

Publish Date
29/04/2024
Categories
Blogs
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital transformation, where businesses and individuals increasingly rely on online platforms for their daily operations and transactions, the risk of falling prey to sophisticated cyber threats has escalated. As a Managed Service Provider (MSP) committed to safeguarding your digital journey, we believe it’s imperative to address a crucial aspect of cybersecurity: the normalisation of discussions around online scams. It’s not a matter of if you might encounter a scam or attack, but when.
Online scams have undergone a dramatic evolution, leveraging advanced technology and psychological tactics to exploit vulnerabilities. These scams range from phishing attempts that mimic trusted entities to elaborate schemes promising high returns on investments. It’s essential to understand that these scams are designed to deceive, making no one immune to their traps, regardless of their level of digital savviness or intelligence.
There’s a pervasive stigma surrounding victims of online scams, often tinged with embarrassment and self-blame. This sentiment stems from a misconception that falling victim to a scam is a sign of naivety. However, the real danger of this stigma lies in its potential to deter victims from reporting these incidents, thereby hindering their recovery process and allowing scammers to operate with impunity.
As your MSP, we are on the front lines of your digital security, and part of our mission is to change the narrative around online scams. Here’s how we’re doing it:
Proactive Communication: We are committed to keeping you informed about the latest scam tactics and preventive measures. Regular updates and educational content are part of our strategy to empower you and your team, ensuring you’re always a step ahead.
Offering Robust Support Systems: Our dedicated support team is here to assist you in the event of a scam. From identifying the breach to navigating the recovery process, we provide the resources and expertise needed to minimize the impact on your operations.
Emphasising the ‘When’ Not ‘If’: We operate under the premise that encountering online scams and attacks is a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. This mindset is crucial for developing robust prevention strategies and resilience against potential threats.
Advocating for Transparency and Reporting: Encouraging transparency and prompt reporting of scams within your organisation can significantly mitigate risks. It also plays a vital role in our collective efforts to combat online fraud, enabling us to update our defensive measures in real-time.
Educating your business: We work with leading awareness training companies to provide cost effective training and education, and threat simulations to your employees. We help you prepare for the ‘when’, meaning these threats will go no further.
Managing Your Services: Our management of the products we provide, such as Microsoft 365, Azure, Acronis, and Mimecast & KnowBe4 means that threats are being monitored and dealt with by experts who work in this field day in and day out. They are also the most up-to-date on changes to products and licenses and evolving threats.
Together, by fostering an environment of openness, education, and support, we can strengthen our defences and maintain the integrity of our digital ecosystem. Remember, in the realm of cybersecurity, preparedness and partnership are our most potent weapons.
Publish Date
09/01/2024
Categories
Blogs
Whichever study you choose to pay attention to, the number of companies moving their IT operations, either fully or partially, to managed service providers exceeds 80%. I remember reading a Jump Factor report from 2021 which mentioned that 90% of IT and Business leaders were making this choice. More recent research suggests that little has changed, and I think we can all agree that’s a huge majority!
The benefits extend far beyond just addressing skills gaps and saving costs. It’s about concentrating your resources, becoming faster, fostering innovation, accelerating transformation, and gaining that competitive edge.
In a recent study by PwC, I found that among the top 20% of high-performing companies, all of them were turning to MSPs, or at least to some extent.
So, as an MSP, convincing businesses to engage with one is often pushing on an open door. The question shifts from “should I be engaging with an MSP?” to “which one?”. Seeing as there are 150,000 MSPs globally, it’s safe to assume there is a wide choice! The difficulty is knowing which MSP fits your business best.
Partnering with the right Managed Service Provider can significantly enhance your organisation’s success, not only in the IT department but throughout the entire business, so it’s vital you choose the right one for you:
In conclusion, your agreement with an MSP forms the foundation of a strong partnership. Choosing the right MSP should be a strategic decision that impacts your business’s efficiency, security, and growth. With multiple options available, following these guidelines and conducting your own research will help you find the right fit. I sometimes talk about the utopian objective finding excellence in IT, the right MSP should help you towards that.
