When you hand over your IT operations to a managed service provider (MSP), you are doing more than outsourcing a function of your business – you are entrusting them with the systems, data, and infrastructure that keep your organisation alive and functioning.
In short, you are giving them the keys to your kingdom and access to the very backbone of your business. With so much at stake, an uncomfortable question must be asked: can you really trust your provider?
This informative guide will take a critical look at the risks involved when choosing an MSP, explores high-profile attacks that highlight the stakes, and examines how adherence to industry standards can restore confidence. It might not be comfortable, but this is a conversation every business should have.
Why trust matters more than ever
Almost every modern organisation relies heavily on digital infrastructure. Cloud-based applications, digital supply chains, remote working, and data-driven decision-making have made IT the backbone of many industries. A small disruption in systems can halt operations, affect supply chains, and lead to substantial financial and reputational loss.
Managed IT support plays a crucial role in this landscape. MSPs provide specialist knowledge, continuous monitoring, and cost-effective solutions that many organisations simply could not maintain in-house. They handle day-to-day system administration, patching, security monitoring, and compliance support.
In doing so, they gain privileged access to data, credentials, and business-critical applications. If an MSP is compromised, through human error, security gaps, or malicious activity, every client under their management is at risk.
Therefore, trust truly is the foundation of business continuity. Without it, you are effectively leaving your operations in a position of vulnerability. Businesses must ask themselves not only whether their MSP can deliver uptime and efficiency but also whether they are fully capable of safeguarding sensitive information and preventing security incidents.
The risks of MSPs: an overlooked vulnerability
Managed IT support providers offer immense value, but with great access comes great responsibility – and unique risks. Let’s explore some of the most common ones.
Concentration of access
MSPs often manage dozens or even hundreds of client environments simultaneously. This creates a high-value target for cyber criminals: compromising one MSP can give attackers entry to multiple organisations at once. When an MSP acts as a single point of failure, a breach has the potential to cascade across all clients connected to that provider.
A kink in the supply chain
MSPs connect systems through trusted integrations, remote monitoring tools, and automated updates. These connections, while convenient and efficient, can also be exploited by attackers to gain access across multiple networks. MSPs, in effect, can become a gateway for attackers to propagate malware or ransomware across entire client portfolios.
Insider threat
It’s not always external attackers that pose a risk. Insider threats, whether negligent employees who click on phishing links or malicious insiders with privileged access, can have catastrophic consequences.
MSP staff handle sensitive credentials and client data daily. In managed IT support, even a single internal mistake can create vulnerabilities across multiple client environments, emphasising the need for robust internal policies, training, and monitoring.
Compliance and regulatory gaps
Not every MSP adheres to recognised security standards. Without proper certifications such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus, there is no guarantee that best practice processes are being applied.
Compliance gaps leave businesses exposed to regulatory fines, reputational damage, or operational downtime. Managed IT support that ignores these responsibilities can inadvertently put clients at serious risk.
Lack of transparency
Some providers operate with limited transparency. They may be reluctant to discuss security measures, incident response plans, or system configurations. Lack of openness makes it difficult for businesses to evaluate risk properly and creates uncertainty about whether data and systems are truly protected.
Recent real-world examples
High-profile breaches demonstrate the real-world consequences of MSP and IT provider vulnerabilities. In this section, we will take an in-depth look at two recent cases in which businesses fell victim to these consequences.
Jaguar Land Rover attack
In 2024, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) faced a major cyber attack that disrupted operations across multiple facilities, highlighting the vulnerabilities even large corporations face. The attackers targeted internal IT systems critical to production and supply chain management, locking the company out of essential manufacturing platforms.
Assembly lines in several plants were brought to a complete standstill, forcing suppliers and partners to adjust schedules and halt deliveries. The financial cost of this disruption was enormous. Even a single day of downtime in the automotive sector can amount to millions in lost revenue, not to mention missed contractual obligations.
Investigations suggested attackers exploited misconfigured access controls and vulnerabilities potentially linked to third-party networks, underscoring a critical risk for MSP clients: even secure, well-resourced organisations can be compromised if their IT support providers or partners have weak security practices.
Beyond the immediate operational and financial impact, JLR also faced reputational challenges, as stakeholders questioned the robustness of its cyber security strategy. For SMEs reliant on managed IT support, this case demonstrates that the security of your MSP can directly influence your own operational resilience.
If an MSP does not implement stringent access controls, continuous monitoring, and proactive threat detection, every client they manage is potentially exposed to similar disruptions. JLR’s experience is a stark reminder that the integrity of managed IT support is inseparable from the broader business ecosystem.
