The Psychology of Cybercrime: Why Employees Still Click Suspicious Links
What MSPs Need to Know to Keep Clients Ahead of the Curve
If you’re an MSP supporting Canadian SMBs, you already know: the cyber threat landscape doesn’t sleep, and neither do the attackers. Every year brings new tactics, evolving threats, and fresh challenges for small and mid-sized businesses that are just trying to keep the lights on (and the data safe).
We work closely with MSPs across Canada, and one thing is crystal clear heading into 2025: SMBs are more exposed than ever, and they’re relying on you, their trusted partner, to guide them through it.
Here’s a rundown of the top 10 cybersecurity risks we’re seeing for Canadian SMBs this year, and how MSPs can stay ahead of the curve.
1. Phishing and Social Engineering (Still the Reigning Champ)
Despite better awareness, phishing continues to dominate. Why? Because it works. Bad actors are refining their tactics and using AI to generate more convincing messages and impersonate trusted vendors or internal contacts.
MSP Move: Offer phishing simulations, frequent user training, and instant reporting tools that make end users part of the defense, not the problem.
2. Weak Credentials and Password Practices
It’s 2025, and unfortunatly—password123 is still in use somewhere (yes, we’re all cringing at this!) SMBs often lack the tooling or policies to enforce good hygiene, and credential reuse is still rampant.
MSP Move: Enforce MFA everywhere, bundle in a password manager, and help clients understand why shared credentials are a no-go.
3. Ransomware Threats Continue to Evolve
Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) has made it easier than ever for less-skilled attackers to launch big-impact campaigns. Encryption, exfiltration, and extortion are now a three-for-one.
MSP Move: Deploy immutable backups, focus on detection/response speed, and prepare clients with tabletop exercises or playbooks.
4. Legacy and Unpatched Systems
Many SMBs are still running legacy infrastructure that’s full of known vulnerabilities. Whether it’s a dusty Windows Server 2012 box or an unsupported app, this is low-hanging fruit for attackers.
MSP Move: Help clients stay current without disrupting daily operations. Position patch management and vulnerability scanning as foundational—not optional—within your stack.
5. Third-Party Vendor and SaaS Risk
As SMBs adopt more SaaS tools and outsource key functions, their attack surface expands beyond their own walls. One compromised vendor can ripple across multiple clients.
MSP Move: Educate clients on vendor risk and consider offering basic third-party risk assessments or automated supply chain scanning.
6. Remote Work & BYOD Pitfalls
The hybrid workplace is here to stay, but security policies haven’t always caught up. Personal laptops, unsecured Wi-Fi, and weak endpoint protection = a growing blind spot.
MSP Move: Offer layered protection (EDR, DNS filtering, VPNs), enforce remote access policies, and centralize device management where possible.
7. Weak or Nonexistent Backup Strategies
Many SMBs still don’t have a working backup—or think their cloud app “automatically saves everything.” (Spoiler: it doesn’t.)
MSP Move: Sell backup with clarity. Emphasize test restores and business continuity over just “file recovery.”
8. Insider Threats and Misconfigurations
Not all threats come from outside. Whether it’s an employee gone rogue or someone accidentally sharing a sensitive file publicly, internal risks are on the rise.
MSP Move: Focus on least privilege access, user behavior monitoring, and configuration audits. Even small wins here can drastically reduce exposure.
- Compliance & Regulatory Pressures
Canadian privacy laws are tightening, and clients are feeling the pressure—especially those in healthcare, finance, and education.
MSP Move: Guide clients through PIPEDA and provincial requirements. Help them document controls and build an audit-friendly security posture.
10. Security Fatigue (a.k.a. “It’s Just Too Much” Syndrome)
SMB clients are overwhelmed. Between rising costs, staffing issues, and a flood of security buzzwords, it’s no wonder some are tuning out. But that’s exactly what hackers are counting on.
MSP Move: Simplify the conversation. Help clients prioritize. Package security as a service, not a burden. Your job is to turn complexity into calm, and act as their trusted advisor.
As an MSP, you’re the first line of defense. Your value isn’t just in the tools you deploy, it’s in the trust you build. SMBs are increasingly looking to you not just for IT, but for leadership when it comes to protecting their business.
Now more than ever is the time to be proactive, tighten your offerings, and bring real clarity to your clients. Talk with your clients about the importance of cyber security in today’s day and age. Remind them they don’t have to go from zero to Fort Knox overnight, but doing something is non-negotiable. Cork is here to support that mission, whether it’s with enablement, risk insights, or security layers that close the gap.
Let’s keep raising the bar, together.