How MSPs Can Win the Data Protection Battle With a Strong Cloud Backup Strategy

A cyber attack happens at least once every 39 seconds. The ugly truth is that hackers do not discriminate by size or sector; they strike wherever they find a vulnerability.  

Yet, despite this reality, 83% of SMBs are not prepared to recover from the financial damages of a cyber attack. As an MSP, you’re the strategic partner and first line of defense to securing their data and ensuring business continuity.  

Without a comprehensive cloud backup strategy, your clients are just one cyber attack away from losing everything.  

SMBs are prime targets for cyber attacks 

Many small businesses think hackers won’t target them because they are too small. More than half do not invest in security awareness training. Small businesses lack the resources and support to handle even a single data breach. Unfortunately, hackers know they’ll get a higher return with less effort. 

As we become more data-driven, businesses are digitally connected to each other to complete transactions, manage supply chains, and share information. Large accounting, payroll, IT, or administrative firms are the juiciest targets, and hackers will use small businesses as stepping stones to infiltrate bigger networks for bigger payouts.  

Cyber attacks don’t come cheap   

A business with 500 employees or less will lose roughly $2.9 million from a cybersecurity incident, but the ransom payment itself only accounts for  32% of the cost an organization might face. When dealing with a data breach, the real cost isn’t just the data stolen; it’s the lost profits from a downed IT system, which can cost an average of $1,410 per minute for small businesses. These and other costs, like providing support to impacted customers, can leave businesses scrambling to recover financially in the wake of a cyber attack. Other cascading impacts of a cyber attack might include: 

• Price increases: 60% of businesses will increase the cost of their product to recoup the loss of a data breach. 

• Reputational damage: 66% of consumers do not trust a business after a data breach.  

• Regulatory fines: Breach notification requirements and data protection regulations impose fines and penalties if sensitive customer information is compromised. 

Cloud backup: the key to data resilience 

Outages wreak havoc on small businesses; 70% of businesses could survive less than one day without online IT systems. An effective backup strategy ensures quick recovery, minimizing downtime, protecting both business continuity and customer trust.  

A modern cloud backup strategy goes beyond just storing copies of data—it provides data immutability, rapid recovery, and compliance-readiness. Here’s why MSPs should prioritize cloud-based backup and recovery for their clients: 

Immutable backups with object lock 

One of the most effective ways to prevent ransomware damage is by leveraging immutable backups. Features like object lock prevent data from being altered or deleted, even if cybercriminals gain access to the network. This way, your clients can always restore clean, untampered backups after an attack. Immutable storage is especially essential considering ransomware can lurk in compromised backups for up to 60 days. 

Compliance and trust 

A strong cloud backup solution protects data and strengthens client trust. MSPs must help clients ensure their backup solutions align with compliance mandates, including data retention policies, encryption standards, and audit readiness in heavily regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and education. Always use products that are certified by these major regulatory bodies to ensure your clients are covered. 

Leading the charge in cyber resilience 

Your role as an MSP has shifted from IT management to strategic cybersecurity leadership. Providing your clients with cost-effective backup solutions, immutable storage, and disaster recovery can safeguard their data and strengthen their reputation and revenue potential.  

Now is the time set up your clients for success with a robust cloud backup strategy. In the face of cyber threats, data resiliency is the difference between recovery and ruin.  

In our latest webinar with MSP360, we run down the critical practices for data recovery and business continuity and how you can beat hacker assumptions and be the hero with your clients' data.