The Need for Threat Intelligence in SMB Cybersecurity

You can count on Microsoft 365 Nation to keep our eyes and ears open on topics that impact you – the managed services provider (MSP). In my research, I bumped into this piece on threat management that was especially keen. Pay close attention to the skills shortage conversation at mid-point. That spells opportunity for MSPs.

or some time now, small- and medium-size businesses (SMBs) have assumed cybercriminals won’t consider them a viable target due to their size. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. SMBs still provide plenty of incentive to entice cybercriminals to target their networks, thanks to the unique security challenges they face.

(This byline originally appeared in Channel Futures as a bylined article.)

For example, SMBs house the same personal, proprietary and financial data as their enterprise-level counterparts. Combined with a reputation for a less-rigid security posture and increasingly automated attacks that can target multiple organizations simultaneously, SMBs are actually viewed as an easier opportunity for cybercriminals — with equal payoff.

To effectively protect SMB networks, your customers need to be equipped with up-to-date, advanced threat intelligence that can help accurately guide their cybersecurity strategies, identify key vulnerabilities and keep up with the ever-expanding threat landscape.

The Modern Threat Landscape

Today’s cybercriminals are leveraging a variety of sophisticated cyberattacks across the kill chain. These complex capabilities — which move at rapid, machine speeds — have the potential to cripple small- and medium-sized businesses. To actively address your SMB customers’ unique needs, partners must understand the modern threats targeting these organizations.

In our Global Threat Landscape Report for Q3 2018, we identified several notable threats that have the potential to seriously affect SMBs. To successfully secure your customers, it’s important to be aware of the following risks: