“We thought we were safe. We weren’t. That breach changed everything.”
That’s how Dan Di Pisa, Founder & CEO of Fusion Cyber Group, opens his story—and trust us, it’s one every MSP needs to hear.
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In this week’s episode of the Heimdal’s MSP Security Playbook, host Jacob Hazelbaker dives deep with Dan Di Pisa into the breach that nearly broke his business… and how it ultimately transformed him into one of the most cyber-forward leaders in Canada.
If you still think cybersecurity is optional for small businesses—or worse, for MSPs—this episode is your wake-up call.
💥 A Ransomware Nightmare That Rewrote the Rulebook
In 2015, Dan’s client suffered a full-scale ransomware attack.
- 7 servers encrypted
- Weeks of hacker reconnaissance
- Backups compromised
- Ransom demand: $140,000
Dan didn’t pass the cost to his client. He negotiated it down to $30,000, paid it himself, and absorbed over 100 hours of recovery work.
Why?
Because trust matters.
Because responsibility doesn’t end at the invoice.
Because what happened on that Monday morning was a turning point—not an endpoint.
“It was either shut the business down… or become a true cybersecurity firm. We chose the second.”
🚀 From Traditional MSP to Elite MSSP
Before the breach, Fusion Cyber Group was a well-run MSP doing “all the right things”:
- Firewalls? ✅
- Backups? ✅
- Weekly patching? ✅
- Antivirus? ✅
But none of that mattered.
“We didn’t know what we didn’t know. There were no tools watching for unusual activity. We had no real-time visibility. The attackers were inside for weeks.”
The incident exposed the illusion of safety—and pushed Dan to rebuild his entire business model around cybersecurity-first principles.
Today, Fusion Cyber Group is one of the most trusted MSSPs in Eastern Canada, delivering layered, unified, AI-powered protection for SMBs who now take cyber threats seriously.
🎯 Security First. IT Second.
Dan’s message to fellow MSPs is blunt:
“Cybersecurity can no longer be an add-on. It has to be the core offering. Everything else—uptime, patching, IT support—is secondary.”
This isn’t theory. Dan lived it. And the numbers prove it:
- Zero breaches for fully protected clients since the shift
- Streamlined operations with unified tools (like Heimdal)
- Explosive growth—without chasing new clients
💡 Don’t Just Talk Value—Prove It
Dan doesn’t sell security with buzzwords. He sells it with math.
“Every business understands numbers. Most don’t understand tech.”
He breaks down client risks:
- Ransomware cost: $150,000+
- Regulatory fine: Up to $100,000
- Downtime loss: $10,000+ per day
Then he shows how cybersecurity investments prevent those losses, dollar for dollar.
That’s ROI you can see. That’s how you win trust—and long-term business.
🔍 The Biggest Red Flag? Thinking You’re Too Small
Dan was asked:
“What’s the most overlooked sign that a client isn’t truly secure?”
His answer?
“They believe they’re too small to be targeted. That mindset is the biggest vulnerability.”
Whether it’s a 2-person MSP or a 10-user law firm, if you’re connected to the internet—and managing client data—you’re a target.
“Hackers don’t care about your size. They care about your weaknesses.”
🛠️ How to Get Started Today
Dan’s advice for MSPs looking to make the leap into serious cybersecurity?
- Start with yourself: Audit your own environment
- Pick a framework: NIST, CIS, doesn’t matter—just commit
- Identify your gaps: And patch them
- Then apply that process to every client
“Protect yourself first. Then you’ll know how to protect others.”
💬 Final Thoughts from the Playbook
This episode isn’t just a story—it’s a blueprint.
✅ Put cybersecurity first
✅ Quantify the value
✅ Educate with numbers, not noise
✅ Ditch tool overload for unified platforms
✅ Don’t wait for a breach to get serious
Dan Di Pisa turned his worst day into his biggest growth lever.
Will you wait for your breach—or start building your MSSP now?
🎧 Listen now
🛡️ Stay sharp. Stay secure. And keep rewriting your MSP playbook.
