Although cyberattacks on large companies make national headlines, today’s SMBs are just as likely to be targeted. Now that AI makes it possible to scale and add efficiency across the organization, AI also enables cybercriminals to deploy more sophisticated attacks efficiently and with greater precision. These threats aren’t coming in ones and twos—they’re automated, relentless, and designed to exploit even the smallest weakness. According to the World Economic Forum, almost 75% of organizations report rising cyber risks, with generative AI fueling more sophisticated social engineering and ransomware attacks and 42% saw an uptick in phishing incidents.
SMBs Know the Threat Is Real—and Growing
In a recent Microsoft report of 2,000 SMBs, nine out of ten respondents agreed that “cyberthreats are an increasing peril.” Notably, 65% of respondents reported they’ll be increasing spending on data protection. The vast majority (81%) agreed that AI increases the need for additional security, and 79% said they struggled with keeping up with compliance and regulatory requirements.
It’s not just a technology problem—it’s a business survival challenge.
Why the Impact of a Breach Is More Severe for SMBs
With smaller budgets and staffs, SMBs are undoubtedly at greater risk and may be more likely to feel the impact of an attack on business operations—and the bottom line. Even brief downtime can disrupt revenue, damage customer relationships, and result in significant costs to investigate, remediate, and restore systems.
Security Is Now a Business-Wide Concern
When assessing and responding to security risks, few SMBs can do it alone and often need help working toward greater cyber resilience. Security impacts the entire organization, its processes, and applications. Organizations need a forward-thinking approach—integrating security, technology, and productivity—while remaining compliant with industry-specific regulatory requirements.
This is where only the most sophisticated managed service providers (MSPs) stand out. They go beyond basic IT support to deliver a strategic formula that strengthens security, enhances productivity, and ensures compliance readiness—all while aligning with each client’s specific operational model.
Not Every MSP Can Deliver This Integrated Model
How can an SMB achieve all of this while competing with the scale and number of cyberattacks today? The answer lies in engaging with an MSP that incorporates security into every facet of their service with a holistic approach—one that improves a client’s productivity while building their cyber resilience.
This “magic formula” isn’t delivered by standard IT providers. It takes a deeply experienced, security-first MSP. One who leads with a compliance mindset, designs every solution for operational efficiency, and keeps clients secure without slowing them down.
Security Enables, Rather Than Hinders, Growth
We see security as part of a company’s growth engine, making it possible to scale and compete effectively and efficiently. When a cyberattack strikes, business continuity—and with it, productivity—can be significantly affected.
Our view is that security and productivity are inextricably linked because security is a fundamental requirement of every technology program, process, and person.
When you partner with an MSP who embraces this innovative approach to security, SMBs can achieve the cyber resilience necessary to be both protected and productive. By increasing cyber resilience, these businesses will be in a better position competitively, because they are prepared to respond to cybersecurity incidents, and remain “business as usual” if an attack occurs.
Look for a Security-First, Compliance-Aligned Partner
Finding an MSP that has the knowledge and expertise to elevate your organization’s cyber resiliency can be challenging. As you evaluate MSPs, look for those who offer:
Sophisticated MSPs embed this expertise across their entire service delivery model—not just in documentation or advisory calls, but in how they deploy technology, manage risk, and deliver outcomes.
The Cloud Is a Force Multiplier—If Managed Securely
Cloud oversight is also critical to achieving productivity, given cloud tools and features streamline and improve operational efficiencies. But poor visibility, overprovisioned services, or configuration gaps can lead to rising costs, performance issues, and serious security risks.
Your MSP should continually refine cloud security techniques and controls so you can safeguard remote workforces and manage risks more efficiently as cloud-based cyberthreats evolve.
An MSP partner who is proficient in cloud management and cloud security frameworks can help fortify your organization against evolving threats and help you maximize efficiency—and avoid the overprovisioning, underutilization, or system misconfiguration that can increase cost and reduce efficiency.
Why Compliance Must Be Operationalized, Not Outsourced
The rise in compliance requirements, especially in regulated industries, demands a more sophisticated MSP that understands how to build compliance into day-to-day operations. That’s where Systems Engineering stands apart.
We’ve built our service model around NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, a widely recognized, scalable approach to cybersecurity risk management. But we don’t stop there.
Our Adaptive Cybersecurity Framework (aCSF): NIST, Extended
We’ve operationalized NIST with our proprietary Adaptive Cybersecurity Framework (aCSF), offering a living methodology that integrates your business’s technical needs with security best practices across every layer. This means:
Where many MSPs treat compliance as a once-a-year report or checklist, we view it as a strategic business advantage.
Protect What Matters Most—And Prove It
Whether you handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), protected health information, financial data, or sensitive intellectual property, compliance is central to trust, contracts, and growth.
Our aim is to help you:
For a deeper exploration of the Systems Engineering holistic approach to cybersecurity and IT, read our e-book, Is your MSP Keeping Up? Or, to gain an understanding of the real dollar value of cybersecurity resilience, check out Investing in Cyber Resilience.
A Sophisticated MSP Delivers All Three
Systems Engineering's expertise in compliance-driven industries is deeply rooted in our application of robust security frameworks. Our longstanding commitment to industry standards and regulatory requirements shapes our approach to service delivery, ensuring a trusted, compliance-first mindset.
Improving your organization’s security posture is a continual process, one resulting in a consistent progression toward maximizing risk reduction, increasing productivity, and maintaining regulatory alignment.
This is the true value of a strategic and advanced MSP—and the reason so many SMBs are turning to Systems Engineering to secure their futures.
Contact us to discuss your organization’s needs and how we can help you increase cyber resilience, boost productivity, and remain compliant through a partnership designed for long-term business success.