The Benefits of Awareness Training for MSPs

Managed service providers know that their customers are serious about defending against cyberattacks. With the increased number of data breaches and cyber attacks happening these days, it is imperative to ensure all bases are covered when it comes to cybersecurity.

However, almost all security professionals who experienced a breach at their organization within the last two years said that they would have been able to prevent it with the right measures in place.

The most common answer was that better cybersecurity awareness training for users would have helped minimize or prevent those breaches. Yet only 60% of MSPs currently offer security awareness training as part of their managed services.

The importance of security awareness training

Human error is responsible for 90% of security breaches, and this number is rising. Unskilled and unaware employees are the biggest security concern for organizations. In the age of cutting-edge security technologies, MSPs can provide pretty impressive security solutions. However, when an employee creates “Password123” for a work-related account, it is almost like waving a red flag to malicious actors to attempt to exploit the vulnerability, putting the entire organization’s network and systems at risk.

This is where security awareness training comes in. Security awareness programs teach users what to do and what not to do if they are targeted by cybercriminals. This is mostly accomplished through online “lessons” that include short videos, quizzes, interactive games, and more, as well as phishing attack simulations, which enable administrators to test their users by sending simulated phishing emails and measuring which employees click on the links.

Today’s security awareness training is a long way from the long PowerPoint presentations given by IT professionals that couldn’t hold most people’s attention for long. Short and sharp sessions regularly, with brief quizzes to test awareness, are more effective and have the highest rate of employee engagement.

Why should MSPs offer security awareness training?

Around 75% of MSPs offer managed security solutions, but only 60% include security awareness as part of their security stack. There are obvious benefits to clients by offering security awareness training, but how do MSPs benefit?

Strengthen your MSP security stack

In the long run, adding awareness training to your security stack will not only enhance your current security solutions but will also serve as an additional product that you can offer your customers. It also increases trust, which is everything when it comes to the relationship between MSPs and their clients. If your customers don’t trust you, it is only a matter of time before they look elsewhere for their security needs. By adding security awareness training to your security stack, you are demonstrating you understand your clients’ risks and are covering all bases.

Competitive edge

By actively educating your customers on the risks posed by their actions and by providing them with the correct information, you can significantly increase your chances of securing their future business. This gives you a competitive edge, as most organizations currently using a MSP would consider switching to a new MSP with the right cybersecurity solution. By offering awareness training, your MSP is better placed to keep current clients and attain more in the future.

Minimize the strain on your resources

Keeping your customers' bases covered is part of your job. The importance of security software is certainly one part of the managed service equation, but it is not the only line of defense. Human error is one of the most significant causes of security breaches, making security awareness training a vital part of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

With awareness training, your customers can gain critical knowledge about their users’ behaviors. If an admin knows who is susceptible to phishing or is not security conscious, they can focus on the weakest point in their human firewall. This in turn reduces the number of incidents and threats that will be passed onto you to manage, translating to fewer service calls and remediation efforts to address minor and major incidents.

Protection against potential legal issues

Cyber attacks and data breaches are financially devastating for organizations, leading to operational downtime, loss of business, and damage to reputation. It is not uncommon for businesses who experience a cyber-attack to look for someone to hold accountable and in 75% of cases, take legal action against their MSP.

High-quality security awareness training is part of a robust cybersecurity program designed to protect your clients’ important data, but it also ensures that the chance of a client being able to start a lawsuit legitimately is greatly reduced.

Choose the right security awareness training program

Offering security awareness training is a critical part of your MSP’s security stack. Not only does it increase security for your clients, but it also transforms user behavior to reduce the risk of breaches, attacks, and compliance and legal issues.

Innovative security awareness training offered as part of the ThreatAdvice Breach Prevention Platform seeks to transform users' security awareness behavior and security culture. Hundreds of courses on all aspects of cybersecurity are available, with new courses added each month, and the option to modify the delivery of course assignments to match your client's business models. The program allows MSPs to track and document user security status, as well as generate custom reports for compliance. Phishing campaigns can test what users have learned in a real-world situation and highlight where weaknesses exist.

Selecting the right solution for your MSP clients is key to ensuring maximum engagement and effectiveness of a security awareness program. Talk to ThreatAdvice today about how to improve your security offerings to your clients.