MSP technology news headlines for the week of August 31, 2026
SkySwitch is giving white-label partners a native AI voice agent. Cato is introducing pooled SASE licensing for MSPs serving SMBs. And Kaseya is adding stronger cryptography and native Apple MDM to Datto RMM. Meanwhile, OpenAI, CrowdStrike, Sophos and Proofpoint are pushing deeper into AI-powered security. Additionally, new research highlights growing concerns around agent governance, phishing and the risks posed by poorly controlled AI identities.
If you’re ready for more of this week’s MSP news and partner program updates, scroll on down!
SkySwitch gives white-label partners a native AI voice agent
SkySwitch, a BCM One company, launched a white-label conversational AI agent inside its UCaaS platform. It answers calls, handles inquiries, books appointments and more.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our vision is to enable enterprise-grade communications for every technology partner. With SkySwitch’s new AI Agent capability and programs like our recently released Billing-on-Behalf service — where we handle billing, taxation and regulatory work under our partners’ brand — we’re making it much easier for MSPs and technology providers to launch and grow a profitable UCaaS business under their own brand. Together, these innovations help partners expand their offerings, create new revenue opportunities and deliver AI-powered business solutions to their SMB customers.” — Sandy Preizler, CEO, BCM One
Cato launches pooled SASE licensing for MSPs serving SMBs
Cato SMB FlexPool lets MSPs allocate and reallocate pooled SASE licenses across eligible SMB customers. It can also self-provision accounts and retain control of packaging, support and customer relationships.
Key quote from the press release:
“MSPs shouldn’t have to slow down customer deployments because of licensing and operational overhead. SMB FlexPool aims to remove that friction with instant provisioning and flexible pooled licensing, enabling partners to activate new customers while maintaining full control of the customer experience.” — Karl Soderlund, global channel chief, Cato Networks
OpenAI launches GPT-6 Astra with phased business and API rollout
OpenAI introduced GPT-6 Astra for computer use, software engineering, professional work and cybersecurity. Paid ChatGPT, API, Azure and AWS Bedrock access will roll out in phases.
Key quote from the press release:
“GPT‑6 Astra marks a new frontier in the speed, accuracy and safety of computer use. It can take care of tedious tasks like filling out online forms, updating customer records in a CRM and organizing your calendar. It can conduct online research and draft summaries in your email or in your document editor. It can analyze scientific data, generate plots, create a website and run frontend QA checks to make sure all the features on that site work. It can help you autonomously install and test software, and troubleshoot problems you see on screen. These improvements are also reflected in our state-of-the-art evaluation results.” — OpenAI
Kaseya adds FIPS 140-3 cryptography and native Apple MDM to Datto RMM
Kaseya announced FIPS 140-3 validated cryptography at no added cost and native Apple MDM for Datto RMM. Both additions are scheduled for October 2026.
Key quote from the press release:
“As regulatory requirements evolve, MSPs and IT teams shouldn’t have to choose between compliance and operational efficiency. At Kaseya, we’re making it easier for organizations to pursue opportunities in highly regulated industries while continuing to leverage the automation, visibility and security capabilities they rely on every day. This is yet another example of how Kaseya is removing barriers and helping customers stay ahead of what’s next.” — Pratik Wadher, chief technology officer, Kaseya
CyberFOX brings its SMB security portfolio to Ingram Micro Xvantage
Ingram Micro partners in North America can now buy CyberFOX privileged access management, password management and DNS filtering products through Xvantage.
Key quote from the press release:
“IT teams are stretched thin and still expected to keep everything secure. We built CyberFOX to give those teams practical cybersecurity that deploys in hours, not months, and runs without a consulting bill or a team of specialists. Ingram Micro’s reach across the North American channel and the speed of the Xvantage platform put our products in front of the resellers serving organizations that need them most.” — Os Haque, vice president of global channels, CyberFOX
Lenovo advances hybrid AI for business with new Think-family devices, displays and security solutions
Lenovo’s latest commercial portfolio includes new ThinkCentre desktops, ThinkBook laptops, ThinkVision monitors, ThinkShield security updates and proof-of-concept designs built for AI-powered business computing.
Key quote from the press release:
“Organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and beginning to integrate AI into everyday operations. With 96% of organizations planning to increase AI investments in 2026, that shift requires technology that combines powerful computing, seamless collaboration, and trusted infrastructure. Our latest ThinkCentre and ThinkVision commercial portfolio is designed to help businesses build workplaces that are ready for the next phase of AI.” — Johnson Jia, senior vice president, Global Innovation Center, Lenovo Intelligent Devices Group
inforcer makes Microsoft 365 threat detection and response generally available to MSPs
inforcer Microsoft 365 threat detection and response service completed early-access testing across more than 700 MSPs and 20 billion logs.
