Over the past 3 weeks, I’ve been on more calls helping MSPs recover clients from ransomware than I’ve seen in quite some time.
There’s been an alarming uptick in MSPs asking for assistance with ransomware events. Most of these events have been with prospects, and while it’s encouraging to see MSPs interacting with so many potentially new clients, the events themselves are unacceptable.
Sadly, the ransomware attacks are a startling reflection of what’s happening in the world.
Cyberattacks increased in June 2023. According to a report by IT Governance, there have been 104 publicly disclosed security incidents in 2023, which accounted for 277,618,767 leaked records. Of these, 23 incidents occurred in June, which is more than any other month so far this year.
What’s causing all of this?
There are many possibilities here. It could be the destabilization in Russia, the economy, political activism, or the continued sophistication of hackers.
This is a complex issue, but here are a few facts:
- On June 28, 2023, the National Security Agency and Central Security Service issued a report in which they noted the growing sophistication of hackers, and the dire need for vigilance.
- The current destabilization in Russia is creating much uncertainty and fear (this could make people more likely to launch cyberattacks.)
- Every industry is being hit by Inflation, the energy crisis and supply chain issues, which means a new crop of hackers entering the field and lower budgets for organizations to address them.
- Political activists throughout the world are using cyberattacks as a way to hit companies of all sizes in order to make a statement.
I know this is prime vacation season for many of us and our clients, but let’s not forget the danger is real. Having to clean up from a party you threw is one thing. But celebrating and then having to clean up a major ransomware attack on one of your biggest clients is not okay.
The best prevention starts with communicating their risks.
Whether you are working with a prospect who is reluctant to invest more in their IT (including cybersecurity), or a client who is solely investing in basic security measures, now is a prime time for you to communicate the amount of business risk they shoulder by sticking to the status quo.
Make sure your clients get Level 1 Penetration tests after projects or major network changes. This will allow you to reduce your liability on projects. Many of these attacks start with small holes that were created from minor mistakes.
Want to see how your security platform stacks up to recent attacks? Consider a free stack evaluation.
