How MDR Helps You Meet Cyber Liability Insurance Requirements

With the average global cost of a data breach reaching $4.88 million in 2024, cyber liability insurance is now a business imperative. You need to meet insurance standards if you are looking for insurance coverage. Increasing exclusions mean companies are looking to managed detection and response (MDR) for support. Investing in MDR can help you meet insurance carrier expectations and ensure your company gets the payouts it owes.

Common Cyber Liability Insurance Requirements

Cyber liability insurance is designed to cover the financial and legal fallout of a cyber incident. If your business handles sensitive data, you need an insurance policy to reduce your liability. However, coverage is not automatic. Providers often require businesses to meet specific requirements, or they might deny your claim. Requirements vary by policy, but common examples include:

• Multifactor authentication
• Encrypted backups
• Endpoint detection and response capabilities
• Incident response plans
• Regular patching

The requirements of cyber liability insurance and MDR go hand in hand. MDR services give you a granular audit trail of threats and corresponding responses, making audits easier and demonstrating a clear commitment to reducing your liability for the insurance company.

What Is MDR Cybersecurity and Why Does It Matter?

Cyber insurers want to see that you have effective security tools in place, but how can you measure effectiveness? If you are looking to improve your claims approval rate and invest in proactive cybersecurity, you should consider implementing MDR.

MDR is a cybersecurity service that provides 24/7 monitoring, incident response and threat hunting using a combination of human responders and technology. It is a solution that goes beyond suspicious activity alerts. MDR services use advanced analytics and hands-on experts to give you real-time threat response.

MDR solutions typically include continuous cloud, endpoint and network monitoring. They use artificial intelligence to power behavioral analytics, which analyzes patterns to predict potential threats or security gaps. At the same time, human security analysts will investigate and validate threats. If red flags arise, they will provide containment and response support.

This proactive approach assumes breaches will happen eventually. With MDR, the goal is to limit damage and respond faster to breaches instead of relying only on prevention methods. Insurers like this strategy because it shows initiative and a desire to improve security.

Key Benefits of MDR for a Business

MDR’s detection and response approach is an excellent support for businesses. Cyber attacks are increasing in the United States, and they are becoming more creative. As good as your prevention methods may be, there is always a new angle for threat actors to try.

MDR helps you recover faster and tighten those weak points. Investing in MDR solutions gives your company:

1. Faster threat detection: Real-time alerts and expert support reduce the time between the breach and the fix. Your business can limit financial, reputational and legal exposure.
2. Stronger incident management: MDR offers expert guidance and structured incident management. Your teams can more easily meet breach notification timelines and remain compliant with a clear security framework to use.
3. Clear prevention strategies: Many MDR platforms offer reports for attack surface reduction. Reports record outcomes, threat activity and response times. Use these documents to support insurance claims and demonstrate your commitment to security.

How MDR Aligns With Cyber Liability Insurance Requirements

With limited blanket coverage options, your business needs to use solutions like MDR to make meeting insurance requirements easier. MDR’s proactive approach helps organizations meet the core requirements insurers use to evaluate risk.

Addressing Compliance Standards

Organizations must follow specific regulatory frameworks. HIPAA binds all U.S. healthcare operations, such as hospitals and clinics, while PCI-DSS is a requirement for groups managing cardholder data. Noncompliance with relevant regulations can lead to financial and legal liabilities.

MDR solutions are designed to meet your insurance and compliance requirements. They often incorporate regulations or industry best practices such as:

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• MITRE ATT&CK®
• ISO/IEC 27001

These frameworks are often part of the requirements for cybersecurity coverage. Using a solution that meets these standards keeps you up to date on the latest security protections and processes.

Threat Detection and Response Capabilities

For insurers, it is often not enough to only follow these frameworks. Your business must also use effective tools to stop breaches when they happen.

MDR services elevate your threat detection and response, incorporating behavioral analytics and threat intelligence feeds to create an effective detection net. MDR solutions continuously scan for threats across your networks and environments. Once a threat is detected, human services will analyze the alert. If the threat is valid, they will coordinate a response. Insurers look for MDR solutions because they demonstrate your commitment to managing threats.

Preparing for Insurance Audits

MDR services also prepare you for insurance audits. Insurers will look for proof of cybersecurity processes during the application and renewal process. If you lack documentation or your processes are outdated, you might see higher premiums and coverage denial.

