The Killing IT Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

We're back for Q3 2024. Quick question of the day ... then onto the topics of the day.

Topic 1: MIT Releases the AI Risk Repository

Thanks to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a major resource. It's definitely more for you than your clients. But we see great opportunity here. 

The public database contains 700+ risks as documented by published papers. It includes many categories, based on severity and other variables. 

Check it out here: https://airisk.mit.edu/

You can poke around online and gets some good information. Or download the entire database in Excel format. You can then sort, color code, or do whatever you want with the data. 

And that includes providing educationi and training for your clients

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Topic 2: Shocker - Google Has a Monopoly on Search!

Okay, not really a shocker. But does it matter that a judege says so?

Does anyone care (other than other search engines)? Would breaking up Google change anything? What is most likely to actually happen (e.g., Microsoft-like consent decree)? The 1984 AT&T breakup into seven baby Bells may help us see 40 years into the future

As usual, we discuss.

Related Link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/13/technology/google-monopoly-antitrust-justice-department.html

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Topic 3: NIST Releases Cryptography for Quantum Computing

See https://www.axios.com/2024/08/13/nist-post-quantum-cryptography-encryption.

Quantum computing has been ten years away . . . for more than forty years.   Besides the “no harm to update,” how much attention do we really need to give to quantum computing?   

We have three different perspective on how much this "news" matters. As usual. What do you think?

Topic 1: Massive Botnet Network Taken Down

Police coordinated by the European Union's justice and police agencies have taken down computer networks responsible for spreading ransomware via infected emails, in what they called the biggest-ever international operation against the lucrative form of cybercrime.

The European Union's judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, said that police arrested four “high value” suspects, took down more than 100 servers and seized control of over 2,000 internet domains.

Related Link: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/massive-international-police-operation-takes-ransomware-networks-arrests-110667670

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Topic 2: AI Update, because We Have To

Are strategies emerging? 

Amazon is a brokerage for models
Microsoft is doing CoPilot
OpenAI is everywhere
Apple just announced Apple Intelligence
Cisco announces a pile of stuff

Is there a “killer app” coming soon? 

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Topic 3: How is the M&A Frenzy affecting SMB IT?

Google “m&a in it consulting” and you’ll find articles, events, advice, and a whole lot people scrambling for the almighty dollar.

Are the KPIs used in business acquisition really the KPIs you should be using to run a solid, long-term business?

The most common way that small businesses “end” are 1) Walk away, and 2) Sell the client list. None of those people are getting 3x profit or even 3x EBITDA. Should they change their business or just keep doing what they’re doing?

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Sponsor Memo: IT Service Provider University 

This episode is Sponsored by Karl’s next big class at IT Service Provider University.

The five-week course, Core Standard Operating Procedures for Small IT Service Providers, starts July 2nd and costs only $399. This class walks through the most important processes and procedures you need to run a successful, profitable IT company. And best of all, you get massive handouts as a "first draft" for your own SOP library.

More information at https://www.itspu.com/all-classes/classes/core-operating-procedures/

:-)

Topic 1: Algorithms Need Management Training, Too!

From Wired Magazine.

Human beings excel at avoiding responsibility for difficult decisions. Management and personnel decisions are often difficult. Therefore, they are great candidates for turning decision-making over to the bots.

What could possibly go wrong?

https://www.wired.com/story/platform-work-labor-economy-ai/ 

Topic 2: Microsoft drops $1 Billion on ChatGPT

I should have bought more Microsoft stock yesterday. :-) 

Looking to the true “next level” of product development. Microsoft was an early investor in ChatGPT 

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-openai-investment-the-smartest-1-billion-ever-spent-2023-1

Topic 3: Apple to drop Broadcom chip and make their own.

Is this just the never-ending story of “control” of supply chain, or is there a strategy for secret development here? (Are there future technologies that are more easily developed in private, when you don’t have to share future features with an outside chip builder?)

https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-drop-key-broadcom-chip-2025-in-house-design-bloomberg-news-2023-01-09/

Sponsor Memo: Acronis 

Every client needs Cyber Protection. But that doesn’t mean service providers have to deploy a jumbled patchwork of solutions to get it done.