Publish Date
14/11/2023
Categories
Blogs
When we consider small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), it’s evident that they span a wide array of industries, processes, objectives, and offerings. Yet amidst how diverse each SMB can be, there’s one unifying factor that’s paramount for all businesses: compliance.
Beyond the typical day of an SMB, lies a complex web of rules and regulations, all designed to protect mass amounts of sensitive data. This is the world of compliance – a critical aspect of modern business that ensures personal and confidential information remains securely protected and ethically managed.
Compliance isn’t confined to just large corporations as some may think; it’s a mandate that applies to SMBs as well. At times, there’s a misconception that only sectors dealing with sensitive data, like healthcare or finance, are required to adhere to compliance regulations and maintain backup protocols. But this simply isn’t true. If a company mishandles data or fails to comply with regulations, the outcomes could be dire, including reputational damage, financial losses, and erosion of trust. As a result, any one of these outcomes could result in an SMB to cease trading.
Navigating this landscape can be extremely overwhelming, especially for those without an in-house IT team to guide them through the complexity of GDPR and privacy laws. Keeping up to date with the latest regulations is not only timely, but also deters you away from what you do best – innovation. Ignoring the problem however, could result in a much larger consequence for your business…
Sometimes when things get a bit overwhelming, it’s best to not be left alone…
A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is the emerging norm for businesses seeking a reliable compliance solutions.
Outsourcing to an MSP enables companies to dedicate themselves to innovation while entrusting experts to manage internal systems, secure networks, apparatus, and data.
Partnering with an MSP is to form an alliance with expertise. These service providers extend their proficiency to compliance and data privacy matters, offering valuable recommendations to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.
The relentless demand for cyber security vigilance is nothing new. Businesses should have processes and software in place to mitigate risks, fend off breaches, and keep a constant data backup. However, for those without an in-house IT team to manage these systems, staying ahead can be challenging.
MSPs excel in constant network monitoring and vulnerability scanning, immediately alerting potential malicious content. They also conduct regular security assessments to uncover system vulnerabilities that hackers might use to their advantage. As a result, a competent MSP will provide clients with detailed reports from these assessments, giving recommendations and empowering your business to make informed decisions.
With an MSP by your side, compliance regulations are no longer a burden. The advantage of partnering with an MSP means proactive response mechanisms ensure that potential issues are identified and addressed before they snowball into significant problems. If consistent patterns of insufficient performance arise, a trigger for immediate action will occur, saving your business from expensive downtime disruptions.
Navigating ever-evolving data policies while aligning with industry regulations can be a daunting task. To eliminate these complexities, MSPs enforce data policies and access controls, allowing businesses to focus on core operations without compromising on their compliance.
Ready to safeguard the future of your business?
At Cobweb, our partnership goes beyond a simple connection – we become an extension of your team, dedicated to ensuring your security. With a loyal customer base of over 4,000 customers, we specialise in strengthening SMBs with the best IT solutions, tailored to their business. It’s time to ensure your business’s data integrity, and Cobweb is here to become your trusted compliance partner – why not have a chat with us about it?
Your Team, Extended.
Publish Date
07/11/2023
Categories
Blogs
Is it time to re-evaluate your Managed Service Provider’s (MSP) effectiveness?
While changing MSPs might seem like a hassle, a poor relationship or lack of two-way communication with your provider can lead to bigger issues down the road, including cyber security vulnerabilities.
Here are 5 warning signs that suggest your company needs a new MSP:
An MSP should do what it says in the name – manage. This means frequently assessing and recommending improvements to your IT infrastructure. It should not just be a one-time job, just as it is not a one size fits all approach. Building a relationship with your MSP based on trust and frequent communication ensures a better understanding and personalised service for your business.
What’s one of the main reasons a company will go to use an MSP? The expertise and skill they provide. If your current MSP doesn’t meet it’s SLA (Service Level Agreement), or is slow responding to queries raised, it’s a clear indicator that you may be better served elsewhere.
Your MSP should not merely offer basic licensing and support. Instead, they should act as a strategic partner and advisor, guiding you in mapping out future services and solutions, enabling effective budgeting and long-term strategic planning.
