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MSP & MSSP & IT Industry Notes

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for April 17th 2022

Sponsored by

April 17th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Canon Publishes Guide to Help Customers Protect Environment Against Cybersecurity Threats

  • announced that Canon has published a white paper that covers cybersecurity guidelines  for organizations and their systems that manage important information
  • white paper, created by Canon Inc. and verified by Trellix (former McAfee Enterprise)
  • relate device functions and settings to specific cybersecurity controls are also part of the white paper

Canon warns of possible security issue

  • Potential security vulnerability in the RSA key generating process in the cryptographic library used by many Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE MFPs
  • Hackers could use to possibly decipher captured communications
  • Firmware updates to resolve problem now available

AireSpring Adds Fortinet FortiPortal to Its Managed SD-WAN Solutions Portfolio

  • announce that it has added Fortinet's FortiPortal to its managed SD-WAN and Security product offering
  • AireSpring provides access to hundreds of carriers and cable companies in the US and around the Globe

Quadient Continues Footprint Expansion in Document Automation Cloud Solutions with ...

  • announced launch of Impress Distribute in Germany, expanding to another European market the capabilities of Quadient® Impress
  • cloud-based document automation for small and medium businesses (SMBs)
  • SPS is an outsourcing provider for business processes solutions and innovative services in document management

Imprivata Acquires SecureLink to Deliver a Single-Vendor Platform to Manage and Secure ...

  • announced it has closed its acquisition of SecureLink
  • acquisition addresses the rapidly growing need for a single source to enable and protect all digital identities
  • Imprivata is the digital identity company

Y Soft offers new RFID badge reader

Now offering the MFX Ultimate Reader, billed as the “most universal” reader in the market

  • Combines mobile, HID and Legic in one device
  • Free product lifetime warranty
  • Can be used with MFPs and printers using Y Soft’s secure print release solution

Kaseya to acquire Datto in US$6.2 billion transaction

  • Re3ported on ChannelLife
  • will offer Datto’s shareholders US$35.50 per share all cash
  • all-cash transaction will be funded by an equity consortium led by Insight Partners, with significant investments from TPG and Temasek and participation from investors including Sixth Street
  • Kaseya is a unified IT management and security software provider for managed service providers (MSPs) and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs)

CyberEdge publishes report

  • 3% or organizations surveyed have experienced a cyber attack
    • 7% hit by 6 or more attacks
    • 71% hit by ransomware
      • 9% pay the ransom
    • Shortfall of skilled IT security personnel is top factor that inhibits adequate defense
    • Also low security awareness among employees
    • 7% of IT budget on average spent on security
      • 2% are increasing the spend
      • 9% of healthcare IT budget is spent on security
        • Will increase budget by 3.6%
      • 76% of healthcare organizations predict increased attacks
      • 6% claim to have endpoint detection security solution in place
        • Endpoints include copiers, fax machines, scanners and printers
        • 8% plan on buying in 2022
        • 3% claim to have endpoint hard drive encryption
          • 2% plan to get in 2022
        • 1% outsource cybersecurity detection and response
          • 3% outsource vulnerability scans

Nevada IT Solutions: Managed IT Services & Security Wins 2022 NCET Tech Awards

  • named winner of the Northern Nevada’s Technological Community at NCET Tech Awards
  • NCET presented the award to Nevada IT Solutions Reno-Sparks Convention Center
  • more about Nevada IT Solutions and the award can visit the website at https://www.ncet.org/ncet-tech-awards

Keio University and Fujitsu Successfully Demonstrate Technology to Streamline Management of Digital Identity Data

  • announced Japan's first successful field trials of a self-sovereign identity(1) technology
  • new technology facilitates the distribution of digitally managed information attributable to individuals (digital identity) between different organizations and services

JFS Partners Announces the Acquisition of Transcendent by Airiam

  • Specialized M&A Advisory and Consulting firm facilitating transactions in the MSP, cloud, colocation and communications industries
  • Announces acquisition of Transcendent, a leading IT consulting and managed service provider based in Hartland, Wisconsin, by Airiam
  • Airiam, a managed services provider headquartered in Miami Beach, Florida

Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA

  • customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
  • identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
  • Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Viasat Corp. notified tens of thousands of customers of its consumer broadband modems that devices may have been compromised by recent Russain AcidRain malware attack.
  • Bradley International Airport of Connecticut notified an unknown number of customers that their info may have been exposed after cyber attack.
  • Smartmatic Inc., one of the providers of voting machines in the U.S., admitted that it suffered a data leak, and terminated an employee involved.
  • German police claim they have shut down Hydra, which operates a marketplace for stolen info on the Dark Web.
  • Texas Department of Insurance notified 1.8 million patients that their PHI may have been exposed after “data security” event
  • Parker Hannifin Corp., headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, notified an unknown number of employees and customers that a ransomware group has apparently stolen “several gigabytes” of files.
  • Bloomberg News published results of survey:
    • 80% expect to increase or maintain technology spending in the next 12 months
    • 72% said they will likely increase their budgets by 9 percent or more this year.
    • 87% say cybersecurity is more important
  • North Carolina A&T University notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • The FBI published another warning of increased ransomware attacks aimed at healthcare vertical and local government agencies.
  • Englewood Health of New Jersey notified 4,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber incident.
  • Aberdeen Research published report on endpoint security (endpoints include MFPs, printers, fax, etc.)
    • From 5% to 80% of endpoint devices on networks are NOT visible to IT and security staff
    • Between 4.7% to 8.5% of these devices are already infected with malware

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for April 10 2022

Sponsored by

April 10th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Connectria Becomes an AWS Premier Consulting Partner

  • Connectria, is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) managed services provider
  • Majority of Connectria's AWS clients adhere to regulatory compliance such as HITRUST, HIPAA, GDPR and PCI

Appfire Acquires Comalatech To Elevate Document Management in the Atlassian Ecosystem

  • announced it has acquired Comalatech’s suite of document management apps
  • Comalatech will become fully integrated into the Appfire brand
  • Appfire’s solutions help teams with Workflow Automation, Product Portfolio Management, IT Service Management, Document Management, Business Intelligence and Reporting, Administrative Tools, Agile, Developer Tools, and Publishing

KYOCERA Document Solutions UK Partners with ancora Software to Enhance Their

  • KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. will add ancoraDocs to their growing stack of intelligent process automation software
  • Will offer to their current customer base and prospects
  • ancoraDocs is available either on-premise or as a true multi-tenant cloud service hosted by ancora on Microsoft Azure
  • ancora Software, Inc. is a provider of Intelligent Process Automation solutions including Intelligent Document Classification and Data Capture

DocuWorld Partner Conference 2022 (EMEA) – Technology Partners Are Ready to Answer Your Questions

  • the leading event for all DocuWare Partners, the DocuWorld Partner Conference (EMEA)
  • Participants also have the opportunity to meet with companies from the software and hardware sectors at our accompanying trade exhibition to learn about their product innovations, solutions and integration options

HP is betting that hybrid work is here to stay

  • announced it would buy office headset-maker Poly (POLY) for $3.3 billion last week

Nrby, Inc., Sisense Team for Nrby VU™ to Drive More Powerful Business Intelligence

  • announced that they have partnered to create Nrby VU™, a new business intelligence tool
  • provides visibility into network events, trends, and workforce activities for broadband service provider

SysGroup expands UK footprint with acquisition of Scottish IT firm

  • has expanded its presence in the UK with the acquisition of Truststream Security Solutions in Edinburgh for £4.8m
  • has paid for the deal from its existing cash balance and a new revolving credit facility of £8m from Santander
  • reported on thebusineessdesk.com

Google Cloud Is 'Turbocharging' Its MSSP Sales Push

  • Google Cloud is trying to boost its security business by building closer relationships with managed security service providers (MSSPs)
  • Google is focusing on are sales, marketing, business investment and technical support
  • Reported on crn.com

Kyocera has another security problem?

  • Rapid7 Security announced that Kyocera MFPs and printers have a newly discovered security vulnerability
  • A hacker on the network, could download all the sensitive data in the address book of the device using Net View
  • Rapid7 claims that Kyocera has yet to issue a patch to fix proble

Tequity Advised Managed Services Firm Triella on their Acquisition by Miii MSP

  • Tequity, an M&A advisory firm specializing in global Enterprise B2B Cloud, SaaS, and IT company transactions
  • acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Triella, in their acquisition by Miii MSP

With Acquisitions of Syntervision and Transcendent, a New Cybersecurity Firm for SMEs Emerges

  • announced the acquisitions of Alabama-based Syntervision and Wisconsin-based Transcendent
  • acquisitions extend Airiam’s position for IT management and cybersecurity platforms
  • Terms of the deals were not disclosed

Rackspace Technology Renews Its Google Cloud Managed

  • has achieved the designation as a Google Cloud Managed Services Provider (MSP) for its operations in Latin America (LATAM)
  • completed and approved formal validation of its capabilities on Google Cloud, Rackspace Technology has renewed its designation as an MSP partner for Google Cloud

CrowdStrike & Mandiant Partner to Protect Organizations Against Cyber Threats

  • announced a strategic partnership that will help joint customers investigate, remediate and defend against increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity events
  • Mandiant will utilize the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform and subscription offerings for its incident response (IR) services and proactive consulting engagements

UPSTACK Acquires Agency and Managed Services Provider Universal

  • announced today that it acquired Universal Telecommunications Inc. and its sister company, Universal Solutions Providers LLC
  • Universal, based in Deerfield Beach, Fla., provides private and public sector businesses with IT, network and voice solutions

Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA

  • customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
  • identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
  • Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton of Canada announced it has fired an employee for illegally accessing the PHI of at least 4 dozen patients
  • Val Verde Regional Medical Center of Del Rio, TX notified 96,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Spokane Regional Health District of Washington notified 1,260 patients that their PHI was exposed after second email phishing attack in past 3 month
  • Cancer and Hematology Centers of Western Michigan notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Partnership HealthPlan of California notified 850,000 patients that their PHI was stolen after ransomware attack
  • Central Minnesota Mental Health Center notified 28,725 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas notified 2,800 patients that their PHI was exposed after a breach at is subcontractor, Morley Companies
  • Newsday is reporting that Long Island, New York public schools have recently been hit with 29 incidents of ransomware, with up to 820,000 students possibly having their info exposed
  • Honda automobiles can be hacked into via their remote keyless entry systems, according to researchers at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  • Sophos of England, maker of popular firewall systems, announced a rollout of urgent patches for newly found security vulnerabilities
  • Charles Martin was arrested by Eau Claire, WI police for allegedly using stolen patient identities to receive care at 3 different healthcare facilities in the area
  • UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) of Pennsylvania announced it will begin making payments to 66,000 employees who were victims of past data breach
  • North Orange County College District of California is notifying an unknown number of students that their info may have been exposed after breach
  • Law Enforcement Health Benefits Inc. of Pennsylvania notified 85,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • CareOregon of Portland, Oregon, notified 10,647 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack
  • University Medical Center of Southern Nevada notified 12,230 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack
  • Black Kite Research published research:
    • 27% of breaches in 2021 were ransomware
    • 23% of breaches involved software vulnerabilities
    • 75 days was average amount of time to discover breach
    • 33% of all attacks are aimed at healthcare industry, making it top target
  • Oklahoma City Indian Clinic notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Christie Clinics of Illinois notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for April 3rd 2022

Sponsored by

April 4th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Converge Technology Solutions Corp. To Acquire Interdynamix Systems

  • Converge Technology Solutions Corp. announced it has signed definitive agreements to acquire Interdynamix (IDX)
  • Converge a software-enabled IT & Cloud Solutions provider
  • Interdynamix (IDX), a next-generation systems integrator

HP Inc. to Acquire Poly

  • to acquire Poly (NYSE: POLY), a leading global provider of workplace collaboration solutions
  • all-cash transaction for $40 per share, implying a total enterprise value of $3.3 billion, inclusive of Poly’s net debt
  • acquisition accelerates HP’s strategy to create a more growth-oriented portfolio
  • 75% of office workers are investing to improve their home setups to support new ways of working1
  • Currently, there are more than 90 million rooms, of which less than 10% have video capability2
  • As a result, the office meeting room solutions segment is expected to triple by 20243

Inspirage listed as a Representative Vendor in 2022 Gartner® Market Guide for Oracle ...

  • announced that it has been identified as a Representative Vendor in the 2022 Gartner "Market Guide for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Professional and Managed Services” report.”1
  • Inspirage delivers end-to-end transformational initiatives solving business-critical challenges

Hackers aim their sites at printers in Russia

  • The infamous hacking group named “Anonymous” announced it is hacking into unsecured printers/MFPs in Russia
  • Goal is to force the devices to print propaganda documents condemning the Russian attack on the country of Ukraine

HP has yet another security issue

Many IT magazines this past week published articles detailing a newly discovered set of security vulnerabilities in many HP printers and MFPs, including wide format

  • 3 of the 4 vulnerabilities are rated “Critical” as they can lead to remote code executive (RCE)
  • Models include Color LaserJet Pro/Enterprise/Managed/Flow, LaserJet Pro, PageWide Pro/Color/Enterprise/Flow/Managed, PageWide Pro and OfficeJet Pro, Scanjet, DeskJet, DesignJet, and PageWide XL
    o 250 different model numbers affected
  • “Certain HP Print products and Digital Sending products may be vulnerable to potential remote code execution and buffer overflow with the use of Link-Local Multitask Name Resolution or LLMNR”
  • HP claims to have patches available

Colocation services companies bank on hybrid IT

  • Posted on Techtarget.com
  • Colocation services providers, gearing up for growth
  • Considering the following developments
    • Flexential, a provider of colocation, cloud and connectivity in Charlotte, N.C., last week disclosed plans to add 33 megawatts of data center development projects in 2022
    • DataBank, a colocation, connectivity and managed services provider based in Dallas, said it will expand its San Diego data center by 40,000 square feet

Computer chip supply issues?

