Microsoft is removing a privacy protection feature from Microsoft 365, which has some 400 million subscribers. Yikes! But it may not be as dire a situation as it seems.
Starting February 28, Microsoft confirmed that the privacy protection feature in Microsoft Defender will reach end-of-support, meaning it will no longer be available to millions of paid subscribers to the Microsoft 365 service.
What does this mean for you? What should you do?
Well, you'll lose the VPN protection, but that may not be a big deal, as it's available through other solutions you may have. As Forbes reported, most users of the Microsoft Defender app within a Microsoft 365 subscription won't have to do anything -- "Even if you were using the VPN, which Microsoft called the privacy-protection feature, no action is required by Windows, iOS or macOS users. Microsoft does, however, recommend that Android users should remove the Defender VPN profile from their devices. If you are hooked on having VPN access, then you will need to source a replacement before Feb. 28 if you want the continued benefits, such as they are."
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. Microsoft launches EMEA channel push: Microsoft last week launched a new small, medium enterprise and channel partner organization (SME&C) and named Ralph Haupter, President, Microsoft EMEA. Samer Abu-Ltaif will step into the role of president for the Microsoft EMEA region, the company said. The new initiative and leadership are aimed at helping channel partners leverage AI, the company said in a blog post.
2. M7 acquires Hobatek: MSP M7 Services has acquired Hobatek, LLC, an Ohio-based IT services firm specializing in managed IT, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions. This acquisition furthers M7 Services' growth strategy, expanding its footprint and strengthening its resources in IT, security and cloud, the companies said.
3. Tana emerges from stealth; lands $25M for AI-powered productivity: Workspace and productivity startup Tana has emerged from stealth and raised a $14 million Series A, bringing the firm's total funding to $25 million. The AI-native workspace organizes and automates knowledge work to reduce 'meta-work,' according to TechCrunch. Tana is currently in a closed beta, and over 160,000 people joined Tana’s waitlist during stealth, including employees from major Fortune 500 firms.
4. Thrive names new CEO: MSP Thrive today announced the appointment of Bill McLaughlin as its CEO, effective immediately. McLaughlin succeeds Rob Stephenson, who led Thrive for nearly a decade. Stephenson will remain as a member of Thrive’s leadership team to drive the company’s M&A strategy. Prior to joining Thrive as president in 2021, McLaughlin held senior leadership positions at companies like Kaseya, Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, and NER Data Products, where he oversaw customer success, sales initiatives, and M&A activity. Congratulations!
5. Cloudflare joins Content Provenance and Authenticity standard: Cloudflare announced it is now supporting the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) standard. Cloudflare will also be joining the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) as a member. C2PA addresses misleading information online through technical standards to certify the source and history of media content. C2PA is a Joint Development Foundation project formed through an alliance between Adobe, Arm, Intel, Microsoft, and Truepic.
In-Person MSP and Channel Partner Events
- Right of Boom, February 19-21, MGM Grand Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Evergreen Elevate 2025, March 3-4, Archer Hotel, Austin, Texas
- GTIA Communities & Councils Forum, March 10-12, Chicago
- Channel Partners Conference & Expo and MSP Summit, March 24-27, The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada
- N-able Empower, week of April 7, Berlin, InterContinental Hotel
- NerdioCon, April 7-9, La Quinta Resort and Club, Palm Springs, California
- Kaseya Connect, April 28-May 1, MGM Grand Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada