October 2024
An MSP Guide: Drive Business Growth with Cybersecurity Awareness Month

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With the arrival of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, now is the perfect time to help your customers enhance their risk management and resilience posture. Established by CISA in 2004, this month is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and empowering individuals and organizations to secure and protect their data.

94%
of SMBs have suffered from at least one cybersecurity attack in the past
78%
of SMBs Concerned a Cyber Attack Could Put Their Organizations Out of Business
2.5 billion
files in Microsoft 365 created daily

This October, let’s “Secure Our World” together! This theme recognizes the importance of taking daily action to reduce risks while online and connected.

Cybersecurity Steps and Customer Education with Microsoft 365

As an MSP, you play a critical role in helping businesses navigate essential security practices. Below are four key actions recommended by CISA and how Microsoft 365 already supports your customers:

Cybersecurity Step

How Microsoft 365 Helps 

Educate Customers
Recognize & Report Phishing 
Phishing is a leading cause of data breaches. Spotting suspicious emails prevents unauthorized access.		 Microsoft 365 provides advanced protection through Exchange Online Protection and Defender for Office 365 to block phishing attacks. Help customers recognize phishing emails and train their teams to avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.
Use Strong Passwords 
Strong passwords reduce the risk of unauthorized access; weak passwords are easily hacked.		 Microsoft 365 enforces strong password policies through Azure Active Directory. Educate customers on the importance of using strong, complex passwords and consider a password manager for secure storage.
Turn On MFA 
MFA adds a second layer of protection, making it harder for attackers to access accounts.		 Microsoft 365 offers MFA options via Azure AD, using SMS, phone calls, or authenticator apps. Guide customers on enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to provide an extra layer of security for critical accounts.
Keep Systems Updated 
Regular updates patch security vulnerabilities; outdated software is a common target for attacks.		 Microsoft 365 automatically updates applications to apply security patches regularly. Remind customers to keep their software and systems up to date to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited by hackers.

Recognize & Report Phishing 

Phishing is a leading cause of data breaches. Spotting suspicious emails prevents unauthorized access.

How Microsoft 365 helps: Microsoft 365 provides advanced protection through Exchange Online Protection and Defender for Office 365 to block phishing attacks.

Educate customers: Help customers recognize phishing emails and train their teams to avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords reduce the risk of unauthorized access; weak passwords are easily hacked.

How Microsoft 365 helps: Microsoft 365 enforces strong password policies through Azure Active Directory.

Educate customers: Educate customers on the importance of using strong, complex passwords and consider a password manager for secure storage.

Turn on MFA

MFA adds a second layer of protection, making it harder for attackers to access accounts.

How Microsoft 365 helps: Microsoft 365 offers MFA options via Azure AD, using SMS, phone calls, or authenticator apps.

Educate customers: Guide customers on enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to provide an extra layer of security for critical accounts.

Keep Systems Updates

Regular updates patch security vulnerabilities; outdated software is a common target for attacks.

How Microsoft 365 helps: Microsoft 365 automatically updates applications to apply security patches regularly.

Educate customers: Remind customers to keep their software and systems up to date to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited by hackers.

Make the last line of defense your first priority

As cyber threats evolve, data protection and cybersecurity must go hand-in-hand. A strong cybersecurity strategy is incomplete without robust data protection. Especially as you engage with customers about their readiness for AI adoption and navigate the ever-changing compliance landscape, ensure they are prepared by safeguarding their Microsoft 365 data.

Take action

This month presents a great opportunity to engage and drive new business as the year comes to a close. Download our free assets to raise awareness and help your customers improve their cybersecurity posture with data protection.
Highlight the customer security benefits of using Microsoft 365

The good news is that if your customer is using Microsoft 365, many built-in features are working to keep you secure automatically.

Educate the customer’s role in security

Staying secure is a shared responsibility that requires both your efforts and your customer’s active participation.

Elevate the need for data protection

While cybersecurity measures are essential, data protection is the last line of defense. Ensuring that your customer’s Microsoft 365 data—emails, files, and team communications—is securely backed up is critical to safeguarding their business against data loss.

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