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April 2022
Better Call Art "Stop the Supply Chain Madness"
Supplier Ghosted the Client When They Needed Help
I will not name names, I will not name names.
OMG, it is so tempting to tell everyone. Well I could always name names with private messaging 
The Story
I will tell you a story about about a third party print supplier in our industry. For me that supplier should have been more client focused and more driven to solving a print issue rather than to tell the client there is no solution they could offer.
Now the print issue was not with the device that they support, but rather with the print that came from the print device. The print device did what is was suppose to do without any issues, in addition there were no problems with the print quality. Sounds strange right? Stay tuned..
The client bought six of these print devices over a two year period. All was working well...
18 months later
It was about 18 months later when the clients customer and then a couple of more customers complained to the customer that the prints they received was producing a ghosting image. Okay, so keep in mind that our clients customers was running the pre-printed documents back through their A4 MFP. The customers clients stated every print was not usable since the image was doing the double image (ghosting)..
Interesting because when we originally entertained the client with the print solution and all of the technical data. Our third party print supplier never mentioned that there could or might be some issues at some time with some laser printers ghosting the image.
Of course the issue was brought to the third party print provider. The issue was addressed by an Engineer and exclaimed that they would get back to the client with something soon. This went on for weeks, during this time the client was afraid that other customers were having the same issues and not telling him. Thus he was afraid he could be losing business and not even know it.
After a month of no response to the client, the third part print provider wrote a beautiful letter to the client stating there is nothing they go do. Seems like the Engineer had no issues to correct the product.
Long Story Short
I'm going to make a long story short now. At an event two seasoned print pros thought over the problem and applied their print knowledge of the laser print process. We all know that in the print properties we can slow the speed of printer and in some instances the fuser temp is increased to print on thick paper. He took the opposite and thought about print settings for thin paper. We both agreed that the fuser would not get as hot with the thin paper setting. Thus this might stop the image from ghosting.
It was a theory, but at least it was something. The client agreed to buy two of the A4 printers that were having the issues. I was on site for the testing and our theory worked with changing the print setting to "thin paper mode" in the printer driver.
As I stated I don't want to name names, but I am proud that two seasoned pro's (more him than me) figured out a solution to keep the client happy. Yet, I am puzzled by the third party print provider did not think simple solution but walked away.
-=Good Selling=-
Better Call Art "EveryOne Print @ BTA Spring Break"
My buddies from EveryonePrint having a blast while performing demos with cloudprint
Lead for IT Services in New Jersey
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Lead for Fleet of Copiers in Connecticut
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Network Printers Can Be Secured Even In A Hybrid Workspace
Network Printers Can Be Secured Even In A Hybrid Workspace
The slow move to remote work before 2020 was primarily due to concerns about security. Companies understood that securing virtual workspaces required additional investments in hardware and technology beyond the usual firewalls and processes they could implement directly on their internal servers. And at the time, there was no justification for investing the money in creating the infrastructure to facilitate remote work beyond the occasional salesperson’s laptop.
When the pandemic response of early 2020 took full effect, businesses scrambled to figure out ways to continue operating outside the main office. In many cases, thoughts of security were secondary to ensuring employees could continue working. Once the dust settled, IT began implementing the firewalls and secure point-to-point connections required to regain the standard protections for company information. But, as we continue the slow march out of pandemic response, one major business component is still seen as a security risk – printing.
The Problem With Home Printers
Most businesses (90%) don’t know how many printers they have in their central offices. But the real issue isn’t what machines are sitting at headquarters; the growing problem is the number of home printers used for company printing. When these printers are connected to company computers either directly into a USB or through the same wi-fi network, they pose a potential point of attack to the company’s virtual network.
The first and largest vulnerability is having an unsecured, internet-enabled machine connected to a company computer. Bad actors could hack into the local wi-fi and, using the shared connection, gain access to the printer. The link between the printer and the company computer provides a pathway to bypass any VPN or security. And, once in the employee’s computer, hackers can easily view emails, browse computer files, and even gain access to the business’s primary network.
The second vulnerability is the information stored on the hard drive of even the most inexpensive consumer printer. These hard drives store the images of queued documents for a varying degree of time. As a result, hackers who gain access to an employee’s wi-fi can potentially access any company information included on print jobs sent to that consumer-grade machine.
Why Banning Home Printers Doesn’t Work
The simplest solution to eliminating the risk of company information on personal printers is to lock down what equipment can be linked to the company computer. If the employee can’t directly or remotely connect their home printer, the business network is safe, and company information cannot be transmitted to the printer’s hard drive.
But employees need to be able to print. During the 2020 shutdown, over half of workers (59%) continued to print and copy the same amount or more while working from home. The drive to print certain documents can push employees to find workarounds even when locked out of using the home printer. One method is to send work documents to private email or cloud accounts. Those documents are then accessed from less secure personal computers and sent to consumer-grade printers.
Employees who work a portion of their time in the main office may have a better option, such as printing remotely to the printers at headquarters. However, if the main printer(s) immediately print everything in their queue, there is the risk of documents being picked up by the wrong employees. In addition, there is the risk of office visitors or other departments accidentally viewing information that does not apply to them or should not have been viewed.
