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Another great interview with channel leader, Rob Rae, Corporate Vice President of Community and Ecosystems, at Pax8. Rob shared his positive outlook for 2024, particularly in cybersecurity and AI, noting a trend among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) towards more strategic planning and budgeting in these areas. He emphasized the need for managed service providers (MSPs) to effectively monetize AI technologies, while Julian highlighted the importance of MSPs becoming knowledgeable about AI to confidently address client inquiries. Both acknowledged that being a reliable source of information will be essential for MSPs as the industry evolves.

The managed services sector is experiencing significant growth, with Canalys reporting increases in Professional Services Automation (PSA) and Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technologies. This growth is driven by rising demand from SMBs, prompting MSPs to adopt automation and AI to improve service delivery and scalability. However, the industry faces challenges in attracting and retaining skilled talent, as new workforce entrants often lack essential technical troubleshooting skills. Additionally, there is a noticeable shift towards newer PSA solutions, indicating a dynamic market landscape.

Concerns about outages and downtime, even among major providers like Microsoft, have led some MSPs to reconsider cloud solutions in favor of on-premises systems, reflecting the ongoing evolution in the IT landscape, and highlighting the complexities of transitioning to new technologies while addressing sustainability challenges posed by cloud data centers.

The conversation also touched on generational shifts in consumer behavior, particularly the influence of Gen Z on the workforce and purchasing decisions. Rob noted that Gen Z’s preferences for online shopping and engagement differ from previous generations, and they emphasized the need for MSPs to adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.

Stay tuned for more on Pax8 in the upcoming months.

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Evgeniy talked about his “Architecting Success: The Art of Soft Skills in Sales” book, focusing on the concept of “exercise snacks” and its benefits for maintaining an active routine. He stressed the importance of regular follow-ups to explore the book’s themes further and the necessity of soft skills in sales and customer interactions. He also highlighted the need for security and IT professionals to communicate technical concepts in relatable business language to secure funding and support, as well as the importance of effective communication, particularly when discussing risk tolerance with executives.

Check our previous episode with Evgeniy: https://www.e-channelnews.com/cybersecurity-defense-ecosystem-podcast-episode-5/

To learn more on Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem, visit: https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/

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Jon Murchison, CEO at Blackpoint Cyber, a company founded by former intelligence officers dedicated to combating cyber threats, discussed how cyber threats are shifting to the cloud and how MSPs can ensure their protection is ready.

He provided insights into the dynamics of professional hacking operations and stressed the need for robust identity management to prevent vulnerabilities, particularly in light of recent high-profile incidents like the MGM attack. The discussion also covered the complexities of cybersecurity, including the risks associated with aging infrastructure and supply chain vulnerabilities. He raised concerns about the lack of adequate managed detection and response (MDR) capabilities among many service providers, while Julian highlighted the ingenuity of bad actors in exploiting these vulnerabilities.

They emphasized the importance of education and awareness in improving cybersecurity practices and called for a shift in mindset to better prepare for future challenges.

Check out our past interview with Jon: https://www.e-channelnews.com/interview-with-blackpoints-ceo-jon-murchison/

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Speaker: Danny Brickman, Co-Founder & CEO of Oasis Security, a a startup that provides a platform for managing Non-Human Identities (NHIs) like service accounts, tokens, access keys, and API keys

In this podcast, Danny Brickman talked about the growing issue of non-human identities (NHIs) in cybersecurity and explained the implications of NHIs as fundamental authentication methods for machines.

He highlighted the significant increase in NHIs due to automation, cloud computing, and AI, and emphasized the security challenges they pose. Julian prompted a deeper exploration of the risks associated with unmanaged NHIs, leading to a discussion about a real-life breach caused by password sharing, which underscored the importance of addressing these vulnerabilities.

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Speaker: Jeff Dance, Chief Innovation Officer at Eclypses, a data security company, using MicroToken Exchange (MTE) technology to protect it from alteration or compromise regardless of the network or protocols involved.

In this podcast, Jeff has an interesting perspective on current cyber trends and challenges, as well as advice for aspiring CISOs and security leaders. He discussed the importance of data protection, the impact of cybersecurity on trust and behavior, and the increasing value of data as a business asset. He shared insights on best practices and the need for a proactive approach to data security, emphasizing the importance of understanding the value of data and addressing vulnerabilities. The critical aspects of risk management in cybersecurity were also discussed, stressing the need to plan for failure and adopt systematic approaches to address threats.

