MSP Technology News Headlines
The newest Verizon report on AI and the “Empathy Gap” leads this week’s headlines. But we have lots of other interesting technology news from all over the industry. From security products to AI-enhanced solutions to acquisitions to telling industry reports, you’ll need to stay in the know. Ready for a quick rundown of this week’s MSP news and partner program updates? Scroll on down!
Verizon Report on AI and the Empathy Gap: Finding the Balance between AI and Human First Customer Experience
According to Verizon’s CX Annual Insights Report, the future of CX isn’t just about implementing AI, but about strategically integrating it to amplify human connections and address core customer frustrations.
Key findings from the press release:
- Human Touch Still Reigns Supreme: A striking 88% of consumers are satisfied with interactions handled mostly or fully by human agents, while only 60% feel the same about interactions driven by AI. This preference highlights a fundamental truth: AI’s efficiency cannot replace the empathy and trust that a human provides.
- The Biggest Frustration: The Human Hand-Off: The single biggest source of consumer frustration with automated interactions is the inability to speak or chat with a live human agent when needed. Nearly half of all consumers (47%) cited this as their top annoyance. Brands themselves recognize this, with a similar percentage of executives reporting this as the main complaint they receive about AI-enabled interactions.
- The Personalization Paradox: Despite personalization being a top AI use case for brands, most consumers aren’t seeing the benefits. In fact, more consumers said personalization has detracted from their overall experience (30%) than improved it (26%). A significant factor is data privacy, with 65% of executives stating that data privacy rules limit their ability to use AI for personalization. This is a critical issue as 54% of consumers report a decline in their trust in companies to use their personal data properly.
See the full Verizon 2025 CX Annual Insights Report
Dell AI Data Platform Advancements Help Customers Harness Data to Power Enterprise AI with NVIDIA and Elastic
The latest updates to the Dell AI Data Platform enhance unstructured data ingestion, transformation, retrieval and compute performance to streamline AI development and deployment
Highlights from the press release:
- Dell AI Data Platform updates improve support for full AI lifecycle from ingestion to inferencing.
- Dell collaborates with vector search leader Elastic to improve inferencing and analytics applications.
- The Dell PowerEdge R7725 server with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs will be the first 2U server platform to deliver the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference architecture.
- Dell and the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design offers a validated, GPU-accelerated reference architecture for AI—integrating storage, data, compute, networking and software.
SonicWall Expands Cybersecurity Solutions with Refreshed Next-Generation Firewalls, Unified Management and Integrated ZTNA
SonicWall’s latest release features built-in Zero Trust, embedded warranty, and co-managed services empowering partners to deliver scalable, smart security with simplicity and confidence.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our new firewall lineup is just one part of a broader, unified platform strategy. With SonicWall Unified Management, embedded ZTNA, the SonicSentry managed services team, and the industry’s first built-in cyber warranty, we’re helping partners shift from resellers to high-value security providers. This launch arms our partners with the tools they need to win more business and strengthen customer trust by providing market-leading cybersecurity protection.” — Bob VanKirk, president and CEO, SonicWall
IT’s New Reality: Unify or Drown in Complexity
New JumpCloud Q3 2025 IT Trends Report reveals what professionals said were the top three benefits of IT consolidation.
Key stats from the press release:
- The Unification Imperative: Only 19% have achieved full IT unification. Unification empowers IT teams in planning and aligns with the widespread demand for flexible, diverse solutions over monolithic systems. IT professionals said the top three benefits of IT consolidation were an improved user experience (55%), increased job satisfaction among IT staff (54%), and a better focus on strategic work (51%).
- Zero Trust: The Unfinished Revolution: Zero Trust security, central visibility, and a strong security-UX balance are key to mitigating today’s top threats.
- The Untamed Frontier: AI adoption and planning is at nearly 100%. But security concerns around non-human identities, sensitive system integration, and misuse pose new challenges.
IT’s Strategic Reorientation: Amid macroeconomic uncertainty, IT professionals are prioritizing resource optimization. They’re strategically investing in automation and increasingly leveraging managed service providers (MSPs).
➡️ Access the full JumpCloud Q3 2025 IT Trends Report.
GoTo Announces LogMeIn Resolve Integration with SentinelOne Endpoint Detection and Response for Advanced Protection
The integration provides MSPs and IT departments with access to unified, AI-powered security capabilities to seamlessly monitor, analyze, and respond to threats directly within the Resolve console.
Key capabilities from the press release:
- Accelerated Threat Detection: Further delivering on a unified management experience, uncover both known and unknown malicious activities – including ransomware, file-based threats, and zero-day vulnerabilities – with threat details in the Resolve console.
- 24/7 Intelligent Monitoring: Harness around-the-clock monitoring of endpoint activities to detect and respond to threats faster. Alerts are highlighted within a single pane of glass view alongside agents’ day-to-day endpoint management workflows.