Key quote from the announcement:
“We opened TDR to more than 700 MSPs, where it was tested against real tenants and real attacks before it was fully ready to be released. We’re pleased that this feedback confirms that inforcer TDR meets the needs of our customers and further reinforces our reputation in the industry.” — Matthé Smit, chief product officer, inforcer
Read more on the inforcer blog post.
Huntress warns of worm-like activity through rogue ScreenConnect clients
Huntress linked three unrelated intrusions to rogue ScreenConnect clients that executed the same four-stage VBScript chain and could spread it to newly connected endpoints.
Key findings from the blog post include:
- Three incidents across unrelated organizations showed the same rogue ScreenConnect and four-script pattern.
- Modified ScreenConnect clients could transfer and execute the scripts on newly connected endpoints.
- Huntress advises treating RunFiles or RanFiles events involving Windows Script Host or PowerShell as suspicious and recommends reimaging affected hosts.
CrowdStrike adds coordinated multiagent investigations to its SOC platform
The coordinated AI agents investigate endpoint, identity, SaaS, cloud and network activity in parallel, along with a shared context layer and governed automation workspace.
Key quote from the press release:
“We’re already seeing AI agents execute attacks across multiple systems at the same time. AI agents in the SOC are table stakes. Agents working together across every domain on the same investigation, that’s the new standard. CrowdStrike’s architecture and expert validation make this possible, and confidently answer the question every CISO is asking: ‘How do I trust what my agents found, and how do I know it’s right?’” — Michael Sentonas, president, CrowdStrike
Commvault connects cyber recovery actions to CrowdStrike’s agentic SOAR
A generally available connector adds Commvault recovery actions to CrowdStrike Charlotte Agentic SOAR workflows for access restriction, recovery-point preservation and cleanroom restoration.
Key quote from the press release:
“Security and recovery teams need to move quickly and in coordination during an incident. Our integration with CrowdStrike Charlotte Agentic SOAR makes Commvault cyber recovery actions available directly within security workflows, helping joint customers reduce manual handoffs and accelerate investigation and response. This strengthens cyber resilience and simplifies how security and recovery teams work together seamlessly.” — Vidya Shankaran, field chief technology officer, Commvault
OWASP updates LLM risk guidance and adds an agent control standard
OWASP released its 2026 Top 10 for LLM Applications, accepted the Agent Control Standard and expanded its AI security solutions and framework-mapping resources.
Key findings from the report include:
- The Top 10 incorporates updated rankings, expanded threat coverage and research from thousands of real-world AI security incidents.
- The Agent Control Standard extends guidance toward practical runtime enforcement for agent identity, governance, testing and controls.
- The framework crosswalk maps 51 generative AI vulnerabilities to controls in 25 frameworks including NIST, ISO, MITRE ATLAS and the EU AI Act.
Barracuda finds education organizations face about 1,200 phishing emails daily
According to Barracuda research, education organizations face heavy phishing volume and higher-than-average rates of email-driven ransomware and account takeover.
Key findings from the blog post include:
- Barracuda detected 58.8 million phishing emails across 536 education institutions in three months, or about 1,200 per institution per day.
- Thirty-eight percent of education ransomware incidents started through email compared with 28% globally. Additionally, account takeover reached 27% compared with 20%.
- Only 56% of education respondents said they could secure accounts and restore operations within one day, eight points below the overall result.
Sophos to bring OpenAI GPT cyber models into Managed Risk offering
Exploit Path Verification will use OpenAI’s GPT cyber models through the Daybreak Defense Network to help security teams validate exploit paths and prioritize the vulnerabilities that matter most.
Key quote from the press release:
“One of the most common challenges we hear from security teams today is the volume of findings they need to sift through, and the lack of clarity of which findings matter most, or in other words, put them at greatest risk. Exploit Path Verification is being built to make it clear what in their environment is reachable by an attacker with the evidence to prove it, so they fix what counts first.” — John Peterson, chief technology officer, Sophos
Arrow adds the full HPE Networking portfolio in North America
Arrow received distribution rights for HPE Aruba Networking and HPE Juniper Networking across the United States, Canada and selected EMEA countries.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our expanded HPE relationship gives our channel partners a stronger platform for growth. Channel partners can now engage Arrow for a more complete set of solutions, backed by the technical expertise, services and enablement resources needed to turn networking demand into measurable business outcomes.” — Eric Nowak, global president, enterprise computing solutions, Arrow Electronics
Epson ships its first all-in-one dvLED displays through US resellers
Epson made three LE-C1 all-in-one direct-view LED displays available through authorized resellers in the U.S. and Canada, including 135-inch and 162-inch models.
