Make Sure Your MSP is Doing What is Necessary to Protect Against Hackers
Your MSP could be compromised by hackers and those hackers could get your valuable data. Be sure that your MSP is protecting your data by asking questions.
Just a short time ago, the Department of Homeland Security warned that managed services providers (MSPs) were being targeted by hackers. Managed services providers like the IT services company you hire are desirable targets for hackers because the cybercriminals can gain access to not only your data but the data of all the provider’s other clients.
When choosing an MSP, you really want to verify that the security your partner uses is up to par and that they take protecting your data seriously. While you may not have the technical know-how to do a detailed analysis of their systems, you can verify their reputation and discuss with them how they protect your data.
Ransomware and Other Hacker Attacks on MSPs
According to DarkReading, three different MSPs were compromised and the data of their customers were collected in the middle of 2019. This is only one event, and it is likely that many other similar events occurred throughout the year and will continue to occur. Other big targets have been hit by hackers and a ransom demanded—and often obtained—for the return of access to data or the removal of malware in their systems.
The success of attacks like these is unsettling for businesses across the country and around the world. They demonstrate that even when you do everything you are supposed to do to protect your business data—including hiring a team of IT experts—that your data can still be compromised. In fact, the data of your IT services provider can be compromised, which is even more unsettling.
How to Protect Your Business From Attacks on Your MSP
You have limited control over what your MSP does and does not do. There are steps you can take to protect yourself even if they are compromised, though. These include:
- Talk to your MSP about your concerns. While it is unlikely that your MSP is not aware of the risks of hacking to their systems, it still can be beneficial to voice your concerns to your provider. If you and other clients speak up and stress the importance of your MSP protecting its data and your data by default, you can encourage better security practices from your provider.
- Prepare for a disaster. One of the main tasks of a good IT team is to prepare for the worst possible scenarios. You can emphasize to your MSP that you want all the necessary security measures to protect against not only your system being compromised but the system of your MSP as well.
- Research before you buy. Make sure you know the reputation of your MSP before you enter a service agreement with them.
For more information about protecting your systems and your data, please contact our IT team. We are here to answer your questions.