Two companies in the country of Ukraine, Ingas Corp. of Mariupol and Cryoin Corp. of Odesa, refine most of the world’s neon gas

  • Neon gas is a crucial raw material needed to operate precision lasers that etch silicone slabs into semiconductor computer chips, some of which are used in printers and MFPs
  • Russian jets have heavily bombed both cities, and production has ground to a halt
  • Flight restrictions out of Russia have also hampered shipping of palladium (another chip component), as Russia controls 40% of the market

Qlik Positioned in Leaders Quadrant of Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ - MarTech Series

  • announced it is positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant of the 2022 Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms*
  • marks the twelfth straight year of Qlik’s position in the Leaders quadrant

Toshiba shareholders reject plans

In Tokyo, Japan, shareholders overwhelmingly rejected Toshiba’s management’s proposal to split the
company into two public companies

  • Instead, activist shareholders are demanding that Toshiba accept bids from private equity investment groups to sell entire company
  • Reuters News Service is reporting that Toshiba may sell off its Elevator division to Otis Worldwide for potential selling price of $4 billion
    “analysts expect sales of some assets such as Toshiba Tec (printers and MFPs)”
  • New CEO Taro Shimada stated “would consider various strategic options”

Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle Earns Gold

  • Keypoint Intelligence recognizes Toshiba America Business Solutions' innovation and commitment to improving business performance
  • presenting the Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle its Buyers Lab (BLI) Gold rating
  • Workplace Productivity Bundle's capacity for digitizing, retrieving and automating documents
  • Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle apps digitize volumes of paper documents, capture relevant business metadata, and deliver searchable files when scanning on Toshiba's e‑STUDIO™ multifunction printers (MFPs)

Hackers steal over $600 million from video game Axie Infinity's Ronin network

  • latest crypto hack has targeted a gaming-focused blockchain network that supports the popular video game Axie Infinity
  • Hackers made off with about $625 million worth of Ethereum and USDC
  • Reported on cnn.com

StorPool Delivers Enhanced Offerings for Managed Services Providers

  • announced enhanced offerings for Managed Services Providers (MSPs) looking to build efficient cloud platform
  • enrichments offer MSPs the tools they need to build their own cloud infrastructures in order to run mission-critical workloads
  • StorPool Storage is a primary storage platform designed for large-scale cloud infrastructure

TPx's UCx with Webex Recognized as 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year

  • announced its UCx with Webex solution received a 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year Award by TMC
  • 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year winners will be featured in INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine online and on TMCnet
  • TPx is a nationwide managed service provider
  • INTERNET TELEPHONY has been the IP Communications Authority since 1998™

ePlus Enhances Its Managed Security Services Portfolio with Addition of Fortinet Solutions

  • announced it has expanded its Managed Security Services portfolio to include proactive monitoring and management of an extended suite of Fortinet security and network architecture solutions
  • supported solutions include FortiSwitch and FortiAP switching and wireless access points, FortiManager network management software, and FortiAnalyzer security fabric analytics and automation
  • ePlus Security is a security technology advisor and integrator

Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA

  • customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
  • identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
  • Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge

CrowdStrike Achieves 100% Prevention in Fourth Round of MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK® Enterprise Evaluations

  • announced its results from the fourth round of the MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK® Enterprise Evaluations
  • achieved 100% prevention with comprehensive visibility and actionable alerts
  • This round of independent ATT&CK Evaluations for enterprise cybersecurity solutions emulated the WIZARD SPIDER and VOODOO BEAR (Sandworm Team) threat groups

Face to face selling still vital

Research published by Stellar Global

  • In-person selling situations are 34 times more successful than those made over email
  • Close rates form face-to-face = 57%
  • 65% of customers would be more likely to buy a product/solution/service if receiving a demonstration
  • Human brain is wired for connection and appreciation

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Ransomware report published by SonicWall:
    • 6% of ransomware attacks are aimed at U.S.
    • 5 million hits last year, up 98%
    • Average of 2,170 ransomware attacks per customer
    • 20 attempts per second
  • Griggsville-Perry Public School District of Illinois notified an unknown number of students that their info may have been exposed online after ransomware attack.
  • Suggested selling prices of offering a cyber security audit from ConnectWise:
    • $100 for every router, server, switch and firewall
    • $25 per user/employee
  • New York City Public Schools are notifying 820,000 current and former students that their info was exposed after a vendor, lluminate Education of California, was hit by cyber attack
    • Through it Skedula and PupilPath platforms
  • The Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant in Kansas notified local citizens that hackers from Russia attempted to disrupt operations.
  • Highmark Health, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, notified 67,147 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Chelan Douglas Health District of East Wenatchee, Washington, notified 109,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • New Jersey Brain and Spine of Oradell, New Jersey notified 92,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Business email compromise attached are the most expensive form of hacking, according to a report from FBI:
    • Total of $2.4 billion in damages in 2021
    • Up from $1.8 billion in 2020
  • 50 million patients in the U.S. had their PHI (protected health information) breached in 2021, according to report from Politico magazine.
    • 75% as a result of hacking
  • Audrain Community Hospital and Callaway Community Hospital of Mexico, Missouri both notified an unknown number of patients that they suffered from an “IT outage”
  • Brandon Livas, Royale Lassai & Ashley Green pleaded guilty to stealing PHI from a medical clinic in Metairie, Louisiana and selling it for profit.
  • Wheeling Health Right of West Virginia notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • 38,418 patients, including Major League Baseball players, were notified by Horizon Actuarial Services of Georgia that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Central Indiana Orthopedics notified 83,705 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • 1 million patients, including many National Basketball Association players, were notified by JDC Healthcare Management of Texas that their PHI may have been exposed after “malware incident”
  • Microsoft Corp. admitted it was a target of Lapsus$ cyberattack, led by a 16 year old boy in England.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for March 26th 2022

Sponsored by

March 27th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

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M-Files Named Winner in the 2022 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards -

  • announced that the company has been named a winner in the Business Intelligence Group’s Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards program
  • inaugural year, the BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards sets out to recognize organizations, products and people who bring Artificial Intelligence (AI) to life and apply it to solve real problems

If you think a printer or copier can't be hacked,

CloudBlue Listed as a Representative Vendor in 2022 Gartner® Market Guide for

  • announced it has been named as a Representative Vendor in 2022 Gartner® Market Guide for Marketplace Operations Applications (MOAs)
  • report outlines market trends and directions, analyzes enterprise marketplaces, features, and complexities, and provides an unbiased understanding of the different vendors in the space
  • Per Gartner, “Enterprise marketplaces are digital channels operated by B2B or B2C companies that invite third-party sellers to sell directly to end customers. Marketplace operation applications (MOAs) provide the technology to enable enterprise marketplaces by enabling marketplace operators (the companies that offer and manage the marketplace) to manage seller onboarding, product catalogs, order routing and management, and seller compliance with marketplace policies.”

Equipment leasing study

Report from Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (ELFF) based on March survey

  • 21.4% of leasing company executives believe business conditions will improve
    • 50% = remain the same
    • 28.6% = worsen
  • 25% believe that demand for leases will increase
  • 75% = remain the same
  • 0% = worsen

ICS Buys Unified Networking Solutions To Better Secure Clients

  • Reported on CRN
  • ICS, has acquired Unified Networking Solutions (UNS)
  • ICS, a provider of IT managed services headquartered in Endicott, N.Y.
  • Unified Networking Solutions (UNS), a provider of IT products and services, of Raynham, Mass

PEI Named Top Managed Services Provider Second Year in a Row

Insight Joins New NVIDIA DGX-Ready Managed Services Program

  • announced that it is one of a select group of technology partners certified to support enterprises deploying NVIDIA DGX™ AI computing platforms under the new NVIDIA DGX-Ready Managed Services program
  • NVIDIA DGX systems is an advanced computing platform for large-scale AI infrastructure.
  • “AI is transforming organizations around the world, and the new NVIDIA DGX-Ready Managed Services program expands access to the world’s most advanced AI platforms through service providers who bring expertise in running mission-critical infrastructure for their enterprise clients,” said Tony Paikeday, senior director of AI systems at NVIDIA

LogicMonitor Wins a 2022 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award from the

  • announced it has been honored with a 2022 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award from the Business Intelligence Group
  • Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards recognize the organizations, products and people who bring artificial intelligence (AI) to life and apply it to solve real problems
  • LogicMonitor seamlessly monitors everything from networks to applications to the cloud

GRSi Wins 4 Year Contract to Deliver Business Intelligence

  • awarded a four-year contract to provide program management, end-user IT support services, and business intelligence and reporting development to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NIMH is the lead federal agency for the latest research on mental disorders
  • GRSi, named Government Contracting Company of the Year for 2021

MPS Monitor offers new features

Is a provider of printer/MFP monitoring solutions for dealers offering managed print services contracts

  • Launched version 4.0 of its DCA (data collection agent)
  • Uses MQTT IoT messaging protocols to provide real-time connection
  • with HTTP/2-GRPC for traffic optimization
  • SSH for remote device access
  • Fleet managers can access and navigate printer/MFP device web pages from browser
  • Uses single code base for all main platforms
  • Can define each different type of data, such as meters, consumable levels, alerts and messages
  • Define each type to be updated
  • Optimized network discovery for stability and efficiency
  • Supports SNMP v3 security protocols
  • Full integration with Papercut

Spectrum Enterprise Launches Enterprise Network Edge Solution

  • announced Enterprise Network Edge (ENE), a new solution designed to help businesses simplify the management and migration of complex, larger-scale networks
  • ENE offers advanced security and SD-WAN capabilities along with a portfolio of connectivity options
  • Spectrum Enterprise, a part of Charter Communications, Inc., is a national provider of scalable, fiber technology solutions serving many of America's largest businesses and communications service providers

Six new leading technology and services providers join Vertafore Orange Partner Program

  • announced the addition of six solution providers to its Orange Partner Program
  • gives Vertafore customers more options to increase their productivity, manage E&O risks, improve client engagement and access specialized IT support
  • There are 34 partners in the program
  • Vertafore is modernizing and simplifying the insurance life cycle

NWN Carousel Awarded Texas Department of Information Resources Contract for Unified Communications, Carrier, Managed Services & Contact Center Solutions

  • awarded NWN Carousel, the leading integrated Cloud Communications Service Provider, a new contract, DIR-TELE-CTSA-014, to deliver unified communications, carrier, managed services, and contact center solutions for the Texas public sector
  • NWN Carousel is a Cloud Communications Service Provider (CCSP)

Xerox Launches Full Range of Workplace Productivity Solutions

Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA

  • customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
  • identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
  • Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge

Lexmark Unlocks AI-Enabled Edge Applications for Organizations of All Sizes

  • today announced the latest addition to its Optra IoT Solutions portfolio
  • Lexmark Optra Edge executes AI applications closer to the point of data generation at the edge without necessitating the transfer of data to the cloud
  • allows organizations to sense, analyze and act on real-time digital and physical data generated by IoT devices such as cameras
  • Lexmark creates cloud-enabled imaging and IoT technologies

Face to face selling still vital

Research published by Stellar Global

  • In-person selling situations are 34 times more successful than those made over email
  • Close rates form face-to-face = 57%
  • 65% of customers would be more likely to buy a product/solution/service if receiving a demonstration
  • Human brain is wired for connection and appreciation

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Denso Car Parts manufacturing notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Protenus Security published results of US healthcare vertical breach data collected in 2021:
    • 50,406,838 patients had their PHI exposed due to a breach, up 24%
    • 75% of breaches caused by external hackers
    • 13% caused by insiders
    • Breaches were undiscovered for an average of 132 days
    • 5% of all breaches involved paper medical records (print, copy, fax
  • Verizon published research:
    • 58% increase in breaches this past year in healthcare vertical
    • 77% of breaches compromised personal info
    • 67% of breach exposed PHI
  • DataHEALTH of Austin, Texas notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • SentinelOne Cybersecurity of Mountain View, CA, announced it will spend $616 million to acquire Attivo Network Security, located in Silicon Valley, CA.
  • Labette Health of Kansas notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyberattack.
  • Capital Region Medical Center of Jefferson City, MO notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Memorial Village ER of Texas notified 80,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after “hacking incident”
  • Ultimate Care of Brooklyn, NY notified 15,788 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Alliance Physical Therapy Group of Grand Rapids, MI notified 14,970 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • East Tennessee Children’s Hospital of Knoxville, TN notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI may have been exposed after “IT security issue’
  • Bridgestone Tire Corp., headquartered in Nashville, TN, notified an unknown number of employees and customers that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
  • H.P. Hood Dairy Corp., headquartered in Lynnfield, Mass, notified an unknown number of employees and customers that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Contoocook Valley School District of Peterborough, New Hampshire, notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after “cyber attack”.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for March 13th 2022

Sponsored by

March 13th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Cloud5 Achieves Top Hospitality Honor in the 2021 Mitel Partner Awards

  • Named Hospitality Partner of the Year, Americas, in the Mitel Global Partner Awards
  • Winners were honored for their exceptional understanding of customer needs and ability to provide innovative and customized solutions to modernize their unified communications (UC) experience
  • Cloud5 is a communications technology and services provider to customer-centric brands across the Americas

Merger to create security-focused IT managed services powerhouse

  • Reported on insidermedia.com
  • Antrim-based ANSEC IA will become part of the Outsource Group
  • Plans to employ a workforce of more than 100 people by the end of this year
  • Outsource Group, has offices in Antrim, Belfast, Cookstown, Dublin and Edinburgh
  • ANSEC IA, founded in 2007 located in Northern Ireland's best-known specialist IT security consultancies

MCA Technology Solutions Enters Equity Sharing Partnership with Best-in-Class Managed ...

