Dive Brief:
- Uncertainty about navigating security challenges is driving companies to seek out managed service providers, according to a survey of 2,000 IT and security leaders by cybersecurity platform provider Barracuda Networks. More than two-thirds of respondents said they outsource security to an MSP, with another 29% currently considering providers.
- Among the MSP prospects, nearly 3 in 5 said they were worried about AI-related threats, including AI-generated phishing and social engineering, and insider risk stemming from shadow AI.
- “MSPs are being asked to do more than manage technology,” Geoff Thompson, VP of managed services strategy and development at Barracuda, told Channel Dive. “They must serve as trusted advisors who can translate cyber risk into business terms, establish AI governance practices and help customers make informed decisions about resilience and security. The MSP of the future is less a technology administrator and more a strategic cyber resilience partner.”
Dive Insight:
Companies are facing a significant cyber resilience gap, according to Thompson. Only 29% of prospective MSP customers were confident they could secure compromised accounts and restore operations within hours of an incident.
“The opportunity for MSPs is not primarily driven by increases in cyberattacks or AI-powered threats,” Thompson said in an email. “It's driven by a gap in confidence and capability among customers. Organizations are increasingly concerned about whether they can recover and continue operating after an incident, not just whether they can prevent one.”
Organizations seeking providers said their key skill gaps included addressing AI-generated phishing, identity-based attacks like business email compromise and MFA bypass, securing and governing AI tools and translating technical risk into business impact. Respondents already using MSPs were able to contain and respond to attacks and restore operations faster than peers who managed cyber in-house.
Almost all companies looking for MSPs said technical excellence is important, and 84% reported wanting strong threat detection, protection and response capabilities. Communication was equally important for respondents already using MSPs — 2 in 5 said the most important business factor when choosing MSPs was whether providers could explain risks, incidents and next steps in clear, plain-language.
Thompson said the relationship between customers and MSPs is evolving from a traditional vendor-customer model into a strategic business partnership. “Historically, MSPs were measured by technical metrics such as uptime, response times and ticket resolution,” he said. “Today, customers increasingly expect MSPs to help them understand risk, resilience, recovery and the business impact of the technology solutions they are delivering.”
AI is accelerating the shift.
“[AI] is expanding the threat landscape and increasing the speed and complexity of attacks, creating greater uncertainty for customers,” Thompson said. “Customers need guidance around how to securely adopt, govern and manage AI within their own organizations.”
To prepare for the changing needs of clients, Thompson added that MSPs should build services around resilience and recovery — not just prevention — and develop expertise in AI security, governance and risk management.
“Partners should focus less on adding products and more on delivering measurable business outcomes,” he said.
