Industry Intel

Phishing attacks are a significant threat to consumers, with cybercriminals constantly evolving their tactics to deceive unsuspecting individuals. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into phishing schemes has made these attacks even more sophisticated and challenging to detect.

AI-enabled phishing attacks seriously threaten consumers and their data. The volume of these attacks is staggering with an estimated 3.4 billion spam emails sent daily. The financial impact of phishing attacks amount to over $52 million so far in 2025. The threat of AI phishing attacks is pervasive, so let’s get prepared. Find out how AI enhances phishing attacks on consumers and how you can learn to identify and protect yourself.

How AI enhances phishing attacks

1. Personalized phishing 

AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from social media, public records, and other online sources to create highly personalized phishing messages. By understanding the target’s interests, behaviors, and communication patterns, AI can craft messages that appear more legitimate and relevant, increasing the likelihood of the target falling for the scam.

For example, you receive a text message from your bank using your name and asking you to authorize a recent purchase that happens to be from Amazon or another retailer you frequent. To authorize the purchase, you need to click an obfuscated link that  will bring you to a fake website that mimics your bank’s website. When you enter your information, it will be stolen.  

2. Automated phishing campaigns

AI can automate the process of creating and sending phishing emails, allowing cybercriminals to launch large-scale campaigns with minimal effort. Machine learning models can generate convincing email templates, select appropriate recipients, and even schedule the timing of emails to maximize their impact.

Automated phishing scams usually aren’t full of personalize data, but are targeted to an audience that will think the email was meant for them.

3. Deepfake technology

Deepfake technology, powered by AI, can create realistic audio and video content that mimics the appearance and voice of trusted individuals. This technology can be used in phishing attacks to create fake video calls or voice messages from a CEO or other authority figures, convincing employees to transfer funds or share sensitive information.

How to detect AI-enabled phishing attacks

1. Scrutinize email addresses and URLs

Always check the sender’s email address and the URLs in the email. Phishing emails often use addresses that look similar to legitimate ones, but have slight variations. Hover over links to see the actual URL before clicking. For example: info1@wellsfargo.com

2. Look for generic greetings

Phishing emails often use generic greetings like “Dear Customer” instead of your name. Legitimate companies usually personalize their communications.

3. Check for spelling and grammar errors

Many phishing emails contain spelling and grammar mistakes. While AI-generated emails are becoming more sophisticated, errors can still be a red flag.

4. Be wary of urgent or threatening language

Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency or fear to prompt immediate action. Be cautious of emails that threaten account suspension or demand immediate payment.

5. Verify unexpected attachments or links

If you receive an unexpected attachment or link, verify its legitimacy before opening it. Contact the sender through a different communication channel to confirm. Also, ensure the sender is legitimate.

6. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Enable multi-factor authentication on your accounts. This adds an extra layer of security, making it more difficult for cybercriminals to gain access even if they obtain your login credentials.

Protecting against AI-enabled phishing attacks

1. Advanced email filtering

Use advanced email filtering solutions that leverage AI and machine learning to detect and block phishing emails. Google blocks about 100 million phishing emails a day.

2. Regular software updates

Keep your software and systems up to date. Regular updates often include security patches that protect against known vulnerabilities.

3. User education and awareness

Stay informed about the latest phishing tactics and educate yourself on how to recognize phishing attempts. Awareness is a crucial defense against phishing attacks.

4. Identity protection and antivirus

Invest in all-in-one protection for your identity that includes a password manager, VPN, antivirus and even dark web monitoring. Webroot’s Total Protection allows you to live your life digitally without worry.  

Stay in the know

AI-enabled phishing attacks represent a significant evolution in the tactics used by cybercriminals. As these attacks become more sophisticated, it is essential for consumers to adopt advanced security measures and stay vigilant. By leveraging AI for defense, investing in user education, we can better protect ourselves against the growing threat of AI-driven phishing attacks.

To learn more about how to protect yourself and the solutions that help keep your digital life safe, visit Webroot.