  • New Charter Technologies announced the equity sharing partnership with MCA Technology Solutions

Williams Data Management Announces Addition of ScanMyFiles.com

Judge Consulting Recognized as a Leading Managed Service Provider in North America ...

  • named to the Managed Service Provider (MSP500) list in the Elite 150 category for 2022 by CRN
  • annual MSP 500 list recognizes the leading solution providers in North America
  • Judge Group is a global services and technology firm with over 30 offices in the United States, Canada, and India.

Ricoh’s partnership with Nintex grows

  • Nintex is provider of RPA (robotic process automation) solutions
  • Announced that has authorized Ricoh as reseller in country of New Zealand

IT By Design Partners With the MSP Growth Coalition, Names Juan Fernandez Brand ...

  • Announced partnership with the MSP Growth Coalition and Co-founder / CEO Juan Fernandez
  • IT By Design (ITBD), a Master Managed Services Provider (MMSP)
  • ITBD, the nation's largest privately-held MSP, created the Build IT brand as the educational arm of its MSP business

Sharp Certifies directprint.io as a Sharp Compatible Software Product

  • Announced that io's SaaS print management solution has received full validation as a Sharp Compatible software product
  • Pre-configured for over 400 Sharp models
  • io enables resellers or IT admins to quickly and efficiently deploy Sharp multifunction printers (MFPs)
  • Offers secure, control and track printing across Chromebooks, Windows and macOS environments

DocSolid Issues Major Release of Airmail2 Digital Mailroom – Workflows and

  • Announced new release of its digital mailroom software, Airmail2 Digital Mailroom
  • new version now includes the Airmail2 Hub, providing structured communications from digital mail recipients back to the mailroom  operators
  • DocSolid creates, sells and supports Paper2Digital® solutions for optimized scanning, printing, and shredding

HP Inc. posts last quarter’s earnings

  • Net revenue up 8.8% to $17 million
  • Spent $1.8 billion buying back its stock
  • Printing division revenue down 4.2% to $4.831 billion
    • Non-GAAP operating profit of $879 million
    • 2% operating margin
    • Supplies revenue down 2%
    • Total hardware units down 28%
      • Commercial revenue up 9%
      • Consumer revenue down 23%

Canon Europe Has Stopped Shipments to Russia

  • Suspended new shipments of products into Russia in response to the country’s attack on Ukraine

Apple orders employees back to office

  • Orders staff to return to the office once a week from 4/11/2022
  • Have to be back at least three days a week by May 23
  • Has delayed its plans multiple times amid employee backlash

Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA

  • customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
  • identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
  • Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge

Toshiba Concerned Chip Crisis May Deepen After Ukraine Invasion

  • Stated supply challenges for electronic components are unlikely to abate for another year
  • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a key supplier of chipmaking materials, may also have an impact
  • “The sense of shortages hasn’t changed at all,” Hiroyuki Sato, the head of Toshiba’s devices unit, said in an interview. “We expect the current tight supply will last until March next year” at the earliest
  • Ukraine is a major supplier of purified rare gases such as neon and krypton, both essential to making semiconductors
  • Accounts for almost 70% of the world’s neon gas capacity, according to TrendForce data

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Public universities (aka Higher Ed) should prepare for cyber attacks, according to report published by Security Week magazine
    • Increase in activity driven by war in Ukraine
  • Firmware is being attacked by hackers more than ever, according to warning published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    • This includes firmware in printers and MFPs
  • “Securing the firmware layers is often overlooked”
    • One of the stealthiest methods in which as attacker can compromise devices
    • “conducting attack operations, and inflict irrevocable damage” to the networks that these compromised devices are attached to
  • Symantec Security published warning about a new malware, named “Daxin” being used by Chinese hacking groups:
    • Is a backdoor rootkit
    • Designed to give attackers root privilege level access
  • Michigan Medicine of Ann Arbor, Michigan, notified 2,920 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack
  • JDC Healthcare Management (aka Jefferson Dental Care) of Dallas, TX notified 501 patients that their PHI was exposed after malware incident
  • Extend Fertility of New York City, NY notified 10,373 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Healthcare industry in the U.S. is being targeted by Russian hackers in retaliation for sanctions levied in Russia by U.S. according to warning published by Security Infowatch
  • Spine Diagnostic & Pain Treatment Centers of Louisiana notified 3,351 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Mon Health of Morgantown, WV notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI may have been exposed due to email phishing attack
  • Fellowship Community, aka Bible Fellowship Church Homes, Inc. in Whitehall, PA notified 3,500 residents that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Charlotte Radiology Centers of North Carolina notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Towne Home Care of Howell Township, NJ notified 5,591 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Crossroads Health of Mentor, OH notified 10,324 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Catholic Health Services of Lauderdale Lakes, FL notified 14,986 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for march 7th 2022

Sponsored by

March 7th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Buchanan Technologies Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Buchanan Technologies to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, and Managed Security 100
  • Buchanan Technologies is a managed services provider offering IT services and customized solutions to mid-tier and enterprise-level organizations

CMIT Solutions Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Announced named by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, to 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Managed Security 100 category
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, and Managed Security 100
  • CMIT Solutions delivers solutions that include proactive IT maintenance &monitoring, advanced cybersecurity, future-focused infrastructure, remote workforce enablement

Konica Minolta Named a Leader in Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce by IDC MarketScape

  • Named a “Leader” in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment
  • study assessed “the strategies and capabilities of the major office printing vendors to support an increasingly distributed workforce on a worldwide basis”
  • We anticipate that work from home will be more normalized in the future, even with the passage of the pandemic and its substantive business impact.”
  • Download a copy of the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment here.

Epson offers new scanner

  • Now shipping the DS-790WN for $849 MSRP
  • Scans both sides of original at same time
  • Top scan speed of 45opm or 90ipm
  • Document feeder holds up to 100 originals
  • Max scan size of 8.5” x 240”
  • 4.3” color LCD touchscreen display
  • TWAIN and ISIS drivers

CrowdStrike Introduces the Industry’s First Fully-Managed Identity Threat Protection Solution, Powered by Falcon Complete

MSPs getting stuck in ‘digital impasse’

  • Reported on computerweekly.com
  • Client demand is increasing but some MSPs are struggling to keep pace
  • Strong demand for managed security and cloud services
  • Interviewing over 600 MSPs, it is remarkable to see how 90% of service providers have seen client demand for managed services grow

Magna5 Continues Expansion of Managed Services Business through Acquisition of TCG ...

  • Announced acquisition of TCG Network Services ("TCG"), Boston-based managed IT and cybersecurity services provider
  • TCG is the second acquisition that Magna5 has announced in the past 12 months
  • Magna5 acquired New York-based SpinnerTech in May 2021
  • Magna5, a NewSpring Holdings platform, provides managed IT services, cybersecurity, private and public cloud hosting, backup and disaster recovery

TPx Named to CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider 500

  • Named to CRN’s 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500, for fifth consecutive year.
  • TPx was also recognized as an Elite 150 member
  • Px is a managed service provider focused on the success of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with approximately 18,000 customers in more than 49,000 locations across the U.S

Konica Minolta Named a Leader in Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce by IDC MarketScape

  • Named a “Leader” in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment
  • study assessed “the strategies and capabilities of the major office printing vendors to support an increasingly distributed workforce on a worldwide basis”
  • We anticipate that work from home will be more normalized in the future, even with the passage of the pandemic and its substantive business impact.”
  • Download a copy of the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment here.

Epson offers new scanner

  • Now shipping the DS-790WN for $849 MSRP
  • Scans both sides of original at same time
  • Top scan speed of 45opm or 90ipm
  • Document feeder holds up to 100 originals
  • Max scan size of 8.5” x 240”
  • 4.3” color LCD touchscreen display
  • TWAIN and ISIS drivers

CrowdStrike Introduces the Industry’s First Fully-Managed Identity Threat Protection Solution, Powered by Falcon Complete

MSPs getting stuck in ‘digital impasse’

  • Reported on computerweekly.com
  • Client demand is increasing but some MSPs are struggling to keep pace
  • Strong demand for managed security and cloud services
  • Interviewing over 600 MSPs, it is remarkable to see how 90% of service providers have seen client demand for managed services grow

Magna5 Continues Expansion of Managed Services Business through Acquisition of TCG ...

  • Announced acquisition of TCG Network Services ("TCG"), Boston-based managed IT and cybersecurity services provider
  • TCG is the second acquisition that Magna5 has announced in the past 12 months
  • Magna5 acquired New York-based SpinnerTech in May 2021
  • Magna5, a NewSpring Holdings platform, provides managed IT services, cybersecurity, private and public cloud hosting, backup and disaster recovery

TPx Named to CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider 500

  • Named to CRN’s 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500, for fifth consecutive year.
  • TPx was also recognized as an Elite 150 member
  • Px is a managed service provider focused on the success of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with approximately 18,000 customers in more than 49,000 locations across the U.S

ICE Global Network Introduces Global Hardware Procurement and Managed Services Solution

  • Announced the launch of its global procurement and managed services solution with Techary, a leading provider of global technology solutions
  • (IGN) provides high quality content, delivery and execution service
  • Techary specializes in solution design, implementation and support of infrastructure

Align Named to CRN 2022 MSP 500 List in Pioneer 250 Category

  • Named Align to its 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, and Managed Security 100
  • Align recognized on the MSP 500 list every year since 2014

Epicor buys Business Intelligence platform Grow

  • Reported on martechcube.com
  • Announced it has acquired Grow Inc., a no-code, full-stack business intelligence (BI) platform
  • strengthens the Epicor portfolio of analytics capabilities

Kyocera to launch new MFPs

  • Kyocera (aka Kyoto Ceramic Company) to bring to market the new TASKalfa MZ4000i and MZ3200 models
  • Both are A3 b/w laser MFPs
  • 40ppm and 32ppm top speeds respectively
  • Dark grey plastic exterior
  • Replace 4012i and 3212i models
  • Optional fax board
  • 1” color LCD touchscreen
  • 4 document feeder options:
  • DP-7160 offers dual scan up to 320 originals
  • DP-7170 offers dual scan, double feed and staple detection
  • Top scan speed of 200ipm or 100opm

Pro Cloud SaaS partners with directprint.io

  • Pro Cloud SaaS has today announced a global partnership with io
  • Collaboration will see Pro Cloud SaaS expand its SaaS offering, enabling customers to leverage io’s serverless print management solution
  • io is a secure, serverless SaaS solution that enables organizations to reduce print costs, simplify print management and track print activity
  • Pro Cloud SaaS is a worldwide technology services provider that specialises in making customers the hero on their journey to the security and simplicity of the cloud

SYSPRO USA Extends Business Intelligence Capabilities Through Strategic Partnership With ZAP

  • Announce partnership with ZAP, provides services for data management and analytics
  • ZAP Data Hub integrates effortlessly with SYSPRO ERP Software, offering advanced management, analytics, and reporting solutions
  • SYSPRO is a global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software provider specializing in key manufacturing and distribution industries

Vitech Releases DataInsight For Advanced Business Intelligence

  • DataInsight uses big data analytics and machine learning technology to unify intelligence for insightful and informed decision-making

Agio Named Most Innovative Technology Firm for 2nd Consecutive Year by HFM .