Modern protection starts with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud.

Acronis combines backup, anti-malware, endpoint protection, management and robust ransomware defense all from a single console. That’s why successful MSPs use Acronis to generate more recurring revenue AND reduce churn.

It’s easy to get started at https://Acronis.com

Topic 1: Generative AI is Fun … Until the “Other” Guys Start Doing It Too

https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/31/how-china-is-building-a-parallel-generative-ai-universe/

China is aggressively building their own versions of generative AI platforms (with some obvious / inevitable filters) that do essentially the same thing as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion. The question is whether they will be able to out-race us to the auto-content future … and whether that is a problem.

Topic 2: LastPass - Lessons for the Channel

Should we be worried? What do we expect from vendors? What’s reasonable and realistic?

https://blog.lastpass.com/2022/12/notice-of-recent-security-incident/ 

Is this worth discussing as a larger topic of always-on monitoring and reporting?

Topic 3: Fast Forward Into the Future: Intelligent Elevators are Coming Soon

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-whats-next-b35b53bd-5aa6-4a83-aae5-a44e904ffa78.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Everyone who has ever been in an elevator knows what is good and what is bad about the experience. But changes in behavior and city culture brought on by the pandemic are accelerating the evolution of the elevator experience: facial recognition to automatically take you to your floor, provide personalized advertising / entertainment, and even provide solo rides for VIPs. The smart city concept will eventually affect everything … are we ready for elevators that know who we are?

See also: Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything Paperback – January 1, 2000 by James Gleick  (Author)

https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Acceleration-Just-About-Everything/dp/067977548X 

Sponsor Memo: PC Matic 

PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust/default deny foundation.

Finally - a light weight, simple to deploy & easy to manage approach to application allowlisting. The perfect compliment to your current security stack. No minimums and no annual contracts.

Find out more about by visiting https://PCMatic.com/MSP today.

Topic 1: For Sale on eBay: A Military Database of Fingerprints and Iris Scans

Great topic for ITSPs - especially as clients get rid of equipment at the end of year. Old machines of all kinds might have sensitive data. Not this juicy, perhaps, but stories like this are great for you client-facing newsletters.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/27/technology/for-sale-on-ebay-a-military-database-of-fingerprints-and-iris-scans.html

Topic 2: The age of the work-from-home whistleblower

Why are so many remote workers deciding to squeal on their companies?

https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-work-surge-employees-whistleblowing-complaints-companies-fraud-2022-12

Topic 3: Man Simulates Time Travel 

So, what is our weekly update with AI? On the up-less existential-side, we have some fun: Time traveling with the aid of AI. No copyrgiht infringment here. Right? 

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/12/man-simulates-time-travel-thanks-to-stable-diffusion-image-synthesis/

Sponsor Memo: SBTTC 

This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at https://www.SmallBizThoughts.org

Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere.

Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success. 

Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

:-)

Topic 1: Meta scamming: Scammers Are Scamming Other Scammers Out of Millions of Dollars

https://www.wired.com/story/cybercrime-hackers-scams-forums/ 

On cybercrime forums, user complaints about being duped may accidentally expose their real identities.

Topic 2: Teens are Self-Liberating from Social Media

‘Luddite’ Teens Don’t Want Your Likes

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html 

Topic 3: The Drones Are Coming (to 22 Select Locations Around the Country … Within Driving Distance of a Wal-Mart)

https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/walmart-droneup-drone-delivery-service-launches-arizona/638950/

Wal-mart announces legitimate progress on rolling out drone delivery to customers in key metropolitan areas. The forecast is to expand to 34 stores in 23 cities by year end to reach a capacity of 1M drone deliveries. And … Utah is on the list of the next markets to launch. Could a burrito delivery be in the near future?

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Sponsor Memo: Cisco 

I bet you think working with Cisco is hard. They’re big, and have so much going on, and you’re … smaller.   

