There is a silent killer inside most MSPs. It is not ransomware. It is not an unpatched firewall. It is not even a missed backup.
It is tribal knowledge. 

Walk into any MSP and you will see the same thing. Key engineers who “just know” where things are. A shared drive full of random notes. Documentation that lives in someone’s head, or half complete in a password vault, or scribbled in a personal notebook. 

You can limp along this way for a while. Until something goes wrong. Then that missing documentation stops being an inconvenience and becomes a courtroom exhibit. 

In today’s business environment, “sorta documented” is not documentation. 

The Moment It All Falls Apart 

Here is the scenario that plays out over and over: 

  1. A client experiences a ransomware attack. 
  2. They look to you for help. You start scrambling. 
  3. Backups are incomplete, or maybe they were fine, but no one knows where the last full test is recorded. 
  4. Everyone does their best, but timelines slip. Data is lost. Operations are down. 

At first the client is grateful for your effort. But as the costs mount and the lawyers and insurance adjusters get involved, the conversation changes. 

  • “Why didn’t you warn us that these systems weren’t fully protected?” 
  • “Where is the record of that risk assessment?” 
  • “Do you have proof that backups were tested and working?” 

And suddenly it doesn’t matter how many times you said it, emailed it, or mentioned it in a QBR. If you cannot produce evidence, you are at risk. 

Courts do not accept tribal knowledge. Insurance companies do not accept tribal knowledge. Regulators do not accept tribal knowledge. 

Why Tribal Knowledge Exists 

MSPs fall into the tribal knowledge trap because it feels faster. 

  • Speed over structure – Engineers feel they do not have time to document while they are fixing things. 
  • Hero culture – Teams reward the tech who can solve problems instantly, not the one who makes sure the next tech can fix it without them. 
  • Partial tools – Many MSPs believe their documentation system is “good enough” even when it is full of gaps. 

The result is a business built on people, not process. And when those people leave, get sick, or simply miss a step, the whole thing collapses. 

When “Good Enough” Documentation Will Get You Sued 

Here is the uncomfortable truth:
If your documentation cannot be produced instantly, and it does not prove that you did the work you said you did, then it is as if the work never happened. 

In today’s environment: 

  • Cyber insurance carriers are looking for reasons to deny claims. Missing records give them that reason. 
  • Regulators demand evidence of due diligence. If you cannot produce it, you are assumed negligent. 
  • Clients’ lawyers are increasingly filing claims against MSPs after breaches. Lack of proof is their first target. 

Documentation Is Not an Afterthought. It Is Your Shield. 

What would happen if you had to answer these questions in court tomorrow? 

  • How do you prove that backups were tested and verified before a ransomware event? 
  • How do you prove that you warned a client about weak passwords or poor MFA coverage? 
  • How do you prove that every firewall and endpoint was set to the configuration you promised? 

If your answer is “We would talk to our engineers,” that is not an answer. That is a liability. 

Evidence-Driven MSPs Are the Only Survivors 

This is why leading MSPs are moving from informal, ad-hoc documentation to evidence-driven security programs.
It is not enough to say you do the work. You need a system that tracks, verifies, and proves that the work is done. 

That system needs to: 

  1. Inventory every client asset so there is no guesswork about what is critical. 
  2. Verify that backups, patches, and protections are in place on a schedule, with proof of completion. 
  3. Maintain a record that can be produced on demand for a regulator, insurer, or attorney. 

Without that system, you are just hoping your clients do not ask for proof at the worst possible time. 

Why This Is a Hairy Problem MSPs Cannot Ignore 

You already know the stakes: 

  • One in five ransomware incidents ends in a lawsuit. 
  • Forty-four percent of cyber insurance claims are denied. 
  • Regulators are tightening their requirements for documentation. 

If you are running your MSP on tribal knowledge and loose notes, these trends are an existential threat. 

You are not just one event away from an unhappy client. You are one event away from litigation, reputation damage, and financial ruin. 

The Path Out: Cyber Liability Essentials 

The good news is that you do not have to build this system from scratch. 

Cyber Liability Essentials was created for MSPs that are serious about replacing tribal knowledge with defensible, documented processes. It gives you: 

  • A structured, repeatable framework for documenting every risk conversation. 
  • Automated evidence collection so you can prove backups, configurations, and controls. 
  • Clear records of every client acceptance or refusal of security recommendations. 

In other words, Cyber Liability Essentials takes tribal knowledge out of your MSP and replaces it with a permanent, indisputable record that shields you when something goes wrong. 

And here’s the key: Cyber Liability Essentials is included with Galactic Watch. It is not a bolt-on. It is built into the service so that every MSP partner has the protection of documented, evidence-based operations from day one. 

The difference between an MSP that gets sued and an MSP that walks away from a breach unscathed is not the quality of their tools. It is the ability to prove they did everything right. 

With Cyber Liability Essentials as part of Galactic Watch, you can finally leave tribal knowledge behind.