https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

MSSP Insider


Shutterstock

PC Endpoint Security

Microsoft Reduces Cybersecurity Risk with ‘Patching People’ Strategy

  • Written by Pam Baker
  • April 30, 2020
Microsoft’s aim at human-operated ransomware campaigns points to new opportunities for MSSPs.

Microsoft is taking aim at human-operated ransomware campaigns. The company offers analysis of such attacks in a new blog and recommends mitigation efforts with a “patching people” strategy.

The Microsoft Detection and Response Team (DART) offers insights on precisely where defenders should look to prevent these attacks.

Lucy Security's Collin Bastable

Lucy Security’s Collin Bastable

“A strategy of patching people by simulating ransomware attacks on staff and running ‘what if’ system tests to identify systemic vulnerabilities would be far more effective in reducing damage from ransomware attacks than solely focusing on plugging holes below the IT waterline after a hit,” said Colin Bastable, CEO of security awareness training company Lucy Security.

A pronounced patching people strategy also expands opportunities for MSSPs that provide phishing awareness and other training programs for employees at their clients’ companies.

“They say that threats are opportunities in disguise. Many IT security people regard non-IT folks as part of the problem,” said Bastable. “CISOs need to treat their colleagues as potential allies in the fight against cybercrime, engage HR, department heads and make the whole organization defense-ready.”

Microsoft DART noted an uptick in ransomware attacks during the first two weeks of April. The attacks primarily targeted health care critical services but were not limited to the sector.

“Microsoft is telling its customers how to use its technology to mitigate the attack after it has happened, and this is very sensible for a technology company. Preventing what they define as ‘human-operated ransomware campaigns’ in the first place requires a different, holistic approach, aimed at humans, because the attacks are designed and carried out using psychology and understanding human behavior,” said Bastable.

“Train people how to identify the socially-engineered attacks that lead to the delivery of ransomware. Over 90% of these attacks are initiated by email and often as part of a carefully thought out social engineering attack,” Bastable added.

Human-Operated Ransomware

All of these attacks used techniques associated with what Microsoft dubs as human-operated ransomware attacks. Microsoft notes these type of ransomware infections are at the tail end of protracted attacks, and recommends that defenders focus on finding “signs of adversaries performing credential theft and lateral movement activities” to prevent the deployment of ransomware.

Red Canary's Keith McCammon

Red Canary’s Keith McCammon

“Ransomware actors continue to leverage some textbook breach tactics – service and account discovery, lateral movement and widespread infection of endpoints – to maximize the impact and profitability of their operations. This underscores the need not just for better preventative controls, but for robust detection coverage, careful investigation, and proactive hunting for threats that others controls have missed,” said Keith McCammon, co-founder and chief security officer of threat detection and response specialist Red Canary.

Defenders face an ongoing onslaught of attacks, and new tactics and techniques are constantly necessary to thwart them. Monetary damages caused by cybercrime are expected to reach more than $27 billion by 2025, according to Atlas VPN estimates. The company also predicts that pandemic lockdowns this year are likely to act as “a catalyst for the biggest hacker attack outbreak to date.” MSSPs should therefore add a people patching strategy for those working at home to their services menu.

Atlas VPN says that in 2019, digital crimes that caused the most financial damages were business email compromise (BEC). Those accounted for more than half of the monetary losses that year, totaling $1.77 billion.

Tags: MSPs Business of Security MSSP Insider Network Training and Policies

Related


  • Spam
    Kaspersky Research: Russia Now No. 1 Global Source of Spam
    The most frequent targets of phishing attacks were online stores.
  • Cybersecurity Roundup
    Law Firm Cyberattack Exposes Tens of Thousands of Patient Records
    Cybercriminals prefer to target entities like law firms because of the enterprise data they possess.
  • Cloud security
    IT Facing Major Security Issues, But Cloud Security May Be Most Immense
    A number of reports point to security problems within client environments, but cloud could be the biggest.
  • Threats
    Despite SIEM Software Adoption, Threat Coverage Comes Up Short
    Enterprise SIEMs are unprepared for 84% of certain tactics and techniques.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Blame IT Pros for Data Privacy Failures?
  • MSSPs, Beware: Threat Analysis Group Warns of North Korean Social Engineering
  • Financial Sector Cyberattacks Rising with Bad Actors Raking in the Dough
  • Untangle Research: Breach Headlines to Prompt Increased Cybersecurity Spending

Galleries

View all

Threat Protection Vendors: Why MSSPs Have to Ramp Up Efforts Right Now

February 23, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

SASE: The Key to Mitigating Business Transformation Risk

February 22, 2021

Public Sector IT Funding Outlook for 2021–and What It Means for Our Reseller Partners

February 18, 2021

MSPs: Grow the Business with Marketing (While Focusing on What You Do Best)

February 17, 2021

Webinars

View all

XDR and Why it Matters to MSPs

March 24, 2021

Top Security Trends Impacting Technology Security Providers In 2021

March 25, 2021

In Case of Emergency: The Importance of Proactive Critical Event Management

February 23, 2021
  • 1

White Papers

View all

Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum

February 19, 2021

Product Brief: Kaseya VSA Integrated Workflows with BMS and IT Glue

January 26, 2021

Why Subscription Business Model

January 15, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Virtual

March 2, 2021 - March 4, 2021

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@AteraCloud receives $25 million investment to help more #MSPs, IT pros. dlvr.it/RtPbBG https://t.co/UxHqhrUKgx

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@Infoblox rolls out new #Cloud Specialization program to increase partners' #SaaS sales. dlvr.it/RtPb7f https://t.co/CmZTwYiv1u

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @Channel_Expo: ⏱️ Time is ticking to save on your pass to #CPVirtual next week...View all pass options and secure your virtual seat by F…

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

The new @Commvault #EMEA channel exec will focus attention on alliances, cloud and simplifying and expanding partne… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

#NYC #MSP @Electric_AI receives $40 million in C-Series investment from VC firm @GreenspringVC.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@rev_io_hq says the #backoffice grows in importance as more people work from home. dlvr.it/RtNLjd https://t.co/YZEVnm3KVk

February 24, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@KaseyaCorp acquires @rocketcyber, beefs up #cybersecurity for MSPs. dlvr.it/RtLQQ7 https://t.co/GXkDVhoNw5

February 23, 2021
ChannelFutures

Continuing #digitaltransformation for partners helps unlock #aaS and sales, says @GeorgeHope216.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

February 23, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X