  • Named Most Innovative Technology Firm of the year at the Hedge Fund Magazine (HFM) 2022 U.S. Technology Awards
  • Agio is a hybrid cybersecurity and managed IT organization equipping financial services with next-generation cyber protection and technology support

Verizon Business furthers global managed services portfolio expansion with VMware

  • Announced addition of VMware to global managed Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD WAN) service portfolio contained within Verizon’s Managed WAN Service
  • New solution, built for cloud-ready global enterprises
  • Craig Connors, vice president and general manager of VMware’s SASE business, said, “The next generation of modern apps will run at the edge and enterprises must modernize their underlying network to support them

Cybersecurity Notes

  • The U.S. federal government is warning organizations that cyberattacks will increase due to the war in Ukraine
  • Fed gov warns healthcare industry that hackers are using the “Log4j” vulnerability in devices (including some printers and MFPs) to infiltrate network
  • The federal Office for Civil Rights (aka HIPAA police) reported that it is aware of 2,304,607 patients that had their PHI exposed in 1/2022 due to breaches
  • 58% of organizations that have been hit with ransomware have paid the ransom according to a report from Dark Reading magazine:
    • 54% regained access to data after paying first ransom
    • 33% paid additional ransom to gain access
  • Michigan Medicine notified 269 patients that their PHI was illegally accessed by an employee.
  • Burnout in cybersecurity workforce according to research published by ThreatConnect:
    • 50% of private sector businesses already have gaps in IT security skills in company
    • 32% of IT managers are considering quitting in 6 months
    • 25% of IT directors are also considering quitting
    • 27% say stress is reason for quitting
  • 50% of C-level executives will have cybersecurity risk component in their comp plans by 2026
  • Small healthcare practices are increasingly being targeted by hackers, according to article published in Medical Economic magazine.
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery Centers of Hawaii notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Hacker gang Snatch on Friday claimed to have stolen 500 GB from McDonald's, headquartered in Chicago, IL
    • The ransomware group all appear to be Russian-speaking, experts say
    • It could be the opening salvo in Russian cyber retaliation against the US
  • Sea Mar Community Health of Seattle, WA is being sued by former patients as result of breach that exposed PHI of 688.000 patients
  • John C. Fremont Hospital of Mariposa, CA notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Houston Health Department notified up to 10,000 patients that their PHI may have been exposed after breach.
  • Central Pacific Bank of Hawaii notified an unknown number of customers that their info may have been exposed after cyber attack
  • Hays Unified School District of Kansas notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Vision Source aka Dr. Douglas C. Morrow Eye Clinic of Auburn, IN notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • Taylor, Ganson & Perrin Law Firm of Boston, Mass notified an unknown number of clients that their info was exposed after data breach

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for Febraury 28th 2022

Sponsored by

February 28th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Buchanan Technologies Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Buchanan Technologies to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, and Managed Security 100
  • Buchanan Technologies is a managed services provider offering IT services and customized solutions to mid-tier and enterprise-level organizations

CMIT Solutions Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Announced named by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, to 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Managed Security 100 category
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, and Managed Security 100
  • CMIT Solutions delivers solutions that include proactive IT maintenance &monitoring, advanced cybersecurity, future-focused infrastructure, remote workforce enablement

Konica Minolta Named a Leader in Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce by IDC MarketScape

  • Named a “Leader” in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment
  • study assessed “the strategies and capabilities of the major office printing vendors to support an increasingly distributed workforce on a worldwide basis”
  • We anticipate that work from home will be more normalized in the future, even with the passage of the pandemic and its substantive business impact.”
  • Download a copy of the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print for the Distributed Workforce 2022 Vendor Assessment here.

IBM acquires Azure consulting firm Neudesic

  • Neudesic’s consultants in the US and India deliver digital transformation services
  • IBM will roll the firm into its hybrid cloud business within its IBM Consulting division
  • Gartner projects a $200 billion market for cloud managed services and consulting by 2024

Spectrum Enterprise Enhances Managed Network Edge Solution with Remote Access and Multi-Cloud Connectivity Options

  • Announced three new enhancements to Managed Network Edge (MNE), a managed network solution based on the Cisco Meraki cloud-based platform
  • MNE enhancements which include Remote Access, Teleworker and Virtual Edge, make it easier for network users to have access to their corporate network
  • Spectrum Enterprise, a part of Charter Communications, Inc., is a national provider of scalable, fiber technology solutions

The 20 Coolest Endpoint And Managed Security Companies Of 2022: The Security 100

  • Endpoint security solutions protect the network and the entry-points that bridge internal data with externally connected devices such as laptops and smartphones

Buchanan Technologies Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Announced today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Buchanan Technologies to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • Annual MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: the MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150, and the Managed Security 100
  • Established in 1988, Buchanan Technologies is an award-winning managed services provider offering innovative IT services and customized solutions

Will the Great Resignation Drive a Managed Services Renaissance?

  • Many are turning to managed service providers to fill the gap
  • “On one hand enterprises want to move faster, and then on the opposite they just don’t have the people and skills to do it,” IDC analyst Leslie Rosenberg told SDxCentral

Hackers attack fax boards in MFPs?

  • Article published in Information Security Buzz newsletter
  • Details how hackers can execute a “faxploit”
  • Fax lines are not protected by firewalls
  • Send malicious code across phone line which contain a script that runs on MFP and takes control
  • Then gain entry onto network to steal data and/or load malware

Kofax wins award

  • Award from PrintIT Reseller magazine
  • Received the Best Workflow App award for ControlSuite

Fujitsu ships new scanner

  • Launched the fi-8170 high speed scanner
  • 140ipm or 70opm top scan speed
  • Scans both sides of original at same time
  • Uses contact image sensor (CIS) technology
  • 600x600dpi
  • Max scan size of 14”W x 240”L
  • Document feeder holds up to 100 originals
  • Ultrasonic double feed detection
  • USB & 10/100/1000BaseT ports
  • MSRP not published

Toshiba Cloud Service Simplifies & Secures Printing for Modern Workforces

  • Toshiba launches cloud-based MPS - New Encompass Managed Print as a Service (MPaaS)
  • Real-time order tracking
  • Service requests
  • Usage reports
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Automated supply replenishment
  • Print fleet assessment tool

Comms Group acquires Queensland managed service provider onPlatinum

  • Comms Group Limited, has acquired onGroup Holdings Pty Ltd, trading as onPlatinum
  • onPlatinum has over 600 customers through QLD and NSW, lifting the Comms Group global customer base to more than 5,000 customers
  • Strengthens Comms Groups ability to provide a complete and integrated solution set to customers across data, voice, managed services and print requirements

Vector Choice Technology Solutions Acquires Jobecca Technology Group - Digital Journal

  • Has acquired Jobecca Technology Group, an MSP based in Philadelphia, PA
  • Official announcement came January 14, 2022
  • Acquisition of Jobecca Technology Group fits into Vector Choice’s strategy of becoming a national managed IT and security services provider

Microsoft Windows 11 printing issues

  • Article published in Tech Advisor magazine
  • Recently published update, KB5010414, apparently can cause printing problems
  • Can also cause overheating CPUs
  • New version due out by end of February

directprint.io announces new intuitive user interface

  • developments include updates to its universal print driver and redesigned UI
  • integration with Azure AD sees the launch of the platform on the Azure AD Marketplace
  • introduced a brand new user interface (UI) designed to ensure a more intuitive, seamless and straightforward customer experience (CX)
  • James Gilmore, Head of Product and Design at directprint.io, said: “Our new universal print driver is compatible with all the leading printer/MFP makes and models, new and old. It can be remotely deployed and supports single sign-on with Google and Microsoft, allowing for truly zero-touch deployment. With these latest enhancements to the client application’s UI, we’ve made it much easier for end-users to auto install available printers on their devices, access advanced features such as secure pin release and finishing options such as punching, stapling, booklet creation, etc. and, benefit from automatic updates without IT intervention.”

Ricoh welcomes Phil Casale to lead eDiscovery Sales and empower the future of Legal Service Delivery

  • Announced the appointment of Phil Casale, Director, eDiscovery Sales, Ricoh USA, Inc
  • Casale was Chief Information Officer at an esteemed Am Law 200 firm

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Avita Health System of Ohio notified an unknown of patients that their PHI may have been exposed after a cyber attack.
  • South Shore Hospital of Chicago, IL notified 115,670 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • Philadelphia Fight Community Health Centers notified 15,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • La Posada of Green Valley, AZ notified an unknown number of patients and employees that their PHI was exposed after malware incident
  • Priority Health of Grand Rapids, MI notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • Medcity News published article reporting on growing problem of healthcare workers illegally accessing the PHI if patients they are interesting in dating
  • Family Christian Health Center of Harvey, IL notified 31,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Comprehensive Health Services of Cape Canaveral, FL notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • The Fertility Institute of New Orleans, LA caused a lot of PHI to be faxed to wrong number when it published the wrong number on its website
  • National Math & Science Initiative of Dallas, TX notified 191,255 students that their info was exposed after cyber attack
  • CaptureRx of San Antonio, TX paid $4.75 million to settle lawsuit regarding a breach
  • Inmediata Health Group of Puerto Rico paid $1.12 million to settle lawsuit regarding cyber attack caused breach
  • Williamsville Central School District of New York notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after cyber attack
  • Sunshine Health Medicaid program in Florida notified “thousands” of parents that their children’s claims are delayed due to “software glitch”
  • Morley Companies of Saginaw, MI notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after cyber attack

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for Febraury 20th 2022

Sponsored by

February 20th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Denali Advanced Integration "Changes Landscape of IT"  

  • Named Denali to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • Denali Advanced Integration delivers enterprise IT solutions and services

Loffler Companies Named to CRN's 2022 MSP 500 Elite 150 List for Excellence in Managed ...

  • Named Loffler Companies to its 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • Loffler Companies provides business technology solutions

ExcalTech Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List - Business - Inter Press Service

  • Named ExcalTech to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • ExcalTech provides VoIP phones, Website Hosting, Software Licensing, Cybersecurity Scans, Enterprise hardware, ISP services, and Data Center

Softchoice Awarded Elite Google Cloud Managed Service Provider Designation

  • Earned the Managed Services Provider (MSP) designation in the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program
  • Softchoice’s demonstrated success in enabling cloud transformation at scale
  • Softchoice is a software-focused IT solutions provider

IT Weapons Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Named IT Weapons to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Security 100 Category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • Konica Minolta’s IT Services Division offers a range of IT strategy, support and network security solutions across all vertical

BCM One Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Named BCM One to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • BCM One is a NextGen Communications and Managed Services provider. Serving over 18,000 customers worldwide

Pythian Services Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Named Pythian to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • Pythian is a global IT services company

Syntax Recognized on CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider 500 List in the Elite 150 ...

  • Named the company to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • Syntax provides technology solutions and trusted professional, advisory, and application management services to power applications in the cloud

VAST Recognized on CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 List

  • Named VAST to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list for 2022. CRN's annual MSP 500
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • VAST provides IT services and cloud management solutions to companies and organizations across the United States

Fujitsu Computer Products of America is Redefining Document Imaging with .

  • Announced the Fujitsu fi-8000 series of enterprise scanners
  • proprietary Clear Image Capture technology
  • Optical Character Recognition
  • Commercially-available model from the fi-8000 series, the Fujitsu fi-8170, will be available for purchase starting on March 25, 2022, and is priced at $1,195

Fujitsu fi-8000 series features:

  • Clear Image Capture: Breakthrough optical technology that resets the benchmark for high-quality image capture to produce images ideal for data extraction, search and OCR processing, ensuing accurate, editable PDFs.
  • Manual Feed Mode:Allows feeding and scanning of forms, glued papers and A3 size, bi-folded documents. Supports scans of passports and booklets up to 7 mm without the hassle of “sandwiching” them between carrier sheets.
  • Automation Separation Control: Industry-first feature optimizes paper separation torque according to the number of sheets loaded. The large capacity tray allows for high volume scanning of up to 100 sheets at a time and 70 sheets per minute, which saves time by preventing misfeeds and interruptions mid-scan.
  • Improved Document Protection: Industry-first Image Monitoring technology monitors image tilt in real time so that scans come to a halt once image angles exceed the “safe” range to keep documents free of damage. Intelligent Sonic Paper Protection (ISOP) “listens” for abnormal sounds (such as paper wrinkle) and immediately stops the scanner if detected, protecting documents from damage.
  • Multi-Feed Detection: Improved capability to provide automated identification of thick plastic cards and documents with stickers, photos, or adhesive labeling to prevent double-feed detection. Eliminates the need for users to switch profiles according to document type, which streamlines scanning of mixed document batches.
  • Overscan Control: Detects skewed documents that are in danger of being damaged and ensures all data is captured, eliminating the potential for missed data.

