MSP Technology News Headlines for the week of 2/2/2026
Move over Shark Week! It’s partner program week here in the channel. SolarWind’s revitalized 2026 partner programs leads this week’s headlines, but there’s no end to the number of program announcements and changes to skim through. Plus, there are many other interesting stories and insightful data from all over the industry. If you’re ready for a quick rundown of this week’s MSP news and partner program updates, Scroll on down!
Redefining Partner-first: SolarWinds Kickstarts New Partner Program at February Summit
Revitalized 2026 Partner Program offers new benefits, enablement, and tools to support partner-led growth.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our enhanced 2026 Partner Program provides a renewed foundation to drive great customer outcomes and an improved overall partner ecosystem. By aligning our strategy with our purpose, mission, and CARE values, we’re establishing a framework that can support predictability for our partners and scalable growth for partners and their customers.” — Barb Huelskamp, vice president of global channel sales and alliances, SolarWinds
Lexful Introduces AI-native IT Documentation Platform Built for MSPs
New AI-first platform aims to eliminate documentation blind spots, reduce burnout, and modernize MSP operations.
Key quote from the press release:
“IT documentation has become one of the biggest operational risks and growth inhibitors facing today’s MSP community — resulting in serious blind spots, productivity loss and tech burnout. We built Lexful to be MSP-first, AI-native, and ROI-rich. Together with Top Down Ventures, we are excited to bring intelligent innovation back to the core of the MSP model using AI to make IT documentation operationally reliable, secure, and ready for how MSPs work today and will work in the future.” — Pinar Ormeci, CEO, Lexful
Halcyon Launches Ransomware Incident Response Partner Program
New IR Partner Program integrates Halcyon’s anti-ransomware platform with leading incident response expertise to provide end-to-end ransomware protection.
Key quote from the press release:
“Ransomware is the most urgent threat to enterprise resilience today. By uniting Halcyon’s dedicated anti-ransomware platform with the incident response expertise of Beazley Security and Booz Allen Hamilton, we are delivering customers the confidence that they can detect, disrupt, and defeat ransomware without paying a ransom or suffering prolonged downtime.” — Jon Miller, CEO and co-founder, Halcyon
More Halcyon Headlines:
➡️ Halcyon Partners with Dell to Deliver the First Commercial PCs Equipped for Ransomware Resilience
Dell Refreshes Partner Program for 2026 with New Incentives and Growth Focus
The updates are aimed at driving storage and client growth, simplifying engagement, and rewarding top‑performing partners with richer incentives.
Key benefits from news reports:
- Restored Titanium‑level incentives, including eligibility for Storage and Client New Business Incentives and competitive swap rebates. This ups the potential profitability for top‑tier partners.
- New Storage and Client Growth Program for select partners. This introduces tiered performance targets designed to improve attainability while maintaining strong margin opportunities.
- Two‑level achievement structure within growth incentives. It allows partners to access rewards earlier instead of an all‑or‑nothing model.
- Continued VxRail Transition Program. This supports partner‑led migrations to modern infrastructure and private cloud offerings through incentives, training, and migration assistance.
- Greater emphasis on ease of doing business. This includes further standardization and automation across tools, incentives, and engagement models.
- Increased focus on co‑investment with high‑impact partners. It aligns incentives more closely with measurable growth outcomes in storage and client solutions.
Flashpoint Launches Threat Intelligence Capability Assessment to Help Organizations Benchmark and Strengthen Intelligence Programs
New interactive assessment provides critical insights into intelligence gaps, top priorities by maturity stage, immediate practical actions, and a 90-day execution plan to level up.
Key quote from the press release:
“As cyber threats grow in scale, complexity, and impact, organizations need a clear understanding of how effectively intelligence supports their ability to detect high-priority risks and respond with speed. This assessment helps teams move beyond a score to understand what’s holding them back, where to focus next, and how to turn intelligence into action.” — Josh Lefkowitz, CEO, Flashpoint
1Password Partner Program Expands for 2026 to Help Partners Lead with Identity Security
Updated program aims to help partners scale identity security services for SaaS and AI-driven environments.
Key quote from the press release:
“Security has shifted from protecting networks to protecting identity, fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate across SaaS and AI-driven environments. The expanded 1Password Partner Program reflects that shift. We’re committed to investing in partners who want to lead with identity security, scale services with confidence, and grow alongside us as demand continues to accelerate.” — Larissa Crandall, global vice president of channel and alliances, 1Password
ConnectSecure Unveils Unified Linux Security Patching for Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian and CentOS
New cross-platform patching capability simplifies security updates across major Linux distributions.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our mission has always been to simplify the lives of system and security administrators who are often forced to juggle multiple tools just to keep their environments secure. With this release, we’re delivering cross-platform vulnerability management across different operating systems from one single tool.” — Peter Bellini, CEO, ConnectSecure
Dropbox PDF Phishing Abuse of Trusted Cloud Storage
Forcepoint X-Labs research uncovers a stealthy multistage phishing campaign leveraging PDF attachments and trusted cloud services to harvest Dropbox credentials.