For most of us, tax season is all about finding documents, filling out forms, and crossing your fingers you’re getting a refund. But while you’re busy trying to get your returns filed on time, tax scammers and identity thieves are busy trying to steal your precious personal information.

During tax season, a vast amount of valuable personal and financial data is shared online, making it prime time for cybercriminals to rob you of your confidential information, identity, and money. According to the IRS, almost 300,000 cases of identity theft were reported in 2024, leading to $5.5 billion in tax fraud. That’s why each year, the IRS releases its list of Dirty Dozen Tax Scams. Here are some of the top schemes you need to watch out for this tax season.

Common tax scams to watch out for in 2025

• IRS Impersonation: The most common type of tax fraud starts with a phone call, text or email. The fraudster claims to be from the IRS and says you owe back taxes. They demand immediate payment, using threats of arrest, business or driver’s license suspension, or deportation. These scams often target vulnerable people, such as the elderly or immigrants, and take advantage of the fear and uncertainty many people have about tax returns. It’s easy to avoid these scams by remembering this important tip – the first time the IRS contacts you, it will be by U.S. mail only, never by phone, text or email!
• Phishing emails and text messages: Phishing schemes can happen through emails, texts or social media. Scammers send messages to try to trick you into sharing sensitive information like W-2 forms, usernames, passwords, and account details. They sometimes offer big refunds or threaten to charge penalties. Never click links or open attachments in unsolicited messages, as they may contain malicious software. You can learn how to report suspected phishing here.
• Tax Preparers Impersonators: Ghost tax return preparers pretend to be tax professionals, but they’re not actually certified. They may promise large or fast refunds to get your business. Impersonators often fill out your tax return, but then refuse to sign it or include their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which is required by law. Sometimes they simply file a fraudulent return and take your money, leaving you liable for any false information and penalties.
• Identity theft refund fraud: Scammers use your stolen data to file a fraudulent electronic tax return in your name. They collect a refund, and you may not even know you’ve been targeted until your own return is rejected. The best way to avoid tax refund fraud is to file your return early. If a criminal files first, reclaiming  your refund can be a long and difficult process. 

Warning signs of tax scams

• Unexpected communications claiming to be from IRS: The IRS will never ask for sensitive information or payment via email, phone, text or social media.
• Demands for immediate payment: The IRS will never demand immediate payment – you will always be given the opportunity to appeal a tax debt.
• Threats of legal action or arrest: The IRS will not threaten you with police action or deportation.
• Requests for unusual payment methods: The IRS doesn’t demand specific types of payment, including in-person payments, prepaid debit cards or gift cards.
• Promises of unusually large refunds: If someone promises you a bigger-than-normal refund, be wary. You could be scammed into filing a fraudulent return and end up on the hook for any false claims.

How to protect yourself

• Verify tax preparer credentials: Always use a trusted tax preparer to prepare your return.
• Use secure filing methods: Here are tips to file your tax return safely.
• Protect personal information: Treat your personal information as confidential files. Don’t carry your Social Security card with you and guard your tax records and other private data.
• Report suspicious activity: Report any suspected tax fraud here.
• Know how the IRS communicates: Physical mail is the preferred form of messaging for the IRS. Always confirm the validity of any IRS communications.
• Get antivirus protection for all your personal data: Webroot solutions safeguard against tax-related phishing scams, as well as viruses and malware designed to steal your private information.
• Use identity protection: For tax season and every other season, Webroot Premium and Webroot Total Protection offer all-in-one device and identity protection to keep your valuable data safe from scammers. A single subscription can safeguard your entire digital life with dark web monitoring, rapid alerts regarding fraudulent activity, 24/7 customer support, and $1 million reimbursement for stolen funds and other expenses related to identity theft.
• Back up your tax records: Make digital and physical backups of your tax documents. Store electronic copies in an encrypted cloud storage service  and keep printed copies in a secure location. Carbonite is the perfect solution. It encrypts your tax documents and all your other data in the cloud and offers continuous backups and unlimited storage.

What to do if you’re a victim of tax fraud

• Contact IRS Taxpayer Protection Program
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Invest in Webroot Total Protection for comprehensive identity protection, financial monitoring, and data backup.

