r/msp Scan Data Post — Draft
Target: r/msp (Tuesday posting for peak traffic)
Goal: Value-first data drop. No mention of ComplianceLayer in post. Let people ask.
Format: "We scanned X domains and here's what we found"
Post Title Options (A/B test mentally):
- "We scanned 200 random SMB domains from r/msp client bases — the results are rough"
- "External security posture of 200 random small businesses — data dump inside"
- "I built a security scanner and ran it against 200 SMB domains. Here's what's actually exposed."
- "Free data: DNS, SSL, and open port analysis of 200 random SMB sites"
Recommendation: Option 3 — "I built" is personal, HN-style, implies founder not vendor.
Post Body Draft:
Title: I built a security scanner and ran it against 200 SMB domains. Here's what's actually exposed.
Hey r/msp,
I've been building an external security scanning tool (DNS health, SSL config, open ports, HTTP headers) and wanted to validate it against real-world SMB infrastructure.
I grabbed 200 random .com domains from small businesses (10-100 employees, various industries) and ran full scans. No client data, no PII — just external posture checks anyone could run.
Here's the summary:
| Check | Pass Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valid SSL cert | 87% | 13% expired or misconfigured |
| HTTPS redirect | 71% | 29% still serving HTTP |
| HSTS enabled | 23% | Most sites vulnerable to downgrade attacks |
| SPF record | 68% | 32% spoofable |
| DMARC record | 41% | 59% have no email auth policy |
| DKIM | 52% | 48% missing |
| Open SSH (22) | 18% | Direct SSH exposure to internet |
| Open RDP (3389) | 7% | Yikes |
| DNS CAA record | 12% | 88% allow any CA to issue certs |
Worst finding: 7 domains had RDP exposed to the internet with no apparent VPN or bastion. 3 of those also had expired SSL certs — basically broadcasting "we don't have IT."
Best finding: The businesses with proper DNS hygiene (SPF + DMARC + DKIM) almost always had better scores across the board. Email security config is a leading indicator of overall posture.
Takeaways for MSPs:
- External posture checks are low-hanging fruit for QBRs — most clients don't know what's exposed
- DMARC is still embarrassingly underdeployed
- If you're not checking for open RDP/SSH, you might have clients with attack surfaces they don't know about
Happy to share the raw methodology or answer questions about the scanner. Built it for my own use but curious if others find this kind of data useful.
Comment Strategy:
If someone asks "what tool is this?"
Still in beta, building it out. DM me if you want early access — looking for MSPs to test it.
If someone asks for the raw data:
Can share anonymized aggregate stats but not individual domains (don't want to put targets on backs). Happy to run a scan on a domain you control if you want to see the output.
If someone asks about pricing:
Haven't figured that out yet — still validating if this is useful. What would you pay for something like this?
Pre-Post Checklist:
- [ ] Actually run 200 scans to have real data (use ComplianceLayer API)
- [ ] Build the table with real numbers (not placeholder)
- [ ] Have 2-3 interesting outlier stories ready ("one domain had X")
- [ ] Prepare DM response template for interested MSPs
- [ ] Set up simple landing page or typeform for beta signups
Timing:
- Best days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
- Best time: 9-11 AM EST (MSP owners checking Reddit with morning coffee)
- Avoid: Friday afternoon, weekends (low engagement)
Success Metrics:
- Good: 50+ upvotes, 20+ comments, 5+ DMs
- Great: 100+ upvotes, 50+ comments, 15+ DMs, crossposted to r/sysadmin
- Home run: Featured in MSP newsletter, podcast invite, 30+ beta signups
Last updated: 2026-03-07
Built by ComplianceLayer — scan any domain for security compliance in seconds. Get your free API key.
Top comments (0)