Stratix Recognized on CRN's 2022 MSP 500 List

  • Named Stratix to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Elite 150 category for 2022
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • enterprise mobility specialist in the U.S.,

ePlus Recognized on CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider 500 List in Elite

  • Recognized on CRN's 2022 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 List in the Elite 150 category for the fifth consecutive year
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • ePlus Managed Services help enterprises proactively control their IT infrastructure

ComportSecure Recognized for Excellence in Managed IT Services

  • Again awarded TechElite 150 status in CRN's annual Managed Services Provider (MSP) 500 list
  • MSP 500 list is divided into three sections, MSP Pioneer 250, Managed Security 100 and Elite 150
  • ComportSecure provides customized IT support

Foxconn claims chip shortage lessening

  • Said to be experiencing a “major improvement” in parts shortages
  • “overall supply constraints” are expected to ease in second half of the year
  • Power management computer chips remain in short supply

SHAZAM Announces DocuCommand Document Management System

  • DocuCommand™, an advanced, enterprise-wide document scanning, archiving, retrieval and management system
  • Stores all types of media files including paper, photographs, audio, video, blueprints, and electronic files from any Windows Office application or third-party product

Toshiba sets March date for initial vote on break-up plan

  • plans an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on March 24, to seek their initial approval to hive off its devices business
  • final, legally binding vote to determine whether to break up the 146-year-old conglomerate will not happen until next year
  • If the breakup plan failed to win majority support, however, all options will be considered, including a deal to take the company private

Cybersecurity Notes

  • The San Francisco 49ers NFL football team notified an unknown number of customers that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Suncoast Skin Solutions of Florida notified 57,730 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomwar attack.
  • South City Hospital of St. Louis, Missouri, notified 21,601 patients that their PHI was exposed after server was stolen
  • Colorado Department of Human Services notified 6,132 patients that their PHI after cyberattack.
  • Sound Generations of Seattle, WA notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Raveco Medical of New York City, NY notified 4,897 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • The average ransom payment made to hackers is now $322,168 according to report published by Coveware.
  • The total cost of an insider caused breaches in 2021 was $15.38 million, up from $11.45 million the year before, according to a report from Frost & Sullivan.
    • Number of incidents increased by 44%
    • Average cost of malicious user breach = $648,062
  • $45,000 per hour is what midsize hospitals lose per hour according to research published by Ipsos Inc.
    • Large hospitals - $21,500 per hour
    • 91% of hackers driven by financial reward
    • 49% admit that their budget for cybersecurity was not sufficient
    • At least 45 million patients have had their PHI exposed from 2018-2021
  • Advocates Inc. of Framingham, Massachusetts notified 68,236 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyberattack.
  • Allegheny Health Network Home Infusion notified 7,500 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Memorial Hermann Health of Houston, TX notified 6,260 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina Accountants of Glastonbury, CT notified 6,215 clients that their info was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Ohlone College of Northern California notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after cyber attack.
    - EasyVote Solutions, which managed voter registration info for state of Georgia, announced it had inadvertently exposed the info of an unknown number of voters on a publicly accessible website.
  • Puma, maker of athletic shoes, notified an unknown number of customers that their info may have been exposed after a Kronos ransomware attack.
  • Jeffery T. Henson was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in Illinois after being found guilty to stealing customer identities while working for Watchfire Signs of Danville, IL
  • True Health New Mexico is being sued after a data breach exposed the PHI of 63,000 patients.
  • Jax Spine and Pain Centers of Florida notified 262,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • AccelHealth, aka Cross Timbers Health Clinics of Texas, notified 48,126 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Pace Center for Girls in Jacksonville, FL, notified 18,300 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • SentinelLabs is warning of a new ransomware hacking group named “ModifiedElephant” that is targeting law firms.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for Febraury 14th 2022

Sponsored by

February 14th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Kyndryl for Solutions that Enable Fast, Seamless Migration and ...

  • Frost & Sullivan recognizes Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) with the 2021 Global Managed Enterprise Resource Planning Enabling Technology Leadership Award
  • Of its nearly 90,000 employees, 96% complete a variety of learning programs and technical certifications annually.
  • Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has developed a pioneering technology that not only enhances current products, but also enables the development of new products and applications

N-able Exec: MSPs Want A Cloud-First Approach

  • Reported on CRN
  • Solarwinds spin-off N-able trying to capture the fast-growing backup market aimed at MSPs
  • Focusing on cloud-first solutions and as-a-service models
  • N-able is the Burlington, Mass.-based Solarwinds MSP business spin-off that focuses on security, management, monitoring and ticketing

TNS Announces Independent 'Managed Services Versus DIY'

Cloud Print Survey

Semiconductor shortages to lessen in 2H of 2022

  • Report published by IDC (International Data Corporation)
  • Expects tight semiconductor supply to continue through the first half of calendar 2022
  • Industry will build up inventory to normal levels in near future
  • Forecasts fabless semiconductor revenues will grow from 41% of the market in 2020 to 49% in 2025
  • 68% of the foundry market is in Taiwan
  • New factories will not come online until after 2022

Ricoh announced it has acquired Axon Ivy Software of Switzerland

  • Maker of digital process automation platform
  • Also has offices in Austria, Germany, Singapore and the U.S.A.

Xerox announced it has acquired Powerland of Canada

  • Managed IT services company

CSP Inc. Reports Improved Fiscal First Quarter Financial Results

  • First Quarter Operating Highlights and Recent Achievements
  • Total revenue increased 9% year over year and 24% compared to Q4 fiscal 2021 driven by higher services revenue
  • Services revenue grew 22% compared to the year-ago first quarter
  • Continued focus on higher margin products and services lead to overall gross margin of 29.2%

Managed IT Consulting Firm Techmedics Opens New Location in Dallas

  • Announced they have opened a new office in Dallas at 3400 Oak Grove Ave. Ste. 362 Dallas, Texas 75204
  • Texas is becoming a new boomtown for many in the tech-related sector
  • Techmedics was founded in 1999 in Los Angeles by James and Helen Moon

Apogee to Host Webinar on Feb. 24, 2022: How Three Colleges Innovate and

  • Will present a webinar on Feb. 24, 2022, focusing on how colleges and universities can effectively innovate and address budget challenges with managed IT services
  • Led by Apogee Executive Vice President Matt Loecke, a panel of campus leaders from Centenary College, Eureka College, and Ithaca College will discuss how they partnered with Apogee
  • Established in Austin in 1999, Apogee is a provider of managed technology service for colleges and universities

Kodak Alaris rolls out new scanners to help organizations meet new upcoming FADGI requirements

  • introducing a new line of Kodak i5250 and Kodak i5850 Scanners
  • To meet upcoming image quality standards required with the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI)
  • All text-based records submitted to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for permanent archival must be FADGI 3-star compliant by January 1, 2023
  • Kodak i5250 and Kodak i5850 Scanners, users can toggle between FADGI and non-FADGI compliant modes

BCM One's Mike Nowak Captures Coveted 2022 CRN Channel Chief Recognition

  • Announce that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Mike Nowak, Senior Vice President of Sales, to its 2022 Channel Chiefs list
  • Panel of CRN editors selected the honorees for their channel dedication, industry stature and accomplishments as channel advocates
  • CRN's 2022 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2022 issue of CRN Magazine and online at CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

All Covered Achieves CRN Triple Crown Status

  • Announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named All Covered, its IT Services Division, as a 2021 Triple Crown Award winner
  • Award celebrates standout solution providers for the impressive accomplishment of being featured on three of CRN’s prestigious lists
  • Fast Growth 150
  • Tech Elite 250
  • Solution Provider 500

IT Systems Engineer Wanted

Stratix Systems

IT Systems Engineer

King of Prussia, PA

Employer est.:$50K - $75K

IT Systems Engineer

2021 brought dramatic growth to Rochester-based business-intelligence consulting firm

  • Founded in 2015, Cause + Effect Strategy is a business intelligence and analytics firm that helps clients achieve data-driven transformations and make more informed business decisions
  • roared back into its customary growth pattern in 2021, driving revenue up 88% over 2020, and nearly doubling its staff, from 8 to 15

What is Business Intelligence Software? Top BI Tools of 2022 - Analytics Insight

  • Business intelligence (BI) software is a collection of business analytics tools used by businesses to retrieve, analyse, and turn data into meaningful business insights, typically in the form of easy-to-read visualisations such as charts, graphs, and dashboards. Data visualisation, data warehouses, dynamic dashboards, and reporting capabilities are examples of BI tool

Onit's InvoiceAI Wins the Business Intelligence Group's Award for Innovative Technology Products

  • announced today that its InvoiceAI has won a 2022 BIG Innovation Award
  • annual business awards program acknowledges organizations, products and people worldwide that bring new ideas to life in innovative ways
  • InvoiceAI uses artificial intelligence to help increase savings and reduce the time corporate legal departments spend on invoice review.

Cyber security market to grow

  • Report published by Technavio
  • Cybersecurity solutions/services market to grow $189.7 billion through 2025
  • CAGR (cumulative annual growth rate) of 14.97%

John Sheehan and Bob Madaio of Sharp Once Again Capture Coveted 2022 CRN Channel Chief Recognition

  • The Channel Company, has named John Sheehan, Senior Vice President of B2B Channel Sales and Bob Madaio, Vice President of Marketing, to its 2022 Channel Chiefs list
  • CRN's annual Channel Chiefs project identifies top IT channel vendor executives who continually demonstrate expertise, influence and innovation in channel leadership
  • CRN's 2022 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2022 issue of CRN Magazine and online at CRN.com/ChannelChiefs



Cybersecurity Notes

  • The feds announced that cyber insurance sales increase from 26% in 2016 to 47% in 2020, with healthcare vertical having largest spend.
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Boston, Massachusetts notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after a cyber attack.
  • Attorney General Peter Neronha of Rhode Island sent UnitedHealthcare Insurance, headquartered in Minnesota, with a number of subpoenas regarding a breach that exposed the PHI of 22,000 patients that are employees of the state of Rhode Island.
  • Julie DeVuono and Marissa Urraro, formerly of Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare of Amityville, NY, were arrested and charged with allegedly using stolen PHI to create and sell fake COVID-19 vaccination cards for $1.5 million.
  • The federal government reported that it is aware of at least 2 million patients having their PHI exposed during month of January, 2022 due to HIPAA breaches across the U.S.
  • Mecklenburg County, North Carolina is being investigated for allegedly exposing PHI of an unknown number of patients due to an email error.
  • Kurt Lee Koenen of Clara City, MN has been reprimanded to illegally accessing the PHI of an unknown number of patients while working as a respiratory therapist.
  • County of Kings in California notified 16,590 patients that their PHI was exposed after a “web server misconfiguration”
  • Kevin Lee of Chula Vista, CA pleaded guilty to stealing identities of Department of Defense employees to gain $244,500.00.
  • The Gregory P. Vannucci Dental Clinic in Ottumwa, Iowa, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after a “network security incident”
  • NHS Management, headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which manages 50 long term care facilities in 4 states, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Avenue 360 Health and Wellness of Houston, TX notified 12,186 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • CareSouth of South Carolina was hit with a lawsuit regarding a cyber security incident that exposed the PHI of 76,035 patients.
  • Dr. Malik Muhammad, a clinical psychologist in Durham, North Carolina, was sentenced to 52 months in prison for stealing PHI of an unknown number of patients to create fraudulent claims totaling $544,067.99
  • Midland University of Iowa notified 13,716 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Wormhole Inc., a blockchain bridge, reports that $320 million worth of cryptocurrency was stolen after cyber attack.
  • Intel Corp. admitted it has issued 226 patches to fix security vulnerabilities in its computer chips in 2021
  • News Corp.(which owns Wall Street Journal, Fox News, etc.) announced it was hit by ransomware attack, which appears to be result of Chinese hackers.
  • Pellissippi State University of Tennessee notified 206,000 students that their info was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Injured Workers Pharmacy of Andover, MA notified 75,771 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • iRise Spine and Joint Clinics of Florida notified 61,595 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for Febraury 7th 2022

Sponsored by

February 7th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

Xerox Acquires Canadian IT Services Provider, Powerland, to Grow Presence in IT Services Market

  • Xerox Holdings Corporation announced it has acquired Powerland for cash
  • Powerland is an IT services provider in Canada
  • Powerland offers technology solutions, hybrid cloud, cybersecurity and end-user computing solutions
  • Xerox acquired both ITEC Connect, a leader in IT services in the UK, and Digitex, an IT services provider in Canada, in March 2020
  • Xerox acquired Competitive Computing (C2), a Vermont based IT services company, in October 2021

LoadSpring Solutions Announces Promotion of Dr Asif Sharif to Managing Director as it ...

  • Announce the promotion of Dr Asif Sharif to Managing Director for LoadSpring Solutions Ltd
  • Asif will be heading EMEA Operations abroad
  • Eric Leighton, Chief Executive Officer of LoadSpring, says, “I am extremely excited to announce that Asif Sharif has been promoted to our first Managing Director for LoadSpring Solutions Ltd EMEA Operation
  • LoadSpring is a global cloud solutions provider offering managed cloud services

Datapac’s managed IT solution helps Special Olympics Ireland to go the distance

  • Announced that it has implemented a managed ICT solution and security upgrades for Special Olympic Ireland (SOI)
  • Long-term relationship between SOI and Datapac who, since 2006
  • Identified the need for a fully outsourced and integrated managed ICT solution to enable ongoing benefits to almost 8,000 athletes in 293 clubs nationwide
  • Reported on Irish Tech News

PrinterLogic security vulnerability

  • Headquartered in St. George, Utah, maker of print driver management in the cloud solutions
  • Issues detailed in Security Week magazine
  • Three “high risk bugs can be exploited to launch remote code execution attacks”
  • The company now offering patches to resolve the issues

What Is a Metaverse?

  • The Metaverse is a collective virtual open space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. It is physically persistent and provides enhanced immersive experiences.
  • Activities that take place in isolated environments (buying digital land and constructing virtual homes, participating in a virtual social experience, etc.) will eventually take place in the Metaverse.
  • The adoption of Metaverse technologies is still at an early stage, so business leaders should limit their investments there.

Zomentum Partners with CMIT Solutions to Scale Revenue for Managed IT Franchise Network

  • announced today a partnership agreement with Austin-based CMIT Solutions
  • CMIT Solutions is a provider of enterprise-level IT services to small and medium businesses through its network of nearly 200 franchises in the U.S. and Canada
  • Agreement means CMIT franchisees will benefit from the Zomentum sales acceleration application

Interface achieves 37% YoY Sales Growth

  • Reported a 37% increase in new sales bookings in 2021
  • Sales growth was primarily driven by a rapidly changing threat landscape for retail and restaurant chains

CoreStack and Maureen Data Systems Partner to Offer Cloud Governance for Managed ...

