RESPOND to Cyberthreats Before They Escalate With Kaseya 365 User

Discover how Kaseya 365 User’s RESPOND pillar enables you to react quickly and effectively to cyberthreats.

A cybersecurity incident, regardless of its magnitude, can be a daunting experience for businesses large and small. In our previous article, we explored the PREVENT pillar of Kaseya 365 User and how proactive security measures reduce cyber-risks before they materialize. However, even with robust preventive strategies in place, no organization or system is entirely immune to cyberthreats. Cybercriminals can launch successful attacks due to evolving techniques, user errors or unpatched security vulnerabilities. When a breach does occur, swift and decisive action is required to minimize damage and maintain operational continuity.

This brings us to Kaseya 365 User’s RESPOND pillar — a crucial next step in the cybersecurity lifecycle for protecting end users and their data. In this article, we will discuss the importance of a rapid response strategy, the common cyberthreats organizations face today and how the key components of Kaseya 365 User’s RESPOND pillar empower businesses like yours to take control in the face of an attack.

The need for a strong response strategy

In a recent survey, nearly 80% of respondents said they expect an increase in cybersecurity budgets in 2025. While organizations are assigning significant resources to prevent cyber incidents, they still face the risk of threats bypassing their defenses and disrupting operations. Having a robust response strategy is critical to addressing potential threats rapidly and neutralizing them before they turn into a full-blown crisis.

The cyberthreat reality

One of the key findings in the M-Trends 2024 Special Report is that attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated at evading detection. They are now concentrating on bypassing security measures, such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) while maintaining covert access for as long as possible. To achieve this, they exploit edge devices, leverage “living off the land” tactics and session hijacking and take advantage of zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used enterprise security solutions.

As per the report, the average dwell time of an undetected threat is now 10 days, down from 16 days in 2023. While this is a positive shift, Mandiant red teams usually accomplish their objectives within five to seven days. This means that although the average dwell time has decreased, bad actors can likely still get across in less time. Therefore, organizations must continue to stay focused and vigilant to withstand evolving threats.

Cyberattacks are costly and disruptive

Cybersecurity incidents cost organizations millions in downtime, lost customers, legal fees and reputational damage. According to the Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, breaches involving data stored in public clouds incurred the highest average cost, reaching $5.17 million per incident. Cybersecurity Ventures projects global cybercrime costs to soar to $10.5 trillion in 2025, reflecting a 15% year-over-year increase.

The Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 also revealed that organizations leveraging AI and automation in security saw the greatest cost savings. Compared to those without these technologies, they were able to reduce breach costs by an average of $2.22 million.

Common cyberthreats that require rapid response

Today’s increasingly digitized business environment is crowded by cybercriminal gangs looking for opportunities to exploit security gaps to infiltrate systems, steal sensitive data and disrupt business operations. Cyberattacks are growing in sophistication, frequency and intensity, wreaking havoc on organizations of all sizes. Without rapid incident response strategies in place, organizations remain vulnerable to escalating risks. Here are some of the most common and serious cyberthreats that demand immediate action.

Phishing and business email compromise attacks

According to the Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, phishing was responsible for 15% of breaches, which cost businesses an average of $4.88 million. Today’s AI-driven phishing attacks are much more convincing and appear more legitimate, capable of deceiving employees into revealing sensitive credentials or financial information.

Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are a more targeted form of phishing where attackers impersonate senior executives or vendors to manipulate financial transactions or gain access to an organization’s mission-critical data. BEC attacks often occur when cybercriminals compromise legitimate business email accounts using social engineering or computer intrusion tactics, enabling them to illegally transfer funds without detection. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Report 2023, BEC ranked as the second most costly cybercrime, with 21,489 reported incidents leading to $2.9 billion in losses.

Kaseya 365 User’s real-time alerts help organizations quickly identify and mitigate unauthorized access.

Ransomware attacks

Ransomware is one of the most pervasive and damaging cyber-risks facing businesses today. These types of cyberattacks involve encrypting an organization’s data and demanding payment for decryption keys. The 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) found that ransomware and other extortion tactics accounted for nearly one-third of all data breaches. Ransomware remained a top concern across 92% of industries.

Organizations without a rapid response plan often suffer prolonged downtime and significant financial losses. To minimize the impact of ransomware attacks, organizations must prioritize effective containment strategies and strong backup restoration protocols. Rapid containment is critical to stopping ransomware from spreading and mitigating the damage caused by ransomware incidents.

Kaseya 365 User enhances SaaS security by automatically locking compromised accounts to prevent further damage while seamlessly integrating with backup solutions for swift data restoration.

Insider threats

Malicious or negligent employees pose a serious security risk as they originate from within the organization and have authorized access to critical systems and data. An insider threat actor or insider can be anyone — an employee, a business partner, a contractor or a vendor. The Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 revealed that malicious insider attacks are the most expensive, costing organizations an average of $4.99 million per incident. Even more alarming, it takes organizations an average of 287 days to detect and contain these breaches.

Whether through intentional sabotage or accidental data exposure, insider threats can be difficult to detect and require immediate intervention to mitigate the damage. Kaseya 365 User provides visibility into SaaS applications and user behavior analytics to detect and respond effectively to authorized access.

