Ready for a quick rundown of this week’s industry happenings and key channel headlines? Scroll on down!
Fortinet Acquires Perception Point
Expanding AI-powered security for users across email, browsers, and SaaS applications to protect the modern workforce
Key quote from the blog post:
“The addition of Perception Point to the Fortinet Security Fabric underscores Fortinet’s commitment to simplify cybersecurity through consolidation, integrating diverse security tools into a unified platform to protect our customers more effectively. Perception Point’s innovative AI-powered capabilities secure email, critical collaboration platforms like Slack and Teams, web browsers, cloud storage apps, and more—essential tools for today’s hybrid and cloud-first environments. By combining our strengths, Fortinet and Perception Point will redefine how organizations secure user-facing applications and combat sophisticated threats across their digital ecosystems.”
Nureva signs new distribution agreement with Ingram Micro to meet growing demand for simplified large-room audio
Under agreement, Nureva® HDL pro series audio conferencing systems will be available across the US under Ingram Micro’s Meeting Room Management Services offering
Key quote from the news release:
“Powered by patented Microphone Mist™ technology, Nureva’s full line of audio conferencing systems provide full-room microphone coverage, ensuring clear and consistent communication for both in-room and remote participants. The systems offer a simple, scalable solution without the common costs and complexities of traditional pro AV systems, making them easy to deploy and manage at scale. ”
AppDirect acquires IT asset management platform Firstbase, providing a consolidated management platform for software, telecom, and now hardware assets
Under agreement, Nureva® HDL pro series audio conferencing systems will be available across the US under Ingram Micro’s Meeting Room Management Services offering
Key quote from the news release:
“AppDirect’s vision to build the B2B-everything platform fits perfectly with ours at Firstbase. Together, we can solve all the major problems the biggest companies and most innovative CIOs face across both software and hardware. Firstbase already solves IT asset management complexity for the world’s fastest growing companies by simplifying complicated procurement processes. AppDirect’s advisor channel has the potential to massively accelerate our GTM. We couldn’t be more excited.” – Chris Herd, founder and CEO, Firstbase
Barracuda Unveils Next Generation Firewalls and SASE Appliance and Malware Detection for Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup
These cutting-edge devices offer up to 30% improved performance while reducing power consumption by 19%, making them the perfect solution for organizations looking to enhance security and operational efficiency, while Cloud-to-Cloud Backup removes it from the data-restore process and sends admins an alert to let them know about the malware.
Key benefits of the next generation firewalls per the news release:
- Enhanced speed: With improved performance, these devices will enable faster traffic management, ensuring that business-critical operations aren’t slowed down by security processes.
- Faster threat detection: The advanced technology in these devices allows for quicker identification of potential threats, so your network stays protected from attacks before they can do any damage.
- Increased capacity: As your business grows and your network expands, these devices can handle higher traffic loads without sacrificing security, meaning you’re future-proofing your business when it comes to expanding network demands.
Stellar Cyber and ESET expand strategic partnership to deliver AI-driven XDR solutions
Cybersecurity and Open XDR leaders aim to deliver unparalleled threat detection and response capabilities.
Key quote from the news release:
“Our partnership with Stellar Cyber has already brought dividends to our customers. However, as ESET seeks to help customer handle the threat landscape more easily by focusing on prevention first, the added value of ECOS and ETI should further enable security analysts, regardless of their expertise level, to deliver consistent security outcomes.” Pavol Balaj, chief business officer, ESET
Elevate cyber defense skills with CompTIA Pentest+ certification
Updated exam validates abilities to identify, mitigate and report cyber weaknesses before they can be exploited
Key quote from the news release:
“Cybersecurity professionals looking to enhance their penetration testing expertise can validate their skills with the newly updated CompTIA PenTest+ certification. The certification prepares professionals for success in intermediate-level cybersecurity roles, positioning them as competitive candidates in a growing job market.”
CompTIA Xpert Series expands with SecurityX professional certification
Program designed to validate and sharpen cybersecurity skills for working professionals
Key quote from the news release:
“CompTIA SecurityX is the only hands-on, performance-based certification for advanced practitioners — not managers — at the advanced skill level of cybersecurity. This program is the only certification on the market that qualifies technical leaders to assess cyber readiness within an enterprise, and design and implement the proper solutions to ensure the organization is ready for the next attack.” – Patrick Lane, director, cybersecurity product management, CompTIA.
Bitdefender Launches Technology Alliance Partner Program to Enhance Cybersecurity Ecosystem Integrations
Technology Interoperability Initiative Enables Customers and Partners to Optimize Security Operations Across Multi-Vendor Environments
The new program is designed to simplify and streamline building, testing, validating, and documenting interoperability between partner technologies and Bitdefender GravityZone Platform. Key benefits from the news release:
Torq Expands Agentic AI Capabilities With Powerful New Autonomous, Collaborative Multi-Agent Framework For Security Operations
Torq Agentic AI To Dramatically Boost SOC Productivity Through Autonomous Incident Response and Escalation
Key quote from the news release:
“The system is designed to unburden today’s overwhelmed security operations teams facing an exponentially-increasing number of high-volume, low-complexity attacks. These attacks are decimating the productivity of security operations with mind-numbing busywork, creating existential organizational crises. Torq Agentic AI extends the capabilities of SOC teams across all organization sizes from large enterprises to SMBs, by handling the majority of everyday attacks and alerts, while alleviating common SOC challenges such as alert fatigue, false positives, and staff burnout.”
