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SMEs looking to MSPs to help with AI and security challenges
Firm shares research that reveals top concerns of channel’s customer base and areas where they feel most threatened
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are dealing with a couple of major challenges, with the need to continue fending off cyber threats coexisting with a recognition that artificial intelligence (AI) is an area where investments must be made.
The consequence of embracing AI, which can deliver useful insights as long as it can access data, is that security risks are continuing to rise.
That has left an increasing number of customers looking to the channel to help solve their problems, according to JumpCloud’s Q3 2024 SME IT trends report.
The firm identified the main issues being faced by SMEs, with the pace of AI being one of the main problems.
“UK SMEs are grappling with subdued economic conditions combined with an increasingly complex environment,” said Greg Keller, co-founder and chief technology officer of JumpCloud. “It is clear that security, AI, shadow IT and tool sprawl are considerable challenges. And we’ve yet to determine the knock-on impact of the UK elections.
“To keep their environment secure while grasping the opportunity that AI creates, IT admins need to consolidate tool sprawl and gain control of shadow IT,” he added. “Eight out of 10 said they wanted a single centralised solution rather than many point solutions.”
Those quizzed expressed fears they would fall behind if they stalled on AI investments, but many are struggling with skill shortages and countering existing security threats. Just shy of half of the respondents indicated they had been a victim of a cyber security attack, and a significant number had been hit multiple times so far in 2024.
AI-generated attacks
There is already a link between emerging technology and criminals, with 25% of all cyber security incidents suffered by SMEs coming from AI-generated attacks.
What it means for the channel is that SMEs are increasingly turning to MSPs for support. The number using a partner to take the burden off the shoulders of their internal IT teams has risen from 39% to 51% in the past year.
There are signs that the shift towards the channel will continue, with 67% indicating they plan to increase their investment in the next 12 months.
There was a portion, around a third of those quizzed, who said lingering concerns about MSP security remained, indicating the channel still had to demonstrate it had got its own house in order before pitching to SMEs.
Aside from AI, the other areas causing sleepless nights for customers was dealing with shadow IT, with significant volumes of devices and applications operating outside a corporate network.
As a result, many customers want better visibility and management tools to deal with shadow IT. There has been anecdotal talk of customers looking to consolidate applications, but the report revealed the number of tools used to manage the employee lifecycle was continuing to increase, with many juggling between five to 10 different options. That had increased from last year’s report.
SMEs also told JumpCloud that the recent election had been unhelpful in causing greater uncertainty.
There were some positive responses around security, with biometrics emerging as an area where SMEs had embraced technology to increase employee protection. Many also reported that feeling financially prepared to deal with attacks and investments in security expertise over the past year meant there were higher levels of confidence.