  • Announced a new partnership with Maureen Data Systems (MDS)
  • Companies will work together to deliver appreciable cost savings in multi-cloud environments with the power of CoreStack's NextGen FinOps solution
  • "With the growing cloud demand and the resulting complexity, it is impossible to manage multi-customer projects at scale with siloed teams, processes, and manual efforts," said Suren Singh, VP, Global Partnerships and Alliances at CoreStack
  • CoreStack is an AI-powered next generation multi-cloud governance solution

Lexmark has another security vulnerability

  • Lexmark, owned by Ninestar of China, has new security issues according to an article published in R.S.News
  • “allows hackers to executive arbitrary code on third-party printers”
  • Company apparently offering a bundled update to resolve the problems

Lexmark unveils new solutions

  • Lexmark is owned by Ninestar of China
  • Previewed new Cloud Scan Manager
  • Designed to automate the distribution of hardcopy documents
  • Scan and route into Microsoft One Drive or other cloud storage service
  • Cloud Scan Management provides scanning to MS One Drive and MS SharePoint
    o Scan files into folder that can be shared by remote employees
  • Cloud Service enhancements include dashboard cards and notifications on devices
  • Cloud Print Management for secure cloud based printing
  • Cloud Fleet Management for managing print device fleets


Codeproof Technologies Offers "Six Months Free" Mobile Device Management Software for ...

  • Announced a strategic business collaboration with Kyocera
  • Kyocera, a leading provider of ultra-rugged mobile solutions
  • Codeproof Technologies is offering a free six-month license for its mobile device management software to owners and new purchasers of Kyocera ultra-rugged smartphones

Crawford Technologies acquires Agilitech Solutions

  • Acquired Agilitech Solutions, a provider of document and web accessibility solution
  • Agilitech Solutions has been rebranded “CrawfordTech Government Solutions”
  • Newly formed CrawfordTech Government Solutions will offer document accessibility solutions for both transactional and static documents, along with production management, workflow automation, e-delivery and content services

IT Systems Engineer Wanted

Stratix Systems

IT Systems Engineer

King of Prussia, PA

Employer est.:$50K - $75K

IT Systems Engineer

MYOB's cloud focus continues with the acquisition of document management startup Nimbus

  • Reported on Starupdaily.net
  • Value of the deal was not revealed by MYOB
  • Australian-owned-and-operated document management service to its stable will allow MYOB to provide an integrated secure client portal tailored to the needs of accountants and practice managers

Lead for Managed IT Services in Mass

Salem NH Network Security/Support - Managed IT Solutions Startup Services Launch

  • updating services to provide the IT support and leadership small and mid-sized businesses

IT spending prediction for 2022

  • Research published by Gartner
  • Data center systems up 4.7%
  • Enterprise software up 11%
  • Business and technology consulting up 10%
  • Devices up 3.3%
  • IT services up 7.9%
  • Communication services up 1.3%

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Spokane Health District of Washington notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed
    after email phishing attack.
  • Welfare, Pension, and Annuity Funds of Local No. ONE I.A.T.S.E. of New York notified 20,579 patients
    that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Loyola University Medical Center of Illinois notified 16,934 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital of Massachusetts notified 9,798 patients that their phi was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Advent Health Partners of Nashville, TN notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Caring Communities of Illinois notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed data breach.
  • Jefferson Health of Philadelphia, PA notified 9,095 patients that their PHI after cyber security incident.
  • Proofpoint published results of research on breaches caused by employees:
    • Insider threats cost organizations $15.4 billion per year
    • Increase of 34% since 2020
    • 56% caused by negligence
    • 26% caused by criminal insider activities
    • 18% caused by stolen credentials
  • - Instagram users are being targeted by hackers, where accounts are hijacked, and hackers are demandin ransom for users to regain control – report from ZDNet magazine.
  • Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic of Georgia notified 53,686 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • NYU Langone Health of New York notified 1,123 patients that their PHI was exposed after direct mailing error.
  • The YMCA of Charlotte, NC has notified an unknown number of members that their info was exposed after data breach
  • St. Lucie’s County Drug Screening of Florida notified 14,500 patients that their PHI was exposed after it was inadvertently left exposed on a publicly accessible website.
  • Griggsville-Perry School District of Pike County, IL notified an unknown number of students that their info
    was exposed after ransomware attack


  • Sea Mar Community Health Center of Washington notified 688,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Pennsbury School District of Pennsylvania notified an unknown number of students that their info may have been exposed after cyber attack.
  • EyeMed agreed to pay $600,000 to settle litigation with state of New York regarding data breach that exposed PHI of 98,632 patients.
  • $8.5 billion worth of crypto currency was laundered by hackers in 2021 according to Chainanalysis.
  • Memorial Health System of Ohio now facing lawsuits after a breach that exposed PHI of 215,000 patients.
  • The FBI is warning organizations in the U.S. about a new hacking group named Emennet Pasargad,
    operating out of the country of Iran.
  • Taylor Regional Hospital of Campbellsville, Kentucky notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.


IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for January 10th 2022

Sponsored by

January 10th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

NAKA Continues to Grow Through Acquisition

  • NAKA Technologies, aglobal provider of IT solutions, it has acquired Northern Star Technology Group
  • Northern Star Technology Group, a niche IT services provider headquartered on Long Island, New York
  • NAKA team of 75 delivers managed and staffing services, including a unique approach that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its Managed Services platform
  • Northern Star was founded in 2010 by Charles Ferretti and specializes in the small business technology needs of medical and dental services, real estate professionals and fire protection agencies

5 Cloud Native Trends to Watch out for in 2022

  • Reported on thenewstack.io
  • Trend 1: Rise of WebAssembly in the Cloud Native Environment
  • New Distributions of Kubernetes
  • Increased Focus on Cloud Native Security
  • Kubevirt Going Mainstream
  • GitOps Becomes the Standard for Continuous Deployment

Cary Area Chamber hosts ribbon cutting for StratusComm-Managed IT Services

  • Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new office location of StratusComm -- Managed IT Services
  • StratusComm -- Managed IT Services offers fully managed IT support for small and medium sized businesses
  • Reported on Dailyherald.com

New printer for smartphones

Portable inkless printer, named PoooliPrinter, is compatible with all kinds of smartphones

  • uses thermal printing technology to print photos, images, to-do lists, notes, PDFs & more
  • uses special paper and does not have toner or ink cartridges
  • pricing not announced

In Memory of Al Scibetta

  • Al co-founded Copier Fax Business Technologies with his wife, Andrea Scibetta in 1990 as a Konica Minolta dealer.  Over the past 30 years, the company has grown to over 32 employees and has evolved as one of the top office technology providers in the region

With digital on the rise, knowledge workers need the tools to thrive

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has taught everyone around the world one thing: Digital processes are essential for organizations to thrive
  • Why use an electronic signature?
  • Electronic signature integration

Intel CEO comments on chip shortage

  • Interview of Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel Corp., by Nikkei Asia Review magazine
  • Computer chip shortage is set to last until 2023
  • “The overall semiconductor shortage is quite significant and the semiconductor industry was growing about 5% per year before COVID”
  • “COVID disrupted the supply chains, causing it to negative”
  • “Demand exploded to 20% year over year and disrupted supply chains created a very large gap... and that exploding demand has persisted”
  • “It just takes time to build this capacity to respond to the spike”


New Ricoh SP C840DNM Color Check MICR Printer

  • From Rosetta Technologies
  • CPAs, financial institutions, payroll companies, property management firms and businesses cutting hundreds of checks, EOBs or claim checks every month
  • Color print with MICR black toner
  • can eliminate pre-printed check stock,  changing stocks over and over during the workday
  • Optional; CheckStream Color Plus Software
  • Only available through Rosetta

Breaches caused by fax continue

  • Article published by Cabin Radio News network
  • Northwest Territories Healthcare System of Canada is under investigation for
    breaches caused by faxing document to wrong place
  • Privacy Commissioner Elaine Keenan Bengts stated that 9 of the 22 reported large healthcare privacy breaches during past year had involved faxed PHI falling into wrong hands
  • “Not infrequently, personal health information has been unlawfully disclosed when using fax machines to transmit personal health information”; stated Commissioner Andrew Fox
  • Officials are calling on government legislators to implement better guidelines and call for health professionals to stop using fax machines

Will chip shortages cause supply glut?

  • Article published by Nikkei Asia magazine
  • Current computer chip shortage is causing a massive investment in new chip manufacturing plants
  • “It took 50 years for the industry to grow to half a trillion dollars today, and now it is estimated that the industry will grow to a trillion in roughly eight years”; stated Tom Caulfield, CEO of GlobalFoundries in Singapore
  • Construction on close to 30 new fabs will start by end of 2022

Chinese print cartridge makers in trouble

  • The China Labor Watch group is reporting that two un-named printer toner cartridge makers in Zhuai, China were cited for serious labor violations
  • Investigation discovered “just the tip of the iceberg”
  • Undercover investigators were used
  • Problems included:
    • False pay stubs
    • Failure to provide insurance
    • Insufficient safety and health training
    • Age discrimination
    • Excessive overtime
    • No overtime pay
    • No paid holidays

IT Systems Engineer Wanted

Stratix Systems

IT Systems Engineer

King of Prussia, PA

Employer est.:$50K - $75K

IT Systems Engineer

Docufree Announces Strategic Partnership with Allied Global

  • Announced a partnership with Allied Global, a provider of business support and IT technology services headquartered in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Central America
  • Will provide Allied Global with the ability to offer Docufree’s cloud-based document-management solutions
  • Docufree® Document Cloud platform delivers modern SaaS technologies and digital services

Cybersecurity

  • Comparitech published research on US education vertical:
    • Since 2005, K-12 school districts, colleges and universities have experienced more than 1,850 large breaches of student info
    • 6 million students have been impacted
  • CyberPeace Institute published new data on cyberattacks in Healthcare Industry:
    • Large attacks happen at rate of 3.8 per week
    • At least 39 different ransomware groups are attacking industry
    • 12 ransomware groups stated that they would not target healthcare providers, but yet do so anyway
    • 19% of healthcare organizations admit that cyberattacks result in cancelled patient visits
      • 14% have patients redirected
      • 80% have PHI exposed
      • 20% of all ransomware victims are in healthcare industry
    • Florida Digestive Health Specialists notified 212,500 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
    • Lincoln Park First Aid Squad of New Jersey notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after its was inadvertently made available on a public accessible website.
    • Harbor Health of Massachusetts notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack on its ScansStat Technologies system.
    • Advocate Aurora Health of Illinois notified 1,500 patients that their PHI was exposed in a mailing error.
    • Medical Review Institute of America, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Shutterfly Corp, headquartered in Redwood City, CA, notified an unknown number of customers that that info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists of Carmel, Indiana notified 5,356 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
    • Southern Orthopaedic Associates of Paducah, Kentucky, notified 106,910 patients that their PHI wax exposed after email phishing attack.
    • Texas ENT notified 535,489 patients that their PHI was exposed in a cyber attack.
    • Duneland Public Schools of Indiana notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Evanston Township School District of Illinois notified 1,100 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Luxemborg-Casco School District of Wisconsin notified 1,399 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • McMenamins, which operates hotels and brewpubs, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Baltimore County Police Department of Maryland announced that former officer Deandre Ross was sentenced to 3 years in prison for stealing identities
    • Coffeyville School District of Kansas notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Perth Amboy School District of New Jersey notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Puget Sound School District of Washington state notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Mascoutah School District of Illinois notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Monterey Peninsula School District of California notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • CrowdStrike is reporting that Chinese ransomware group, Aquatic Panda, is using the newly discovered Log4j vulnerability to attack endpoints and enter networks in the U.S.
    • Haywood County School District of North Carolina notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack
    • Kearsarge Regional School District of New Hampshire notified 1,825 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack that impacted 274,000 people.
    • Bansley & Kierner Accounting Firm, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, was sued by some of its
    • customers after their info was exposed after cyber attack.
    • Eduro Healthcare of Salt Lake City, Utah notified 8,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • CompuGroup Medical Software announced it was hit by ransomware, and notified an unknown number of its healthcare provider customers.
    • Brown County of South Dakota notified an unknown number of citizens that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack
    • West Virginia State Government notified its 60,000 employees that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
    • The New Jersey Office of Information Technology notified citizens that they may not be able to receive printed state documents as its subcontractor, RR Donnelly, was hit by cyber attack.
    • Crawford County of Arkansas notified its citizens that their info may have been exposed after cyberattack.
    • Rhode Island Public Transit Authority notified “thousands” or riders that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
    • Positive Technologies published research that 93% of penetration tested computer networks are vulnerable to some type of security breach.
    • Fort Smith Health Centre of Fort Smith, Canada notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI wasexposed after paper medical records were discovered spread across the floor in a staff washroom.
    • SonicWall notified an unknown number of customers of potential security vulnerabilities in its SMA 100 series of remote access devices
    • HP warned of vulnerabilities with its 9000 EPYC server hardware
    • Fitch Ratings reports that an unknown number of healthcare and finance organizations are impacted by recent breach of human resource management solutions provider, Kronos.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for December 13th 2021

Sponsored by

December 13th, 2021

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients will see better results.