Looking for more information and solutions?

Tips for Choosing a Tax Return Preparer

IRS – Tax Scam Warning

Common Tax Season Scams

Avoiding AI Tax Scams

Our digital lives are filled with essential personal information, and it’s easy to forget how vulnerable all that data can be. But if your hard drive crashes, your laptop gets stolen, or you fall victim to cybercrime, the loss can be devastating. Your financial records, your work files, and even years of family photos can disappear in and instance. It’s a nightmare scenario that happens more often than you think. That’s why March 31st is World Backup Day, serving as a reminder that the right backup strategy can save you the frustration, cost, and the heartache of losing information that’s dear to you.

Backing up your data simply means creating copies of your important files and storing them in secure, encrypted locations. This ensures that even if something goes wrong and your data disappears, you’ll be able to recover it. Yet, many people don’t take these important steps to protect their digital lives. Despite all the risks, 20% of people rarely or never back up their data, leaving them vulnerable to irreversible loss.

Common causes of data loss

• Human error: This is the number one cause of data loss, according to a report highlighted in PC World. Nobody’s perfect, and we all run the risk of accidents, from deleting files to spilling coffee on a laptop.
• Hard drive failure: It happens! Hard drives are a great way to backup, but these devices can and do suffer data loss. Many hard drives fail in less than three years, and it’s been found that the newer drives have shorter lifespans than those manufactured before 2015.
• Software corruption: When software or data is damaged, it can become unusable or unreadable. This can be caused by software bugs, hardware failures, viruses and malware, resulting in system crashes or data corruption.
• Malware and ransomware attacks: Cybercriminals also deploy malware to lock, steal, or destroy your files. Ransomware is a type of malware  that prevents you from accessing your files and demands a ransom for their return.
• Natural disasters and theft: Threats like fires and floods, as well as burglaries and robberies, can lead to crippling data loss if all your information is stored in just one vulnerable place.

The 3-2-1 backup strategy

Avoiding common threats can be as easy as 1-2-3, or should we say 3-2-1? By using the 3-2-1 backup rule, you’ll give yourself comprehensive protection against the many forms of potential data loss.

• 3 Copies: always keep three copies of your data- your original plus two backups.
• 2 Different Media Types:  Store your backups on two different types of media – for example, use an external hard drive and a cloud storage service, like Carbonite. Using encryption is also crucial for protecting against data loss because it transforms sensitive information into an unreadable format.
• 1 Offsite Backup: Keep at least one backup in a different physical location, like a  separate worksite or a safety deposit box.

Backup options to consider

• External hard drives
  These are great for local backups, but can be vulnerable to theft, damage, and hardware failure.
• Cloud backup services
  Look for cloud-based solutions that offer encrypted, automatic, and unlimited backup to ensure files are always protected. Carbonite makes it easy to continuously and securely backup all your data with 128-byte protection. And because all backups are stored offsite, in the cloud, you can easily access them anytime, anyplace, and restore them with just a click.
• Network-attached storage
  A network attached storage (NAS) device is a dedicated file storage system connected to a network, which enables data sharing across various devices.

Why backing up is essential

• Protects your important data from hardware failure, cyber-attacks, and accidental deletion.
• Ensures that your valuable data is encrypted, secure, and accessible when you need it.
• Saves you the time, money and stress associated with attempting to recover lost data.
• Preserves your cherished personal memories, like photos and videos, from being lost forever.
• Helps maintain business continuity by offering a quick recovery from data loss.
• Offers businesses resiliency and compliance across their organization.

Backup action plan

✅ Test your backups regularly: Check that your files are retrievable on a regular basis.

✅ Set a backup schedule:  Automate the frequency of your backups according to your needs.

✅ Create a backup strategy: Prioritize which documents, photos, and databases need protection first.

✅ Create a disaster recovery plan: Outline steps for restoring data in case of an emergency.

✅ Use antivirus protection: Secure your system with  antivirus protection to prevent malware and ransomware attacks.