MDR solutions give your organization the reports needed to maintain your insurance standing. Reports will cover:

• Incident resolution summaries
• Threat detection timelines
• Compliance checks
• Response protocols

With MDR reports, you show insurers concrete evidence of your security measures. Insurers will see that you are proactive and structured, mitigating risk perception.

Challenges Small Businesses Face in Cybersecurity

Large companies have extensive resources and staff to manage their threats. Small to medium businesses are working with tighter budgets and teams, and they cannot afford dedicated compliance teams and in-house security operations. However, they are still a target for cyber attackers. In fact, Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach report found that more small businesses were victims of attacks than large organizations.

Limited resources make smaller companies a target for cyber attackers. Building a comprehensive, proactive approach and meeting insurance standards is a major challenge for companies trying to stay afloat.

How MDR Levels the Playing Field

MDR makes security and insurance coverage more accessible. These services offer expert capabilities and resources through a third party, giving your business industry-standard security with scalable pricing structures, 24/7 monitoring and prebuilt tools. Experience expert support and tools that reduce the damage of a cyber attack and help you maintain insurance compliance.

Why Choose Morefield for MDR Services?

Meeting cyber insurance requirements means finding a solution that fits your unique insurance coverage. Morefield delivers scalable cybersecurity solutions designed to help Pennsylvania businesses protect their business and remain compliant.

With over 70 years of experience, we combine deep industry knowledge with integrated technologies so you have access to state-of-the-art security solutions that work with your business needs. Contact our team today to see how we can help you meet your insurance requirements and stay ahead of cyber attackers.

Every resilient and responsible organization needs strong compliance management to safeguard against risk, support regulatory alignment and reinforce trust among stakeholders. As compliance becomes more complex, relying on manual or outdated systems introduces unnecessary risk through human error, limited transparency, weak audit trails and security vulnerabilities. That’s why investing in a purpose-built, scalable GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) solution is key to maintaining confidence in your processes and staying ahead of your compliance management responsibilities.

Challenges of Managing Compliance With Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets have typically served as a foundational tool for compliance tracking, but they aren’t sufficient for today’s regulatory requirements, which are growing in complexity and scale. Some of the most notable reasons spreadsheets fall short in effective compliance management include:

• Lack of real-time collaboration: Spreadsheets present visibility challenges when multiple users work simultaneously, leading to version control issues and communication gaps.
• Susceptible to human error: Spreadsheets are prone to data entry mistakes, formula issues and overlooked changes that compromise compliance integrity.
• Inadequate audit trails: Spreadsheets do not offer reliable tracking of changes or user actions, making it difficult to demonstrate accountability during audits or investigations.
• Scalability challenges: As organizations expand and regulations evolve, spreadsheet-based systems fail to keep pace, often resulting in inefficiencies and inconsistent compliance.

Key Indicators That It’s Time to Upgrade to an GRC Platform

When it comes to data management and reporting, the comparison of GRC platforms and spreadsheets centers on efficiency, scalability and ease of collaboration. Consider upgrading to an GRC platform when:

• Audits become more frequent or complex.
• Regulatory obligations multiply.
• Errors and missed deadlines start to pose risks.
• You spend excessive time preparing reports or chasing information.
• The lack of real-time insight makes it difficult to respond to emerging risks.

In these instances, a centralized GRC platform can provide the structure, automation and oversight your firm needs.

Advantages of GRC Platforms for Risk and Compliance Management

As organizations evolve and scale, so do their regulatory requirements. GRC platforms can scale accordingly to support complex workflows, accommodate multi-jurisdictional requirements and easily adapt to changes. Here are a few more key benefits:

• Centralized compliance oversight: GRC platforms consolidate policies, procedures, controls and risk assessments into a single record system. This centralized structure eliminates silos, ensuring that all stakeholders work from a consistent, updated compliance framework. Organizations gain instant visibility into risk exposures, control effectiveness and compliance status, allowing leadership to make informed decisions based on live data, not static spreadsheets.
• Automated repetitive tasks: GRC systems automate routine functions such as control testing, risk assessments, issue tracking and policy attestation. This automation reduces manual workload, minimizes the risk of oversight and frees compliance teams to focus on higher-value activities.
• Built-in audit trails and accountability: GRC platforms log every user action automatically, creating a verifiable, time-stamped record of activity. These verified records streamline audit preparation and strengthen accountability across departments and externally.

