can help ensure the MSP is implementing and maintaining security practices that actively defend your clients’ data from cyberattacks.
10 Important Questions to Ask Your Current or New MSP Provider about Securing Client Information
Risk Assessment and Prevention
An MSP should be able to help identify and assess internal and external cybersecurity risks that may threaten the security or integrity of your clients’ non-public data stored across your information systems.
Here are some questions to ask your MSP about their risk assessment processes.
1. With what frequency does the MSP conduct vulnerability testing and cybersecurity scans for your company?
2. What measures does the MSP take to ensure that their tools for remote access aren’t being used maliciously to access your network?
3. Does the MSP keep an audit trail of their engineer’s changes to your systems?
Onboarding and Offboarding Employees
According to Cybint, 95% of cybersecurity breaches are the direct result of human error. The primary reason for this is a lack of a comprehensive cybersecurity training program for MSP employees to educate them on proper security practices and procedures.
Here are some questions to ask your MSP about their cybersecurity training policies.
4. Does the MSP offer ongoing training on updated security practices and procedures for your company’s employees?
5. What is the MSP’s policy about password changes for new hires and terminated employees?
6. How often does the MSP change their administrative passwords?
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Password Management
In order to prevent the passwords that secure your clients’ data from falling into the wrong hands, your MSP must have a robust password management system in place.
Here are some questions to ask your MSP about their password management policies.
7. Who at the MSP will have access to your passwords? How and where will these passwords be stored? Are the passwords stored encrypted?
8. Does the MSP use any shared passwords with multiple employees or are there individual passwords for all services?
9. Does your MPS use multi-factor authentication to provide access to client information?
10. Can your MSP’s employees access your network with just a login and password?
Partner With an MSP That Prioritizes Cybersecurity Protection
With the help of our experienced cybersecurity consultants, every business can develop and maintain a customized cybersecurity program designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your client’s information systems and critical data.
As a leading cybersecurity specialist, Power Consulting can provide you with cybersecurity assessments, audits, and support that can help you create or enhance a cybersecurity policy for your business.
Contact us to improve your security practices today for a better tomorrow.
Is Your Company At Risk of a Cyber Security Attack?
Learn more:
- How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks
- How to Create a Business Continuity Plan
- Is Your Managed Service Provider Secure?
- Managing Cyber Security Internally vs. Outsourcing to a Provider
- How Managed Cyber Security can Protect You Against Cyber Threats
- What’s The Cost of Managed IT Services & How to Manage The Costs
- The Complete Guide to Cybersecurity for Small to Medium Sized Businesses