✅ Use an offsite, secure, and unlimited solution like Carbonite for cloud backup:

• Offers options for individuals and businesses
• Automatic and continuous backup: No need to manually backup files
• End-to-end encryption: Keeps your data private and protected
• Easy file recovery: Restores lost or deleted files with just a few clicks
• Multiple device support: Protects desktops, laptops, and external drives

Take the World Backup Day pledge

There’s never been a better time to make backing up your data part of your routine. Make a promise to protect yourself today by taking this official pledge. “I solemnly swear to backup my important documents and precious memories on March 31st.” Then take a few simple steps to get started.

• Create your first backup
• Try the 3-2-1 backup strategy
• Secure your digital life with Carbonite

Backing up your files isn’t just about security, it’s about peace of mind. This World Backup Day, start building your own good backup habits. Protect your files and photos and finances now, because if disaster strikes you may never see them again. Consider this your wakeup call to make data protection a priority. Your future self will surely thank you!

Looking for more information and solutions?

• Make every day World Backup Day
• Computer backup questions answered
• Navigating online threats
• Protecting your digital life
• Cloud storage vs. cloud backup

March is a time for leprechauns and four-leaf clovers, and as luck would have it, it’s also a time to learn how to protect your private data from cybercrime. Each year, the first week of March (March 2-8) is recognized as National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). During this time, many government agencies and consumer protection organizations come together to help educate consumers on how to keep their personal and financial information secure.

The event is sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and other participating agencies include the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), AARP, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This month, take advantage of all that NCPW offers, including access to free tools and information that can help you identify and prevent online scams, fraud, and identity theft.

The growing risks to your data

• During the third quarter of 2024, data breaches exposed more than 422 million records worldwide. Millions of customers were put at risk when their social security numbers, phone numbers, and other sensitive personal information were leaked.
• As of 2024, the average cost of a data breach in the United States amounted to $9.36 million. In comparison, the global average cost per data breach was $4.88 million.
• The most common causes of leaks were operating system (OS) flaws and weaknesses on devices like computers and phones. For example, when a user forgets to log out before they leave their computer, it can open the door for cybercriminals to steal information. In fact, it’s estimated that careless users are responsible for about 70% of sensitive data loss.

Common attacks to consumer protection

• Identity theft and fraud
  Some common types of identity theft and fraud include account takeover fraud, when criminals use stolen personal information such as account numbers, usernames, or passwords to hijack bank accounts, credit cards, and even email and social media accounts.
• Online shopping scams
  An online shopping scam usually involves a fake online store or app, which appears legitimate and is promoted on social media or other authentic websites.
• Financial fraud
  With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), financial fraud tactics are growing more sophisticated, and sadly, they often target older people. For example, grandparent scams happen when someone who sounds like a grandchild or other relative contacts an older person and asks them to send money via wire transfer to help get them out of trouble. Scammers use AI to clone voices, which helps them convince you that you’re sending money to a family member who desperately needs your help.
• Medical identity theft
  Medical identity theft happens when someone steals or uses your personal information like your name, Social Security number, or Medicare details, to get healthcare in your name. This kind of fraud can disrupt your medical care and cost a lot of money to resolve.
• Social engineering attacks
  Social engineering attacks occur when someone uses a fake persona to gain your trust. They deceive you into divulging confidential information so they can steal your money. Contact is usually made through social media, by phone or in person.

How to protect yourself and your data

• Smart ways to secure your devices
  • Strong passwords – Make them long, random, and unique.
  • Password managers – Automatically generate and store strong passwords.
  • Antivirus protection – Software that protects against viruses and malware.
  • Solutions – Webroot Premium and Webroot Essentials offer ultimate protection and include password managers.
• Best practices for financial diligence
  • Credit monitoring services – Keep an eye on your credit for you.
  • Fraud alerts and credit freezes – Protect you from identity theft.
  • Secure payment methods – Ensure safe processing of financial transactions.
  • Protect your identity – Webroot Premium provides identity protection for up to 10 identities, including financial account and credit monitoring, and dark web monitoring.
• Beware before you share
  • Phishing scams – Avoid clicking on malicious links in emails and social media.
  • Unsolicited calls or emails – Be wary about sharing personal details with people you do not know.
  • Make sure businesses and organizations are legitimate – Confirm you’re dealing with a trusted source.
  • Webroot Essentials and Webroot Premium – Offer peace of mind with device, identity, and privacy protection.
• Practice personal Information management
  • Data minimization strategies – Provide the least number of private details necessary when filling out forms or answering questionnaires     .      
  • Social media privacy – Avoid sharing personal information on social media.
  • Document disposal – Shred sensitive documents.
  • Backup solutions – Carbonite automatically backs up and protects your data.

