The content team at the MSP Summit site tracks stories of interest to the managed services provider community. Anyone selling managed services or partnering with MSPs will want to know about these developing stories or catch up on stories they have missed. All links are current as of July 20.
CMMC Phase 2 Suspended, but Certified MSPs Say it was Worthwhile
The elite group of IT service providers that qualified for the now-suspended Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification phase 2 requirements have no regrets. The U.S. Department of Defense has suspended its Nov. 10 requirement date for CMMC phase 2. The DoD said it was lowering the barrier to entry for small but “innovative” firms that want to service military contractors in the defense industrial base. It’s a boon for the vast majority of IT service providers that are not caught up with the requirements. Read the Channel Dive story.
Shadow AI is Growing Fast, Those Who Act Now Will Win
Shadow AI isn’t just a security gap; it’s a visibility and control problem that directly impacts how MSPs protect, advise, and grow their clients. As AI tools become embedded in daily workflows, MSPs are losing sight of where sensitive data is going and how it’s being used. That lack of visibility creates risk, but it also creates a clear opportunity for MSPs to step in, take control, and lead. Read the Techerati story.
Sophos Looks to Partners to Take Fusion to Market
Sophos is looking to its partner base to take its Fusion products out to market as it cuts the ribbon on its artificial intelligence (AI)-native security offering. The idea is to use AI to identify and prevent attacks that exploit the technology and provide customers with a single control point to track risks across their estates. Read the Microscope story.
SMBs Face Critical AI Expertise Gaps
IT service providers aiming to capitalize on AI adoption will need to become strategic advisors in the SMB market, according to Pax8 VP of channel Eric Torres. MSPs can identify use cases, establish governance, define success metrics, integrate AI into existing workflows and create roadmaps for scaling. “The message shouldn’t be, ‘Let us help you buy AI,’” Torres said. “It should be, ‘Let us help you get results from AI.’” Read the Channel Dive story.
MSSPs Employee Retention Problem Goes Beyond Salary
Cybersecurity employee retention has become a serious challenge for MSSPs. A global ISACA study found that 50% of organizations struggle to retain cybersecurity talent. It also found that 47% of cybersecurity professionals identify high stress as a leading cause of attrition. MSSP employee retention requires more than competitive salaries. Security providers can improve employee retention by reducing repetitive work, creating predictable schedules, funding training and certifications, defining clear career paths, and recognizing team accomplishments. Read the ChannelE2E story.
Musk Pledges ‘Total Transparency’ After xAI’s Coding Agent Exposed Entire Repositories
Elon Musk has pledged that X’s codebase will be made open source days after it was discovered that the platform’s Grok coding tool transmits files it interacts with “verbatim and unredacted.” The billionaire SpaceXAI owner said the move would be made once the firm has completed a review for security vulnerabilities, with third parties encouraged to examine the system, adding: “Trust through total transparency is the only thing that should be believed.” Read the SDxCentral story.
OpenAI Unveils GPT-Red to Test AI Model Safety
OpenAI’s GPT-Red, an automated red teaming model, reflects how AI models are becoming important tools that need to be safeguarded to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands and to keep enterprise data and workflows protected. Read the AI Business story.
The Real Cybersecurity Gold Rush Ain't AI: it's OT
SDxCentral news editor Giacomo "Jack" Lee imagines remaking 'The Office' with Dunder Mythos GPT. It’s his way of explaining where the real gold rush in cybersecurity is right now. Read about it on SDxCentral.
Channel Changes: Leadership Moves and Shakeups July 13 – July 17
ChannelE2E tracks personnel moves in the channel on a weekly basis. Last week’s changes included leaders at N-Able, Thrive and New Relic. See the ChannelE2E roundup.