He also touched on the profound implications of AI on cybersecurity, highlighting the shift to industrialized, AI-powered attacks. The need for a comprehensive, systematic security approach that involves all aspects of the business ecosystem and requires accountability from all C-level executives was underscored. The urgency of adapting to the evolving threat landscape and proactively addressing vulnerabilities to mitigate the potential impact of AI-enabled cyber attacks was emphasized.

Note that Jeff previously led security for lululemon, with background working for Accenture, KPMG among other companies. 

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Trump and Biden have had their own images mashed-up. Taylor Swift has had her own deepfake struggles…..

Nicos Vekiarides, founder of Attestiv, a channel-focused organization, which detects deepfakes in videos and images, knows there is going to be an expected dramatic rise in deepfakes as a significant threat. 

During this podcast, Nicos discussed the challenges of detecting deepfakes and the potential ramifications of their use, including identity theft and fraud. He emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges posed by deepfakes in various contexts, including cybersecurity threats and social media manipulation. Nicos presented his company’s tool, which can analyze media at scale, flag potentially suspicious items, and enable further investigation. 

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Presenter: Frank Korthouwer, Founder, CEO at Idiligo

The impact of the pandemic on virtualization trends and human behavior is undeniable. Idiligo offers a platform to transform every meeting into your best one.To guide your meetings in the most perfect way, Idiligo has preloaded the platform with the right questions to get to know your meeting-partner.

To learn more, visit: https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/services/idiligo/

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JumpCloud Inc. recently released the results of its Q3 2024 SME IT Trends Report, “Detours Ahead: How IT Navigates an Evolving World.” The seventh edition of the report provides new insights around the challenges and opportunities facing IT teams at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It covers topics such as:

Chase Doelling, Principal Strategist at JumpCloud, talked about the report findings, focusing on the impact of shadow IT and the growing emphasis on cybersecurity. He highlighted the challenges faced by organizations in managing shadow IT and the need for increased security measures. He also emphasized the importance of cybersecurity awareness and the evolving landscape of IT security.

Chase discussed the complexities of IT device sprawl, addressing the influence of factors such as remote work, IoT, and the increasing variety of devices used by employees. He underscored the importance of flexibility in accommodating employee device preferences and ensuring access to resources from anywhere.

The discussion then shifted to the evolving relationship between organizations and MSPs, noting the reliance on MSPs for security infrastructure and the need for MSPs to address clients’ security concerns. The speakers emphasized the significance of cybersecurity posture and the role of channel partners in the cybersecurity business, highlighting the increasing reliance on MSPs and the challenges faced by organizations in navigating the complex cybersecurity landscape. The conversation also touched on the survey results on AI adoption, indicating that while there is still strong optimism, there are concerns about the organization’s capability to adopt AI securely.

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Alex Lanstein, chief evangelist at StrikeReady (and former long-time FireEye engineer/product), provides insight on the recent CrowdStrike incident and its potential legal implications, as well as the impact of AI on cybersecurity. Alex emphasized the need for a new approach to patch management and the importance of assessing an organization’s ability to detect and respond to breaches. He also discussed the prevalence of criminal actors on the dark web and the significance of internal source code in breach incidents.

Alex shared his journey in cybersecurity, highlighting the evolution of the industry and changes in attack vectors. He emphasized the increasing liability faced by CISOs and the importance of deriving practical takeaways from major breaches. He also discussed the importance of visibility into edge devices and StrikeReady’s role in addressing these challenges.

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In this podcast, we discuss with Derek Manky, chief security strategist and VP of global threat intelligence at Fortinet about the recent FortiGuard Labs report “Dark Web Shows Cybercriminals Ready for Olympics. Are You?”, which examines the threat actors, methodologies, and tactics being used to target attendees, viewers, businesses, and agencies of the upcoming games. Derek highlighted the heightened risk for this event compared to previous games, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and vigilance. He also touched on the importance of shoring up network resilience, using machine learning and artificial intelligence, creating preparedness playbooks, and conducting training and education to combat these evolving threats. The conversation also explored the blurred lines between cyber and physical security, emphasizing the need for a cyber-physical security operating system to address these complex threats.

Some of the findings were:

• Surge in darknet activity targeting France since 2H 2023.
• The sale of stolen credentials and compromised VPN connections to enable unauthorized access to private networks. Ads for phishing kits and exploit tools customized for the Paris Olympics. The sale of French databases that contain PII on French citizens
• Hacktivist activity spiking, specificallyby pro-Russian groups.
• Phishing kits and infostealers abound, and there are a significant number of typosquatting domains registered around the Olympics.