It takes more than good luck to protect your private data and finances from cybercriminals, so be sure to grab this opportunity to learn more about staying safe from online fraud.

Looking for more information and solutions:

• National Consumer Protection Week
• FDIC
• 10 Steps to Safeguarding Your Privacy Online
• Why Backing Up Your Data is a Must
• Webroot Premium
• Webroot AntiVirus
• Webroot Secure VPN

Cyber threats. Identity theft. Online profiling. Financial fraud. Social media misuse. The list just gets longer. As more aspects of our lives move online and digital devices proliferate, staying safe from threats has become more important than ever.

Consider all the connected devices you use for daily tasks—browsing, shopping, banking, gaming, and more. Then think about all the content that you share on these devices every day; much of it likely contains sensitive or critical information that, in the wrong hands, could lead to serious damage with long-lasting impact.

The solution? Comprehensive digital protection. Webroot Total Protection is the latest release in our Customer Digital Life Protection strategy that checks all the boxes. It’s a top-end, true all-in-one offering based on a new platform that combines antivirus, password manager, identity protection, VPN, backup, and parental controls.

1. Protect your devices from viruses

How confident are you that your digital music, photos, and important documents—as well as email and applications—are safe? Cybercriminals are constantly developing new malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks that can steal identities, encrypt memorable family photos and documents for ransom, and turn home computers into devices that criminals take over to send spam or steal data.

Effective security software shields you from worms, trojans, adware, and more. And it protects not just your PC and laptop, but also your tablets, smartphones, and other digital devices.

Comprehensive antivirus software is most effective when used in conjunction with security best practices. Here are a few:

• Make sure your antivirus software performs scans regularly
• Install the latest security patches for your operating systems
• Keep your antivirus software up to date
• Be careful when downloading new apps onto devices; only download from app stores you trust
• Regularly backup important data

2. Protect your privacy in your online activities

Sharing information has become commonplace in our digital lives. From purchasing a plane ticket to opening a bank account and registering to vote, or simply doing your grocery shopping online, getting through the day without sharing at least some personal information online seems nearly impossible.

The flip side to this convenience, however, is that we risk losing control over who can access our personal information. Malicious actors are constantly seeking to collect personal data to commit fraud, steal identities, harass and threaten individuals, and more.

Protecting privacy is a top priority for families facing growing threats. Password managers generate strong, unique passwords and simplify their use, protecting you and saving time by automatically filling in credentials for website and app logins. Besides, using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) that establishes secure connections to public Wi-Fi hotspots by encrypting data transmission will keep you safe and anonymous when you’re away from home.

By paying attention to your device settings you can take steps to protect your privacy across your digital life:

• Social media: Choose who can see your posts, photos, and personal information and review these settings regularly. Set your default sharing settings to “friends” or a more restricted group rather than “public.” Check which third-party apps have access to your account and remove those you no longer use.
• Mobile devices: Disable location, camera, microphone, and contact list access for apps that don’t truly need them. Consider turning off location services when not needed and review which apps track your location in the background.
• Web browsers: Clear your browsing history and cookies regularly, block third-party cookies, and enable “do not track” features. Review and manage which sites can send you notifications, access your location, or use your camera/microphone.
• Smart home devices: Review privacy settings for voice assistants like Alexa or Google Home regularly. Check what data these devices collect and adjust accordingly.
• Email services: Keep tabs on apps and services that have access to your email account. Adjust spam filter settings to your preferences.
• Operating systems: Check your privacy settings to control app permissions, data access, and tracking features.