Contact Morefield Today

An effective compliance management system is key to overcoming inefficiencies, risk exposure and growing regulatory complexity. Contact Morefield today for expert guidance and tailored solutions to help you transition to a robust GRC platform that streamlines compliance management and supports sustainable growth.

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, financial institutions like credit unions face mounting pressure to maintain robust security and compliance postures.  A Morefield client recently navigated this challenge by transitioning from a traditional security vendor to a Managed Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) approach from Morefield. This move has not only strengthened their security posture but also streamlined their compliance processes. This article will dive into the benefits any credit union can expect from adopting a Managed GRC service from Morefield.

The Challenge: Incomplete and Infrequent Security Assessments

Some security vendors who operate within the Credit Union space will provide annual vulnerability reports, which are adequate for passing compliance audits but lack the depth and context needed for proactive security management. The reports merely highlight security issues without offering clear remediation steps or guidance on broader risk management strategies. As regulatory demands intensify, this reactive approach can leave a credit union exposed to significant risk.

In addition, the annual audit cycle means potential vulnerabilities remain unaddressed for months, increasing the likelihood of a breach. This delay between assessments, combined with the absence of context on how to resolve identified issues, creates a critical gap in cybersecurity defense.

The Solution: Switching to Managed GRC with Monthly Vulnerability Assessments

Recognizing the need for a more proactive and comprehensive approach, the Credit Union opted to migrate to Morefield’s Managed GRC service. This transition involved shifting from annual, unauthenticated scans to more frequent, credentialed scans conducted monthly. The approach allows for an accurate and complete assessment of the network’s security posture, including:

• Improved Visibility: Monthly scans provide a continuous view into the credit union’s security health, identifying potential vulnerabilities as they emerge.
• Actionable Insights: Unlike static reports, Managed GRC services include expert analysis and context, transforming raw data into clear, prioritized action plans.
• Ongoing Support and Consultation: Managed GRC typically includes monthly meetings to review findings, assess risk, and develop targeted mitigation strategies, ensuring alignment with both compliance requirements and organizational risk tolerance.

Immediate Benefits Realized

One of the earliest wins for the Credit Union came during an initial scan under the new Managed GRC program. A critical vulnerability, believed to have been fully patched in 2021, was discovered on two machines. The issue? The previous patch had only been partially applied – the software update had been installed, but the required registry change had been overlooked.

This oversight was only identified because the Managed GRC program included credentialed scans, which have deeper visibility into system configurations compared to unauthenticated scans. This early detection prevented a significant security incident, highlighting the immediate value of moving to Morefield’s Managed GRC framework.

Key Benefits of Morefield’s Managed GRC for Credit Unions

1. Enhanced Risk Management
   Morefield’s Managed GRC service provides insights into the threat landscape, enabling credit unions to address vulnerabilities before they are exploited. This proactive stance significantly reduces the risk of data breaches and system compromises.
2. Comprehensive Compliance Support
   As regulatory pressures continue to increase, the ability to demonstrate ongoing compliance is crucial.  A managed GRC service is designed to keep pace with evolving standards, providing the documentation and audit trails needed for successful audits.
3. Reduced Operational Burden
   Outsourcing vulnerability management to a dedicated provider frees internal IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine security tasks. This not only reduces stress but also enhances overall operational efficiency.
4. Greater value and Predictable Budgeting
   A switch to the Managed GRC program is competitive with other service providers, but Morefield clients realize greater value from a reduction in breach risk, faster remediation, and fewer audit penalties.  Additionally, Morefield delivers this as a service for a predictable monthly cost to simplify budgeting.
5. Tailored Remediation Guidance
   Unlike generic security reports, Morefield’s Managed GRC provides customized remediation advice, helping credit unions address specific vulnerabilities more effectively.

Making the Shift to Morefield’s Managed GRC Program

For the Credit Union, the switch to Morefield Managed GRC and Vulnerability management has already delivered significant benefits, including improved visibility into their security posture, faster response to emerging threats, and more effective risk management. This serves as a compelling example of how Managed GRC can transform the way credit unions approach cybersecurity, providing both immediate and long-term advantages in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Credit unions considering a similar transition should weigh the benefits of proactive security management, reduced operational burden, and enhanced compliance support. With Morefield as your Managed GRC partner, financial institutions can achieve a more resilient, secure, and compliant infrastructure, better equipped to handle the challenges of tomorrow.