- Real-time Response to Incidents: Respond instantly from Resolve to remediate any detected threat, mitigating risks and minimizing impact.
- Enhanced Forensic Capabilities: Capture and analyze granular event logs, telemetry, and root cause data to facilitate comprehensive incident investigations and detailed threat postmortems.
AvePoint Launches Enhanced Points-based Global Partner Program to Drive Channel Growth
New program empowers partners to meet surging demand for data security, governance, and AI enablement.
Key quote from the press release:
“Today’s channel landscape demands a more flexible approach that recognizes the diverse ways partners create value. Our new points-based program acknowledges that successful partnerships are built on competency development, pre-sales engagement, and customer success in critical areas like data security. By rewarding these activities, we’re creating a framework that helps our partners transition to high-value service offerings while strengthening customer relationships.” — Scott Sacket, Senior Vice President of Partner Strategy, AvePoint
1Password Enterprise Password Manager – MSP Edition Is Now Available on the Pax8 Marketplace, Expanding Global Reach to Over 40,000 MSPs
1Password meets strong demand from MSPs with a purpose-built solution that strengthens security, streamlines operations, and accelerates partner growth.
Key capabilities from the press release:
- Trusted, Enterprise-grade Security: Protect client data with 1Password’s proven two-key derivation and secure remote protocol (SRP), ensuring end-to-end encryption, even in the event of a breach. Role-based access controls offer full visibility without compromising user privacy. Meanwhile, usability enhancements like auto-lock improvements and technician-level audit logs make security easy to adopt and manage.
- Streamlined Management and Scalable Profitability: Simplify client onboarding, provisioning, and support through a centralized MSP console that reduces administrative overhead and improves technician efficiency. Flexible, consumption-based billing with no license minimums, paired with built-in onboarding resources — including a 14-day free trial — enables MSPs to grow profits from Day 1.
- Strategic Differentiation Deepens Client Relationships: Enable least-privilege policies with granular technician access controls and minimize risk with real-time Watchtower alerts and recommendations. Custom reporting across breach exposure, usage trends, and device posture enables MSPs to surface actionable insights to enhance security posture and strengthen long-term client trust.
Fortinet Enhances FortiRecon to Align with CTEM Framework to Help Organizations Stay Ahead of Threats
New features integrate attack surface management, threat intelligence, and security orchestration to help security teams reduce risk faster and more proactively.
Latest enhancements from the press release:
- Attack Surface Management: Continuously monitors and delivers an adversary’s view of the organization’s internal and external digital attack surface. The latest release adds National Vulnerability Database (NVD) severity ratings, in addition to FortiRecon Active Exploitation severity ratings for faster and smarter patching.
- Adversary-centric Intelligence: Provides actionable threat insights from dark web activity, ransomware intelligence, leaked credentials, vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild, and at-risk vendors. Enhancements include bulk indicators of compromise (IOC) downloads and stealer infection details, accelerating SOC workflows, and improving breach detection.
- Brand Protection: Monitors for domain impersonation, rogue mobile apps, phishing campaigns, and executive targeting. FortiRecon Brand Protection uses proprietary algorithms to monitor, detect, and take down fake phishing domains, brand and executive impersonations, rogue mobile applications on multiple app stores, data leaks in code repos, open bucket exposures, and phishing campaigns, and helps protect executive online presence.
- Security Orchestration: Leverages security orchestration and automated playbooks to investigate and respond to security threat findings. FortiRecon Security Orchestration reduces the time needed for responders to prioritize and take appropriate actions by automating and streamlining security workflows.
Arctic Wolf’s Threat Actor Profile: Interlock Ransomware
A relatively new threat group, Interlock, has gained traction in 2025 as an opportunistic ransomware operator. Arctic Wolf examines Interlock’s most common attack methods, and offers tips on how to protect your organization.
Key points from the Arctic Wolf blog:
- Interlock is an opportunistic ransomware actor, known for obtaining initial access via compromised websites and social engineering techniques.
- In August 2025, Interlock claimed responsibility for the July 2025 ransomware attack against the City of St. Paul, MN.
- Interlock makes frequent use of the “ClickFix” technique, where unwitting targets are sent to compromised websites and asked to “prove they are human” by pressing keys that (unbeknownst to them) cause their device to download malware such as remote access trojans (RATs).
- Interlock carries out double extortion attacks, first exfiltrating then encrypting data. Targets who do not pay the ransom are posted on their leak site, typically with the name of the victim, amount of data stolen, number of files and folders, and a link to the victim’s website (if applicable).
Keeper Security Survey at Black Hat USA 2025 Reveals Identity Security Gaps as AI Threats Accelerate
Findings show security teams face complexity and resource challenges in protecting identities, privileged access and credentials.
