The MSP Zone

OFAC Guidance on Ransomware Payments

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control recently issued and advisory bulletin on the potential sanctions risks of making ransomware payments. Payments to certain individuals, organizations, and even regions, may trigger a US sanction against you, possibly exposing you to further criminal and civil action. 
Today's episode discusses ways MSPs can approach ransomware (both internally and on behalf of clients) and we offer specific ways you can protect your MSP practice. 
Episode Highlights: 
What is the legal exposure of making a ransomware payment?
What steps can your MSP practice take to help protect clients from being a victim to a ransomware attack? 
Contractual changes you can implement today to deal with ransomware in general
 
MSP Zone Guest: Rob Scott, Scott & Scott, LLP

Remote Work is Generating New Managed Services Opportunities

COVID-19 has been disruptive for many businesses, including some MSPs. Some businesses, however, have reacted better than others to the global pandemic; this also includes MSPs. Backup software company Altaro conducted a study of MSPs asking them a variety of questions about the economy, the state of managed services, and the future. Here are some of the highlights of our discussion with David and Stephen, the co-founders of Altaro.

Are MSPs Responsible for their Vendors?

MSPs are responsible for their own actions, but should they be responsible for the external service providers (i.e., vendors) they bring to their customers? This episode discusses this complicated question and makes the complex easy to understand.
Episode highlights:
Customers must be held liable for actions they take impacting their data privacy and security. 
Co-managed services doesn’t mean the MSP indemnifies the client against all scenarios
MSPs are not responsible for their vendors. If the client dealt directly with the vendor, the client would have their own risk to manage. 
MSP Zone Guest: Rob Scott, Scott & Scott LLP

MSP Zone Interview with Chris McHale of SPK and Associates

MSPs have been reporting all year a similar story across many market verticals and geographies. In today's episode, we speak with Chris McHale of SPK and Associates about her clients (many of theme engineering firms) and how they have been doing throughout the pandemic. 
 
MSP Zone Guest: Chris McHale, SPK and Associates

Managed Services for Healthcare in 2020

Our interview with an MSP focusing heavily on healthcare offers some valuable insights into how that sector has done throughout the pandemic. 
Highlights: 
Pandemic has forced positive changes within a stagnant medical industry
Internal IT for small and mid-sized medical practices not equipped for this new pandemic model
Reallocation of IT resources to focus on core IT competencies and strategic goals
Data security amongst smaller medical firms will need to be addressed
Healthcare firms not familiar with IT have a path forward to profitability and operational stability
MSP Zone Special Guest: Bruce Nelson, Vertical Solutions

Managing SaaS

It used to be that MSPs would manage servers, desktops, firewalls, and other business and infrastructure objects for their clients. Many still do. Yet, as software as a service (SaaS) continues to proliferate in today's changing business environment, MSPs need to be able to managed SaaS platforms as effectively as they did the servers and desktops of yesterday. 
Gavin Garbutt of Augmentt talks about his experiences with N-able, how the MSP profession has changed, and what MSPs need to do in order to be successful in 2021. 
MSP Zone Special Guest Gavin Garbutt, co-founder and chairman of Augmentt

Digital Transformation is Driving Managed Services

Managed Service Provider Ensono recently conducted a study of end-user organizations who reported some interested results related to IT spending and prioritization. 
43% of IT decision makers feel their relationship with business leaders has improved since the start of the pandemic
1 in 3 have been given more scope to define IT spend
1 in 3 organisations are looking to increase IT budgets
56% of IT decision makers stated that there is now a greater urgency for digital transformation
MSP Zone Guest: Simon Ratcliffe, Ensono

Where are Organizations Most Vulnerable to Cyberattack?

The war on cybercrime is now upon us. Globally, organizations of all sizes face unprecedented attacks on their IT assets. Luckily, MSPs are on the job and ready to defend against these attacks. 
But, where are the attacks coming from and what methods are being used to fulfill these cyberattacks? 
MSP Zone Guest: Terry McGraw, president of PC Matic Federal

Safe Cyber Hygiene Through Managed Services Contracts

How do you achieve safe cyber hygiene with your managed services customers. How about your contracts? 
Managed services contracts are one of several effective ways you can influence your customers to adopt safe and secure cyber hygiene practices (not to mention protecting your managed services practice). 
MSP Zone Guest: Rob Scott, Scott & Scott LLP

MSP Audit Myths

One of the biggest misconception MSPs have about certifications and audits is that if the MSP does not host the data, there is no need to examine the MSP. This is false!Program Highlights: 1) Remote access. Limiting administrator access. MFA. Password management. 2) Ransomware attack vectors. 3) MSP tools. RMM, ticketing, backup, etc.