The rise of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) has transformed cybersecurity for businesses worldwide, allowing organizations to outsource their IT needs for better scalability and efficiency. However, the “MSP Perspectives 2024” report from Sophos reveals a significant and concerning trend: many MSPs continue to share administrative accounts, which poses serious risks for both MSPs and their clients.
Let’s explore the operational challenges that lead to account-sharing practices and how to move toward more secure, efficient management of privileged accounts.
The Problem with Shared Admin Accounts
Shared admin accounts allow multiple users access to systems and sensitive data with a single set of credentials. This practice is often adopted for convenience, especially by MSPs handling multiple client accounts. Yet, shared credentials undermine security, making it challenging to track and audit access or enforce accountability. Additionally, this practice increases vulnerability to cyberattacks, especially ransomware, which frequently leverages compromised credentials as an entry point. The Sophos report emphasizes that this risk is further amplified by the shortage of cybersecurity expertise within the MSP industry.
Why MSPs Continue to Share Credentials
A key factor driving credential-sharing practices is the cybersecurity skills shortage. The Sophos report found that many MSPs struggle to recruit and retain skilled security professionals who can implement and manage more secure access solutions. The complexity of maintaining separate credentials, combined with limited budgets and the demand for 24/7 client support, further incentivizes shared admin accounts. For many MSPs, the perceived operational ease of shared accounts outweighs the potential security risks, which can be exacerbated by high demand for quicker support turnaround times.
Impact on Client Security
Shared admin credentials not only jeopardize the security of MSPs but also expose clients to heightened risks. When MSPs manage several clients with shared credentials, a breach in one client’s system can cascade into a larger, cross-client security issue. Sophos highlights that a substantial portion of ransomware attacks exploit compromised credentials, stressing the critical role secure access management must play in cybersecurity strategies.
Recommendations for MSPs to Strengthen Cybersecurity Practices
To mitigate these risks, MSPs should consider the following actions:
- Implementing Privileged Access Management (PAM) Solutions: PAM solutions enable MSPs to restrict access to only those who need it, with detailed logging for monitoring and auditing. This ensures visibility into which users access specific systems and enforces individual accountability.
- Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): By incorporating MFA, MSPs can add an extra layer of security, making it more difficult for cybercriminals to exploit stolen credentials.
- Training and Upskilling Staff: Addressing the cybersecurity skills gap through ongoing training can reduce reliance on shared accounts and ensure personnel are equipped to manage secure access controls.
- Partnering with Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Providers: For MSPs with limited resources, MDR providers offer an alternative approach to maintaining robust security without needing extensive in-house cybersecurity staff. The report from Sophos suggests that many MSPs already utilize third-party MDR services to address this gap.
- Centralizing Cybersecurity Tools and Vendors: By consolidating tools and vendor relationships, MSPs can streamline security management processes, which reduces the temptation to resort to shared admin accounts and improves overall security resilience.
Conclusion
As the MSP market continues to grow, so do the associated cybersecurity risks. MSPs must address the operational challenges and skill shortages that drive insecure practices, such as shared admin accounts. By implementing PAM, leveraging MDR services, and strengthening staff capabilities, MSPs can enhance their security posture, offering safer, more reliable services for their clients. Investing in secure access solutions and reducing dependency on shared credentials will also align MSPs with industry best practices, fostering trust and reliability in an increasingly competitive market.
Enter TechIDManager
TechIDManager has the potential to address many of the pressing issues related to credential security, especially within MSP environments. Here’s a breakdown of how it can tackle each issue effectively:
1. Eliminating Shared Admin Accounts with Privileged Account Management (PAM)
TechIDManager’s core functionality of privileged account management (PAM) is designed specifically to control, monitor, and audit access to sensitive accounts. By creating a unique, secure account for each user, TechIDManager eliminates the need for shared admin credentials, thereby closing off one of the primary vectors for cyberattacks. In particular:
- Individualized Credentials: With PAM, each user gets personal access credentials tied to their role, making access traceable and accountable. This provides an audit trail for all actions taken by individual accounts, which is essential for both internal monitoring and regulatory compliance.
- Auditing: TechIDManager’s PAM solution can track logging details of who accessed which account and when. This is essential in cases where quick incident response and forensic analysis are required after suspicious activity is detected.
- Fast and easy ability to disable accounts: Managers can disable and tech or account with one click of a button.
2. Password Vaults with Zero-Visibility Storage
The zero-visibility storage feature in TechIDManager ensures that sensitive credentials are stored in a highly secure, encrypted vault that is invisible to all users, including administrators. This vaulting system protects credentials at rest and reduces the risk of exposure, as even if an attacker were to breach part of the system, they would not gain access to plain-text passwords.
- Centralized Access Control: By keeping all credentials in one secure vault, MSPs can manage and control access to client accounts without direct access to passwords. This method also reduces the need for sharing credentials across teams since passwords can be securely retrieved when needed and then expire automatically after use.
3. Streamlining Credential Management with Quick and Easy Use
TechIDManager’s design prioritizes simplicity and speed, addressing the convenience factor that often drives MSPs to share admin credentials. By making credential access quick and intuitive, TechIDManager reduces the operational friction that might otherwise lead to credential-sharing shortcuts. Features include:
- Automatic Account Creation: Accounts and credentials are automatically created in tenants where managers have installed the TechIDManager agent.
- Automatic Password Rotation: Accounts and credentials are automatically updated, rotated, or expired after use, minimizing the risk associated with static passwords. Passwords will rotate on managed accounts automatically every 24 hours.
- Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC): This ensures that users can only access the systems and information they are authorized for, reducing the likelihood of credential misuse.
4. Supporting MSP Growth Through Scalable Security
As MSPs scale to serve more clients, the need for robust, scalable security solutions becomes paramount. TechIDManager can integrate smoothly with a variety of systems and offers scalable solutions that adapt as the MSP grows, making it easier to support a growing client base without compromising on security.
- API Integrations and Centralized Dashboard: TechIDManager’s dashboard allows seamless integration with other security and monitoring tools, which MSPs often need to consolidate all client data under one roof for operational efficiency.
In summary, TechIDManager’s capabilities with PAM and its other advantages such as zero-visibility storage, adaptive MFA, and secure password vaults, directly address the issues identified in the Sophos report. By eliminating shared admin accounts, enforcing role-based access, and maintaining a secure vault for sensitive credentials, TechIDManager helps MSPs strengthen their security posture while minimizing operational friction. This aligns with industry best practices and ensures MSPs can scale securely as they grow.
