In the interconnected digital landscape, businesses are vulnerable to insidious cyber threats that can wreak havoc on their operations. This blog post delves into the gripping story of a managed service provider that fell victim to a crushing ransomware attack, leaving their entire client base frozen, offline, with narrow options to recover.

Managed service providers play a critical role in safeguarding the IT infrastructure of their clients. They are trusted with securing sensitive data and ensuring uninterrupted business operations. The (anonymous) MSP in this true story was no exception, and on one fateful day when disaster struck, they proved their worth.

A Catastrophic Ransomware Storm
Prior to the attack, there were no hints or warning signs foreshadowing the impending doom. The MSP’s reliance on a specific vendor’s remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool unknowingly exposed them to a vulnerability that would be ruthlessly exploited. The stage was set for chaos to ensue.

In a matter of minutes, the ransomware attack unleashed its wrath upon the MSP's entire client base. Networks went offline, data became encrypted, and business ground to a halt. A brief panic ensued, leaving both the MSP and their clients in a state of shock and desperation.

The Road to Recovery
Armed with resilience and determination, the MSP embarked on a terribly time-sensitive mission to identify the attack's origin and restore their clients’ operations.  Endless hours, sleepless nights, unwavering teamwork, and comprehensive backup procedures were the driving forces behind the swift core services restoration and a gradual 100% recovery.

The catastrophic incident forced the MSP to reevaluate its existing security measures and recognize the limitations of its current tooling. Not one cybersecurity package deployed raised its hand to say, “We have a problem." 

They realized that a proactive and multi-layered defense strategy was necessary to combat evolving threats. They sought new state-of-the-art antivirus, an even more robust backup procedure with daily offsite backups, and protective DNS that would have severed the malware’s connection to its command and control server.

At first, the MSP procured services from a DNSFilter competitor. They experienced three DNS outages in the first two months after deployment prompting their tense clients to assume the worst: Another attack. After repeated outages, the client base was begging to turn off the “protection,” so the MSP again sought out crucial DNS layer protection. Amidst the search, DNSFilter emerged as a leading provider of protective DNS services. Our advanced threat intelligence, content filtering capabilities, and reputation in the channel offered a ray of hope to the embattled MSP.

Become a DNSFilter Partner

Determined to prevent a recurrence of such a devastating attack, the MSP made the decision to adopt DNSFilter. The implementation of real-time threat blocking, granular content filtering, and enhanced security measures marked a turning point in their security journey.

Communicating the incident to their clients was a delicate task, but the MSP's transparency and commitment to fortifying their defenses helped rebuild trust. DNSFilter's protective DNS services played a crucial role in assuring clients of a more secure future.

Resiliency Wins
While the road to recovery was arduous, the team emerged stronger than ever before. They became a beacon of resilience, their clients standing by them as a testament to their unwavering dedication and the transformative power of adopting a hardened multi-layered cybersecurity strategy which includes protective DNS to fortify defenses and mitigate risks.

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder to businesses of the omnipresent cyber threats lurking in the digital realm and just how important it is to adopt DNS layer security.

If you are already a DNSFilter Partner, the full true story is available in our newly released Partner Portal, told by those who lived through the ordeal. Sign in at partners.dnsfilter.com with the same credentials used in our web app and look for dnsUNFILTERED in the course library.

If you are not a DNSFilter Partner, here’s one more reason to sign up today.

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