That’s why there’s Cisco Partner Journeys, an innovative new digital experience designed to accelerate your engagement with Cisco.

Each unique journey leads you to the best tools, services, programs and portfolio offerings to help you accelerate sales, build a practice and enhance profitability.

Whether you are new to Cisco or a long-time partner, Cisco has the right journey for you.  

Interested? Visit https://ciscopartnerjourneys.com/ to find out more.   

Topic 1: The Bots are Coming for LinkedIn, Adding New Layers of Risk for Professionals and for Companies … but Especially for Recruiters

https://thehustle.co/12122023-LinkedIn-bots/

Bots are everywhere on social media, and some platforms are doing more to combat them than others. Now that the bots are proliferating on LinkedIn, it’s vital for everyone to think about the layers of threat and the corresponding hygiene on the career-centric platform.

Topic 2: How does AI write fiction (and online advertisements)? “Fluent BS”

https://www.wired.com/story/chatgpt-fluent-bs/

The term “Fluent Bullshit” was originally coined by The Verge:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/5/23493932/chatgpt-ai-generated-answers-temporarily-banned-stack-overflow-llms-dangers

Topic 3: Investors Call Time On FAANG Stocks – Big Tech Not Going to Lead the Next Round of Economic Growth

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-10/investors-call-time-on-faang-stock-dominance-after-nasdaq-s-rout

The iconic big tech stocks have not only dominated the conversation around the tech industry in the past decade, they have also represented the most reliable outsized sources of growth. But looking forward, industry analysts and stock market investors are indicating they do not believe these mature companies will be able to generate the dramatic growth results needed to maintain sky-high valuations. Who will fill the gap?

Sponor Memo: PCMatic

PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust/default deny foundation.

Finally - a light weight, simple to deploy & easy to manage approach to application allowlisting.

The perfect compliment to your current security stack.  No minimums and no annual contracts.  Find out more about by visiting PCMatic.com/MSP today.

Topic 1: Should the Police have killer robots?

San Francisco approves the use of robots capable of lethal force.

Is this move inevitable, or are the arguments in favor of this just rare exceptions to the rule?

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/sf-police-killer-robots-would-have-explosives-not-guns-sfpd/ 

Topic 2: Data Volumes are Increasing at Such a Fast Pace, We Need New Words to Describe Just How Much There Is

https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2022-11-30/new-prefixes-for-huge-and-tiny-numbers-ronna-ronto-quetta-and-quecto.html

And to absolutely no one’s surprise, businesses are struggling to afford the cost of managing all that data

https://www.techradar.com/news/rising-data-management-costs-are-hitting-businesses-hard

Data is the essential component of literally every dimension of the technology industry, and we’re producing more of it every day at literally astronomical rates. So much so that we have run out of words to describe just how much there is. Science is solving that part for us. But science can’t help us figure out how to pay to store / manage all of that data. Observation #1: I sure hope you are selling data storage / management solutions. Observation #2: What are the ripple implications for IT management and the services MSPs provide?

Topic 3: Chatbots and Generative AI Image Systems are Getting Pretty Good … But is that a Good Thing?

https://mashable.com/article/chatgpt-amazing-wrong

 
https://www.axios.com/2022/09/12/ai-images-ethics-dall-e-2-stable-diffusion

AI systems for creating content are steadily improving in terms of technical / functional capability. But the layers of ethical questions continue to stack up. How do you know if the AI chatbot is telling the truth? Is AI art actually art? If the AI is trained on the work of other artists, who should get credit?

Sponsor Memo: Linode 

Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider has resources specifically for helping MSPs explore the alternative cloud.

Discover this growing market: one of the best-kept secrets in building a scalable, thriving, modern Managed Service Provider business.

Learn about the cloud provider landscape, improving KPIs, security, and more in Linode's free ebook, The MSP's Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure, available now.

