3 Ways MSPs and SMBs Can Combat Ransomware Together

It’s no surprise that ransomware is a significant focus for managed service providers (MSPs) as ransomware continues to plague MSPs and the small and midsize (SMBs) they serve. In fact, according to Datto’s Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report, 70% of MSPs report ransomware as the most common malware threat to SMBs.

Datto’s research also revealed that SMBs are beginning to understand how damaging ransomware attacks can be, as illustrated in their spending. In fact, 50% of MSPs said their clients increased their budget for IT security in 2020. Knowing that both MSPs and SMBs are on alert regarding ransomware, we’ve put together three ways that every MSP can work with end users to help protect against and/or prepare for ransomware attacks.

1. End user education: End-user education is an essential piece of an effective ransomware protection strategy. This year’s survey results bear that out: Phishing, poor user practices and lack of end user cybersecurity training were the three most common causes of successful ransomware breaches. So, it is essential to note that security training must go beyond just identifying phishing attacks.
2. Utilization of antivirus and anti-malware: Work with your clients to evaluate potential security threats, the impact an attack may have on their business, and whether or not they are adequately equipped to either prevent a ransomware attack or recover from one. Ensure tools such as antivirus, email filtering, pop-up blockers, and endpoint detection solutions are employed to help prevent attacks. Also, all software patches should be deployed and up to date.

3. Utilize a unified business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution:

Ransomware attacks can result in considerable business downtime. Most of the ransomware in use today is designed to crawl business networks, looking for additional machines to infect. If the malware goes undetected, it can impact numerous user devices, servers and even encrypt data in SaaS applications. So, it makes sense that loss of business productivity and business-threatening downtime was at the top of the list of ransomware attack results. Utilizing a unified business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution can make a difference. In Datto’s latest Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report, 91% of MSPs surveyed reported clients with BCDR solutions in place are less likely to experience significant downtime during a ransomware attack.

When it comes to the battle against ransomware, a multilayered approach with your end clients is critical. Security software and training are essential to preventing attacks before they happen, while business continuity enables organizations to resume normal operations quickly if security measures fail. Download Datto’s 2020 Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report for more insights on current ransomware trends.

Rob Rae is Senior Vice President, Business Development, Datto Inc.

This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.