MSPs, How Are You Securing Your Login?

As a managed services provider (MSP), it is crucial to assess the way you are managing both your client’s credentials and privileged information and your own. MSP security is client security. With that said, are you comfortable telling your clients how you store and manage access to their network systems? Here are four quick tips to help you enforce security within your own MSP.

TIP 1: Password access control and automation

MSPs, are you ready to take a second look at your security service offering? After coverage of the US Justice Department preparing charges against hackers targeting MSPs and RMMs, it begs the question, “Why wait?” Threats exist for the MSP from external and internal sources, and it’s time you learn about them. Whether it is an external hacker or rogue employee, exfiltration can happen in a number of ways.

Access management is vital for prevention. Implement a system that centralizes your client’s sensitive information and manages all user permissions on a granular level. Having one secure hub that allows for auditing capabilities and provides visibility into who has access to what. It also allows you to track down and eradicate default passwords.

TIP 2: Multifactor authentication (MFA)

Implementing multifactor authentication (MFA) will help prevent unauthorized access to your network system accounts. Strong authentication is needed for MSPs who scale and build their businesses on reducing risk for their clients. An MFA solution is now an essential part of a complete managed services offering. This blog from SolarWinds Passportal highlights some of the benefits MSPs get when they leverage a powerful multifactor authentication solution.

TIP 3: Privileged knowledge management

By controlling permissions and standardizing the client documentation process within a single, centralized console, technicians can leverage security and automation to rapidly access the client knowledge they need to provide effective support. This, in turn, improves client satisfaction, makes services more profitable, and helps you comply with any necessary data regulation set upon your MSP. Regardless of technician turnover, your team will be able to maintain consistent service delivery for your client base at any given time.

TIP 4: Monitor activity with advanced auditing

Client data is the most valuable and vulnerable asset an MSP maintains, and your team has unencumbered access to it all. As a result, your clients deserve and need to know how their information is being handled. Leveraging an advanced knowledge auditing tool can help you move beyond the guessing of “what happened when,” and unlock the necessary insights into usage and activity within your own MSP. Effectively, you can monitor your MSP just as you do for your clients.

It’s important to put as much into protecting your own systems as those of your clients and these four tips will help ensure you can safely have that conversation with your customer.

Click here to find out more about how SolarWinds Passportal can help you secure your systems.

Colin Knox is director of product strategy, SolarWinds Passportal