As the use of email continues to grow, too many MSPs have not used email threat protection software to protect their systems. Today, email is one of the most common types of business communication. No matter what size the company is, employees often spend a good portion of their days responding to messages, managing inboxes and reading through communication. But it’s up to MSPs to protect clients from online threats.
One of the Top Threats
Malware attacks on your clients can begin through emails, and endpoint security is not enough to provide a strong layer of protection. If there is a ransomware attack or similar, your client might lose revenue and several days of business. Many client issues might begin with a phishing or spam message. That shouldn’t be surprising since cybercriminals can easily bypass the simple spam filtering and email filtering that many accounts have. There are clever tricks performed, such as taking the CEO of the company and slightly misspelling their name to mimic their actual email address. Or, perhaps, setting up a faux Gmail or Hotmail account that mimics their company email. With a quick glance, and with a little effort, employees across the globe have been fooled by such ploys. Sometimes the perpetrator wants a wire transfer sent to a foreign bank account, but at the time the infiltration is actually more severe, as noted below.
There might be malware hidden in file attachments or links embedded in the text. Graymail, which initially looks legitimate, might be used to send malware, or penetrate networks. It’s easy for cyberattacks to exploit firewalls that were never set up properly. But no matter what method they choose, online messages are highly vulnerable because filters are no longer effective enough. This is why having an effective, advanced security solution is so important. The ideal solution will keep your clients’ messages secure while reducing the concern of potential security breaches because of human error. Look for solutions that offer:
- Several layers of message scanning for maximum security
- Attachment sandboxing to evaluate unknown attachments for potential threats
- Granular policy creation
- Cloud-based solution for easy access
- Advanced scanning of incoming messages
Protecting Important Business Information
Because of the incredible volumes of business communication that is done over email, an eerily immense amount of sensitive information goes through the servers. If cybercriminals accessed a business’s network, they might access financial information or passwords. Just think about real life and highly publicized examples of when this has happened in the past. Large companies and organizations like Target, and even credit reporting agency Experian, have been the targets of malicious hacking. These companies have blank checks to spend on cybersecurity, and still found themselves vulnerable to hacks. While there are many methods of preventing information from getting into the wrong hands, a simple MSP email security solution is adding encryption. Consider implementing a solution that allows certain keywords to trigger encryption when these words are used in the body or subject. Encourage your clients to train their employees to not send important information online unless it is encrypted. Inter-office messaging systems should not be used to talk about sensitive business information because they are not protected. These tools prove there are hopes for small and medium-sized businesses to protect their servers and confidential information.
Get a Chance for More Recurring Revenue
As an MSP, you are likely always on the lookout for recurring streams of revenue to increase your profits. Not only do you need to maximize the value each client provides, but you also need to try to sell them on new solutions and services. Ensure your clients that email security solutions will keep their end-user networks safer. There are many reasons this is a smart addition to your security approach, and cyberattacks are rising, so time is important. MSPs should use this chance to protect their clients from one of the top threats to ensure that their clients’ sensitive business information stays secure.
email security concept -DepositPhotos
