Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in enterprise cloud computing, today announced that it has promoted Christian Alvarez to Senior Vice President of Worldwide Channels effective immediately. As the worldwide channel and partner sales leader, Alvarez will have oversight of the strategic direction of Nutanix’s channel partner ecosystem, fostering strategic relationships and developing global sales and distribution programs for value-added resellers (VARs), distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), global system integrators (GSIs), and Telco/XSP partners.

“Nutanix has aligned the right resources, investments and expertise behind its award-winning product portfolio, enabling our partners to add new services and expand their market share to drive accretive revenue streams,” Alvarez said. “I am honored to lead Nutanix’s worldwide partner organization through our next phase of growth while helping our partners improve profitability with professional, managed and cloud services. The opportunity ahead of us continues to be vast as we carefully adapt to today’s unprecedented market dynamics.”

Alvarez is an effective and accomplished channel leader with extensive experience developing impactful multinational strategies that directly support business objectives. He brings over two decades of experience to his role. He joined Nutanix in September 2019 as Vice President of Channel Sales in the Americas to lead the team in that region. He was appointed interim Head of Worldwide Partner Sales in February 2020. Since then, Alvarez has elevated Nutanix’s overall partner sales and go-to-market programs to deliver greater business outcomes for customers and partners. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck global teams and the enterprise moved to the home, Nutanix VDI became paramount across the globe. Alvarez helped lead the roll-out for partners of new solutions and offerings to help partners in the trenches deploy technology for end-users faster and more simply, including FastTrack for VDI and Xi Frame Test Drive. He also led the development of the Nutanix Special Financial Assistance Program to offer immediate financial support to partners by helping to alleviate cash flow concerns and increasing financing flexibility.

“Christian is an innovator, strategic thinker spearheading new offerings and contributing to collaboration across the organization,” said Chris Kaddaras, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Nutanix. “As the channel is going through digital transformation for cloud, Nutanix is one of the only multi-cloud, multi-product companies carrying the torch. Christian is ideally suited to execute on our global mission to help both our partners and customers adapt to and enable virtual work.” Alvarez will continue to lead Channel Sales for the Americas region until a new leader is appointed.

By Derek Manky, Chief -Security Insights and Global Threat Alliances, Fortinet

With all our energy of the past several weeks focused on adapting to the global crisis, security may have taken a back seat. But cybercriminals haven’t forgotten. Networks have been turned inside out, and they have been very actively targeting remote workers that used to be protected by the network perimeter with fake COVID-related material and other social networking attacks. And they have been probing these new network environments for vulnerabilities in the hopes that may have been pulled together too quickly to have implemented adequate security protections and controls. 

FortiGuard Labs has been actively monitoring the threat landscape during this time, and we have seen a significant increase in threats targeting individuals through phishing and infected websites. Email attachments contain infected and malicious content, which explains why we recorded a 131% increase in viruses during March of this year. It also explains why we have seen a reduction in traditional attacks as cybercriminals shift focus. Incidents of ransomware are likely to rise as cybercriminals look to use compromised end user devices as a conduit back into a core network that may not be being watched as carefully as it once was.

We take a close look at the level of threat that ransomware poses and what organizations should do about it now, while their networks are still in a state of flux.

The Ransomware Landscape Today

Among the types of attacks that keep security professionals up at night – it is ransomware for sure, and the threat shows no signs of slowing down. And when it comes to defending against ransomware, security tools are only as good as the team that manages them. Everything from configuration errors to solution sprawl can weaken the power of enterprise cybersecurity defenses to detect and prevent cyberattacks. However, especially when it comes to ransomware, the biggest problem is the human factor. 

Why Cyber Hygiene and the “Human Factor” Continue to be Primary Concerns for Ransomware

When it comes to cyber hygine, awarness is not the problem – it is rooted in human behavior. But awareness and action are two very different things. In addition to broad brush attacks that target everyone, emails are being cleverly written to target specific types of individuals at an organization, either directly, or through a new technique where they insert phishing emails into an active email thread to increase the likelihood of it being clicked on. This type of attack is known as spearfishing, and if the target is a member of the C-suite, it is called “whale phishing.” But regardless of who is being targeted, everyone is susceptible to a carefully crafted email arriving when they are just distracted enough to not be paying attention. 

