The SOC case files: Play ransomware targets manufacturing firm
Incident summary A U.S.-based manufacturing company was recently targeted by the Play ransomware group in the early hours of the morning. The attackers broke into an under-protected domain controller at 1:00 am. At 3:20 a.m. the gang attempted to execute...
2025 IT spending forecast: Big growth ahead for MSPs
While it’s difficult to predict with absolute certainty whether the economy will grow, a pair of reports suggest that there is a lot more optimism about IT spending. The market research firm Gartner is forecasting global IT spending will increase...
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: New malware loader – BabbleLoader
BabbleLoader is a newly identified malware loader designed for delivering information-stealing payloads such as WhiteSnake and Meduza. It demonstrates sophisticated evasion techniques that challenge both traditional antivirus solutions and modern AI-driven detection systems. Read this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to learn...
Tip Tuesday: Educating clients on the benefits of passwordless authentication
Password authentication is becoming popular for businesses because it boosts security while making things easier for users. Instead of relying on passwords that can be hard to remember and vulnerable to attacks, methods like biometrics or single-use codes offer a...
Sales & Marketing
Why building a successful sales team depends on your mindset
I recently had a discussion with a business owner who said it was time to start building his sales team. My initial thought? That’s excellent news for him! His business is maturing, and he’s ready to take his revenue generation...
Elevate your MSP: Invest in Sales Engineer training
When managed service providers (MSPs) talk to clients about their security or technology needs, the clients’ employees are a vital part of any proposed solution. Deploying technology without the proper user training and education can lead to underutilization, lower customer...
Three ways MSPs can market compliance services
Many managed service providers (MSPs) believe they must approach marketing from a granular level. This can work in some instances, but the vast majority of the time, this is the wrong approach – especially for the more technical service offerings....
Security
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: 7-Zip vulnerability
A security vulnerability in 7-Zip allows remote attackers to bypass defenses and execute malicious code via specially crafted archives. Read this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to learn how to mitigate your risk from this new threat. What is the threat? The...
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: RomCom exploits vulnerabilities
Recent reports have uncovered that a threat actor known as RomCom has been exploiting two zero-day vulnerabilities, one in Mozilla Firefox and another in Microsoft Windows, to deploy their proprietary backdoor malware. These vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-9680 and CVE-2024-49039, have been actively...
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: WordPress plugin critical vulnerabilities
Two critical security flaws have been identified in a WordPress plugin—Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. This plugin is installed on more than 200,000 websites. Review this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to learn how to mitigate your risks from these vulnerabilities. What is...
Better Business
Boost MSP profitability with better project management
The key to success for any managed service provider (MSP) lies in their ability to effectively manage projects and maximize IT expertise across multiple accounts. However, a survey of over 130 CEOs and senior business leaders finds there is much...
A familiar name makes the CRN’s Women on the Rise List
The annual Channel Company (CRN) Women on the Rise List, which puts the spotlight on rising stars who drive success through partner focus, business smarts, and collaboration, was posted recently. It was exciting to have our very own Aisha Eugene,...
Why MSPs should prioritize data segmentation
Recent statistics for 2024 indicate that 90 percent of organizations have experienced at least one data breach or cyber incident. Given the growing regulatory scrutiny surrounding cybersecurity, it’s important to implement robust safety measures. One essential practice is data segmentation,...
Tech Insight
Tech Time Warp: A game “so simple that any drunk in any bar could play”
Sometimes the best ideas really are the simplest, and compared with the complexity of today’s video games or even some of its early pioneering contemporaries, that was the basis of Pong. Released on Nov. 29, 1972, Pong was—in the words...
Tech Time Warp: Conficker’s persistent ability to outsmart defenses
For the past 16 years, Conficker has been a virulent piece of malware. First identified in November 2008, it continues to persist in legacy operating systems (looking at you, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003). Take a look back in...
Tech Time Warp: Apple releases the revolutionary iPod
Before the iPhone, there was the iPod. On Oct. 23, 2001, Steve Jobs introduced the iPod to a small audience—nothing like the Apple release events of later years. But then, Apple was not the juggernaut in 2001 that it is...