Networked Printers Are A Good Compromise
So, remote and hybrid employees need to print. Companies need to maintain security. Unfortunately, the two requirements seem to be at complete odds. The risks consumer printers pose as an entry point for bad actors is dangerous enough. The possibility of criminals using a back door to view sensitive company information or, worse, gaining access to the company’s internal systems is undoubtedly a daunting prospect. But taking the capacity for safe printing away from employees can affect job performance or lead to other potentially risky behaviors.
The best solution is to select an appropriate compromise in networked printers. Small format office-grade printers such as A3 and A4 models can provide fast and efficient printing for the remote workforce. But, unlike consumer printers, they have additional security functionality which allows for document encryption, port security, and remote monitoring.
Cloud Applications And VPN
In addition to hardware-level measures, these small-footprint networkable machines can use cloud applications or VPN – the same as or similar to what is used to lock down other company hardware. Both options continue the point-to-point protection required to make remote printing a safe option for at-home and hybrid workers. And, just like the business’s laptop and desktop computers, fully supported office-grade networked printers have regular security software updates to counteract new digital attack strategies and detected vulnerabilities.
Employees continue to value printing as an essential aspect of their everyday tasks. Innovative businesses will find ways to facilitate the needs of their people. Small format, office-grade, networked printers can be a viable solution for the discerning company as the configuration and idea of the “traditional” office continues to reshape for the post-COVID future.
Lead for Fleet of Copiers in Texas
Issued 17 hours ago
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Lead for IT Services in California
see attached file
BID Alert for MFP's $700,000 - $2 million
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Lead for IT Services in Kentucky
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Lead for Fleet of Copiers for School
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The photocopier salesman accused of stealing half a billion dollars
Special thanx to Monte for sending me this link
IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for April 3rd 2022
Sponsored by
April 4th, 2022
Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.
What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.
Converge Technology Solutions Corp. To Acquire Interdynamix Systems
- Converge Technology Solutions Corp. announced it has signed definitive agreements to acquire Interdynamix (IDX)
- Converge a software-enabled IT & Cloud Solutions provider
- Interdynamix (IDX), a next-generation systems integrator
- to acquire Poly (NYSE: POLY), a leading global provider of workplace collaboration solutions
- all-cash transaction for $40 per share, implying a total enterprise value of $3.3 billion, inclusive of Poly’s net debt
- acquisition accelerates HP’s strategy to create a more growth-oriented portfolio
- 75% of office workers are investing to improve their home setups to support new ways of working1
- Currently, there are more than 90 million rooms, of which less than 10% have video capability2
- As a result, the office meeting room solutions segment is expected to triple by 20243
Inspirage listed as a Representative Vendor in 2022 Gartner® Market Guide for Oracle ...
- announced that it has been identified as a Representative Vendor in the 2022 Gartner "Market Guide for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Professional and Managed Services” report.”1
- Inspirage delivers end-to-end transformational initiatives solving business-critical challenges
Hackers aim their sites at printers in Russia
- The infamous hacking group named “Anonymous” announced it is hacking into unsecured printers/MFPs in Russia
- Goal is to force the devices to print propaganda documents condemning the Russian attack on the country of Ukraine
HP has yet another security issue
Many IT magazines this past week published articles detailing a newly discovered set of security vulnerabilities in many HP printers and MFPs, including wide format
- 3 of the 4 vulnerabilities are rated “Critical” as they can lead to remote code executive (RCE)
- Models include Color LaserJet Pro/Enterprise/Managed/Flow, LaserJet Pro, PageWide Pro/Color/Enterprise/Flow/Managed, PageWide Pro and OfficeJet Pro, Scanjet, DeskJet, DesignJet, and PageWide XL
o 250 different model numbers affected - “Certain HP Print products and Digital Sending products may be vulnerable to potential remote code execution and buffer overflow with the use of Link-Local Multitask Name Resolution or LLMNR”
- HP claims to have patches available
Colocation services companies bank on hybrid IT
- Posted on Techtarget.com
- Colocation services providers, gearing up for growth
- Considering the following developments
- Flexential, a provider of colocation, cloud and connectivity in Charlotte, N.C., last week disclosed plans to add 33 megawatts of data center development projects in 2022
- DataBank, a colocation, connectivity and managed services provider based in Dallas, said it will expand its San Diego data center by 40,000 square feet
Two companies in the country of Ukraine, Ingas Corp. of Mariupol and Cryoin Corp. of Odesa, refine most of the world’s neon gas
- Neon gas is a crucial raw material needed to operate precision lasers that etch silicone slabs into semiconductor computer chips, some of which are used in printers and MFPs
- Russian jets have heavily bombed both cities, and production has ground to a halt
- Flight restrictions out of Russia have also hampered shipping of palladium (another chip component), as Russia controls 40% of the market
Qlik Positioned in Leaders Quadrant of Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ - MarTech Series
- announced it is positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant of the 2022 Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms*
- marks the twelfth straight year of Qlik’s position in the Leaders quadrant
Toshiba shareholders reject plans
In Tokyo, Japan, shareholders overwhelmingly rejected Toshiba’s management’s proposal to split the
company into two public companies
