The missing piece in the MSP data security puzzle

In the dynamic world of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), it has become quite evident that the time has come for next generation Data Security Solutions, and that such a solution should be added to your technology stack.

For some time and becoming ever more frequent today, organizations and MSPs are facing major data security challenges that are likely to increase exponentially over the coming decade.

The financial costs of failing to secure client data are also increasing in tandem with the threats, not to mention the biggest threat of all. Lost Reputation. As in say, a security breach.

Data security is a pressing issue -- arguably a core one -- for MSPs and I feel there is no better time than the present for current attitudes toward data and cybersecurity to be given a fundamental rethinking.

Over the past two decades and some, I’ve been immersed in a broad range of high tech fields, and have closely studied Cybersecurity threats as they evolve.

Cybercrime in 2022 is an extremely low risk/high reward proposition for criminal gangs (and state-sponsored  malicious actors). The new threat trends are extremely worrying,  as we increasingly integrate the Internet of Things into our daily lives in smart offices, smart homes and smart cities.

Modern business practices increasingly depend on data. Security vulnerabilities cause accumulated damage that follows data breaches and can be all out of proportion to the actual volume or importance of the lost data, and as I pointed out. Damaged reputation.

Based on my own experiences in both high-tech business and cybersecurity innovation, I am worried about the vulnerabilities -- avoidable vulnerabilities -- that I’m seeing on a daily basis.

The Future of Data Security Solutions

Demonstrably effective data security solutions, that meet specific external criteria like the CMMC, are already a prerequisite for companies that want to bid for contracts in the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain and other regulated industries. Private corporations are playing catch-up with the government departments and making cybersecurity and data security a contractual obligation for their contractors and service providers.

Cybersecurity and data security is rapidly becoming a board-level concern and responsibility.  If MSPs and other businesses (and complex modern infrastructures) are to survive and prosper in the 2020s, they need to rapidly adapt.

I’m from the very first generation that grew up working with computers (anybody remember the Apple IIe?) and I’ve been watching (from the inside as well as outside) the Cybersecurity scene since the first businesses went online. It’s clear to me that we are now in both a period of pivotal change as well as a period of need for pivotal change in cybersecurity.

A Dual Solution for Comprehensive Data Security

IT managers and CEOs need to consider two strategic concepts when they evaluate their data security solutions, especially if they are growth focused and plan to make the jump from MSP to MSSP. 

The first concept is that a comprehensible data security solution should be included in the heart of the MSP’ technology stack. The solution should be easily integratable and they should afford the IT organization to set and forget, meaning that once set, the solution requires minimal maintenance, if at all, and empowers MSPs to be up and running in securing data within only a few days. Data security should be viewed as the foundation that creates a welcome place for all the other technologies in the stack.

The second concept is that in the ever-evolving cyberthreat landscape, even the best data security solutions are only truly effective if they are delivered as part of a cohesive partnership between the MSP and the cybersecurity provider.



Transforming Priorities in MSP Technology Stacks

If you ask the average MSP IT manager what are the most important technologies in their stack, the chances are that they’ll automatically say RMM and PSA. A decade ago, they might have been correct. Remote Monitoring Management and Professional Services Automation are certainly important pillars in any organization, but unless your sensitive data is located, mapped and encrypted on an ongoing basis, all the technologies in your stack -- including RMM and PSA -- are houses built on sand.

Data security solutions urgently need to be included in the technology stack, under the supervision of a qualified Board member and a trained team within the IT department. The problem isn’t that cyber threats are outpacing cyber defenses - the technology exists to preempt cyber threats.

The problem is that CEOs, investors and senior executives aren’t fully cognizant of their own vulnerabilities to threats. They are making flawed assumptions on every level when it comes to data security and the consequences of data loss. Integrating data security solutions into the technology stack will go a long way towards rapidly correcting this dangerous imbalance.

Building Strategic Security Partnerships

MSPs and other businesses need to focus on growth and client acquisition. They also need to streamline their IT operations and channel resources into genuinely productive activity. Obsolete DLP solutions drain money, soak up working hours - and cause IT managers sleepless nights. I know, I used to be an IT manager!

When you’re running a data-centric or data-dependent business, you need data security solutions that won’t interfere with your workflows, or annoy your employees. It’s human nature to try and circumvent irksome security protocols, especially when you’re working to meet deadlines, or a repetitive login authentication becomes frustrating. The best data security solutions are the ones that a typical employee never sees. 

Many DLP solutions rely on complicated to manage event driven rules, requiring an expertise in data security. In a constantly evolving threat landscape you need to partner with a simple to use yet efficient solution, and with a solution provider that sees the bigger cybersecurity picture and emerging trends, but are familiar with specific threats and problems.

When you’re growing your MSP and adding new clients (especially in lucrative regulated industries) you need to rapidly adapt your data security solutions to match your evolving IT infrastructure. Ideally, you need to do this ahead of time and protect yourself -- and your clients’ data -- preemptively. Reactive data security solutions are a dangerous liability. A long term partnership with business-friendly Cybersecurity experts paves the way for tailored, non-intrusive solutions across multiple channels and shadow cloud.

There are 3 steps needed to be taken and will be answered with such a solution.

They are:

• Data Risk Quantification

When IT is empowered to discuss the quantifiable monetary risks, the organization’s stakeholders can be elevated to a CIO status, explaining in detail to the client why the investment in such security technology, hence elevating the MSP’ stature in the client’s eyes.


• Data Risk Auditing

In such dynamic MSP environments, the ability to track and audit data risk in real-time is imperative. This ability to continually monitor incoming and outgoing sensitive data flows is paramount to maximized risk awareness.

• Remediation by Encryption

Automatically secure sensitive data across all endpoints, cloud apps, 3rd party portals, and shadow IT.

Scalability for MSP Customers

Any next generation data security solution must be scalable for MSPs, so that they are able to offer their clients different levels of security. In the first tier, the client should be serviced with comprehensive data monitoring which is the most basic. Once they see the amount of data that is open to vulnerabilities, then the MSP can offer their clients an extended module (tiers II and III), which includes Cybersecurity and encryption.

Everything that I’ve seen over the last few years tells me that MSPs that adopt a dual solution for data security -- strategic security partnerships and technology stack integration -- will have a decisive competitive advantage. CEOs and IT managers at this select group of MSPs will also be able to sleep better at night instead of worrying about avoidable data breaches.

Photo Credit: Pixelbliss/Shutterstock

Guy Bavly is CEO and co-founder of Actifile, a pioneering cybersecurity company based in Herzliya, Israel. Guy has over 25 years of experience in the Israeli high-tech industry and is passionate about combating cyberthreats and protecting businesses. He played a major role in developing Actifile’s revolutionary encryption-based cybersecurity security software. His business and marketing background gives him valuable insights into the challenges facing modern businesses and MSPs, and helps him to deliver tailored and scaleable cybersecurity solutions.