Pax8’s Senior Director of Security, Mostyn Thomas examines why implementing the leading best practice provides much needed protection from the new and evolving threats.
As we progress through 2025 and cyber attacks continue to threaten businesses and organisations, the need to shore up security provision must be a top priority for the Channel. Particularly now that the NIS2 directive was introduced in October 2024, setting out rules for the cyber security of networks and critical entities in the European Union. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is well placed to help guide organisations through best practice in cyber security and offer leading guidance to increase defence capability throughout the UK, Ireland, and EMEA.
One of the Center’s solutions, CIS Controls, provides a practical and highly effective framework for MSPs to implement on behalf of their clients to ensure exceptional cyber hygiene and simplified best practice to future proof security in the long term. So, what is CIS Controls and what are the fundamentals for MSPs to leverage insights to serve their clients and customers?
The fundamental role of security frameworks
When it comes to future-proofing security protocol and shoring up defence capability, there are several benefits that implementing frameworks like CIS Controls can bring for MSPs. The framework offers a clear roadmap for organisations, not only allowing them to have a stronger focus on supply chain security and continuous monitoring but also offering advanced risk management and incident response services. A key advantage of the bespoke framework is that it is designed with scale in mind. This means it benefits smaller MSPs on their growth journeys as well as mature organisations that are continuing to expand and grow like never before.
Much like other security governance frameworks such as NIS2 that provides key context and priorities for the EMEA region specifically, the overarching guiding principles and security posture of CIS Controls are constantly updated to reflect the evolving threat landscape. This ensures potential risks and best practice are in tune with the security landscape.
From incident response management to data protection
Even though many comprehensive cyber security programs across the Channel in the UK, Ireland and wider EMEA region issue guidance for protection, detection, response, and recovery, for MSPs and early on organisations, the latter are often overlooked. CIS Controls outlines the crucial element of incident response and how MSPs can identify threats to them or their enterprise clients and respond to them before they spread, offering a remediate approach before they cause harm. Like with any cyber attack, without fully understanding the scope of an incident, such as how it happened, and what can be done to avoid repetition, MSPs will otherwise be following a ‘blind’ approach to cyber resilience.
Data protection is a fundamental consideration for any security operation and will become a key challenge for MSPs throughout the UK, Ireland and further beyond EMEA, particularly with the high volumes of data that will be processed and generated from the use of AI solutions. Data is everywhere. It’s in the cloud, on portable end-user devices and is often shared with partners or online services that might have it anywhere in the world. Ensuring that MSPs and organisations are compliant when it comes to handling and using data will be of utmost importance this year. CIS Controls outlines how data must be appropriately managed through its entire life cycle.
These privacy rules can be complicated for organisations of all sizes which is why Pax8 launched the Cyber Security, Data and AI Masterclasses to guide MSPs innovating in the UK, Ireland and further afield to better understand the fundamentals. Without this guidance the dangers include attackers penetrating an enterprise’s infrastructure and finding and exfiltrating data. Enterprises might not be aware that sensitive data is leaving their environment because they are not monitoring data outflows in this area.
Training, education and compliancy for the future
It goes without saying that for MSPs to effectively manage the security posture for not only their organisation but also their clients, it’s fundamental to invest in ongoing training for their teams to fully leverage CIS Controls and ensure that they can effectively implement and manage the sophisticated security measures outlined. Often, employees act as the first or final line of defence, and when it comes to phishing-based attacks, they act as gatekeepers by giving criminals the keys to the door by being tricked into allowing access to sensitive information. Training needs to be a central part of MSPs’ education strategy, potentially spelling the difference between protecting a client’s sensitive information and risking the closure to a small business. This ensures compliancy and prevents organisations from incurring fines, charges and wider repercussions that could affect the longevity of the business.
Not only must MSPs leverage CIS Controls to enhance their cyber security offerings, strengthen client security, and streamline compliance efforts, by implementing security measures, MSPs can reduce risk, improve threat detection, and deliver proactive security management tailored to both their individual and client business needs. Aligning with CIS Controls helps MSPs meet regulatory requirements more efficiently, build trust with clients, and differentiate their services in a competitive market. By integrating these best practices into their managed security services, MSPs can not only protect their own infrastructure but also deliver robust, industry-standard security solutions that help clients stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.
