Channel Brief: Presidio Acquires Internetwork Engineering, NCSC Issues New MFA Guidance

What the heck is going on at WordPress? If you're a small business -- or any business that has a WordPress site -- you may be curious about how the web company's ongoing struggles may impact you.

Gergely Orosz at Pragmatic Engineer has a great blog post that breaks down what's happening, and how an open-source business model has created some challenges. In short, "Automattic, creator of WordPress, is being sued by one of the largest WordPress hosting providers. The conflict fits into a trend of billion-dollar companies struggling to effectively monetize open source and are changing tactics to limit their competition and increase their revenue."

Within the WordPress community, there's Automattic, a VC-funded company that raised $980 million and was valued at $7.5 billion in 2021. Automattic generates most of its revenue by offering managed WordPress hosting. Then, there's WP Engine, which raised $250 million in funding from Silver Lake Partners in 2018. WP Engine also sells managed WordPress services, making it a direct competitor to Automattic, Orosz said.

Matt Mullenweg – founder of Automattic and co-creator of WordPress – has launched a series of attacks on WP Engine, and WP Engine has responded. Things are getting ugly between Automattic and WPEngine, and it will be interesting to watch how everything shakes out. Grab the popcorn and stay tuned.

As always, drop me a line at [email protected] if you have news to share or want to say hi!

Grab your coffee. Here's what you need to know today.

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. Grain Management adds Fefer as senior advisor: Communications solution provider and private equity firm Grain Management has announced Claire Fefer has joined the firm as a senior advisor. Fefer previously served as senior investment manager of private investments at DUMAC Inc., the investment office controlled by Duke University, managing more than $25 billion in endowment and related assets. In this role, she led private investments in emerging and established general partners across venture capital, leveraged buyout, credit, natural resources, and real estate for 15 years and, before that, focused on public securities. Fefer currently advises multi-billion dollar family offices on their investment programs and serves on the Editorial Committee for the Academy of Institutional Investors. A graduate of Duke University with a degree in mathematics, Fefer is also a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of North Carolina. Congratulations!

2. Presidio acquires Internetwork Engineering: Technology services and solutions provider Presidio has acquired Internetwork Engineering (IE), a Charlotte, N.C.-based IT solution provider with an extensive presence across the Southeast region of the U.S., according to a statement from the companies. This strategic acquisition strengthens Presidio’s scale and offers IE the opportunity to cross-sell solutions across Presidio’s extensive portfolio. IE was founded in 1996 and delivers technology solutions, consulting, and operational services to mid-market and enterprise clients across the Southeast U.S. and the acquisition will expand Presidio's reach in the region.

3. Wildix intros new AI-driven collaboration platform: UCaaS provider Wildix has released x-bees, a new AI-driven collaboration platform that integrates voice, video, messaging and conferencing into a single interface. One major standout feature is its Salesforce integration, which makes the solution a good fit for sales teams, the company said. By eliminating the need to juggle multiple applications, x-bees boosts efficiency and develops real-time collaboration. Not only does this enhance internal communication, but it also streamlines interactions with clients. Plus, x-bees can be customized to align with specific Salesforce setups.

4. NCSC releases new MFA guidance: The UK's National Cyber Security Centre released updated guidelines on implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) as bad actors are increasingly intercepting authentication keys, reports SC Media. Organizations should not only ensure the selection of an MFA solution that suits their needs and requirements, but also provide proper training to those who will use the solution, according to the NCSC. "The new guidance explains the benefits that come with strong authentication while also minimizing the friction that some users associate with MFA. Part of this involves only prompting for authentication or MFA when it makes a difference. Most organizations will have people in different roles, different ways of working, all using different types of devices. So we include options to help things work better for everyone," said the NCSC.

5. DoD releases final CMMC rules: DefenseScoop reports that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has unveiled its final Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 rule that would impose updated contractor cybersecurity standards by the middle of next year. Included in the finalized CMMC 2.0 rule are required third-party or Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center compliance evaluations of contractors dealing with sensitive data. However, contractors with less sensitive information would be permitted to undergo self-assessments. Moreover, contractors failing to fulfill CMMC standards would be given conditional certification lasting six months, said the Defense Department. The Pentagon also noted the publication of the amended Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement rule, which would result in the inclusion of CMMC requirements in contracts and solicitations, by mid-2025.