Key quote from the press release:
“Organizations need solutions that are both effective and practical to deploy across modern and distributed IT environments. Security leaders are aligned on the need for Zero Trust and better identity protection but many are constrained by the tools, time and support available to them.” — Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder, Keeper Security
Sherweb Pairs Technology with Expert Guidance So MSPs Don’t Navigate Cybersecurity Alone
The MSP technology and service provider enables MSPs to manage cybersecurity confidently, no matter their level of expertise.
Key quote from the press release:
“Sherweb makes it easier to stay ahead of evolving threats while delivering what our clients expect. Their portfolio covers everything we need, and when we’re working through an edge case or just want to talk strategy, their team is quick to engage. It’s rare to find a vendor that brings this level of commitment and collaboration. Sherweb consistently shows up like a true partner.” — Jason Makevich, CEO, Greenlight Cyber (a Sherweb partner)
Beyond Identity and TeamWorx Security Partner to Deliver on Collective Defense with the Most Secure Information-sharing Solution for Governments, Aerospace and Defense
Together, the platforms form the new gold standard for secure human-to-human information sharing in mission-critical environments.
Key facts from the press release:
- This strategic partnership aims to deliver the most secure, standardized, and scalable approach to collective defense purpose-built for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. federal government.
- TeamWorx Security’s Hive-IQ platform is trusted by the DoD, U.S. Cyber Command, and other U.S. Government agencies.
- Beyond Identity’s Dynamic Identity Defense platform features phish-resistant, device-bound credentials (DBC) and continuous risk-based enforcement of identity and device security. It is trusted by critical infrastructure sector, Fortune 200 companies, and state and local governments.
Nozomi Networks and Schneider Electric Deliver World’s 1st Security Sensor Embedded in Remote Terminal Units
The fully integrated security layer from an independent vendor delivers comprehensive protection for field-to-central control system data sharing.
Key quote from the press release:
“As cyber threats to the world’s energy resources rise, we’re working with Nozomi Networks and our customers in critical infrastructure to double down on effective defenses. Nozomi Arc Embedded in Schneider RTUs transforms remote terminal units into secure assets, giving operators the visibility they need to respond to threats before they can do harm.” — Jay Abdallah, vice president of cybersecurity solutions and services, Schneider Electric
Impartner Releases AI Partner Playbook to Guide Practical AI Adoption Across Partner Programs
Developed with insights from top ecosystem leaders, Impartner’s AI Playbook helps partner programs turn AI potential into real-world performance.
Key coverage areas from the press release:
- Aligning AI with business goals, offering how to tie AI projects directly to KPIs, including revenue growth drivers and partner engagement metrics.
- Tool selection and stack design, providing insights into the most-used AI and automation tools.
- Prompts and workflows, sharing real examples of how partner teams are using AI to improve recruitment, onboarding, enablement and more.
- System integrations, covering guidance on connecting AI with PRM, CRMs, and reducing manual work to improve data flow.
- Governance and risk, highlighting considerations for privacy, compliance, and responsible scaling as teams give AI more autonomy.
Foxit Redefines Web-based Document Workflows with PDF SDK for Web v11
New release sets industry benchmark with modular architecture, AI-ready performance, and browser-native approach. This signals major shift away from legacy PDF solutions.
Key quote from the press release:
“This release is more than just a feature update. It’s a signal that the future of document technology is modular, browser-native, and built for intelligent automation. As organizations move away from legacy systems and toward AI-enabled, cloud-first architectures, developers need toolkits that are fast, flexible, and built for the way we work today. With PDF SDK for Web v11, Foxit is leading that shift — and raising the bar for what’s expected from online PDF experiences.” — Evan Reiss, vice president, head of marketing, Foxit
StorONE’s Efficient Platform Reduces Storage Guardian Data Center Footprint by 80%
Leading MSP moves from nine data center racks to just two. This lowers power consumption from ~45 kW to ~10 kW. It also delivers sustainability plus a full suite of data services from a single platform.
Key quote from the press release:
“Before StorONE, we needed nine cabinets to run our infrastructure. Today, we do more with just two. We have reduced our energy consumption, freed up valuable data center space, and gained flexibility, all while delivering better service to our customers.” — Omry Farajun, founder, Storage Guardian
Qualtrics Doubles Down on Global Partner Community to Accelerate Shared Growth
Qualtrics is committed to delivering a best-in-class partner program that empowers them to build sustainable business models with experience management.
Key statement from the Qualtrics blog:
“Qualtrics is standardizing the QPN model to simplify how partners work with us and make it easier for organizations to find the best partners for their specific needs. We are also making targeted investments to support partner success and the customers we support.”
Proofpoint Threat Report: The Human Factor 2025 – Vol. 2
In volume 2, Proofpoint examines URL phishing threats that rely on URLs to deliver a malicious payload.
Highlights from the report:
- URLs are used 4x more often in malicious emails than in attachments
- At least 55% of suspected SMS phishing (“smishing”) messages contained malicious URLs
- Approximately 34% of URL-based malware campaigns delivered remote access software
Images: Verizon, Beyond Identity, Foxit
