Many businesses outsource the management of IT and network resources to managed service providers (MSPs), and some use managed security service providers (MSSPs), as well. These are important partners, but they can introduce risk, too, since they can serve as the launching platform for attacks into customer systems.
Attackers often target MSPs/MSSPs since compromising their networks can potentially net them access to multiple businesses. If an attacker can compromise a business network, it can then move into critical systems, learn workflows, and, ultimately, steal money or valuable information such as credit card data.