Transparency is crucial in any MSP-client relationship. Your SLA should clearly outline:
The last thing you want is a surprise invoice or bill! Moreover, If you don’t understand some of the technical jargon used in the contact, your MSP should attend to this matter and never force you to sign into a contract which you don’t understand.
An effective MSP stays up-to-date with IT infrastructure and your company’s needs. Do you always find out the latest industry news, price increases and new offerings from your MSP? They should be there to guide you on industry changes to make sure you can plan and budget your IT roadmap.
If you’re not receiving this support and advise, it might be time for a change.
Don’t let your business be short-changed. At Cobweb, we offer highly personalised and flexible managed service options, empowering you to focus on innovation while we handle the rest. Book a free consultation with our experts to discover the right fit for your needs. Your success is our priority.
Publish Date
31/10/2023
Categories
Blogs
In the ever-evolving world of IT management, businesses must adapt to keep their competitive edge. Reacting to IT issues as they arise is no longer an effective approach and to truly keep ahead of the game, companies need to stay proactive with their technology which is why many IT directors are turning towards a managed service. But why should you invest in a proactive action? Let’s have a dive into the world of IT response types…
Not too long ago, the standard approach to IT management was predominantly reactive. Organisations would wait until an issue emerged—be it a server crash, a data breach, or a software failure—before taking action. Yes, that has us quaking in our boots too. While this approach may have provided a temporary fix, it was far from ideal. Downtime would disrupt operations, productivity would suffer, and costs would skyrocket as IT teams scrambled to resolve the problem…
We understand that the old reactive model is simply not sufficient in today’s digital landscape. The solution is clear and it’s what most IT decision makers are turning too: a managed service. Pairing with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is one of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to optimise your proactive IT management. Here’s how…
Proactive: A proactive approach, means consistently monitoring IT infrastructure to catch and rectify issues before they become significant. Using advanced tools, an MSP will identify potential threats or breakdowns early, averting bigger crises.
If a business was only to address these problems as they arise, extended downtimes, disruption, and potential data loss could easily become the consequence.
With the digital landscape becoming increasingly more complex, when partnering with an MSP, you should find they prioritise cyber security. By staying updated with the latest threats and security measures, they implement and maintain robust security protocols within your IT systems. This ensures that your business’s data stays well-protected against cyber predators.
Without a proactive approach, you may find yourself having to pay thousands due to a surprise ransom attack or explain to your customers how their data was stolen…
MSPs don’t just offer solutions to existing problems. They engage in strategic IT planning, working alongside businesses to ensure that their technology infrastructure aligns with long-term goals and objectives. This proactive collaboration facilitates technological growth and drives innovation tailored to the business’s needs!
Partnering with an MSP is a cost-effective decision. By proactively preventing issues, optimising systems, and streamlining IT processes, businesses will see a reduced total cost in their IT ownership.
On the other hand, having a reactive model can result in unbudgeted spend as unexpected remediations occur.
An MSP proactively manages daily IT operations, meaning you can allocate internal resources more effectively. This allows teams to concentrate on strategic initiatives, core competencies, and other vital areas of the business.
If you were to stay reactive, focusing on the core of your business may be out of your control if your systems suffer a failure, meaning increased downtime is the consequence.
One of the key advantages of partnering with an MSP is the inherent scalability of managed services. As a business expands or contracts, its IT support structure can adjust accordingly. This ensures that your IT infrastructure remains robust and responsive to business needs, without the necessity for extensive hiring or substantial infrastructure investments.
With reactive action, you may find your infrastructure can’t so easily be altered to large expansions or team growth, resulting in a lack of time to focus on revenue driving activities, and ultimately, what you do best.
The magic of managed services lies in their ability to transform businesses from reactive to proactive IT management. By partnering with us at Cobweb, your business can harness the power of technology to drive growth, enhance security, and let you focus on innovation. With over 27 years of experience and a portfolio of satisfied customers, Cobweb specialises in safeguarding and empowering SMBs with tailored IT solutions, joining them on their cloud journey. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, embracing an MSP is not just a choice; it’s a necessity for businesses looking to thrive and reach that next competitive edge in the 21st century.
Cobweb Managed Services
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