For MSPs, the challenge is no longer getting SMBs to invest in security — it’s helping them invest in the right tools and approaches that reduce risk.
After years of high-profile breaches, most small and midsize businesses (SMBs) understand the risks and costs of getting it wrong. More than 75% of SMBs have experienced a security incident, and many have already invested in firewalls, antivirus, email protection and network security.
Yet incidents continue.
The 2026 Cybersecurity Outlook Report by Kaseya shows that many of the challenges SMBs face stem from human error — employees clicking phishing links, reusing weak passwords — combined with a shortage of skilled IT and security expertise.
This is the gap MSPs need to address by helping clients adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, security approach. Just as importantly, MSPs must ensure proper oversight and guide user behavior so these tools can deliver real results.
A strong stack doesn't equal a strong posture
Many SMBs assume that investing in more security tools improves protection. MSPs know this is not always true.
A firewall cannot stop an employee from reusing a compromised password. Antivirus software cannot prevent an employee from approving a fraudulent transaction. Email filters can miss carefully crafted phishing attempts that appear to be from trusted contacts. According to the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, human error is involved in around 60% of breaches.
These are not failures of technology. They are gaps in behavior, process and oversight. This is where MSPs step in, not just as service providers but as advisors.
The conversation needs to move beyond tools and toward outcomes. Instead of asking what clients are using, focus on how well they are protected and where they are exposed. Help them see that security is not about adding more layers, but about making those layers work together with the right processes and user awareness.
MSPs can guide these conversations with simple, practical questions that shift the focus:
- If a user clicks on a phishing email today, what happens next?
- How quickly would you know if a system was compromised?
- Who is responsible for responding, and what steps do they take?
- When was the last time you tested how your team’s response to a real attack?
From there, connect the dots. Show how proactive tools, clear processes and ongoing user awareness work together to reduce risk. Position security as a coordinated approach, not a collection of products.
What MSPs should prioritize when advising clients
Here are a few key areas to focus on:
1. Continuous monitoring and response
Most MSPs know the problem well. You cannot stop what you cannot see.
Without a clear view across endpoints, networks and users, threats move quietly. By the time something breaks, it is already too late to contain it. That is why visibility is now central to every security conversation with clients.
The shift is already happening. More SMBs are adopting tools that provide continuous visibility into their environments. Kaseya’s Global IT Trends and Priorities Survey of SMBs shows EDR adoption grew from 49% in 2024 to 65% in 2025.
For MSPs, this creates a clear opportunity to position EDR, MDR, managed SOC and SIEM as essential parts of a modern security stack, not optional add-ons.
You can also anchor the conversation around cost and practicality. Building an in-house security team to deliver the same level of monitoring is expensive and often unrealistic, especially with the shortage of skilled professionals. With MDR and managed SOC, clients get expert oversight and guided response without the cost and complexity of hiring and managing a full security team.
2. Advanced phishing solution
MSPs should treat phishing as a business risk conversation, not just an email security feature.
It’s one of the most commonly used attack vectors for cybercriminals. About 56% of businesses report at least one phishing incident, and the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report estimates losses at over $215 million.
When you speak to clients, shift the focus from “blocking spam” to what a successful phishing attack actually means. Modern phishing attacks are harder to spot. They impersonate trusted contacts, mirror internal communication styles and rely on familiarity. Traditional filters that depend on known signatures often miss these attempts.
This is where MSPs can make the case for an advanced phishing solution that, instead of relying on static rules, analyzes sender behavior and intent to catch threats that look legitimate on the surface. The message to clients is simple: if their current setup only filters obvious spam, it leaves a gap where the most convincing attacks get through.
3. Security awareness across the workforce
MSPs should position security awareness as a continuous practice rather than a one-time training session.
When speaking to clients, focus on what happens without it. Even with the right tools in place, a single click on a convincing email can bypass controls and open the door to an attack.
The goal is not to turn employees into security experts but to reduce avoidable mistakes. Simple habits such as verifying unexpected requests, pausing before clicking and reporting suspicious activity early can make a measurable difference.
Explain to clients how regular reinforcement helps employees recognize patterns and respond with more caution. Short, frequent sessions tied to real scenarios such as phishing emails, invoice fraud or password misuse are easier to retain than generic modules. Simulated attacks and quick follow-ups help reinforce learning without overwhelming users.
4. Regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessment
Many SMBs perform penetration testing and vulnerability assessments solely for compliance, leaving long periods when weaknesses go unchecked. That creates a window where attackers can find and exploit issues before anyone is aware of them.
This is where MSPs can shift the mindset. Instead of treating preventive checks as a checkbox item, position them as continuous validation.
You can frame the value in simple terms. It is far less expensive to find and fix a vulnerability during a routine check than to deal with the impact of an actual breach. Without regular testing, risks build quietly in the background. With it, they stay ahead of issues and maintain a stronger, more controlled environment.
5. Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR)
BCDR planning is the safety net that makes all of the above sustainable. No security posture is immune to failure. Many SMBs put basic backups in place but do not regularly test or update their recovery plans. This creates risk when an incident occurs.
When speaking to clients, shift the focus from backups to business impact. Present it as the foundation that keeps a business running when everything else fails. You can anchor the conversation around risk and continuity. A well-maintained and regularly tested BCDR strategy reduces downtime and limits the overall impact of an incident. It gives clients confidence that their business can continue operating even during disruptions.
From service provider to security advisor
Most SMBs allocate between 10% and 50% of their IT budget to security. This wide range reflects differences in maturity, priorities and the clarity with which they understand their risks.
MSPs are in a position to help clients make better use of that budget.
That starts with changing how security is discussed with clients. Instead of recommending single solutions, MSPs can help clients identify where they are exposed and what will have the most impact. Monitoring, response, training, and recovery should be positioned as a connected approach, not separate line items. Bundling these into a single offering makes the value clearer and easier to adopt.
The 2026 State of the MSP report by Kaseya shows that security is a strong revenue driver for MSPs. About 71% report year-over-year growth in cybersecurity services, with BCDR also seeing strong client adoption.
Turning security into a scalable advantage
Security creates opportunity, but it also adds complexity. Managing multiple tools, handling alerts and maintaining expertise across areas is difficult to scale. At the same time, skilled IT professionals are hard to find, even for MSPs and winning new customers is becoming increasingly competitive.
To manage this pressure, MSPs can turn to integrated platforms that bring core capabilities into one place. These platforms combine functions such as email security, security awareness training, dark web monitoring, cloud detection and response, and SaaS backup and recovery into a single solution. By unifying these capabilities, workflows become more streamlined and easier to manage. When supported by AI-driven insights, these platforms also help MSPs make faster, more accurate decisions at scale.
To make the most of this approach, MSPs also need a clear direction where to focus. The 2026 Cybersecurity Outlook Report by Kaseya provides a detailed view of SMB security needs and the gaps that exist. It offers practical guidance on what to prioritize and how to shape services around real risks. MSPs that use these insights can make more informed recommendations and gain an edge in how they support and advise their clients.
