5 Common Cybersecurity Myths Debunked: MSP Edition

By now, you’ve probably come across many myths surrounding cybersecurity. Some true. Some not. Some are completely exaggerated. Whether you’ve heard them from friends, Slack channels, or from speaking directly to customers, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction. And one of the most common fables is that cybersecurity is only an IT problem. It’s not. Did you know that 33.2% of untrained end users will fail a phishing test? That’s only the beginning. Wait until you see what else we’ll uncover in this blog. We’re going to dispel 5 common cybersecurity myths plaguing MSPs today. Ready? Let’s go.

Demystifying 5 Main Cybersecurity Myths

Myth #1: Phishing attacks are easy to detect

Sorry to break the news to you, but it’s quite the opposite. AI is making your job as a security professional more challenging by the day, particularly when it comes to spotting phishing emails. A recent report found that 71% of AI detectors cannot detect whether a phishing email has been written by a chatbot or a human. Threat actors are leveraging large language models (LLMs) to carry out these sophisticated attacks with unbelievable accuracy. Why wait until a phishing email successfully bypasses your filters or if that new employee accidentally downloads that malicious file attachment? It’s essential to conduct a routine phishing simulation to strengthen your email security defenses. Phishing simulations can be customized based on templates and real-world scenarios. Make them engaging via gamification. Implement a leaderboard with awards, such as Amazon gift cards for employees who have demonstrated exceptional vigilance in identifying and reporting phishing attempts.

Myth #2: Cybersecurity services sell themselves

News flash. It doesn’t. Mentioning the importance of cybersecurity alone won’t get you that POC. You need to explain the ROI of cybersecurity to your clients. And don’t use complex technical jargon either. Speak in dollars and cents. Dollars saved from mitigating potential security incidents and dollars earned from acquiring new customers that value strong data protection. Compliance is another huge selling factor as many organizations prefer to do business with an MSP that is ISO-27001 or SOC 2 compliant. Show your potential clients actual ROI KPIs to further convince them of the importance of implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity program. Here are a few examples of financial cybersecurity KPIs:

• Return on Security Investment (ROSI)
• Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
• Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
• Cost of Incident Response
• Risk Mitigation Cost
• Cost per Security Incident

These are all actionable metrics and data everyone can understand. Now add your experience and expertise in attaining results and the pitch becomes more of a friendly conversation with your name top of mind. By the way, you should also consider getting cyber insurance to mitigate any third-party disputes. Don’t take any chances here.

Myth #3: I know how many devices I manage

Do you? Device management is a tricky game. Sure, you might know how many devices and accounts you’re personally responsible for by proxy, but how about those unknown devices that a separate third party contracted by your client adds without your knowledge? Remember, you can’t secure what you don’t know exists. How about that iPhone that just connected to the company network from an unsecured public hotspot at an airport cafe? Not a pleasant thought. But it gets worse. Consider the number of new users and devices continually being added to the corporate network each minute and day without authorization. Shadow IT is another problem that further compounds this issue, as employees often utilize unauthorized devices to bypass IT protocols which introduces high-risk vulnerabilities into the network. Unsecured endpoints make an attacker’s job a breeze. Data showed that 60% of data breaches involve vulnerabilities at endpoints. That’s why every MSP must have endpoint device posture checks, to prevent unauthorized access, and manage unmanaged devices and BYOD policies.

Myth #4: Only large companies are targeted

Think again. Research showed that 52% of data breaches at small businesses are attributed to employee error. But that’s only the beginning of your concerns. For enterprises with a workforce of 10,000+, a data breach might simply translate a minor, yet costly setback. Unfortunately, that same breach might put an SMB out of business for good. Organizations will have to step up their security game to avoid newsworthy headline breaches. One way of accomplishing that is by implementing a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution to help SMBs monitor advanced threats and strengthen their defenses without needing an in-house security team. Outsourcing is your best friend when operating a smaller-sized business with limited IT staff and budgets. An MDR can also help with your cyber risk strategy and planning ahead.

Myth #5: More tools translate to better security

No, it doesn’t. In fact, more tools introduce tool overload, which can increase costs and potentially create integration challenges with existing systems, applications, or APIs. Tool sprawl is real. A recent survey found that organizations manage on average between 64 to 76 security tools. Let that sink in for a moment. We’re not talking about the number of security vendors they work with either. That’s a lot of security tools to manage and renew after every licensing period. Ouch. With so many tools in place, it becomes nearly impossible to maintain a unified security strategy. Each tool may have its own interface, reporting metrics, and integration capabilities, which all limit the visibility of an organization’s security posture. Did we mention costs? Because it gets mighty expensive when you’re dealing with multiple security tools and maintenance. Then there’s the issue of data overload. Too much data ingestion from a variety of sources can create confusion for security teams and analysts across the organization who need to prioritize risk mitigation efforts on business-critical vulnerabilities. No one wants to hear the beeping alert notification for another false positive and low-risk threat, which can also lead to burnout. Why put yourself or your staff through that chaos? The solution? Guardz.

Consolidate Your Cybersecurity with Guardz

No need to worry about tool sprawl anymore. Consolidate your cybersecurity with Guardz. Show your clients immediate value by delivering continuous security solutions from a unified cybersecurity platform. Guardz provides unified detection and response for MSPs and secures identities, endpoints, email, cloud, and data from a single pane of glass. Security is not a myth. Data breaches are real. Keep your critical assets and data safe with Guardz.