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What Is a Cyber Threat 164.68 Million Records Exposed

A cyber threat is any attempt to steal data or disrupt business operations. In 2019, the United States recorded 1,473 data breaches and 164.68 million sensitive records exposed. Small and midsize businesses (PMEs) are especially at risk. As PayPal CEO Dan Schulman noted, there are companies that have been hacked and those that do not know they have been hacked.

Phishing 90% of Breaches Start Here

Phishing emails, texts, or chats trick employees into sharing passwords or financial details. With over 90% of breaches tied to phishing or social engineering (Verizon DBIR), one click can compromise an entire network. See our short guide in Resources.

Watering Hole Attacks 1 Compromised Site Can Infect Many

A watering hole attack targets trusted websites used by specific industries. Guidance from CISA shows how one infected site can spread malware to many businesses that regularly visit.

Drive By Downloads 60% Exploit Unpatched Systems

Drive by downloads happen when outdated or unpatched systems allow silent installs of malicious software. Studies attribute a large share of breaches to unpatched vulnerabilities (IBM Cost of a Data Breach). AET Managed IT can automate patching and updates.

Malware Ransomware Costs SMBs 1.85M on Average

Malware includes viruses, ransomware, spyware, worms, and Trojans. The Sophos State of Ransomware reports average ransomware impacts for SMBs measured in the millions. Protect endpoints with AET Cybersecurity.

Why SMBs Need Cybersecurity 50% Close After an Attack

According to the U.S. SEC, about half of small businesses close within six months of a major cyberattack due to reimbursements, downtime, emergency IT spend, and reputation loss. Keep teams operational with AET Helpdesk.

10 Security Controls Do Them in 30 Days

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (Microsoft 365 MFA)
2. Password Manager (1Password Business)
3. Endpoint Detection and Response (CrowdStrike Falcon)
4. Patching Routine (NIST Patch Management Guide)
5. DNS Filtering (Cisco Umbrella)
6. Least Privilege Access (NIST Glossary)
7. 3-2-1 Backups (Veeam Backup Rule)
8. Awareness Training (KnowBe4 Training)
9. Email Filtering (Proofpoint Security)
10. Incident Drill (CISA Guidance)

Prioritize Fast 4 Weeks 10 Controls

• Week 1: MFA + password manager
• Week 2: Patching + DNS filtering
• Week 3: Awareness + email filtering
• Week 4: Backups + drill + least privilege

Download the full 30-Day Security Playbook (EN/FR PDF) to follow step by step.

Who Does What 3 Roles to Assign

• Owner / Leadership: Approves MFA, drives culture, joins drills
• IT/Vendor: Deploys patching, filtering, EDR (Managed IT Services)
• Employees: Use password manager, complete training, follow rules

Final Word 86% of Breaches Are Financially Motivated

According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 86% of breaches are financially motivated. By applying these 10 baseline controls, SMBs in Québec can reduce risk, protect customer trust, and avoid being another statistic.

What’s Inside a ‘Managed IT’ Contract?

For many Montréal SMBs, “Managed IT services” (also called MSP Montréal) is a black box: you sign the contract, pay a monthly fee, and trust that your systems will run smoothly. But what are you actually getting for that fee — and how do you know it’s worth it? We’ve examined what a typical 20–100-employee business can expect from a Managed IT Services provider in Montréal, and how MSP pricing models stack up against real deliverables.

The Problem: Hidden Downtime Costs

Unplanned downtime for a 50-person firm in Montréal can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 per hour in lost productivity, missed sales, and firefighting. Without proactive IT monitoring and cybersecurity safeguards, small IT issues can escalate into costly operational bottlenecks. For guidance on protecting your business, see the Government of Canada’s cybersecurity guide for small businesses and CIRA’s security tips.

Core Components in a Solid MSP Package

A mature Managed IT plan will typically include:

For more on MSP best practices, the MSPAlliance resource center is a good reference.

SLAs That Actually Matter

Not all IT service level agreements are equal. The three that make or break an MSP relationship:

1. First Response Time – When a ticket is acknowledged. (Best practice: < 1 hour for standard issues, < 15 minutes for critical outages.)

2. Time-to-Resolve – Average duration from ticket submission to solution. (Aim: 90% of tickets resolved within the agreed time frame.)

3. Escalation Path – Defined process for critical incidents, with direct access to higher-tier engineers.

For standardized security frameworks, see the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Pricing Models in Montréal’s MSP Market

Most MSPs in Montréal price using one of two structures:

• Per-User – Flat monthly rate for each employee (usually $80–$150 per user).

• Per-Device – Rate based on managed desktops, laptops, servers, and network equipment.

Price drivers include:

• 24/7 coverage vs. business hours only

• Cybersecurity depth (basic antivirus vs. full SOC monitoring)

• Cloud infrastructure management

• Industry compliance (HIPAA, PCI, etc.)

For industry trend data, review CompTIA’s managed services insights.

Proof in Numbers: A Mini Case Study

A 25-person professional services firm in Montréal switched to a managed IT contract with formal SLAs. In the first six months:

• Tickets decreased by 32% due to proactive patching and monitoring.

• Average time-to-resolve dropped from 2.4 days to 6 hours.

• Staff satisfaction scores for IT support rose from 6.8 to 9.2 out of 10.

10 Questions to Ask Before Signing an MSP Contract

1. What’s your guaranteed first response time?

2. Do you have a defined escalation path for critical issues?

3. How often are backups tested?

4. Is EDR included, or is it an add-on?

5. Will you handle all vendor communications?

6. Can you provide quarterly performance reports?

7. What’s covered in your patching policy?

8. How do you secure remote connections?

9. Are after-hours issues included in the fee?

10. What’s the exit process if we leave?

FAQ

Q: How long does onboarding take?
A: Most Montréal MSPs can onboard a 20–50-person firm within 2–4 weeks, including network audit, documentation, and deployment of monitoring tools.

Q: Are we locked into long contracts?
A: Many providers require a 12–36-month agreement, but some offer month-to-month after the first year.

Q: What happens if we switch providers?
A: A professional managed IT provider will hand over documentation and credentials during a 30-day transition period.

Your Next Step

If you’re considering a Managed IT provider in Montréal, the difference between a $90/user plan and a $130/user plan isn’t always “more expensive” — it’s often more proactive, more secure, and more measurable. 📞 Book a 15-minute “MSP Fit” call to review your current setup and see where service gaps might be costing you.