Ransomware clean up an issue for MSPs

Ransomware has been a security threat that has dogged customers all year and the implications for managed service providers that fail to protect customers can be significant.

Research from Datto has found that across Europe an increasing number of MSPs were reporting attacks on their customer base with 84% being hit between Q2 2016 - Q2 2018, which was higher than the rest of the world.

The Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report.also found that the impact of an attack was often 10 times more costly than the ransom demanded by the criminals, with businesses losing $46,800 on average against payments of $4,300 to those responsible.

With the scale of the problem so widespread the chances that MSPs were taking calls on the issue from stressed customers has been high and are expected to increase with 92% of managed service providers anticipating that the number of ransomware attacks will either stay the same or go up in 2019.

Christian Nagele, interim head EMEA at Datto, said that when an attack hit a customer there was not just an impact on the security systems and finances but also on the relationship with the MSP that works with that business.

"Ransomware is a security threat that has serious implications for both small businesses, and their MSPs," he added "There can be significant financial and reputational implications of ransomware attacks for the MSP, as it is often the MSP who is held responsible for repairing the damage caused by ransomware, from restoring data to rebuilding systems."

"All too often the responsibility for the ‘clean-up operation’ following a ransomware attack is not overtly covered in the Service contract an MSP has with their customer – so when ransomware does strike, it is often the case that the MSP feels obliged to cover the costs rectifying the situation," he added.

Datto is advising MSPs to look at the stats and prepare for the inevitable and have a business continuity plan in place that not only helps the customer minimise disruption but also protects them against unforeseen clean up costs.