Archive for April 26, 2023

SaaS Alerts Launches Unify

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

SaaS Alerts, the cybersecurity company purpose-built for MSPs to protect and monetize their customers’ business SaaS applications, today announced the release of Unify. Building on SaaS Alerts’ award-winning monitoring, alerting, and automated response engine, Unify’s new, groundbreaking technology provides much-needed visibility into the massive security blindspot between cloud-based SaaS applications and the devices that end users leverage.

Protecting business data used to be as simple as setting up antivirus on devices, implementing a firewall, and ensuring a backup was present and tested. In today’s world, how we work has changed. As data and workloads move to SaaS-based applications and users work from anywhere on any device, protecting business-critical data inside SaaS applications requires a new playbook. With the launch of the Unify module, SaaS Alerts is once again providing MSP/MSSP partners with the ability to better protect their customers, this time by correlating device data from RMM agents with SaaS account security events.

Unify connects SaaS application event data with the devices that end users are leveraging to create a unified security view of the user. For example, with authentication, users should be challenged to prove something they know (e.g. password) and something they have (e.g. MFA token). However, token hijacking has changed the game. Having a password and token no longer confirms a user’s identity, creating a huge blindspot. Unlike any other solution, Unify can prove that users know their password, have the MFA token, and that they are accessing the SaaS application from a known device.

Customers utilizing Unify will realize the following key benefits:

  • Seamless Deployment – Unify utilizes the existing RMM agent in place, so a SaaS Alerts agent is not required
  • Improved Security and Efficiency – Less noise, more confidence, and more insights related to SaaS events

Unify is available at no additional cost. All active partners automatically receive Unify by provisioning Ninja RMM, ConnectWise Automate, or Kaseya VSA within SaaS Alerts.

For more information on Unify, visit https://saasalerts.com/unify/.

The IT Nerd Is Doing A Lunch And Learn On How Not To Get Scammed On May 3rd

Posted in Commentary on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

I admit that this is some shameless self promotion. But it’s shameless self promotion on an important topic.

If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area, I will be doing a lunch and learn aimed at how to not get scammed on May 3rd at noon EST that is being put on by The Reach in Scarborough Ontario. Bring your lunch or enjoy local options from Corbin Catering & Foods. This is something that is close to me as frequent readers of this blog will know that I despise scammers and I do everything that I can to not only expose scammers, but educate people about scams so that they don’t get scammed.

You can find more details on this lunch and learn here. I look forward to seeing you there.

A 9-year-old Has Challenged A Pentesting Legend to Hackathon

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

Horizon3.ai, a leading cybersecurity firm specializing in AI-fueled autonomous penetration testing, today announced that Daniel Cherry, a 9-year-old user of Horizon3.ai’s NodeZero product, challenged Jorge Orchilles to a hackathon in response to a derogatory tweet Jorge made about NodeZero from the Horizon3.ai booth on the floor of the 2023 RSA Conference. Here’s the Tweet from Jorge that started all of this:

Horizon3.ai CEO Snehal Antani saw the tweet and asked Daniel if he’d be up for a first-of-its-kind challenge: to use NodeZero in a hacking competition against Jorge, a world-class SANS instructor and purple team enthusiast.

Orchilles has not yet accepted the challenge, which would not take place until June after Daniel finishes the 4th grade, but Antani has wagered a Venti Americano from Starbucks if Jorge wins, and will gift a PlayStation 5 to Daniel for taking the time from his summer vacation to compete.

I will keep you posted if the challenge is accepted.

Consumer Demand For Payment Options Drive Canadian Businesses To Adopt New Technology: Chase Payment Solutions

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

Did you know that 82 per cent of Canadians are shopping online? As shopping habits have changed year over year, payment processing methods have also been evolving due to technological advancements. To dive deeper into the current and future adoption trends for payment processing, Chase Payment Solutions surveyed 2,200 small and mid-sized businesses in Canada and are excited to share the results with you today. 

The inaugural State of Canadian Payments report reveals that Canadian merchants are open to adopting new payment innovations over the next 12 months, with payment options for consumers set to increase in the country. These technologies include mobile wallets, contactless credit cards, peer-to-peer payments, ‘buy now, pay later’ capabilities, and going cashless.

The following are key findings from the 2023 State of Canadian Payments Report:

  • Overall, respondents from the restaurant industry are most open to adopting emerging payment methods. Retail and healthcare respondents are the least open to adoption.
  • Similarly, businesses located in Western Canada are most open to adopt emerging payment methods. Eastern Canadian businesses are lagging in terms of adoption, and Central Canada falls in the middle.
  • Businesses across Canada are most open to adopting peer-to-peer payment solutions (P2P/E-transfer) in the next 12 months.

Other Canadian business adoption statistics include:

About Chase Payment Solutions’ State of Canadian Payments Report

The study respondents have a primary business location in Canada and bring in gross revenue between $50,000 and $20 million. They all accept credit and/or debit cards, and 50% or more of their total annual revenue comes from either credit or debit card payments. Respondents are not exclusively Chase customers, and they work with a variety of different payment processors.