- Instead, activist shareholders are demanding that Toshiba accept bids from private equity investment groups to sell entire company
- Reuters News Service is reporting that Toshiba may sell off its Elevator division to Otis Worldwide for potential selling price of $4 billion
“analysts expect sales of some assets such as Toshiba Tec (printers and MFPs)” - New CEO Taro Shimada stated “would consider various strategic options”
Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle Earns Gold
- Keypoint Intelligence recognizes Toshiba America Business Solutions' innovation and commitment to improving business performance
- presenting the Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle its Buyers Lab (BLI) Gold rating
- Workplace Productivity Bundle's capacity for digitizing, retrieving and automating documents
- Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle apps digitize volumes of paper documents, capture relevant business metadata, and deliver searchable files when scanning on Toshiba's e‑STUDIO™ multifunction printers (MFPs)
Hackers steal over $600 million from video game Axie Infinity's Ronin network
- latest crypto hack has targeted a gaming-focused blockchain network that supports the popular video game Axie Infinity
- Hackers made off with about $625 million worth of Ethereum and USDC
- Reported on cnn.com
StorPool Delivers Enhanced Offerings for Managed Services Providers
- announced enhanced offerings for Managed Services Providers (MSPs) looking to build efficient cloud platform
- enrichments offer MSPs the tools they need to build their own cloud infrastructures in order to run mission-critical workloads
- StorPool Storage is a primary storage platform designed for large-scale cloud infrastructure
TPx's UCx with Webex Recognized as 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year
- announced its UCx with Webex solution received a 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year Award by TMC
- 2022 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year winners will be featured in INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine online and on TMCnet
- TPx is a nationwide managed service provider
- INTERNET TELEPHONY has been the IP Communications Authority since 1998™
ePlus Enhances Its Managed Security Services Portfolio with Addition of Fortinet Solutions
- announced it has expanded its Managed Security Services portfolio to include proactive monitoring and management of an extended suite of Fortinet security and network architecture solutions
- supported solutions include FortiSwitch and FortiAP switching and wireless access points, FortiManager network management software, and FortiAnalyzer security fabric analytics and automation
- ePlus Security is a security technology advisor and integrator
Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA
- customer has a staggered refresh cycle, the value of the equipment can be issued in the form of a credit growing over time
- identifying assets that are usually passed over and often have significant value
- Will generate Environmental Impact Reports at no charge
- announced its results from the fourth round of the MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK® Enterprise Evaluations
- achieved 100% prevention with comprehensive visibility and actionable alerts
- This round of independent ATT&CK Evaluations for enterprise cybersecurity solutions emulated the WIZARD SPIDER and VOODOO BEAR (Sandworm Team) threat groups
Face to face selling still vital
Research published by Stellar Global
- In-person selling situations are 34 times more successful than those made over email
- Close rates form face-to-face = 57%
- 65% of customers would be more likely to buy a product/solution/service if receiving a demonstration
- Human brain is wired for connection and appreciation
Cybersecurity Notes
- Ransomware report published by SonicWall:
- 6% of ransomware attacks are aimed at U.S.
- 5 million hits last year, up 98%
- Average of 2,170 ransomware attacks per customer
- 20 attempts per second
- Griggsville-Perry Public School District of Illinois notified an unknown number of students that their info may have been exposed online after ransomware attack.
- Suggested selling prices of offering a cyber security audit from ConnectWise:
- $100 for every router, server, switch and firewall
- $25 per user/employee
- New York City Public Schools are notifying 820,000 current and former students that their info was exposed after a vendor, lluminate Education of California, was hit by cyber attack
- Through it Skedula and PupilPath platforms
- The Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant in Kansas notified local citizens that hackers from Russia attempted to disrupt operations.
- Highmark Health, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, notified 67,147 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
- Chelan Douglas Health District of East Wenatchee, Washington, notified 109,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
- New Jersey Brain and Spine of Oradell, New Jersey notified 92,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
- Business email compromise attached are the most expensive form of hacking, according to a report from FBI:
- Total of $2.4 billion in damages in 2021
- Up from $1.8 billion in 2020
- 50 million patients in the U.S. had their PHI (protected health information) breached in 2021, according to report from Politico magazine.
- 75% as a result of hacking
- Audrain Community Hospital and Callaway Community Hospital of Mexico, Missouri both notified an unknown number of patients that they suffered from an “IT outage”
- Brandon Livas, Royale Lassai & Ashley Green pleaded guilty to stealing PHI from a medical clinic in Metairie, Louisiana and selling it for profit.
- Wheeling Health Right of West Virginia notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
- 38,418 patients, including Major League Baseball players, were notified by Horizon Actuarial Services of Georgia that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
- Central Indiana Orthopedics notified 83,705 patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
- 1 million patients, including many National Basketball Association players, were notified by JDC Healthcare Management of Texas that their PHI may have been exposed after “malware incident”
- Microsoft Corp. admitted it was a target of Lapsus$ cyberattack, led by a 16 year old boy in England.