Key quote from the press release:
“The response to Epson’s first dvLED solutions has been incredibly positive, with customers especially drawn to the image quality enabled by COB technology, as well as the edge-to-edge display design and ease of integration. Organizations are looking for display solutions that are easy to deploy, simple to manage and backed by a trusted technology partner. Epson delivers all of that through a complete display ecosystem designed to meet a wide range of application, performance and budget needs.” — Ramzi Shakra, senior product manager, Epson America
GoTo and Nexthink link remote support with live device intelligence
A generally available bidirectional integration connects LogMeIn Rescue sessions with Nexthink device data, AI recommendations, remote actions and ticketing records.
Key quote from the press release:
“This integration represents a meaningful evolution of what our partnership with GoTo can do for IT teams. We’re excited to feature LogMeIn Rescue in the Nexthink Infinity Library, giving IT teams one-click access to connect their device intelligence with AI-powered remote support. Nexthink gives technicians the full picture of what’s happening on a device before they ever take a manual step. Now, with Rescue available directly from the Library, we’re fundamentally changing how fast and how confidently IT teams can resolve issues, and the impact that has on the employee experience.” — Samuele Gantner, chief product officer, Nexthink
Jabra introduces a 100-meter single-cable BYOD meeting-room link
Jabra Reach extends USB-C video, audio, peripherals and optional power up to 100 meters. It also adds centralized management for repeatable BYOD room deployments.
Key quote from the press release:
“Walking into a room and connecting your own laptop should be the simplest thing in the world, but too often, it isn’t. You have the wrong cable, the wrong connector, a dropped signal or a table full of adapters. Jabra Reach solves that at the infrastructure level. Users get one cable to connect, it works with any video bar or room system and doesn’t change how the existing setup functions. It makes that connection reliable and repeatable across every room.” — Holger Reisinger, senior vice president, Jabra Video Business Unit
Proofpoint brings OpenAI cyber models into SOC investigations
Proofpoint introduced a SOC Analyst Agent that uses OpenAI Daybreak models to plan investigations, connect Proofpoint security signals and recommend next steps. Meanwhile, it leaves major decisions to people.
Key quote from the press release:
“The challenge for security teams is to cut through the noise to quickly identify which signals matter and reach a defensible decision fast enough to act. The Proofpoint SOC Analyst Agent brings together our security expertise and data with advanced AI reasoning from OpenAI to give analysts a faster path from investigation to action, while keeping people in control of consequential security decisions.” — Daniel Rapp, chief data and AI officer, Proofpoint
NetApp validates ONTAP support for VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1
NetApp validated ONTAP-based storage and data services for VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1 across private, hybrid and supported hyperscale-cloud environments.
Key quote from the press release:
“To keep up with the rapid pace of innovation required to thrive in a competitive landscape, enterprises need flexibility to move and place workloads in the best environment to which they are suited. NetApp continues to innovate to ensure VCF customers can operate consistently and without disruption across cloud environments. Together with Broadcom, we are giving organizations the autonomy to optimize, protect and scale their virtualized environments across any cloud on their own terms, safeguarding their existing operational investments while unlocking the future.” — Alvaro Celis, chief partner and ecosystem officer, NetApp
Cequence and EMA expose a wide agentic AI governance gap
A survey of 202 enterprise IT and security leaders found a sharp gap between confidence in AI-agent access controls and enforcement of least privilege.
Key findings from the report include:
- Ninety-four percent of those surveyed expressed confidence that agents were not overprovisioned. Only 33% used least-privilege access.
- Sixty-five percent had seen an agent act outside its intended scope, including 29% reporting measurable business impact.
- Only 32% could detect and contain an out-of-scope action within minutes through automation. Meanwhile, 55% needed hours and manual steps.
CBTS launches managed custom AI agents for midmarket organizations
CBTS launched a managed platform for building governed AI agents from plain-language work descriptions. It has 187 prebuilt artifacts, 34 industry blueprints and support for customer-controlled tenancies.
Key quote from the press release:
“Midmarket organizations need one partner that can deliver and manage the entire AI agent stack across infrastructure and software. Most companies already have powerful platforms. What they lack is the engineering to run agents securely, connect data to workflows and prove ROI. We bring those pieces together, so AI becomes part of how the business runs.” — Mark Giles, chief technology officer, CBTS
As ChannelPro’s online director and tech editor for over a decade, Matt Whitlock has spent years blending sharp tech insight with digital know-how. He brings more than 25 years’ experience working in the technology industry to his reviews, analysis, and general musings about all things gadget and gear.
Images: OpenAI, Lenovo, Huntress, OWASP, Epson, Jabra, Proofpoint, Cequence
