The Different Types of MSP Security Breach
Data is one of businesses’ prized possessions and the continuous acquisition of it isn’t going to slow down any time soon. Because of the monetary value of sensitive data, cyberattacks continue to proliferate.
To keep data secure, companies implement security policies. However, security breaches could still happen when the protective measures in place aren’t strong enough.
What’s a security breach?
This happens when an unauthorized person or software accesses a device or network. Once they get into your system, hackers can steal data, deploy malware, and compromise hardware.
As managed services providers hold a huge amount of corporate data, they become the prime target of hackers. MSP security breach grows at an unprecedented rate as cybercriminals gain new knowledge and techniques to break into networks.
Because of this, you need to be aware of the different security threats that pose risks to your business. Here are some of them:
1. Man-in-the-middle Attack
A man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is a challenging security breach to detect because it includes a malicious actor infiltrating your system via a trusted "man in the middle." Typically, the hacker will begin by accessing a customer's system to attack a server. Hackers can accomplish this by:
- Using the connection you’ve already built with your clients
- Getting a customer’s IP address illegally and pretending to be the client to persuade you into giving money or valuable information
2. Denial-of-Service Attacks
A denial-of-service (DoS) attack aims to take down a network by overloading it with traffic until it crashes. Meanwhile, a distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack uses botnets to get a hold of devices and deliver traffic from many sources to stop the network’s function.
A DDoS attack isn’t an MSP security breach in itself but is deployed to disrupt business activities. It can also act as a diversion tactic so you can’t see any attacks happening behind the scenes.
3. Phishing and Spear Phishing
Have you ever received an email pretending to be from a company you have an account with and asking you to provide some sensitive details? This could be a phishing attempt.
Phishing occurs when a hacker sends an email that appears to be from a reputable company or website. The email will frequently sound strange or contain spelling and grammatical problems.
Phishing emails will try to persuade the receiver to do something, such as click a link or download an attachment. They may ask for sensitive information or send attachments that contain malware. It is usually sent to a large group of recipients, hoping that at least one takes the bait.
With spear phishing, the attack is more targeted and focused on a single recipient. For instance, hackers may initially stalk your social media to know key details about you. They may use this information to act as if they’re someone you know, luring you to share valuable information or to transfer funds.
4. Malware Attack
In this type of MSP security breach, the malicious software runs unauthorized actions on the victim’s system. Its objective is to gain access to sensitive information, compromise the device, or make money the easy way. This may come in the form of ransomware, spyware, and more.
5. Password Attack
Hackers use social engineering techniques or brute force attacks to log into people’s accounts. To decrease the chance of this happening, make sure that you use a unique combination of digits, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters for your password.
If you always forget your passwords, you can utilize a password management tool where you can store them in an encrypted vault. This is a much safer choice since you can only access it with a master password and requires multi-factor authentication to access.
How to Prevent an MSP Security Breach?
Using a robust and comprehensive security system is vital in preventing data breaches. Endpoint security software, firewall management software, antivirus, and mobile device management (MDM) software should all be included in your technology stack to cover all bases. Having them on board can add value to customers and prove the integrity of your security measures.
You should also take time to educate your customers about the dangers of breaches. This can help enhance the culture of the company to be more security-centric, prioritizing the safety of company data at all times.
Moreover, conducting vulnerability assessments identifies risks and makes you prepared for attacks. It scans the security controls and contents of every system in the network (internal and external) on a regular basis.
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