How Ransomware will progressing during 2020

What has been on the rise, and what I predict will get worse in 2020, are the more targeted ransomware attacks that cost businesses more from an operational and regulatory perspective. Malware and ransomware attacks in general are a completely different game now because these attacks are being targeted and specifically crafted to certain internal systems. Another factor contributing to the growing attacks on businesses and enterprise organizations is the ready availability of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) offerings, which is something I predicted years ago would happen as an evolution of ransomware. And in 2020 we are already seeing another shift, with ransomware jumping to leverage the timely cybercriminal opportunity around COVID-19, which demonstrates that ransomware evolution is not just about targeted attacks. And this sort of multi-pronged attack front is much harder to defend against.

What Can Organizations Do?

We are at an especially vulnerable moment in our transition to a digital economy. Organizations need to take steps now to protect their networks and networked resources from the growing problem of sophisticated ransomware. While each network environment is different, here are a few things any organization can begin to implement today to reduce their risk from ransomware and other advanced threats.

• Wherever possible, patch and update operating systems, devices, and software. Make this a priority for remote workers – especially those using personal devices to connect to the corporate network. For devices that can’t be patched, ensure that appropriate proximity controls and alerts are in place. It is also important to make sure that all endpoint devices have advanced security installed, such as anti-exploit and EDR solutions. 

• Businesses need to make sure that access controls, such as multifactor authentication and even Network Access Control solutions are in place. Using NAC to inspect and block bring-your-own-devices that do not meet security policy is recommended. We also recommend segmenting the network into security zones to prevent the spread of infection and tie access controls to dynamic segmentation.

• Use inventory tools and IOC lists to prioritize which of your assets are at the most risk. Make sure that ransomware recovery is part of the BCDR, Identify a recovery team, run drills, and pre-assign responsibilities so systems can be restored quickly in the event of a successful breach.

• Update email and web security gateways to check and filter out email attachments, websites, and files for malware. Make sure that CDR (content disarm and recovery) solutions are in place to deactivate malicious attachments. Use a sandbox to discover, execute, and analyze new or unrecognized files, documents, or programs in a safe environment. 

• Block advertisements and social media sites that have no business relevance. Use zero-trust network access that includes virus assessments so users can’t infect business-critical applications, data, or services. Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized applications from being downloaded or run. 

• Prevent unauthorized SaaS applications with a CASB solution. Use forensic analysis tools to identify where an infection came from, how long it has been in the environment, ensure they are removed all of it from every device, and ensure it doesn’t come back.

• Plan around the weakest link in your security system – the people who use your devices and applications. Training is essential but limited. Proper tools, such as secure email gateways, for example, can eliminate most if not all phishing emails and malicious attachments. Leverage people, technology, and processes to quickly gather threat intelligence about active attacks on your networks and act on it, using automation where possible. This is crucial to stopping an advanced attack in its tracks.

Now Is Not the Time to Take Your Eye Off the Ball

Even though we are all running as fast as we can to keep our businesses up and running, we are also more exposed than ever to criminals who want to take advantage of this crisis. Ransomware and other advanced threats have not slowed down just because we are busy. In fact, based on our ongoing analysis of the threat landscape, the opposite is true.

Most organizations should have their remote worker strategy in place. Now is a perfect time to review the steps outlined above, conduct a thorough review of your security policies, and make necessary adjustments. Prioritize your challenges and work through them one at a time. Every step you take now to tighten down your policies and practices is a threat averted. And we could all use one less thing to worry about right now.

Eid al-Fitr is a special occasion that marks the end of Ramadan and is a time to celebrate with loved ones and express your appreciation for them with Eid gifts. Anker Innovations team curated a unique and functional gadget must have list to suit different tastes and styles for this joyous occasion.

Soundcore Liberty Air 2

Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is known to be the true wireless in-ear headphones that comes with four built-in microphones with noise cancellation and filters out ambient noises.

Environmental noises are reduced by 60% to 95% to ensure crystal-clear diamond enhanced sound with twice the amount of bass. The HearID technology maps hearing sensitivity at multiple frequencies and intelligently analyzes results for a truly personalized listening experience.

