11 Signs Your IT Provider Isn't Properly Protecting Your Business
Cybersecurity Red Flags: 11 Signs Your IT Provider Isn’t Protecting You
Many businesses assume their Managed Service Provider (MSP) has cybersecurity under control. But that assumption can lead to serious vulnerabilities and costly consequences. From ransomware attacks to phishing scams, the risks are real, and too often, companies discover their IT provider isn’t equipped to defend against modern threats.
At TCI, we’ve seen firsthand how MSP cybersecurity gaps can leave organizations exposed. In fact, 73% of businesses aren’t confident their MSP could protect them during a cyberattack (ConnectWise, 2025).
If you're unsure whether your IT provider is truly protecting your systems, this guide outlines 10 critical cybersecurity red flags that signal it’s time to reassess your MSP’s capabilities.
🚩 Red Flag #1: No Proactive Cybersecurity Strategy
If your provider only reacts when something breaks, you’re not protected.
A modern cybersecurity program must be proactive, with an established framework that includes:
Ongoing risk assessments
Multi-layered security controls
A roadmap for hardening your systems and scaling protection as you grow
Consistent application of patches and security updates across all operating systems, applications, and tools
If your MSP hasn’t built and reviewed a strategy tailored to your environment, it’s a serious vulnerability.
🚩 Red Flag #2: No 24/7 Security Monitoring
Cybercriminals don’t operate during business hours. If your MSP isn’t offering 24/7 monitoring, they’re giving threats an open window to exploit your systems when no one is watching.
Effective threat detection requires:
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
Intrusion detection systems
Automated alerting and immediate incident response
Without proactive monitoring for suspicious activity and vulnerabilities, breaches can go unnoticed for days or weeks, causing costly damage.
🚩 Red Flag #3: Hasn’t Worked with You to Build an Incident Response Plan
Cyberattacks occur rapidly, and when they do, every minute matters. Although even with the right cybersecurity tools, your organization needs a clear plan for how to respond when things go wrong.
If your MSP hasn’t brought up the importance of an Incident Response Plan (IRP) or worked with you to help build one, that’s a major red flag.
Here’s the truth:
It’s not solely your provider’s job to own the plan. It’s a shared responsibility. Your MSP should guide you through what’s needed, offering frameworks, expertise, and best practices, but your internal leadership team needs to be involved. Someone on your staff must take responsibility for managing the process and executing your side of the plan when a crisis occurs.
A strong IRP outlines:
Who on your team is responsible for decision-making and communication
How systems will be isolated or contained
How legal, regulatory, and customer communication will be handled
Steps for recovery and restoration
Post-incident reporting and improvements
If your IT provider hasn’t asked about your plan or offered to help you build one, they’re leaving you dangerously unprepared.
🚩 Red Flag #4: One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Your business isn’t the same as every other, and your cybersecurity strategy shouldn’t be either.
If your provider uses a copy-and-paste approach to security across all clients, they’re ignoring the unique risks of your industry, size, compliance requirements, and infrastructure.
A real security strategy should be custom-tailored to:
Number of users and devices
On-site, remote, or hybrid workforce needs
Critical applications and third-party integrations
If your environment is treated generically, it’s not being secured properly.
🚩 Red Flag #5: No Security Awareness Training
Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology; it’s about people, and human error remains the leading cause of breaches.
If your provider isn’t training your team to recognize phishing emails, social engineering, or unsafe practices, your risk is dramatically higher.
Security awareness training should include:
Simulated phishing attacks
Secure password and MFA policies
Role-based access awareness
Ongoing training—not just once a year
Without a trained workforce, even the best firewalls can be bypassed with a single click.
🚩 Red Flag #6: Poor Communication and Lack of Transparency
Cybersecurity is too important to be vague about. If your provider dodges questions, delays updates, or hides behind jargon, that’s not just poor service, it’s a liability.