Action1 Makes Its Full-Featured Patch Management Platform Free for Everyone, Including Home Users
Free 100 endpoints now accessible to small businesses, nonprofits, IT consultants, and households, advancing a safer digital world
Key quote from the news release:
“Cybersecurity is no longer a privilege reserved for large enterprises—it’s a necessity for everyone. We extend our platform to all—from small businesses to households—striving to make patch management both easy and universally accessible. In doing so, Action1 aims to ensure that cybersecurity is within reach for everyone, everywhere, building the foundation for a safer digital world.” – Alex Vovk, CEO and co-founder, Action1
AgileBlue Unveils Upgrades to Global Partner Program Empowering MSPs in AI and Cybersecurity
The program provides partners with clear performance-based pathways, simplified requirements, and the tools necessary to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Key benefits from the news release:
- Growth Acceleration: Partners can expand their AI and cyber business through performance-based incentives and rewards, laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
- Continuous Support: MSPs gain access to AgileBlue’s extensive knowledge base and round-the-clock technical support team, ensuring they can address client needs promptly.
- Community Integration: The program fosters collaboration through an exclusive partner forum and community platform, facilitating knowledge sharing and problem-solving among peers.
- Innovative Solutions: Partners receive early access to new AI product updates and competitive pricing structures to enhance profitability and deliver value to their clients.
Service Leadership Inc. Unveils Early Findings from Annual Solution Provider Compensation Survey
Significant worldwide improvement on wage inflation projected for 2025 in most regions
Three interesting findings from the full report:
- Best-in-class TSPs (top 25% most profitable) are planning on roughly 3x less as many employees (9.9%) receiving top-level increases of over 6% as the bottom quartile profitability TSPs, who are planning top-level increases for approximately 29% of employees. Best-in-class TSPs are also planning 31% of their employees to receive increases of 3% or less.
- Value added resellers (VARs) are anticipating even lower increases than managed service providers (MSPs). Best-in-class VARs are planning on nearly 41% of employees receiving increases of 3% or less.
- Wage inflation is proving to be more stubborn in Europe. It stands out as the only region not planning on more than a 50% decrease in employees receiving top-level increases of over 6% in 2025 versus 2024. However, Europe is significantly increasing the percentage of low-level increases by 3% or less from 31.6% to 41%
Arctic Wolf and BlackBerry Announce Acquisition Agreement for Cylance
Arctic Wolf to enhance its Security Operations Aurora Platform with best-in-class endpoint prevention, detection, and response
Key quote from the news release:
Security has an operations and effectiveness problem and endpoint solutions alone have failed to live up to the outcomes they have promised for years. By incorporating Cylance’s endpoint security capabilities into our open-XDR Aurora platform, we will be addressing a rampant need for a truly unified, effective security operations that delivers better outcomes for customers. We believe we will be able to rapidly eliminate alert fatigue, reduce total risk exposure, and help customers unlock further value with our warranty and insurability programs.” – Nick Schneider, president and chief executive officer, Arctic Wolf
HP Introduces the HP Elite t660 Thin Client
As the world’s most secure desktop thin client PC, the Elite t660 is equipped with HP’s exclusive HP Wolf Security platform to protect from threats while also simplifying cloud client management – all while delivering 58% more powerful performance gen-over-gen.
Key features from the news release:
- Upleveled endpoint security and resiliency: As the first desktop thin client with HP Wolf Security, the Elite t660 integrates security from the ground up to protect against attacks and threats with features like HP Sure Start, HP Sure Admin, and HP Secure Erase – unlike other solutions that add third-party security on top of a weak foundation. Built on the HP Wolf Security platform, the new HP Wolf Cloud Endpoint Manager enables simplified cloud client management for administrators across devices and operating systems.
- Future-proof productivity: From mission-critical applications to heavy multitasking, traders and federal workers never miss a beat with 13th Gen Intel® CoreTM Processors with five cores, up to 32GB of memory, and support for up to four 4K displays for enhanced workspace productivity. The Elite t660 is also HP’s first desktop thin client with 5K display support for maximized clarity when tackling media workflows.
- Responsibly crafted: As part of the world’s most sustainable PC portfolio, the Elite t660 contains at least 50% post-consumer recycled plastics and the fanless 45W system design uses 30% less power consumption than a desktop. The device is EPEAT® Gold Registered and ENERGY STAR® Certified.
Salt Security and CrowdStrike Extend Partnership by Integrating API Security with Falcon Next‑Gen SIEM
Customers can now gain critical visibility into API security risks with faster mitigation capabilities
Key quote from the news release:
“APIs are unique, with individual behavioral attributes and use cases, making it highly complex to maintain an accurate view of their potential attack surface. This integration combines our best-in-class API security technology [JB1] with CrowdStrike’s proven Falcon platform to extend visibility and provide the threat intelligence required to proactively address security gaps and mitigate the most sophisticated threats.” – Roey Eliyahu, co-founder and CEO, Salt Security
IT Channel Mourns Brian Freistat
Brian Freistat was a beloved and well-respected professional in the managed IT services industry, with time at Security Studio, SYNNEX, CharTec, ARRC Technology, and Computrition.
From the LinkedIn post:
“Our hearts are heavy on this very sad news. I will be praying for peace for Brian’s family. May Brian always be a blessed memory.” – Joel Zaidspiner, associated publisher and VP, The ChannelPro Network