Google Canada announces inaugural North American Google for Startups Accelerator: Cloud

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

Today, Google Canada announced the opening of applications for their Inaugural North American Google for Startups Accelerator: Cloud program. The program incorporates key learnings from the pilot Cloud accelerator in Canada, and is expanding to startups in both U.S. and Canada. 

Around the world, cloud technology is helping businesses and governments accelerate their digital transformations, scale their operations, and innovate in new areas. In fact, last year more than 300 Canadian companies used cloud to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies that raised a total of $1.46B in venture capital funding.* 

With the growth of AI/ML ecosystems across North America, and increased adoption rates for cloud technologies, we’re seeing new opportunities emerge for startups across multiple verticals. At Google we’re supporting startups as they seize these opportunities through our equity-free accelerator. 

More information about the 2023 North American Google for Startups Accelerator: Cloud is available here. Applications for the 10-week accelerator  are now open to startups until May 30. The program kicks off in July.  

CapIntel Announces New Partnerships With Three of Canada’s Premier Asset Management Firms

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

Yesterday marks CapIntel’s third strategic partnership in the month of April, with asset management firm SEI Investments Company. Over the last few weeks, partnerships with Empire Life Investments and LP Financial were also announced.

These partnerships are a testament to CapIntel’s commitment to support the wealth management community in delivering enhanced client experiences through in-depth research and analysis, customizable proposals, and streamlined communications. 

Powering over 12,000 financial advisors across the country, CapIntel’s proprietary technology will help financial professionals and wholesalers from these wealth management firms to develop stronger, more meaningful relationships with investors, ensuring that their investment portfolios are tailored to meet each client’s unique financial goals.

You can learn more at https://capintel.io

GSoft launches Talentscope

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

Today, GSoft – the Canadian technology company behind a suite of revolutionary software products that improve the employee experience – announced the launch of Talentscope, its new platform empowering teams to map and assess their skills to better understand what it takes to succeed.  

With a mission to equip organizations with the right tools to find and retain their rising stars, Talentscope is building an operating system for the future of work, making skills the north star of the employee experience. Talentscope’s end goal is to give companies the necessary information about their people’s skills so they can instantly assess changing needs and thrive in an increasingly volatile market.  

With a simple interface and AI-enhanced skill mapping, organizations can get a clearer and instant view of their team’s capabilities and blind spots to develop their talents and plan their workforce more efficiently than ever before. With research indicating a significant relationship between talent management and organizational performance, this offering comes at a perfect time for business leaders. 

Talentscope helps employers identify the next steppingstones in their employees’ careers and formulate clear career progression paths so that every employee can reach their full potential. With its internal mobility and mentorship focus, Talentscope also doubles as an internal talent marketplace that pairs talent with the right mentors and projects for career and organizational progress. 

More information on Talentscope’s offerings: 

  • Map & scope your skills in minutes. Map your team’s skills in minutes, not months. Say goodbye to spreadsheets and manual work.    
  • Plan your workforce more effectively. Make smart, data-driven workforce planning decisions based on timely skills-based insights.    
  • Develop and retain your rising stars. Design skills-based career progression paths that keep your workforce engaged and fulfilled.    
  • Unlock internal mobility at scale. Break down silos and tap into your team’s full potential with an internal talent marketplace that boosts mobility, performance, and happiness. 

GSoft is the independent company behind a family of software products that improve the employee experience as the world of work continues to evolve. We rethink how we work to develop intuitive tools that make work easier, more human, and more efficient. GSoft enables companies to manage their digital transformation with ShareGate peacefully, helps managers contribute to their team’s performance, engagement and recognition with Officevibe,  facilitates simplified and personalized onboarding experiences for new employees with Softstart, and offers a corporate learning management system with Didacte that supports and optimizes professional development. 

GSoft’s team includes more than 400 passionate employees united around a purpose: to enable people to work at their best, which meets a growing need since our software makes a difference for tens of thousands of companies in more than 100 countries. These marks of trust energize and inspire them to continue building the next generation of solutions that will change work for the better.

Fisker Ocean Receives European Certification And Regional Deliveries Of Launch Edition Vehicles Begin On May 5

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 26, 2023 by itnerd

 Fisker Inc. announced today that European regulators have certified the Fisker Ocean SUV. The company intends to start deliveries to European customers on May 5.

The company also recently built several mid-trim level all-wheel-drive Fisker Ocean Ultras. In addition, Fisker also produced front-wheel-drive Fisker Ocean Sports, the lowest-priced trim level, for testing and homologation purposes. The automaker anticipates customer delivery of those trims will start in September.

Fisker recently announced a WLTP certification in Europe of up to 707 km/440 UK miles (on 20-inch wheels and tires) for the Fisker Ocean Extreme trim level, the longest of any battery-electric SUV currently on sale in the region. 

Fisker has pursued a dual homologation process for the Fisker Ocean in Europe and the US simultaneously, an atypical approach to adjust production and sales based on regional demand. 

Also, the Fisker Ocean recently won the prestigious 2023 Red Dot Product Design Award for Best Electric Vehicle.