In today’s digital-first world, reliable internet access and telephone service are no longer optional for businesses—they’re mission critical. From enabling communication and collaboration to powering cloud applications, infrastructure and VoIP systems, these services are the backbone of daily operations for companies across all industries. Yet, many organizations are unknowingly overpaying or missing out on better solutions simply because they haven’t taken a closer look at their existing connectivity contracts.

Here’s why your business should consider a review—and potentially a refresh—of your connectivity services.

Long-Term Contracts and Auto-Renewals: The Hidden Trap

Most business connectivity contracts run for 36 months and often include auto-renewals, commonly set to renew for another 12-month term or month-to-month. Once the initial contract term ends, services typically continue—at the same or even higher rates—without triggering a formal renegotiation.

The reality? Most businesses do not have a regular process in place to review these agreements, and as a result, they remain committed to outdated pricing and services that no longer meet their evolving needs.

If your organization hasn’t reviewed your telecom invoices in the past 36 months, there’s a good chance you’re leaving money on the table. An audit of your connectivity can reveal opportunities and whether your current provider and plan still align with your business goals.

Understanding the Technology: Fiber Optics vs. Coax

Business internet services in Pennsylvania—and across the U.S.—are largely delivered through two primary technologies:

1. Fiber Optics
2. Coaxial Cable (Coax)

Coax internet is widely available throughout Pennsylvania, offered by both national providers like Comcast and regional carriers such as Blue Ridge Communications. Coax is often the default choice for smaller businesses due to its accessibility and relatively low upfront cost.

However, fiber optic internet is increasingly becoming the go-to for businesses demanding higher performance. With speeds ranging from 1 to 10+ Gbps, fiber is significantly faster, more stable, and comes with a better Service Level Agreement (SLA) than coax. It’s the preferred solution for companies that rely on high-speed data transfer, video conferencing, and cloud-delivered services.

Fiber is Becoming More Accessible and Affordable

Previously, one of the main barriers to fiber adoption was cost—particularly the one-time fees associated with construction to bring fiber into a building. Today, however, this has changed. If a business location is within 500 feet of a carrier’s existing fiber network, many providers will absorb any installation costs as part of the service agreement.

Additionally, the cost of fiber service has dropped substantially over the past 12 months, making it more budget-friendly for small and medium-sized businesses. This reduction in pricing, combined with increasing bandwidth capabilities, makes fiber a smart long-term investment.

The Wireless Wildcard

While not as fast or stable as terrestrial connections, wireless internet services offer another option for connectivity—particularly in rural or hard-to-reach areas. Wireless connections generally deliver less performance and bandwidth, but they can be a suitable backup or secondary connection for businesses. Providers across Pennsylvania offer wireless broadband as a stop-gap or complementary solution.

The Case for Redundancy: N+1 Network Design

With more employees returning to physical office spaces, internet downtime is no longer just an inconvenience—it’s a business risk. No internet means no production.

That’s why many organizations are turning to an N+1 network design strategy, which involves adding redundancy by having an additional (backup) connection. Whether through a second fiber line, coax, or wireless span, having multiple internet paths enhances business continuity and minimizes the risk of outages disrupting operations.

This added layer of resilience is especially important for businesses that rely on cloud applications, infrastructure, VoIP, video conferencing, IOT, or remote access tools. In these cases, even a few minutes of downtime can translate into lost revenue or reduced customer satisfaction.

Key Takeaways for Business Leaders

• Conduct Regular Reviews: If you haven’t reviewed your connectivity invoices and services in the past 36 months, it’s time. You could discover opportunities for cost savings or improved service.
• Know Your Technology: Coax is widely available and cost-effective, but fiber delivers superior performance and reliability. Understanding your options helps you make better decisions.
• Explore Redundancy: Protect your business from downtime with a backup internet connection. N+1 design is a strategic investment in uptime and productivity.
• Look Beyond the Sticker Price: The value service isn’t always the best fit. Evaluate internet providers based on speed, uptime, service guarantees, and total cost of ownership.

Final Thoughts

Connectivity is one of the most essential—and yet often overlooked—areas of business infrastructure. In an era where digital agility can define success, ensuring your internet and phone services are optimized for cost, performance, and reliability is not just smart, it’s necessary.