Key findings from the blog post include:
- Attackers send professional-looking emails with PDF attachments that contain embedded links. This helps the messages evade traditional email filters and avoid triggering security controls due to lack of suspicious in-body links.
- Once opened, the lure PDF redirects victims to a second document hosted on legitimate cloud storage (e.g., Vercel Blob). This exploits trust in widely used services to bypass security defenses.
- The staged PDF then redirects to a fake Dropbox login page designed to mimic the real service and convince users to enter their credentials. Then, they are harvested and exfiltrated to attacker-controlled infrastructure.
- This multistage approach demonstrates how phishing campaigns are evolving beyond traditional link-based tactics by chaining trusted formats and cloud platforms to slip past detection and harvest sensitive credentials.
Keeper Security Unveils 2026 MSP Partner Program to Deliver Zero Trust Privileged Access Management at Scale
Keeper’s enhanced program has tiered incentives and expanded enablement. The goal is to help MSPs grow revenue while delivering enterprise-grade Zero Trust privileged access management.
Key quote from the press release:
“Managed service providers are on the front lines of defending businesses against credential abuse and privilege misuse, yet many legacy PAM solutions are too complex and costly to deploy at scale. Our 2026 MSP Partner Program is built to change that. We’re giving partners a modern, cloud-native PAM platform, stronger economics and deeper enablement so they can grow profitably while delivering Zero Trust security their customers need.” — Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder, Keeper Security
Palo Alto Networks NextWave Program Accelerates Partner Profitability and AI-driven Security Outcomes
NextWave evolved to reward platform-centric outcomes and support partner growth with enhanced margins, deal velocity, and reinvestment tools.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our partner ecosystem is more critical than ever in addressing the demand for AI-driven security platforms. Unlike transactional programs, the NextWave Partner Program rewards ‘platformization’ over transactions, so we are empowering our partners to dismantle the complexity that leaves customers vulnerable. This program isn’t just about selling software; it’s about ensuring customers achieve total, AI-driven resilience with a single, unified defense.” — Simone Gammeri, chief partnerships officer, Palo Alto Networks
Operant AI Launches Comprehensive Channel Partner Program to Lead AI and Agentic Security Revolution in 2026
Industry veteran Kat Mills to lead new initiative empowering resellers to deliver cutting-edge AI, agentic, and MCP security solutions.
Key quote from the press release:
“The AI security landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and resellers need a partner who understands both the technology and the business of the channel. Having been a reseller myself, I know firsthand the challenges partners face and what they need to succeed. This program is built from the ground up with those needs in mind, providing not just world-class technology, but the education, incentives, and support that drive real business outcomes. We’re committed to ensuring our partners can confidently lead their customers into the AI-powered future while maintaining the security and responsibility that organizations demand.” — Kat Mills, head of channel partners, Operant AI
New Jabra Expandable Room Solutions Give Every Participant a Front-row Meeting Experience
Expandable room kits combine intelligent video and high-quality audio to support inclusive hybrid collaboration.
Key quote from the press release:
“Meeting spaces today need technology that supports people in a natural and unobtrusive way. With Jabra PanaCast Room Kits, we focused on creating room experiences that feel balanced and inclusive from every seat. By combining intelligent video with high-quality audio, we help organizations build spaces that support more natural interaction and confident participation.” — Holger Reisinger, senior vice president, Jabra Video Business Unit
Rising Threat Volume and Explosive AI Traffic Reshape the DNS Security Landscape
New findings highlight sharp increases in daily threat exposure, AI-driven traffic growth, and evolving attacker tactics.
Key findings from the report include:
- Threat activity on the DNSFilter network grew 30% between October 2024 and September 2025. The average internet user encountered an estimated 66 threats per day, up from 29.
- AI-related traffic surged. The DNSFilter network processing more than 6 billion AI-related queries during the period. Generative AI traffic rose month-over-month, peaking with a 102.13% spike in September 2025.
- Attackers shifted tactics away from broad GenAI keyword abuse. Malicious or impersonation sites dropped 92% year over year, while domains using specific terms like “openai” increased.
- Newly registered domains dominated threat activity. These accounted for more than 65% of unique threat domains as adversaries prioritize rapid rotation and short-lived infrastructure.
- CSAM-related activity increased significantly. DNSFilter blocked 44% more CSAM content in 2025 than the prior year, driven largely by AI-generated content. That included a 26,362% increase in detected AI-generated CSAM videos.