Your MSP should deliver:
Regular, easy-to-read security reports
Clear explanations of risks and defenses
Proactive updates instead of just reactive fixes
Fast, informed responses when something goes wrong
If you're left wondering what's happening behind the scenes, it’s time to question whether your provider is truly in control.
🚩 Red Flag #7: Downplaying or Dismissing Risk
You’ve heard it before:
"You’re too small to be targeted."
"Those attacks only happen to big corporations."
"We’ve never had a problem before."
That’s not confidence, it’s complacency.
The reality? 43% of cyberattacks target small to medium-sized businesses, and many of those businesses don’t survive the breach. If your provider is minimizing the risks, they’re putting you directly in harm’s way.
Cybercriminals don’t care about your size; they care about your vulnerabilities.
🚩 Red Flag #8: Relying Only on Firewalls and Antivirus
Firewalls and antivirus software are necessary, but they are not enough.
If your MSP’s entire cybersecurity strategy revolves around these two tools, your defenses are decades behind.
Modern threats require:
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Behavioral analytics
Threat intelligence
Network segmentation
Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems
At TCI, we deploy layered, adaptive cybersecurity because sophisticated threats require sophisticated defenses.
🚩 Red Flag #9: No Business Continuity or Disaster Recovery (BCDR) Plan
Even with strong defenses, something will go wrong eventually. The difference between bouncing back and shutting down comes down to preparation.
A proper BCDR plan includes:
Frequent, automated backups (local and cloud)
Recovery time and point objectives (RTO/RPO)
Tested failover systems
Emergency communication protocols
If your provider isn’t prepared to restore your systems in hours instead of days, the damage of an attack could be long-term or permanent.
🚩 Red Flag #10: No Regular Security Audits or Risk Assessments
You can’t fix what you don’t measure.
Regular audits are the foundation of continuous improvement. If your MSP isn’t conducting scheduled security audits and risk assessments, they’re guessing at best and neglecting at worst.
These assessments should:
Identify known and unknown vulnerabilities
Evaluate current control effectiveness
Map out remediation steps
Track progress over time
Your provider should bring security to the table regularly, not just when something breaks.
🚩 Red Flag #11: No Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) or Strong Password Enforcement
Passwords alone aren’t enough to protect your accounts. If your MSP does not require multi-factor authentication (MFA) an additional verification step beyond just a password, your systems are vulnerable to credential theft and unauthorized access.
Equally important is enforcing strong password policies:
• Complexity requirements (mix of letters, numbers, symbols)
• Regular expiration and mandatory changes
• Preventing password reuse or weak defaults
Failing to implement MFA and strong password controls is like leaving your front door unlocked for cybercriminals.
✅ What a Cybersecurity-First MSP Should Be Doing
If your current provider raises one or multiple of these red flags, it’s time to reassess. A reliable, security-focused MSP should deliver:
Proactive Cybersecurity Strategy
Built on best practices and tailored to your business.
24/7 Threat Detection & Response
Automated tools and expert monitoring, day and night.
Business Continuity & Rapid Recovery
Fast, tested plans to restore operations after any incident.
Ongoing Security Education
Trained users make fewer mistakes and have stronger defenses.
Clear Communication & Real Accountability
You should never be left in the dark.
The Right Support Makes All the Difference
When Kristina Wayne’s company Power Mechanical faced a potential hack, here’s what she had to say:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“They have been amazing helping us get our network modernized. We had a potential hack and they came to the rescue. They helped us contain the problem and get us back up and running in no time. I have been so pleased with hiring them, and they are amazing to work with.”
That’s what trusted, prepared IT support looks like.
Still Wondering if You’re Truly Protected?
If any of these red flags sound familiar, it’s time to stop assuming and start verifying. TCI offers a no-cost Cybersecurity Readiness Assessment to help you:
Pinpoint where your current protections fall short
Evaluate how well your MSP is truly protecting your business
Get a clear, actionable plan to strengthen your cybersecurity posture
Click Here to Get Proper Protection & Support
Because when it comes to cybersecurity, you don’t get a second chance.