This resource and more at https://linode.com/mspradio

Topic 1: The FTX Contagion Has Affected VC / PE Firms that Invest In MSP Vendors

https://www.channele2e.com/news/ftx-cryptocurrency-bankruptcy-filing/

In all the noise that’s surrounding the collapse of FTX and the impact on other crypto companies, news is coming out that several major MSP investors have also suffered significant losses. Initial statements indicate that the losses were not enough to threaten the survival of the investment funds, but that there will be implications for how they make investment decisions in the future.

Topic 2: Is It Goodnight To Alexa (and other voice assistants)?

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-a17bdd5b-e815-4499-bd18-08cbf2114c16.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslogin&stream=top

Despite billions invested and many high hopes for a new computer interface, the products in the voice assistant category have dramatically underperformed the plans of their developers – both in terms of usage and commercial value. Is there a future for interactive voice assistants … or is this another in a long line of failed voice recognition innovations?

Topic 3: Amazon Lays Off Recruiters … Could Be Planning to Replace Them With AI

https://mashable.com/article/amazon-layoff-ai-tech

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-29/amazon-s-cloud-unit-expects-to-keep-expanding-hiring-in-2023

Following the announcement of the largest layoffs in Amazon’s history, the company followed up with buyout offers to hundreds of recruiters, signaling the end of the season of accelerated hiring across Amazon. But yesterday at AWS Reinvent the company announced that it will continue to add staff in 2023 (specifically within the AWS division) as cloud sales continue to accelerate. So, who will do the recruiting? Turns out they are re-visiting the use of an AI recruiting system to do the work previously done by humans. Hmmmmm.

Sponsor Memo: OITVOIP

Did you know about STIR/SHAKEN? If you’re doing voice for your customers, you had better — the deadline was June 30.

This technology is focused on reducing robocalls, and providers have to take action. Are you compliant?

The team at OITVOIP has put together resources for you to learn more… or, for their customers, it’s already handled.

Want to learn more?  Visit https://oit.co/mspradio/ for resources to help make sure you’re covered.

Topic 1: The Federal Communications Commission has published the initial draft of its revised high-speed internet coverage maps.

The old maps were census-block based. The new maps are based on more detailed information from broadband providers. With the old system, a huge census block would be marked as served even if only one household had broadband.

https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/notes/2022/11/18/new-broadband-maps-are-finally-here

You can examine updated maps from here:

https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home

For an interactive map, start here and zoom in and out as desired:

https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/location-summary/fixed

Want to see how you can make money filling the gaps? Check out:

https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/resources/federal/federal-funding

Topic 2: An Update - The Labor Situation in Technology Companies

While many large tech companies are aggressively shedding employees, some are actually positioned to absorb that talent. TikTok is specifically planning to hire 3000 new engineers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2022/11/21/tiktok-is-one-of-the-few-tech-companies-aggressively-hiring-could-regulatory-scrutiny-impede-its-us-presence/?sh=6cfb68c06572

https://www.teamblind.com/post/Meta-CTO-uses-Blind-😂-QtH4wcxQ

Topic 3: Should the Federal Government Provide Cybersecurity Insurance?

Flood, Fire, . . . and Cyber?

Insurance companies are pushing for taxpayer assistance to provide coverage in the event of catastrophic incidents.

The comment period for this topic has been extended until December 11th.
https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-24476.pdf

See the original request for comments here:
https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2022/09/treasury-seeks-comment-how-structure-cyber-insurance-program/377793/

Rather than increasing the number of laws, CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) is looking at directing behavior by asking insurance companies to enforce rules on insured companies AND paying the premiums under the right circumstances.

How big does a “catastrophic” event have to be for the government to get involved? The emerging model is based on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program adopted after September 11th.

Sponsor memo: Cisco

I bet you think working with Cisco is hard.  They’re big, and have so much going on, and you’re…smaller.   

That’s why there’s Cisco Partner Journeys, an innovative new digital experience designed to accelerate your engagement with Cisco.

Each unique journey leads you to the best tools, services, programs and portfolio offerings to help you accelerate sales, build a practice and enhance profitability. Whether you are new to Cisco or a long-time partner, Cisco has the right journey for you.  

Interested? Visit https://ciscopartnerjourneys.com/ to find out more.