The MSPWorld Fall Conference wrapped up last week in Las Vegas but for MSPs who attended, there should be plenty for them to consider as they begin planning for 2015 and beyond.
FBI special agent Brent Watkins’ keynote address offered delegates a behind the scenes look at how cyber terrorists and hackers are impacting valuable systems and networks. The presentation, however, went well beyond just educating MSPWorld delegates on the existing cyber security threats facing organizations around the world today. Special Agent Watkins examined both the threat categories as well as the motivations behind some of the cyber criminals and why they are doing the things they do. For the astute MSP, this list is a veritable goldmine for determining where and why cyber attacks may originate. It is also a valuable roadmap for remaining relevant as a MSP in the years to come.
For example, many MSPs may correctly believe that banks (anywhere around the world) are targets for cyber criminals. However, if you believe that Russian hackers want to take down bank websites, that would be an incorrect conclusion, since most organized cyber criminals only want to steal money, not disrupt commerce.
Similarly, if you are a MSP and have public utilities like water and power companies as customers, those same criminal hackers would not likely find such targets to be high value (there’s no money to be made from them). Other terrorist or anarchist groups, however, would find public utility companies very appealing targets. The reason it is important to understand these motivations for why hackers do what they do should be self evident; knowing motivations can help MSPs more effectively guard against cyber attacks and protect their customers. Knowing why cyber criminals are doing what they do can help MSPs develop new offerings, acquire new technologies and talents, and more effectively respond to the needs of their customers.
While MSPs have a variety of specialities and areas of expertise, one of the takeaways from MSPWorld is that there is a lot of work to be done related to cyber crime prevention. MSPs are at the center of this fight and if positioned properly, have a lot of opportunities ahead of them.