CSP Inc. Reports Fiscal 2021 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results; Quarterly and Annual Gross Margin Continued to Expand

  • services revenue grew 27%
  • quarterly and annual gross margin of 41.7% and 32.8%, respectively
  • year-end backlog reached $13 million demonstrating solid customer demand for products and services
  • Recorded a one-time $465,000 gain in the fourth quarter from release of escrow money from the sale of our German subsidiary in 2018

Attain Technology Receives the 2021 Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award

  • HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Program is the only veteran employment award at the federal level
  • Some of the criteria for being selected to receive the award include:
  • Employer size
  • Percentage of new hires that are veterans
  • Percentage of veteran employees retained
  • Percentage of employees who are veterans
  • Provide new veteran employees assistance and work/life integration, including coaching and mentoring
  • Programs to enhance the leadership skills of veteran employees during their employment

Cerberus Sentinel announces acquisition of Arkavia Networks

  • Cerberus Cyber Sentinel Corporation a cybersecurity consulting and managed services firm based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
  • Acquired Arkavia Networks SPA, a cybersecurity services provider based in Chile
  • Arkavia will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Cerberus Sentinel
  • South American headquarters for the company located in Santiago, Chile
  • Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed

Aiven Announces Launch of Managed Services for Apache Flink

  • announced the beta release of Aiven for Apache Flink
  • Apache Flink is used for event-driven applications requiring real-time analytics or real-time Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) capabilities
  • applications include
    • Fraud and anomaly detection
    • Real-time activity monitoring and alerting
    • Analytics dashboards
    • Continuous ETL in e-commerce
    • Real-time optimization of user experience

Introducing ElectroNeek's Winter '21 Release Products and Business Support for Managed ...

  • Announced today the launch of ElectroNeek's Winter '21 product release
  • Introduces new capabilities and features to their core products, as well as a new MSP Toolbox product
  • What's new?
    • MSP Toolbox is a new product available for partners
    • Elevated security and compliance features
    • New multi-language UX support
    • Bot management with Tokens
    • Major automation tools updates

Denovo Achieves Industry Record NPS

  • Announce achieving an IT Services industry record high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 52
  • Denovo Ventures, LLC (Denovo) is a full-service Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning hosting, cloud computing, application managed services, managed disaster recovery, and professional services firm

Introducing eighty8networks, a Next Generation Managed Security Transport ..

  • eighty8networks is a next-generation managed security transport provider
  • next generation managed security transport provider delivering access to an ecosystem of advanced technology services
  • Co-founders, Keith Muller and John 'JP' Panzica launch next-generation managed services company, eight8networks

Ingram Micro Acquires Brlink, Strengthening Its Partner Ecosystem with New Managed Services

  • completed the acquisition of BRLink, a leading managed services provider (MSP) in Brazil
  • BRLink's suite of solutions gives Ingram Micro partners access to an even more complete portfolio of cloud services
  • cloud market in Latin America
    • 52% of Brazilian companies already use some type of cloud as part of their digital infrastructure
    • 39% of Latin American CIOs interviewed by the consultancy said they would invest in cloud computing in 2021

Cybersecurity

  • The IRS claims it still does not know who stole the tax return info on thousands of people in the U.S. and sent it to ProPublica, which publicized the info.
  • Ubiquiti Corporation, headquartered in New York City, NY, announced that a former employee, named Nickolas Sharp, was arrested by FBI.
  • Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles, CA has notified 400,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Medsurant Health, headquartered in Conshohoken, Massachusetts, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Pfizer Corp., headquartered in New York City, NY, filed legal action against former employee, Chun Xiao Li, allegedly she stole 12,000 confidential documents in order to sell to a competitor.
  • Three Rivers Regional Commission of Griffin, Georgia notified 2,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • One Community Health of Oregon notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • DNA Diagnostics Centers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, notified 2.1 million patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • Huntington Hospital, part of Northwell Health in New York, notified 13,000 patients that their PHI was illegally accessed by a former employee
  • ACE Surgical Supply of Brockton, Massachusetts notified 12,122 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyberattack.
  • Panasonic Corp. notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after a cyber attack.
  • Delta-Montrose Electric Association of Colorado notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after cyberattack
  • Armis Corp, a company that makes software to protect network endpoints, raised $300 million in funding and now has value of $3.4 billion
  • Opeyemi Abidemi Adeoso and Benjamin Adeleke Ifebajo, both from Nigeria, were sentenced to 120-151 months in prison for their role in cyberattacking schemes
  • The Riverhead Central School District of New York notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack
  • Joshua Maywalt of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, and filing a false federal income tax return after stealing PHI while working for a medical billing company in Clearwater, FL.
  • Sangamon County Animal Control (SCAC) in Springfield, IL notified an unknown number of citizens that it has inadvertently exposed their driver license info on the Internet
  • Durrell Tyler and DeShawn Johnson of Atlanta, Georgia were sentenced to 3 years in prison for buying stolen identities on the Dark Web and using it to commit fraud and open credit card accounts
  • Booz Allen Hamilton published article warning companies that Chinese government- backed hackers may try to steal encrypted data, and use quantum computers to crack it for use
  • Mandiant Security published warning of new hacking group named “Sabbath” that is using the ROLLCOAST ransomware to target organizations in the U.S.
  • Kaspersky Security Software published warning of new hacking group named “ScarCraft” that is using malware to attack Windows and Android devices
  • 20/20 Eye Care Network, headquartered in Florida, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
  • Broward County Public Schools of Florida notified 26,000 students and faculty that their info was exposed after ransomware attack
  • The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet notified an unknown number of citizens that their info was exposed after security breach
  • Bay Village High School of Ohio notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after an email breach
  • Evanston Township High School of Illinois notified 1,100 students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Lewis and Clark Community College of Godfrey, Illinois notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Symantec published warning of new ransomware named “Yanluowang”, aimed at organizations in the U.S.
  • Proofpoint published warning of new tool hackers may use where malware isembedded in RTF files
    • When user opens up the RTF attached using Microsoft Word, it launches the malware onto the network while user is reading the decoy Word document

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for November 29th 2021

Sponsored by

November 29th, 2021

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients will see better results.

BlueVoyant and Bytes Partner to Deliver Managed Third-Party Cyber Risk

HYCU® Launches Global Partner PACE Program

  • HYCU, Inc., introduced Global Partner PACE (Partners Accelerating Cloud Environments) Program
  • PACE Program eliminates tiers of engagement making it easier to meet partner demands for easy to use, deploy and manage backup and recovery as a service consistently regardless of cloud or location
  • Program also includes purpose-built tracks for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)
    • Zero Conflict Promise
    • Margin Assurance
    • Two Tiers for Reseller Partners
    • Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP)

AllCloud Launches Engage, an Outcomes-based Managed

  • AllCloud, announces the launch of AllCloud Engage
  • New managed services framework for strategic AWS customers
  • Engage offered in two services
  • Essential tier includes ongoing AWS support, FinOps, Solutions Architect Advisory services, access to the proprietary AllCloud Solutions Factory and AWS training
  • Professional tier includes even more access to AllCloud’s AWS experts, who are available to guide and support customers’ in-house teams. With the Professional tier, customers receive the full provision of AWS managed services, including infrastructure and application health monitoring, security management, application delivery, management of their data and analytics platform, management of their backup and disaster recovery, patching and cost optimization

Paper faxes still dominate extended care

  • Research published by Consensus Cloud Solutions
  • 61% of post-acute care facilities still rely on paper fax machines to share PHI
  • “The biggest problem with a strong push to use HL7 FHIR standards is that many of the healthcare stakeholders, most specifically post-acute facilities, were not incentivized to use EHRs with the ability to digest information”
  • “They are on the receiving end of the burden because they do not get the information in electronic formats. So that leads to a lot of data entry and people standing at fax machines”

Fujitsu offers new solution

  • Launched the EdgeXperience Capture
  • A software-as-a-service, cloud-based document capture solution
  • Can push high quality images into any ECM solution with little to no integration required
  • Pricing not announced

HP launches Instant Ink Platinum plan

  • Monthly subscription for printer, service and ink
  • Provides automatic delivery of ink or toner, a printer, next day replacement
  • Starts at $5.99 per month
  • Choice of either OfficeJet Pro 9015e or HP 6055e models
  • Can cancel at any time
  • Can keep printer after 24 months for no additional charge
  • No upfront cost
  • Sample plans:
    • $29.99 per month includes:
      • Unlimited printing
      • HP Envy 6055e color inkjet desktop copy/print/scan device
    • $32.99 per month includes:
      • Unlimited printing
        • OfficeJet Pro 9015e desktop color inkjet print/copy/scan/fax device with
          document feeder

Hughes Recognized as a Challenger in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Managed Network ...

  • Gartner names Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) a Challenger in the 2021 Magic Quadrant for Managed Network Services
  • Report cites ongoing investments in automation as central to the company's service delivery, producing high rates of automated incident resolution and supporting a broad range of LAN and WAN services
  • Hughes also was recognized in the November 2021 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Managed Network Services report

FlashDrive Automates The Process Of Hosting Apps for Businesses in A Revolutionary Way

  • developers face numerous challenges while preparing the infrastructure before the deployment and scale it and keeping it up to date after the app is deployed
  • In both cases, io does it automatically and can scale from 10 visitor a day to millions of visitors just by adding more resources online

How Cybersecurity and Managed IT Services are Different

  • Hiring a managed IT company to support your company’s network, beware of hasty decisions
  • From Massnews.com
  • If you hire a technology services provider without cybersecurity expertise, your company might be at risk

Cybersecurity

  • Denis Dubnikov of Russia was arrested while vacationing in Mexico by Dutch authorities.
  • The U.S. federal government is now trying to extradite him so he can face charges of allegedly being a part of the Ryuk ransomware gang.
  • Costco Corp. notified an unknown number of customers that their credit/debit care may have been stolen as card skimmers were found at Chicago-area locations.
  • Old Pulaski Middle School of Virginia notified an unknown number of employees and students that their info was exposed after paper records were found discarded on property.
  • Microsoft published warning that US organizations should be prepared for an increase in hacking attacks from state-sponsored Iranian hackers.
  • Eskenazi Health of Indianapolis, IN notified 1,515,918 patients that their PHI is apparently now for sale on the Dark Web, after a ransomware attack.
  • California Pizza Kitchen, headquartered in La Playa, CA, notified an unknown number of employees and customers from their 250 locations that their info may have been exposed after data breach.
  • Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, notified an unknown number of travelers that their info may have been exposed during recent cyber attack.
  • NorthCare of Oklahoma notified 128,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Recorded Future Cybersecurity is reporting that hackers are using Dark Web to teach others how to build botnets to launch cyberattacks.
  • Overlake OB/GYN of Seattle, WA notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack
  • JEV Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics of Owing Mills, Maryland notified 1,620 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Mowery Clinic of Salina, KS notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyberattack.
  • New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Surecare Specialty Pharmacy of El Paso, TX notified 8,412 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for November 8th 2021

Sponsored by

November 8th, 2021

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients will see better results

ISOutsource Redefining the Managed Services Model in Today’s IT Landscape

  • Adding Cybersecurity strategic consulting to existing managed IT services

Corsica Technologies Introduces Service Guarantee for Managed IT and Cybersecurity Clients

  • Corsica adding Technology Service guarantee for those enrolled in Corsica Secure
  • Corsica Secure combines managed IT & cybersecurity services
  • Includes following
    • vCIO
    • Ransomware infection
    • Business email compromise
    • Regulatory or compliance fine related to cybersecurity incident
    • Business income loss related to cybersecurity incident
    • Legal liability related to cybersecurity incident

Ntiva and Southfield Capital Announce the Strategic Acquisitions of NetLogicDC and Navakai

  • Ntiva completes acquisitions of NetLogicDC & Navakai
  • NetLogicDC, founded in 2005 expands Ntiva's footprint in the Washington DC metro area
  • Navakai, founded in 2001 xxpands Ntiva's geographical coverage into the Rocky Mountains

NetDocuents Acquires Document Automation Toolkit Afterpattern

Canon Solutions America Expands its Five Pillars of Security Portfolio with Managed ...

  • Announced expansion of its cybersecurity portfolio to include Managed Detection and Response as a Service (MDRaaS)
  • Provides 24/7/365 monitoring of potentially all systems, devices, and user activity
  • Canon Solutions America has created an MDRaaS calculator
  • MDRaaS solutions are provided by Agile Cybersecurity Solutions (ACS)
  • Over 40,000 endpoints globally protected by ACS today

Xperteks Expands Its Cloud Services with Intuit to Help Companies Migrate QuickBooks into ...