3. Safeguard your identity and private information

Once only seen in spy movies, identity theft today is very real, and poses serious financial, legal, and personal consequences. Bad actors can drain your bank accounts, open fraudulent credit cards, take out loans, file false tax returns, obtain medical services in your name, and more. The results range from damaged credit and mounting debt to inaccurate medical records and reputation damage.

Some steps you can take to protect your identity include:

• Monitoring financial activity: Check bank and credit card statements each month for unauthorized charges. Set up alerts for unusual transactions and review your credit reports.
• Securing personal information: Only share Social Security numbers, birth dates, or account numbers when absolutely necessary. Shred or securely dispose of documents containing sensitive information and keep important documents in a secure location.
• Be wary of scams: You shouldn’t respond to unsolicited phone calls, emails, or texts requesting personal information—legitimate organizations typically won’t ask for sensitive details through these channels.
• Consider additional protection: Identity theft protection services monitor your credit and personal information for suspicious activity and alert you to anomalies. Many will also reimburse up to $1 million for fraud expenses, stolen funds, and related costs such as lawyer and expert fees, lost wages, private investigator charges, and additional childcare or eldercare. They can also help you re-establish your identity—on average it takes 200 hours to restore an identity after fraud.

How does an identity protection plan work?

Usually such services include a secure online portal where you can register your personal data, like date of birth, driver’s license, SSN, account numbers, and more. Once you subscribe, make sure to take the time to create your profile and that of your family members, so you can start getting identity health reports and rapid alerts right away in case anything fraudulent is detected!

If identity theft does happen, freeze any accounts with fraudulent charges and establish a fraud alert with credit bureaus. You can file an official identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. Contact relevant organizations, such as the Social Security Administration if your SSN was stolen. Close compromised accounts and open new ones with different account numbers, and new passwords and PINs.

If you think the process of restoring your identity after theft is daunting, rest assure that cybersecurity or insurance companies offer identity protection plans that include the help of a remediation expert, who can guide you through the process. These professionals have in-depth knowledge of identity theft laws, credit reporting procedures, fraud resolution practices, and how to interact with various institutions to resolve issues effectively.

Protect the data, document and precious memories stored on your devices

Theft isn’t the only threat to data – consider the impact that hardware failures, coffee spills, and accidental deletions can have on favorite photos, digital memories, and other unreplaceable items. This is where data encryption and automated backups come in.

Data encryption protects data by translating it into a different, unreadable form using an encryption key. When it’s in that encrypted form, only someone with the unique decryption key or password can translate the data back into its readable state. Encryption is one of the most effective and widely used forms of data security available.

With automated backup you can create a backup schedule that you can set and forget. Back-up files are typically uploaded to the cloud so they are accessible from anywhere. Changes that you make on your files are reflected in the backup ones.

Data protection best practices include:

• Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of data, on two different types of media, with one copy off-site
• Test restore procedures regularly
• Keep encryption keys and passwords secure but accessible
• Monitor backup logs and storage capacity
• Regularly update backup software for security patches

You may already be protected in one or several of these areas,
but how could you make sure you truly have comprehensive protection?

Introducing Webroot Total Protection

With the mounting threats out there, it’s time to consider comprehensive digital protection so you can rest easy that your devices are safe and your content, identity, and privacy are protected. Webroot Total Protection empowers families to enjoy their digital life to the fullest by protecting connected devices, documents, best memories, online transactions, and identities in a way that’s flexible and affordable.
Learn more about what Webroot Total Protection can do for your digital life.

OpenText recently surveyed 255 MSPs to uncover key trends shaping the future of Managed Detection and Response (MDR). One technology area it explored was security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR)—the workhorse behind automating security workflows. The survey revealed several key benefits of SOAR in MDR, highlighting how it can help MSPs and SMBs improve incident response, reduce alert fatigue, and deliver round-the-clock security.