Assured Data Protection Launches ‘Backup with Backbox’ to Accelerate Network Device Recovery
New service enables rapid restoration of network-connected devices by backing up and instantly recovering exact configurations.
Key quote from the press release:
“Customers rely on network-connected devices every second of every day, yet many have no proven plan to recover them. Replacing a switch, firewall, or router can take two to eight hours per device, and even longer during a crisis. With this service, we can restore exact configurations almost instantly. For customers with dozens or hundreds of devices, the time and cost savings are enormous.” — Tony Giannini, vice president, global innovation, Assured Data Protection
Cyberhaven Launches Unified AI and Data Security Platform for the AI Era
New platform brings DSPM, DLP, insider risk management, and AI security together to protect data wherever it lives and goes.
Key quote from the press release:
“AI has democratized intelligence, but it has also magnified data risk. Because of fragmented data, security teams can no longer rely on point tools that see only part of the picture. As data moves in fragments, snippets, and derivatives that evade traditional controls like tags and labels, organizations need a solution that follows data wherever it lives and goes.” — Nishant Doshi, CEO, Cyberhaven
SEON Launches Global Partner Program to Expand Fraud Prevention and AML Ecosystem
Multitrack global partner program enables organizations to integrate, resell, and scale fraud intelligence at enterprise scale.
Key quote from the press release:
“Many digital businesses are losing as much as 8% of their annual revenue to fraud, and AI-driven scams are only accelerating that trend. Every business now needs fraud capabilities but building them in-house or stitching together point solutions isn’t solving the problem. Our partners can embed SEON’s fraud intelligence, resell it into regulated markets or orchestrate it alongside other risk tools, all without reinventing the wheel or slowing down their roadmap.” — Matt DeLauro, president, go to market, SEON
Owl Labs Unveils Next-generation Meeting Owl 5 Pro, Expanding Enterprise Hybrid Collaboration
New 360-degree hybrid collaboration device delivers BYOD flexibility, enhanced connectivity, and platform readiness for enterprise environments.
Key quote from the press release:
“The Meeting Owl 5 Pro represents a significant leap forward in our mission to create truly equitable hybrid meetings for all companies, with a focus on Enterprise. From streamlined setup to enterprise-grade innovations, a company commitment to MDEP readiness, and a reinforced channel strategy, we’re delivering a solution that modern organizations can trust today, which will continue to improve with new advancements over time.” — Frank Weishaupt, CEO, Owl Labs
CyberFOX Raises Significant Growth Financing to Accelerate Its Next-generation Cybersecurity Platform
Nine-figure investment will fuel product development, AI initiatives, international expansion, and strategic acquisitions.
Key quote from the press release:
“MSPs and smaller organizations have historically been underserved by large cybersecurity vendors, and we have purpose-built CyberFOX since inception to address that issue. 2025 was a record year for our company for new customer acquisition, and we have a number of exciting announcements on the new product front to share soon.” — David Bellini, CEO, CyberFOX
GTIA Announces $5M Charitable Giving Commitment for 2026
The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) expands its philanthropic investment by more than 160% over 2025.
Key quote from the press release:
“Our $5 million commitment for 2026 is a direct reflection of the passion, priorities, and leadership of our member community. They drive our mission forward, shape where and how we give, and ensure our investments create a lasting impact. This is the power of membership — when we act together, our reach and influence grow exponentially.” — Kelly Ricker, COO, GTIA
Xurrent Appoints Brian Wenngatz as CEO to Lead Global Expansion of AI-powered ITxM Platform
The industry veteran is charged with accelerating growth and broadening adoption of Xurrent’s unified IT service and incident management platform.
Key quote from the press release:
“Xurrent has built an incredible foundation, proving that when you unify service desk operations and incident response management, you don’t just close tickets; you transform the business. I’m thrilled to join the team as we double down on our commitment to reliability, continuous innovation, and the success of every customer and partner we serve.” — Brian Wenngatz, CEO, Xurrent
RapidFort Raises $42M Series A to Power the Next Generation of Software Supply Chain Defense
New funding will accelerate product innovation and help organizations eliminate software vulnerabilities at machine speed.
Key quote from the press release:
“The problem isn’t that organizations don’t know they have vulnerabilities. It’s that they can’t fix them fast enough. AI has accelerated software delivery and attacker capability at the same time. The window between disclosure and exploitation has collapsed. RapidFort exists to eliminate vulnerabilities continuously — at machine speed — before they reach production.” — Mehran Farimani, founder and CEO, RapidFort
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: Lexful, ConnectSecure, Forcepoint, Operant AI, Jabra, DNSFilter, Owl Labs