Account takeover

Account takeover (ATO) attacks are increasing rapidly. Nearly 30% of internet users have fallen victim to ATO attacks in 2023. Cybercriminals use stolen or compromised credentials to gain unauthorized access to user accounts. Once inside, they move laterally within an organization to escalate their privileges, often mimicking legitimate user behavior. Without a swift response, attackers can exfiltrate sensitive data, conduct fraudulent transactions, spread malware and disrupt operations.

To defend against ATO attacks, organizations should implement multifactor authentication (MFA), continuous monitoring and advanced threat detection solutions. Kaseya 365 User automatically locks compromised accounts, giving IT teams the critical time needed to respond before attackers can cause further damage.

Key components of Kaseya 365 User’s RESPOND pillar

Cyberthreats aren’t a matter of “if” but “when.” The moment a threat emerges, quick action is crucial. A Kaseya 365 User subscription gives you access to advanced threat response tools that enable you to take swift, decisive action to prevent potential breaches and safeguard user accounts and sensitive data. The RESPOND pillar of Kaseya 365 User consists of the following components:

SaaS application management

Managing SaaS applications isn’t just about oversight; it’s about security, compliance and control. As businesses increasingly rely on SaaS applications like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce, effective management becomes critical to ensuring safe usage, regulatory compliance and data protection.

Kaseya 365 User provides organizations with centralized control over their SaaS applications. It delivers real-time visibility into security threats, automatically detecting and responding to suspicious activities, unauthorized access attempts and potential breaches. With instant alerts and automated remediation, threats are neutralized within seconds — no manual intervention is required.

SaaS event alerting

SaaS event alerting monitors cloud-based SaaS applications for suspicious activities, potential breaches and anomalies to stop threats before they escalate.

Kaseya 365 User takes end-user security to the next level with real-time, automated SaaS event alerting. The moment unusual or malicious activity is detected, security teams are instantly notified, and remediation actions are triggered to protect at-risk accounts. Kaseya 365 User empowers organizations to act fast and neutralize threats before they become major security incidents.

Automatic SaaS account locking

Automatic SaaS account locking instantly restricts access when security risks, such as unauthorized access, brute-force attacks or account compromises, are detected. By stopping cybercriminals in their tracks, it prevents further infiltration and protects your organization’s critical infrastructure.

Kaseya 365 User takes action the moment a breach occurs. Using advanced machine learning, it detects suspicious patterns. It immediately locks compromised accounts, blocks login attempts and gives security teams the time they need to investigate and respond before further damage is done.

The benefits of a proactive response strategy

From stopping threats before they turn into catastrophes to minimizing the damage, a proactive response strategy offers businesses multiple benefits. Some of the key benefits of implementing a well-defined response strategy include:

Minimized downtime and data loss: Rapid threat containment and system recovery reduce data loss risks while ensuring critical business operations continue with minimal or no downtime.

Reduced financial and reputational damage: Responding to threats quickly helps to prevent costly breaches and protect brand reputation by stopping threats before they escalate.

Improved regulatory compliance: A strong response strategy ensures organizations use a systematic, documented approach to handle security incidents effectively. This practice helps maintain compliance with industry regulations and mitigates legal risks.

Enhanced resilience: Every cyber incident provides valuable insights. By analyzing incidents, refining security protocols and improving future response efforts, organizations can create a more resilient security environment.

The Kaseya 365 advantage

Kaseya 365 User’s powerful automation enhances end-user security while reducing the burden on IT teams. Its seamless integration with multiple SaaS applications simplifies IT management, reduces manual tasks, boosts productivity and strengthens data protection.

Automated cyberattack response: This system automatically responds to cyberattacks and account compromises by temporarily disabling affected accounts and blocking unauthorized login attempts across platforms like Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, Okta, Duo and any viable API. With automated containment, security teams can prevent further damage without lifting a finger, saving them valuable time while reducing risks. This automated response system eliminates the need for manual intervention, saving security teams over 12 hours annually.

RocketCyber Managed SOC for SaaS monitoring events: Kaseya 365 User assigns designated SaaS monitoring alerts to Security operations Center (SOC) analysts for immediate review and action. With a dedicated team of security professionals constantly monitoring IT environments to prevent potential breaches, businesses can stay ahead of cyberthreats without overwhelming their internal IT teams.

SaaS monitoring for RMM logins: Kaseya 365 User seamlessly integrates with popular remote monitoring and management (RMM) platforms like Datto RMM and Kaseya VSA, giving you access to essential tools to monitor your RMM instance at no additional cost for proactive risk management. This integration offers ongoing monitoring and alerts for key activities, such as ensuring only authorized users on authorized devices can gain access to critical company SaaS applications.

Respond to user-based threats quickly and efficiently with Kaseya 365 User

Cybercriminals and their attack techniques are becoming more advanced and complex. To tackle evolving threats head-on, your cybersecurity strategy must include rapid response mechanisms to address threats the moment they are detected.

Kaseya 365 User’s RESPOND pillar ensures your business can swiftly contain and neutralize threats before they spiral out of control. With automated event alerts, SaaS application management and instant account lockdown capabilities, Kaseya 365 User empowers you to stay one step ahead of threats targeting end users.

Stay tuned for the final part of this series, where we will explore the RECOVER pillar — what to do when disaster strikes and how to restore operations without breaking a sweat.

Learn more about Kaseya 365 User and how it helps you respond to threats before they cause lasting damage.