For convenience, the one-Step Pairing ensures automatic connection to your device. The earbuds allow for 7 hours of playtime but the charging case provides a longer battery life of 28 hours on the go. Liberty Air 2 can also recharge its power through wireless chargers.

With a comfortable fit and the IPX5 for Water & Sweat Resistant, Liberty Air 2 gives freedom from messy wired headphones and offers the convenience of listening to music by the pool, during morning walks or while cooking and relaxing.

Available in trendy and cool colours, Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is available on Noon.com.

eufyCam 2 Wireless Security Camera

The neweufyCam2 is a wireless Home Security Camera System with 365-Day Battery Life (with one charge) and comes with features that include HD 1080p for clear crystal footage, IP67 Weatherproof that withstands all weather conditions, state of the art Advanced Night Vision and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Homekit.

It has a 2-Cam Kit that comes with 2 cameras & a home base and does not bind users to a monthly fee which means a one-time purchase that combines security with convenience. Eufy Security products store, process, and calculate user data locally using AES 256 military grade encryption.

In eufyCam 2, the Smart Image Enhancement feature gives a clearer, brighter view of the people in-shot while the built-in AI technology identifies and focuses on the human in the image.

The Instant Mobile Alerts notifies users in seconds when suspicious motions are detected while Real-Time Response allows being able to speak directly to anyone who approaches your home via a two-way audio giving you complete control over your surveillance and meets the growing demand in smart home products and security solutions. Available on Amazon.ae.

HomeVac S11 Go

Suitable for delicate surfaces, eufy HomeVac S11 Go comes equipped with a 120AW suction power, detachable battery and a 2-in-1 crevice tool to deep clean carpets to hard floors.

The innovative technological features in the eufy HomeVac S11 Go include a washable high-efficiency filter that ensures minimal maintenance and improved performance plus the device can be detached to empty the dustbin in seconds. Increased efficiency also includes dust-tight containment for reduced air pollution.

The eufy HomeVac S11 Go’s long crevice tool can be used to suck up crumbs and dirt in any corner or hard-to-reach areas and the advanced 5-tier filtration system safeguards and maximizes the motor performance.

The long-lasting detachable battery offers up to 40 minutes of cleaning time and the max-mode provides 8 minutes of fierce and focused cleaning when tackling the deepest dust and debris. With eufy HomeVac S11 Go, whether an impossibly tight space or a delicate surface, or the AC vent grill at a height there is an attachment suitable for any cleaning scenario. Available on Amazon.ae.

Nebula Mars II Pro

Nebula Mars 11 Pro is a new generation cinema that is compact, mobile and in a contemporary cubical design. It hosts DLP IntelliBright technology that projects a radiant 500 ANSI lumen image at razor-sharp 720p for breathtaking video clarity.

The built-in 12,500mAh battery delivers 3 hours of non-stop cinema with improved dual 10W audio drivers delivering sensational surround sound and deep, resonant bass for a truly immersive outdoor projector movie experience.

With horizontal and vertical keystoning, you can project a squared, stable image onto almost any surface. Choose from thousands of apps with Android 7.1 and enjoy your favorite content.

It offers an advanced entertainment experience, anytime, anywhere with your loved ones. So, if you get bored inside the house, you can always step out in the garden for an outdoor movie experience or learn new cooking styles in the kitchen. Available on Amazon.ae.

Anker Power Box

Make sure your loved ones never run out of charge on their phone with Anker Power Box. This Power Box contains three flagship products from Anke:

1) PowerCore 10400mAh Power Bank, a high capacity Power Bank that offers up to 3 times charging for Flagship Phones and comes with optimized output for Multiple Device Charging.

2) Powerport+1 Charger, equipped with PowerIQ Technology and Multiprotect Safety System, along with a micro USB cable, is travel ready with Quick Charge 3.0.

3) Powerline II 3-in-1 Charging Cable, the extremely durable and MFi Certified charging cable with 3-in-1 Connectors i.e. Lightning, Micro and C-Type and is Universally Compatible with every phone that uses these one of the three charging connectors. Available in Jumbo Electronics and EMAX.