Why “Mostly Secure” Is Costing MSPs More Than $3 a Month
January 21, 2026
A Real MSP Ransomware Lesson (Names Changed)
Most ransomware stories don’t start with bad intentions or lazy IT.
They start with good MSPs trying to be reasonable.
Recently, we helped one of our MSP partners—let’s call them ABC IT—recover from a ransomware incident at one of their client environments.
Like most incidents:
There was downtime
There were tense conversations
There was reputational damage
Thankfully, backups worked, and data loss was minimal.
But here’s the part worth talking about—because this incident was predictable.
The Setup: Two Security Standards Inside One MSP
ABC IT is a capable MSP doing many things right.
For over a year, they’ve been using our advanced AI-based security stack with 24/7 MDR/SOC for about 70% of their clients.
Results?
Strong protection
No major incidents
High confidence in the platform
They know it works.
However, the remaining 30% of their clients were still on a different security solution.
Why?
Because that solution was $3 cheaper per endpoint.
Not because ABC IT trusted it more.
Not because it performed better.
But because they couldn’t convince those clients to pay $3 extra.
The Common MSP Compromise
To manage the risk, ABC IT did what many MSPs do:
They documented the gap
They asked clients to sign a Risk Acceptance / Refusal Waiver
They moved forward
From a legal perspective, this feels safe.
From a business and reputation perspective, it rarely is.
Because when a cyber incident happens, clients don’t say:
“Well, we signed a waiver.”
They say:
“Why didn’t you protect us?”
What Actually Happened
The ransomware incident occurred inside the 30% segment—the clients not covered by 24/7 MDR/SOC.
ABC IT had backups.
They restored data.
They did everything right after the incident.
But recovery still meant:
Unplanned downtime
Emergency work
Stress for the MSP team
Damage to trust
The MSP absorbed the cost—not just financially, but emotionally and reputationally.
The Conversation Most MSPs Avoid
When we reviewed the incident together, we had a very direct conversation.
If you know a solution provides meaningfully better protection…
and you know it reduces incidents…
and you know it saves your team time…
Then the real question becomes:
Who are you protecting by keeping the cheaper option?
We suggested a different approach:
If clients won’t approve the extra $3, consider absorbing part of it as an MSP.
Yes, the math hurts:
500 endpoints × $3 = $1,500/month extra
But compare that to:
Incident response time
Recovery labor
Client dissatisfaction
Reputation damage
Lost referrals
The cost of prevention is predictable.
The cost of incidents is not.
Partial Fix, Partial Risk
To their credit, ABC IT took action:
All servers were moved to 24/7 MDR protection
Endpoints, however, remained on traditional AV
It reduced risk—but didn’t eliminate it.
And ransomware doesn’t care which layer you partially secured.
The Bigger Lesson for MSPs
This story isn’t about one MSP.
It’s about a decision almost every MSP faces:
Do I standardize on the best protection?
Or do I fragment my stack to avoid uncomfortable pricing conversations?
Risk acceptance waivers may protect you legally.
They do not protect your reputation.
They do not protect your weekends.
They do not protect client trust.
A Question Worth Asking Yourself
As an MSP owner or leader, be honest:
Are you struggling to convince clients to pay $3 more for complete protection?
Are you relying on waivers instead of prevention?
Or are you absorbing small costs to protect long-term trust and peace of mind?
There’s no judgment here—only reality.
Ransomware doesn’t target contracts.
It targets gaps.
And gaps are almost always known before they’re exploited.
Have Any Question?
Contact us today for a free consultation and discover how we can help you secure, streamline, and empower your business for success!
