EChannelNews Podcast

EChannelNews

IT and Cybersecurity news geared towards people involved in the IT industry including vendors, VARs, MSPs, MSSPs, SOCs, NOCs, Resellers, and other industry professionals. Our topics cover industry news, partner programs, cybersecurity, AI and more.

  1. Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem Episode 9: Hardening Infrastructure Against Agentic AI and Geopolitical Cyber-Probing

    6D AGO

    Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem Episode 9: Hardening Infrastructure Against Agentic AI and Geopolitical Cyber-Probing

    Send a text Presenters: Julian Lee, Publisher, Community Builder, Speaker, Channel Ecosystem Developer with a focus on cybersecurity, AI and Digital Transformation Nim Nadarajah, C.CISO, Cyber Security, Compliance & Transformation Expert | Executive Board Member | Keynote Speaker Adam Bennett, Co-Founder & CEO at SureStack CEO at Crosshair Cyber Randal Wark, Owner, MTech Cyber (MSP & Cybersecurity) ★ Conference Host ★ Mastermind Facilitator ★ Podcast Host ★ Journalist The Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem aims to assist Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in becoming more cybersecurity-oriented amidst industry disruptions caused by AI and regulatory changes. This discussion examined the convergence of agentic AI adoption and escalating geopolitically-driven cyber threats against critical infrastructure. While AI is driving massive operational interest, it is simultaneously being weaponized by adversaries—particularly those linked to the Iran conflict—to automate attack cycles and probe utilities and the defense industrial base. Power grid disruptions now pose a direct threat to AI-dependent business continuity, while voice deepfakes and unsecured collaboration platforms (Teams/SharePoint) are being actively exploited for social engineering. The discussion focused heavily on the security of AI agents. Rather than relying on unenforceable policies, the group advocated for a “Zero Trust for Agents” model. As the industry prepares for RSA 2026, the consensus is clear: MSPs must move from high-level AI governance to concrete, automated technical controls to prevent workforce burnout and mitigate the risks of unmanaged autonomous bots.

    56 min
  2. Omdia: Navigating Slow Growth and Agentic Risk in the 2026 MSP Market

    FEB 18

    Omdia: Navigating Slow Growth and Agentic Risk in the 2026 MSP Market

    Send a text In a discussion on the current state of the channel, Robin Ody, Principal Analyst at Omdia, talked about the value gap currently stalling MSP growth. While the shift toward high-margin services like GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) and vCISO roles is essential, many providers are struggling to operationalize these offerings due to the sheer complexity of the 2026 tech stack. With organic growth slowing—as 70% of new business is now merely “churn” from competing MSPs—Robin emphasized that resilience is the new ROI. This is especially true regarding Agentic AI; while AI has delivered measurable wins in ticket triage and MTTR (Mean Time to Resolution), it has introduced “recursive risk.” MSPs need to move beyond viewing AI as a simple tool and instead treat AI agents as identity-bearing actors that require strict governance and access controls to prevent lateral movement and systemic vulnerabilities. While some private equity rollups focus on operational excellence, others have prioritized margin-cutting at the expense of interoperability, leaving MSPs vulnerable to vendor-heavy ecosystems that stifle innovation. To counter this, MSPs are forming small, trusted peer federations to share on-call support and security expertise. By converting internal AI efficiencies into client-facing outcomes and adopting a “governance-first” posture, MSPs can differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

    50 min
  3. Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem Episode 8: Navigating the 2026 Cybersecurity Landscape

    JAN 14

    Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem Episode 8: Navigating the 2026 Cybersecurity Landscape

    Send a text Presenters: Julian Lee, Publisher, Community Builder, Speaker, Channel Ecosystem Developer with a focus on cybersecurity, AI and Digital Transformation Nim Nadarajah, C.CISO, Cyber Security, Compliance & Transformation Expert | Executive Board Member | Keynote Speaker Evgeniy Kharam, Publisher, Community Builder, Speaker, Channel Ecosystem Developer with a focus on cybersecurity, AI and Digital Transformation Cybersecurity Architect | Evangelist | Consultant | Advisor | Podcaster | Visionary | Speaker | The Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem aims to assist Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in becoming more cybersecurity-oriented amidst industry disruptions caused by AI and regulatory changes. The discussion highlighted a major industry pivot toward browser-based security. This move allows organizations to transform any web browser into a secure, zero-trust workspace, effectively securing the “agentic workforce” where humans and AI agents collaborate. By integrating security directly into the browser session, companies can protect sensitive data across both managed and unmanaged devices without the friction of traditional perimeters. A critical warning emerged regarding “AI Theater”—the tendency for organizations to invest in flashy AI tools as a substitute for foundational governance and SOC 2 compliance. Automation without human-led guardrails creates an “empowerment gap” and operational risk. True resilience in 2026 requires moving beyond the hype to ensure that AI acts as a supervised thought partner rather than a standalone decision-maker. Click here to watch previous episodes on Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem To learn more on Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem, visit: https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/

    45 min

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IT and Cybersecurity news geared towards people involved in the IT industry including vendors, VARs, MSPs, MSSPs, SOCs, NOCs, Resellers, and other industry professionals. Our topics cover industry news, partner programs, cybersecurity, AI and more.