Monday Morning Impact – September 17

Trend Micro Report Says Criminals Increasingly Drawn To Low-Profile Attacks

Trend Micro Incorporated, a Dallas-based cybersecurity company, has released its Mid-year Security Roundup, revealing that cybercriminals are moving away from attention-grabbing ransomware attacks to more covert methods intended to steal money and valuable computing resources.

Crypto-jacking attempts are making the biggest impact so far this year, according to the company, which reports a 96 percent increase in cryptocurrency mining detections in 1H 2018 compared to all of 2017, and a 956 percent increase in detections versus 1H 2017. This indicates cybercriminals are shifting away from the quick payout of ransomware in favor of the slower, behind-the-scenes approach of stealing computing power to mine digital currency.

“The recent change in the threat landscape mirrors what we’ve seen for years – cybercriminals will constantly shift their tools, tactics and procedures (TTPs) to improve their infection rates,” said Jon Clay, director of global threat communications for Trend Micro. “Standard spray and pray ransomware attacks and data breaches had become the norm, so attackers changed their tactics to be more covert, using entry vectors not previously seen or used extensively. This means once again; business leaders must evaluate their defenses to ensure sufficient protection is in place to stop the latest and most pressing threats.”

Another shift in the first half of the year is toward unusual malware types, such as fileless, macro and small file malware. Trend Micro recorded a 250 percent increase in detections of one particular small file malware, TinyPOS, compared to 2H 2017, which may be due to the increased ability of these malware types to circumvent defenses that employ only one type of security protection.

The company also reports twice as many SCADA vulnerabilities compared to the same time last year.

Channel Impact^®
IT security managers must stay alert to the evolving threatscape, especially as criminals begin to perform destructive attacks rather than mere reconnaissance and testing.

Avoxi Launches New CaaS Partner Program

Avoxi, an Atlanta-based Communications as a Service (CaaS) vendor, has rolled out a new global partner program. With the company’s continued expansion to provide comprehensive availability and coverage for virtual phone numbers across the globe, the partner program is intended to better reach customers in all geographies.

Partners are able to offer virtual numbers in more than 120 countries for packaged minutes. Managed through the Avoxi Virtual Number platform, international toll-free, local, and national numbers use VoIP to promote cost savings and help companies gain efficiencies. The platform features forwarding and routing management, call recording services, call group setup and virtual attendant management. The system can be used over the top of existing systems or as a standalone system.

In addition, a forthcoming partner portal features a variety of tools and materials including a customer provisioning tool, deal registration, training and enablement materials, commission tracking, and a library of marketing collateral, case studies, training videos, and sales presentations.

“While Avoxi is successful in selling its services through global channel partners, it recently ramped up its efforts to recruit qualified partners—both internationally and in the United States,” stated CEO David Wise.

Avoxi has recently appointed Oliver Favors as its new vice president of channel sales. He comes to the table with more than 20 years of experience with international businesses providing advanced communication solutions.

“Oliver’s proven success in building partner programs; recruiting, developing, and managing partners; and exceeding revenue goals from the partner channel makes him an ideal addition to the AVOXI team,” added Wise. “We are thrilled to have him join the team and look forward to the new opportunities that the Global Partner Program provides.”

Channel Impact^®
Communications as a Service is often viewed as one of the more “sticky” services that can be provided by channel partners looking to strengthen their account control.

OVHcloud Expands Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service Offering for Partners

OVHcloud, a Reston, Virginia-based global cloud provider, has launched a new partner program to support the company’s Infrastructure-as-a-Service offerings. Targeting resellers, system integrators, system outsourcers, and managed service providers – the company hopes to help partners to grow their cloud business through a variety of infrastructure options including the VMware-based hosted private cloud, bare metal servers, and/or public cloud.

The program consists of four tiers, with escalating levels of requirements and rewards.

“Our new partner program opens a significant opportunity for MSPs, resellers, and solution providers to expand their value proposition and grow their business,” said David Wigglesworth, chief revenue officer of OVHcloud. “Infrastructure is our business and for almost 20 years, businesses of all sizes have relied on us to manage their most critical applications,” “We are excited to collaborate with VMware, FusionStorm, and others to provide more options for IT service providers, more customer flexibility, and bring OVHcloud innovation to the market.”

OVHcloud in the US is provided by a subsidiary of OVH, one of the largest European hosting providers with over 2,500 employees worldwide. OVH claims more than one million customers across 138 countries, with a global network consisting of 28 data centers, 33 points of presence, and thousands of miles of dark fiber.

Channel Impact^®
The program provides new opportunities for channel partners to build a practice in the Infrastructure-as-a-Service space.