  • Partnered with Intuit to become a member of the QuickBooks Solutions Provider (QSP program)
  • As of 12/11/2021, QuickBooks 2021 single purchase licenses of QuickBooks Pro and Premier desktop software, which include purchase of additional users will no longer be available

Logically Announces Acquisition of Full-Service IT Managed Services Provider Halski Systems

  • Announced it has acquired Halski Systems
  • IT Managed Services provider based in Gainesville, Georgia
  • Services more than 5,300 managed endpoints
  • Logically’s fifth announced in the last nine months and its tenth since 2019

Innovation Networks Ranks Globally Among TOP 501 Managed Services Providers

  • Recognized as one of the TOP MSPs for the third year in a row
  • At 270 among the 501 MSPs in the world, #3 in British Columbia and #13 in Canada
  • Innovation Networks Inc, a Managed Services Provider located in Richmond, BC since 1996

Black Box Showcases Integration and Managed IT Services for Better-Connected, More

  • Will show its global IT solutions and integration services for airports @ ACI Conference

Lexmark launches IoT platform

  • Lexmark, a division of Ninestar of China, now offering the Optra IoT Platform
  • Claims the company has printers and MFPs placed in more than 200,000 locations worldwide
  • New solution includes an engineered IoT (Internet of Things) platform, as well as technology accelerators and consulting services
  • To manage more than just printers and MFPs, such as medical imaging, industrial mining, banking kiosks, and more
  • Predictive services, asset optimization, systemic innovation and as-a-service engagements
  • Sensor data feeding algorithms
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning modules

Ricoh offers DocuWare promotion

  • DocuWare is a document manage/content management solution
  • Promo provides 3,000 free electronic signatures with new cloud-based subscription customers
  • Offer expires 12/31/2021
  • Provided by electronic signature provider, Validated ID

Tech Data brings HPE GreenLake partnership to Singapore

  • Expanded partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) in Singapore and Hong Kong
  • Bid to grow the vendor’s GreenLake cloud services offering

The first fully managed MQTT 5.0 cloud service worldwide announces a cheaper payment method

  • Released the updated version of EMQ X Cloud provides fully managed cloud-native MQTT messaging service
  • EMQ X Cloud provides an MQTT messaging service with a one-stop operation and maintenance management
  • Previously, EMQ X Cloud adopted a pay-as-you-go payment method
  • EMQ (EMQ Technologies Co., Ltd.) is an open source IoT data infrastructure software provider

Supply chain issues

  • Report published by Marine Exchange of South California
  • On 10/21/21, there were 79 container ships waiting off the Long Beach and Los Angeles
    ports in Southern California
  • Carrying an estimated $26.2 billion in cargo
  • “many ships waiting offshore for more than 5 weeks”



Cybersecurity

Deloitte published results of survey:

  • 98% of C-suite executives have come across at least one cybersecurity event during last year
  • 86% have noticed uptick in attacks
  • 14% have no incident response plan
  • 40% of healthcare organizations have not yet implemented an incident response plan
  • 27% are most worried about actions of “well-meaning” employees who inadvertently allow hackers in
  • 41% have implemented solutions to monitor staff use of network

The federal Dept. of Health & Human Services reported HIPAA breaches for 9/2021:

  • 23.7% increase YoY in reported breaches
  • 1,253,258 patient records exposed
  • The North American Dental Group, headquartered in New Castle, PA, notified 170,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • Central Indiana Orthopedics notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • The Educators Mutual Insurance Association (EMI Health), headquartered in Murray, Utah, notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was stolen by a hacker.
  • The University of North Carolina Hospital System, headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, notified 719 patients that their PHI was exposed after being illegally accessed by an employee.
  • Tech Etch, headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • TriValley Primary Care of Pennsylvania notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Wiggin and Dana Law Firm of Westport, Connecticut notified an unknown number of clients that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
  • McAllen Surgical Specialty Center of Texas notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Corry School District of Pennsylvania notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • University of Mississippi Medical Center notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was illegally accessed by 3 former employees. Stamford Hospital and Stamford Health Medical Group of Connecticut notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI may have been exposed during a “network connectivity issue”
  • Deep6 AI, headquartered in Pasadena, CA, notified “millions’ of patients that their PHI may have been exposed after it was inadvertently placed in a publicly accessible online database.
  • Michael’s, a nationwide retailer headquartered in Texas, announced that Jose Tito Salazar of Riverside, CA was sentenced to 51 months in prison stealing customer credit card info.
  • Ohio State University of Columbus, OH notified 400 students that their PHI was exposed during an “email gaffe”
  • Centinela Valley Union High School District of California notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Wyatt Travnichek of Kansas was arrested and admitted in court that he illegally accessed and tampered with the network of Post Rock Rural Water District.
  • Alejandro Benitez was arrested after allegedly hacking into Chico State University and illegally accessing student info.
  • Patrick Driscoll was arrested by Salt Lake City police in Utah after allegedly illegally accessing confidential police files.
  • Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau of Pennsylvania announced that former employee, Rebecca D. Walker, was arrested for allegedly illegally accessing PHI of patients.
  • The National Rifle Association notified an unknown number of members that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.
  • The City of Titusville, Florida notified an unknown number of citizens that that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Janesville School District of Wisconsin notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Seneca Family of Agencies in northern California notified an unknown number of patients that that PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Washington County School District of Vermont notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Team Alvarez Insurance of Santa Ana, CA notified an unknown number of Blue Shield Insurance of California members that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack. Coughlin & Cerhart Law Firm in New York City, New York notified an unknown number of clients that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • Samaritan Daytop Village of New York has notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cybersecurity incident.
  • The Foundation for Medical Care of Merced County of California notified an unknown number of members of Merced County School District that their PHI was exposed after a burglary occurred and thieves took a back-up drive that contained scanned images of PHI documents.

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for November 1st 2021

Sponsored by

November 1st, 2021

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients will see better results

Kinetic Business Introduces Managed Network Security

  • Kinetic Business announced the availability of Managed Network Security
  • Service is offered as an on-premises or cloud-based firewall service
  • Kinetic by Windstream is a business unit of Windstream
  • Kinetic provides premium broadband, entertainment and security services

Verizon Business expands global managed services with Fortinet Secure SD WAN

  • Announced expansion of its global SD WAN offering w/ addition of Verizon Software Defined Secure Branch with Fortinet Secure SD WAN
  • According to the Verizon Business 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report
    • analyzes 29,207 quality incidents
    • 5,258 were confirmed breaches
    • phishing attacks increased by 11 percent
    • attacks using ransomware rose by 6 percent
    • 85 percent of breaches involved a human element
    • over 80 percent of breaches were discovered by external parties

LTI Becomes Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider

  • Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd. becomes a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider
  • Recognition signifies LTI's expertise in Azure capabilities
  • Managed Services Provider (MSP) program is a global initiative launched by Microsoft
  • LTI is a global technology consulting and digital solutions Company helping more than 460 clients

Ricoh launches EHR integration

  • Launched “Smart Integration” into DrChrono EHR (electronic health records system)
  • Allows scanning from Ricoh MFP directly into DrChrono patient record
  • Pricing not announced

Microsoft to fix printing problems

  • Said in “late October” it will fix issues with new Windows 11 operating system including:
  • Prompt for administration credentials might pop up when print server and client are in different time zones
  • Installation of printer drivers failing on print servers accessed through HTTP
  • Printer properties defined on servers being ignored by clients

China’s invasion: US brands under Chinese control Lexmark

  • In 2016, Lexmark International agreed to sell to investors, including China-based Apex Technology, for $3.6 billion
  • Recent months, Lexmark announced it would help U.S. and European businesses produce devices that can be remotely monitored via loT
  • In 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG) criticized the Army and Air Force for the purchase of printers from Lexmark
  • China-based company was accused of having connections to the Chinese military and the country’s nuclear and cyber espionage programs, ZD Net reported

County Balks at IT Proposal

  • Boozel said the commissioners must trust staff recommendations. The current Xerox contact costs the county $196,456 and Toshiba's proposal totaled ..more here

Telappliant, today announces the acquisition of Connexions Group a leading Carlisle-based MSP

  • Acquisition of Connexions increases the Group’s capability within the SME space
  • Extending its headcount to over 100 employees
  • Connexions Group provides Managed IT & Telecommunication Systems, Network Services & Broadband, Networking & Cabling Infrastructures including Electrical Installations, Lighting, Testing and Certification, Managed Wireless On & Off Site Networking, CCTV, Security and Building Access Systems, Audio Visual, Public Address

Align recognised as Best Cybersecurity Provider in Hedgeweek US Awards

  • Voted as “Best Cybersecurity Provider” in the Hedgeweek US Awards 2021
  • Based on an online peer-review survey in which investors, hedge fund managers and service providers are invited to nominate a “best-in-class”

Valeo Networks Receives Private Debt Investment from Siebert Williams Shank & Co

  • Valeo Networks, receives significant private debt investment from Clear Vision Impact Fund
  • Clear Vision Impact Fund, a New York-based investment initiative sponsored by an affiliate of Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC
  • Funding will expand Valeo Networks' national reach and growth through strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

InfoNetworks today announced a new and unique service called "Unified Technology Solution."

  • "Unified Technology Solution." Promoted as the answer to fill an existing void in the marketplace
  • Offers businesses managed IT services, complete network security, voice and telephony services, and connectivity via a complete package from a single provider

HP launches collaboration solutions

  • Launched “HP Presence” portfolio
  • Consisting of conferencing and collaboration solutions
  • “Meeting Space Solutions” is suite of bundled options with hardware and services for meeting spaces with user interaction and real-time analytics and cybersecurity
  • Arrived packaged in same box with step by step setup application
  • Intelligent room controls and Bang & Olufsen audio video bars
  • Satellite microphones and 4K camera
  • Room Assist feature to report missing chairs, dry markers, temp, etc.
  • Pricing not announced

Ricoh offers new version of solutions

  • Launched version 2.0 of its Ricoh Smart Integration (RSI) platform
  • Includes proprietary OCR (optical character recognition) technology
    • Automatically extracts data from scanned documents
    • Routes jobs to right plan in system, including automated naming
      convention, folder production and field population
  • Available in scalable, modular subscription model
  • Does not require embedded client
  • Browser integration with MFP’s scanning and printing functions
  • Device based license
  • Launches version 2.0 of “Current Technology”
  • Allow users to embed the most current security technologies
  • Enhanced fax and scanning features
  • Access to subscription based applications
  • Support for TLS 1.3 security standard
  • Support NTLM authentication
  • Updated error message terminology for fax reports
    • PDF format of fax transmission result email notification function
    • Improved address searchability when using LDAP server for scanning/fax
    • Available for entire Ricoh “IM” series of MFPs

Pulse Technology named to MSSP Alert's Top 250 MSSPs list for 2021

  • Has been named to the Top 250 MSSPs list for 2021, published by After Nines Inc
  • List and research identifies and honors the top MSSPs, managed detection and response (MDR) and Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) providers worldwide
  • Pulse Technology a technology company serving the IT, Managed Print Services and other needs of businesses throughout the Midwest

Lead for Break/Fix IT Services

Fraser Advanced Information Systems acquires managed services company

  • Fraser Advanced Information Systems announced acquisition of Warrington, Bucks County-based Aaxios Technologies
  • Aquisition of Aaxios Technologies strengthens our market position across the Delaware Valley as an expanding IT solutions provider to the small, mid-size and major account business community

Trustwave Sells PCI Compliance Business To Sysnet For $80M

  • Trustwave sold its legacy payment card industry compliance business to Sysnet Global Solutions for $80 million to double down on managed detection and response (MDR)
  • Chicago-based cybersecurity company said divesting its longstanding SecureTrust and FLEX divisions will allow Trustwave to focus more on the high-growth managed security services (MSS) portfolio


Cybersecurity

  • UF Health Central Florida of Leesburg, FL was sued by patients for negligence regarding a ransomware attack that exposed PHI or 700,000 patients
  • The U.S. Department of Treasury reports that it has identified 177 cryptocurrency wallets associated and used by the top 10 ransomware gangs
    • $5.2 billion in potential ransom payments transacted
    • Average ransomware payment of $102,273
  • The top ransomware operator, REvil of Russia, was shut down
    • Unknown entity hijacked the payment portal
  • The U.S. Treasury Department is reporting a 30% increase in ransomware attacks on the finance vertical
  • Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Arizona notified 368 employees that their PHI was inadvertently disclosed in an email error
  • Kemper Insurance, headquartered in Chicago, IL, plans on settling a lawsuit for $17.6 million regarding past data breaches that exposed info of 6.1 million customers
  • Apollo Career Center of Ohio notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack
  • McAfee Security announced it found security vulnerability in Netop Vision Prop Education Software, that is used by 3 million teachers in 9,000 school systems in the U.S., that exposes info on students
  • Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri notified 349,246 employees that their info was exposed during data leak
  • Ferrara Candy Corp. of Illinois notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed during recent ransomware attack.
  • Stephen Defiore of Florida was sentenced to 3 months probation, $77,417.50 fine after pleading guilty to receiving $2325 in bribes for altering security features of smartphones.
  • GetApp’s 2021 Data Security Report states that ransomware attacks are up 25% year over year.
    • 33% of organizations have no incident response plan
    • 23% have no process in place to report cyberattack
    • Users clicking phishing links up 14%
  • Lewisville Independent School District of Denton, Texas reports that it is hit with 16 million malicious email threat messages so far in 2021
  • The U.S government listed the top types of ransomware hitting healthcare vertical:
    • Hive
    • Vice Society
    • Conti
    • REvil/Sodinokibi
    • Pysa
    • Grove
    • Ryuk
    • CL0P
  • The Fin7 ransomware gang is now recruiting employees under the name Bastion Secure
    • Trying to trick workers into thinking they are applying to a legitimate firm that sells cybersecurity solutions
  • SkyWest Airlines, headquartered in Utah, cancelled 1200 flights in 2 days due to a “5 hourn system outage” that may have been caused by cybersecurity incident
  • University Hospital of Newark, New Jersey notified 9,329 patients that their PHI was exposed after info was illegally accessed by a former employee
  • Accenture Corp. reported that it was hit by LockBit ransomware, and refused to pay the $50 million ransom demand, and may impact info of 2,000 customers
  • Justin Sean Johnson was sentenced to 7 years in prison for hacking into University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and stealing PHI of 65,000 people
  • PracticeMax Software of Scottsdale, AZ, notified two of its customers, Anthem Insurance and Humana Insurance, that some of their customers may have had their PHI exposed after the software company was hit by ransomware attack
  • UMass Memorial Health of Worcester, Mass, notified 3,099 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack

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