Marks & Spencer breach
The Marks & Spencer (M&S) breach emphasised the risks to personal and sensitive data within organisations that rely on MSPs. Attackers gained access to the retailer’s internal systems containing employee payroll details, contact information, and other personal identifiers.
While no financial fraud was reported immediately, the breach significantly undermined trust among staff and raised questions about M&S’s internal security procedures.
Operationally, the attack forced M&S to restrict system access, complicating day-to-day business operations and adding pressure on IT and HR teams to safeguard data while ensuring business continuity. Employees were understandably concerned about the safety of their personal information, and the incident created a public perception challenge for M&S, calling into question its ability to protect sensitive data.
Security experts reviewing the incident highlighted lapses in monitoring, access control, and the management of privileged credentials as contributing factors. This illustrates a key lesson for businesses using managed IT support: providers must enforce rigorous security protocols, perform continuous oversight, and maintain a clear incident response plan.
A vulnerability at the provider level can have cascading effects, jeopardising operational continuity and trust across multiple organisations. For clients, the M&S case reinforces the need for transparency, accountability, and adherence to best practice standards by MSPs.
Businesses must not only assess technical capability but also examine how providers manage security culture, ongoing training, and responsiveness to emerging threats. The impact of this breach serves as a powerful reminder that managed IT support is about actively defending an organisation’s most critical assets.
Raising standards with the ScotlandIS ITMSP Charter
In an environment where trust is the cornerstone of managed IT support, frameworks like the ScotlandIS ITMSP Best Practice Charter play a vital role in setting and maintaining high standards across the industry.
This charter was created to establish a clear benchmark for MSPs operating in Scotland and beyond, ensuring that providers commit to practices that put security, transparency, and accountability at the forefront of their services.
At its core, the charter is built around four key principles. Security First is about protecting client systems with robust technical controls, active threat monitoring, and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks before they can cause disruption.
Transparency ensures that clients are kept informed, not only when things go right but also when issues arise, fostering open communication about risks, processes, and incidents. Accountability goes further, requiring MSPs to take full responsibility for the systems and data they manage – acknowledging that businesses place enormous trust in their provider.
Finally, Continuous Improvement reflects the fast-moving nature of the cyber threat landscape, reminding providers that standing still is not an option; defences must evolve as threats do.
Net-Defence is proud to be both a signatory of the charter and an active member of the ScotlandIS IT Managed Services Cluster. By embedding these principles into our operations, we ensure that our clients receive managed IT support that is not only reliable and effective but also built on a foundation of trust, security, and industry best practice.
Trust Net-Defence with your managed IT support
At Net-Defence, we understand the stakes of managed IT support. Our approach prioritises security, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that businesses can trust their IT provider. We combine technical expertise with a proactive mindset to protect systems, data, and operations, giving clients confidence that their infrastructure is in safe hands.
Complete support
We offer 24/7 monitoring, proactive maintenance, and rapid response to incidents. By keeping systems patched, monitored, and optimised, we minimise downtime and prevent potential breaches before they escalate. Our goal is not just to react to problems, but to anticipate and neutralise them before they disrupt your business.
We will review your infrastructure as part of an onboarding health check to identify any recommendations and offer advice to better support your users to offer a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Specialist cyber security knowledge
Our team specialises in defending against ransomware, phishing, malware, and advanced persistent threats. We adopt a layered security approach, incorporating endpoint protection, network monitoring, and employee training to reduce vulnerabilities. By continuously updating our strategies, we make sure clients are resilient against both current and emerging threats.
Cloud and infrastructure management
Our team manages cloud services, on-premises infrastructure, and hybrid environments to ensure availability, reliability, and scalability. We maintain resilience against disruptions, so businesses can operate confidently and focus on growth rather than worrying about IT failures.
Compliance and best practice
We guide clients through regulatory compliance, including GDPR and industry-specific requirements, while adhering to the ScotlandIS ITMSP Best Practice Charter. This ensures that our managed IT support aligns with recognised security standards and evolving best practices.
As best practice, we only use administrator privileged accounts if and when needed in an audited and approved fashion. All requests which require administrative action are logged and must be approved by a user’s manager or authoritative representative before proceeding.
A tailored partnership
We don’t offer generic solutions. Our team works closely with clients to understand business objectives, risks, and operational nuances, delivering IT support that is bespoke and strategic.
By choosing our team for managed IT support, businesses gain a partner committed to safeguarding operations, protecting data, and enabling growth.
If you are questioning whether your current provider deserves your trust, get in touch today to discover how we can provide secure, reliable, and transparent IT support tailored to your business needs.