Whether you’re in the heart of Central Pennsylvania or anywhere across the State, now is the perfect time to review your contracts, assess your needs, and upgrade your connectivity to support future growth.

For decades, landline telephone service, POTS & PRI were a staple in Central Pennsylvania businesses.  But today, as smartphones and Cloud-based (VoIP) communications take over, traditional landlines are disappearing. This shift is causing disruptive pressures on the premise telephone system. In this blog, we will explore how the retirement of landlines is leading to the decline of these legacy systems, the impact to businesses, and what this means for Morefield clients.

Why Are Landlines Disappearing?

Rise of Smartphones

One of the biggest reasons landlines are vanishing is the rise of smartphones. These super computers that 91% of us carry in our pocket offer convenience and flexibility that landlines cannot match. People can make calls from anywhere, send text messages, and access the internet—all on a single device. Because of this, fewer people see the need for traditional landlines and desk phones.

Evolving Office Space

Younger generations grew up in a world dominated by smartphones.  Through the pandemic, all employees adapted and learned to get by without a desk phone, leveraging smartphones and their workstations to communicate.  Today, more businesses are concluding that it is no longer necessary to provide each employee with a desk phone.

High Costs of Maintaining Landlines

Maintaining landline infrastructure is expensive. Telephone companies are challenged to continue the ongoing repair of aging copper wires and equipment.  As fewer businesses rely on landlines, the carriers find it harder to justify these expenses. Many carriers are shutting down landline services, disrupting those customers who remain on the platform and forcing a switch to modern alternatives.

Surge of Automation & AI-Powered Communication

Automation and Artificial intelligence (AI) are improving communication by enabling smart voicemail transcription, automated customer service, and real-time language translation. These advancements are improving customer experience (CX) for businesses who want to stand out amongst their competitors.  As these technologies evolve, they will continue to shape how people interact over the phone.

How this can impact Systems like Allworx, NEC & IP Office.

Reduced Infrastructure Support

Allworx, NEC & IP Office systems more often rely on landline connections to operate. As phone companies move away from maintaining those traditional landlines, these systems lose their foundation. Businesses that still use land lines with their Allworx, NEC & IP Office will face disruptive challenges in keeping their systems running smoothly.

Higher Costs for Businesses

The costs of maintaining a premise telephone system are increasing each year. Companies who stick with traditional premise systems will find themselves paying higher recurring costs, more for service, repairs, and equipment upgrades. Eventually, these pressures with drive small | medium businesses to switch to cloud-based hosted systems.

Limited Functionality Compared to Cloud Hosted Platforms

Today’s Cloud platforms, such as Ring Central, offer feature | function that legacy premise systems cannot. Additionally, the pace of innovation in the Cloud exceeds those of premise systems.  In 2025 Ring Central introduced their AI Phone Agent, built on generative AI. To automate answering customer calls and questions.  Traditional phone systems cannot compete with this pace of innovation, making them less desirable for businesses looking for efficiency and cost savings.

What Does this Mean for Allworx, NEC & IP Office customers?

Morefield Engagement – Give us a Call

As we are passionate about helping our clients make smart technology decisions, we recognize the opportunity for our team to coordinate time on calendars to meet with each organization to assess the state of their system and underlying carrier services.

Conduct a Focused Technology Assessment

Whether this is completed with the assistance of Morefield or a self-evaluation, it is best to develop a plan to prepare for forthcoming changes in the industry.  Planning and preparation so that unforeseen changes or disruptions can quickly be mitigated.  The evaluation should cover the current state of the system, assessment of carrier services, budgeting for a replacement solution and concluding with expected benefits from a shift to newer technology

Evaluate new platforms through education

Many of the Cloud platforms offer free to attend educational webinars that cover the feature | function of their platform, along with planning, preparation and process outline of the actual migration.  Morefield is hosting a joint webinar with Ring Central on May 20th.  Contact your Morefield representative for details around attending.  

Conclusion

The retirement of landlines is accelerating the decline of premise telephone systems.  We expect this trend to have a greater impact on Allworx, NEC & IP Office customers.  Mobile phones, cloud-based solutions are replacing traditional landlines, offering greater convenience and cost savings. While this transition brings challenges—such as emergency communication concerns and infrastructure changes—it also paves the way for more advanced and flexible communication options. As technology continues to demand that we make smart technology decisions, businesses must adapt to a new world where traditional phones lines are no longer the standard.