Unpacking 4 Cybersecurity Trends for MSPs

Cyber threats have grown more sophisticated, targeted, and persistent. MSPs (Managed Service Providers) sit at the crossroads of cybersecurity and scalability. As an MSP, being unaware of cybersecurity trends could spell disaster for both you and your customers. From ransomware that's become adept at evading traditional defenses to phishing scams that are more convincing than ever, the threats are real and immediate. Here, we’ll examine four cybersecurity trends and how content filtering can help you address each one.

Zero Trust is No Longer Optional

As the traditional perimeter fades into obsolescence, organizations are shifting their security posture to protect users and workloads, not just physical locations. This evolution brings sharper focus to identity, context, and continuous validation across environments.

Under Zero Trust, no user, device, or application is inherently trusted. Every access request is verified—every time. Monitoring DNS queries for signs of suspicious behavior—like sudden spikes or access to newly registered domains—can provide an early signal of compromise. 

These DNS anomalies often serve as breadcrumbs leading to serious threats: communication with command-and-control servers, malware deployment, or data exfiltration. The sooner these patterns are detected, the faster organizations can take action—whether that means blocking the connection, isolating the endpoint, or kicking off an investigation.

This approach perfectly supports the Zero Trust mantra: never trust, always verify. Content filtering and DNS monitoring becomes a critical enforcement point, validating every request before it ever reaches the network.

AI and Machine Learning: The Sword and the Shield

Taking advantage of AI-based tools—or platforms that leverage machine learning models to scale security operations—is quickly becoming a competitive necessity, not a luxury. Threat actors are using generative AI to craft more convincing scams, automate attacks, and even bypass traditional security layers. In response, MSPs are turning to AI/ML-based solutions for threat detection, behavior analysis, and anomaly detection.

Leveraging AI-based tools—particularly those built on machine learning models—at the DNS layer allows MSPs to scale content filtering with precision and speed. These solutions analyze DNS queries in real time, learning from billions of data points to detect and block malicious, deceptive, or policy-violating domains before a connection is ever established. Unlike static blocklists, AI-powered DNS filtering evolves continuously, identifying emerging threats such as malware, phishing, and botnet domains.

For MSPs managing multiple client environments, this intelligence is invaluable. It reduces manual overhead, strengthens protection across remote and hybrid networks, and enables proactive threat mitigation without requiring full endpoint access.

Read the article by our CEO, Ken Carnesi, on how to securely implement an AI strategy.

Compliance and Regulation Challenges

New regulations are setting the bar higher for data protection, making compliance a moving target. For MSPs, this means constantly updating their offerings to meet rigorous standards, a task that can be as daunting as tackling cybersecurity threats themselves.

MSPs can become trusted advisors by offering simplified compliance mapping, security audits, and policy automation services.

Read my article on navigating cloud compliance challenges for MSPs for more on this topic.

Cloud Misconfigurations & Shadow IT Risk

With the explosion of SaaS adoption, shadow IT is growing at an alarming rate—and it’s bringing a surge of cloud misconfigurations along with it. Employees often spin up tools, create accounts, or connect to third-party services without ever informing IT. For MSPs, that means clients are interacting with a patchwork of unmanaged applications and cloud services that fall completely outside the purview of traditional security controls.

The challenge? You can’t secure what you can’t see.

That’s where content filtering at the DNS layer becomes a critical line of defense. By inspecting and controlling outbound DNS requests, MSPs can gain visibility into which applications users are accessing—even when they’re off-network or using personal devices. This level of insight helps uncover unauthorized tools, enforce acceptable use policies, and reduce the risk of data exposure via misconfigured or unvetted platforms.

Even more importantly, DNS filtering can automatically block connections to risky or untrusted domains—including newly registered domains that may harbor hidden threats or have poor security hygiene. It’s a scalable, low-latency way to enforce policy without intrusive agents or full network access, which is especially valuable in today’s hybrid and decentralized environments.

Start your free trial of DNSFilter.

When it comes to cybersecurity trends, there is always a new fad. But no matter what that fad might be, you need critical layers of defense to help protect your MSP and your customers. Content filtering and threat blocking at the DNS layer is one of the integral components of every security stack.

Check out the 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions from our CTO, TK Keanini.