How MSPs Can Guide Clients Through AI-Powered Business Email Compromise
Spoiler alert: Cybercriminals just supercharged Business Email Compromise (BEC). With AI in the mix, these attacks are getting more sophisticated—and more convincing. That’s why it’s more important than ever for MSPs to guide clients through the evolving risk and help them make informed, proactive decisions.
BEC Has Evolved—And AI Is the Accelerator
BEC used to be about a well-timed spoof or a cleverly worded fake invoice. Today, it’s a 24/7 con game fueled by AI. Cybercriminals are using large language models (LLMs) to infiltrate legitimate conversations, clone executive writing styles, and send payment requests that feel too real to question. It’s not science fiction—it’s their new playbook.
They’re even backing it up with deepfake voice messages and impromptu Teams chats, adding pressure to “just send the wire.” And it’s working. According to the FBI, BEC cost businesses $2.77 billion in 2024—and that number is only going up.
MSPs can’t protect clients with yesterday’s tools. Rules-based email filters and once-a-year phishing tests aren’t enough.
How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Cybercrime
Modern BEC attacks are:
- Hyper-personalized, using scraped LinkedIn data, compromised credentials, and insights from invoicing systems or vendor portals
- Fast-moving and cross-channel, blending email, chat, and voice for a multi-pronged scam
- Deceptively sophisticated, leveraging AI to build trust and bypass even skeptical employees
The result? Higher success rates for attackers—and higher stakes for MSPs.
Your Playbook: Turning Risk Awareness Into Real-World Readiness
Your clients are already exploring generative AI—often without clear direction or safeguards. That creates risk, but it also opens the door for MSPs to provide the structure, support, and strategy needed to use these tools responsibly.
Here’s how to guide them step-by-step:
- Begin with Awareness
Most employees are already using tools like ChatGPT or Copilot without guidance. That opens the door to deepfake invoices, hallucinated data, and accidental IP exposure.
Start by helping clients visualize the threat—and the liability—of unchecked AI usage.
- Assess the Current State and Future Potential
The Baseline Employee Cybersecurity Assessment (BECA) gives MSPs a powerful, non-invasive way to highlight vulnerabilities tied to employee behavior and awareness. It helps clients understand where their team stands today in cybersecurity awareness and what areas may need extra attention—across key categories like phishing response, password practices, and data handling.
Pair it with the AI Readiness Innovation Assessment (AIRIA) to help clients see both the risks they face now and the opportunities to safely adopt AI—giving them the context and confidence to move forward. AIRIA identifies where AI can support productivity, reduce friction in processes, and improve efficiency and decision-making—without introducing unnecessary risk.
Together, they paint a complete picture: what’s at risk, and what’s possible.
- Build Skills with Purpose-Built Training
Turn uncertainty into confidence by giving employees the knowledge—and structure—they need to use AI responsibly. Through targeted AI Fundamentals and AI Cybersecurity training, employees learn how to work productively with generative AI tools, while recognizing how cybercriminals may weaponize the same technology.
Reinforce those skills with your AI Acceptable Use Policy, which clearly outlines appropriate, secure practices for the workplace. Then, keep that knowledge fresh with AI-focused Nanos®—engaging, Reels-style videos that are 60 seconds or less, designed to deliver timely insights in a highly relatable format. Together, these tools create a strong foundation for safe, effective AI use across the organization.
Bringing It All Together
MSPs don’t just need to talk about AI—they need a way to help clients adopt it securely, confidently, and at scale. That’s where BSN’s Breach Prevention & Productivity (BPP) platform comes in, bringing together assessments, training, and ongoing education into one streamlined experience.
With ready-made marketing resources and support from a Partner Engagement Consultant, you can roll out these solutions across clients—creating stronger relationships and long-term value.
Ready to Put These Steps Into Practice?
Join us for our upcoming webinar:
Where AI Meets Cybersecurity: A Practical Approach to Get Started
📅 April 29, 2025
⏰ 2:00 PM ET
We’ll explore the key intersection of cybersecurity and AI, expanding on the steps from this blog to show how you can guide clients in adopting AI securely—while building out or strengthening this important part of your service offering.