SOAR is a technology that enables security teams to automate and streamline their workflows—from threat detection to response. It integrates and coordinates security tools and processes, helping analysts handle and respond to incidents. By automating repetitive tasks, such as triaging alerts and executing response actions, SOAR reduces manual effort and speeds up incident resolution. This improves the overall effectiveness of security operations, making it a critical component of modern MDR solutions.

Real-world benefits of SOAR for MDR solutions

Automation of common tasks
In the survey, 30% of MSPs pointed to automation of common tasks as the most valuable benefit of SOAR within an MDR service—and it’s easy to see why. Automation allows MSPs to streamline repetitive tasks like alert triage and standard response workflows. By speeding up incident resolution and ensuring consistent, accurate responses, SOAR helps MSPs address threats swiftly and effectively. This not only reduces the burden on security teams but also enables them to outpace adversaries and deliver stronger protection for their customers.

Improved 24/7/365 protection and after-hours response
Cybercriminals know that timing is everything. They often strike outside of business hours—late at night, on weekends, or during holidays—because they count on reduced staffing and slower response times to give them the upper hand. However, with MDR services leveraging SOAR, cybercriminals lose their “after hours advantage.”

According to the survey, 27% of MSPs identified improved 24/7/365 protection and after-hours response as a top SOAR benefit as part of an MDR solution. By automating detection and response using customizable workflows, SOAR ensures security measures are always on, regardless of the time or day.

Reduced alert fatigue
Alert fatigue is one of the most pressing challenges for security teams today. When bombarded with an overwhelming number of alerts, it’s easy for critical threats to get lost in the noise. SOAR directly tackles this issue, helping MSPs streamline their processes and focus on what really matters. In fact, 24% of MSPs in the survey noted that SOAR’s ability to reduce alert fatigue thereby improving accuracy and confidence was a key benefit for an MDR solution.

SOAR works by automatically analyzing security alerts against predefined rules and context, escalating the most critical threats to the surface. This not only sharpens the accuracy of responses but also enables security teams to act quickly and decisively. Security teams can use SOAR to create workflows to remediate the high-priority incidents that truly need attention, ensuring that any financial and reputational damage is minimized

Centralized incident management with enriched alerts
When it comes to incident management, having a disjointed view can slow down response times and make it harder to pinpoint the right course of action. That’s why 19% of MSPs in the survey highlighted centralized incident management and enriched alerts as one of the top benefits of SOAR for an MDR solution.

Alerts are enriched with the latest threat intelligence, which provides security teams with vital context. This deeper layer of information helps analysts understand the full scope and severity of an alert, allowing them to make quicker, more informed decisions. With SOAR, all relevant data is centralized in one platform, giving security teams a unified view that enhances their ability to respond effectively and prioritize the most critical threats without missing crucial details.

MDR with SOAR helps MSPs differentiate their offering

For MSPs, leveraging SOAR capabilities in their MDR offerings is a strategic move that can significantly enhance their service delivery. By focusing on the key benefits of automation using workflows, 24/7 protection, reduced alert fatigue, and centralized incident management, MSPs can provide a superior level of security that meets the evolving needs of their SMB clients. This differentiation not only improves client outcomes but also positions MSPs as leaders in the competitive security services market.

Incorporating SOAR into MDR services enables MSPs to offer a more efficient, reliable, and comprehensive security solution. With SOAR automating routine tasks, improving after-hours response, reducing alert fatigue, and centralizing incident management, MSPs can ensure that their clients receive the best possible defense against cyber threats. This approach not only enhances the overall security posture of SMBs but also builds trust and confidence in the MSPs’ ability to safeguard their clients’ digital assets.

Final thoughts

When MSPs choose to partner with a vendor for MDR, it’s important to select one that integrates SOAR into their offering. By doing so, MSPs can deliver a modern, proactive MDR service that improves security posture and provides the best experience for their SMB customers. SOAR accelerates response actions to stop adversaries in their tracks at every turn, ensuring that MSPs can swiftly detect and respond to threats before they inflict damage. With SOAR at the core, MSPs can offer a superior MDR service that adapts to the rapidly changing threat landscape, keeping their customers secure, happy, and confident.