MSPs Face Compliance Crossroads: Managing Supply Chain, Third-Party, and Data Privacy Risks in 2026
MSPs (Managed Service Providers) are facing an urgent need to elevate their risk and compliance programs due to evolving supply chain, third-party, privacy, and disclosure requirements in 2025 and into 2026. For compliance leaders, keeping pace with these changes is no longer optional — it’s both a survival strategy and a proactive way to leverage […]
State Breach Laws, SEC Regulation S-P, and CIRCIA Drive Urgent Changes for 2025
Major regulatory and compliance changes in 2025 will transform how Managed Service Providers (MSPs) operate, manage risk, and support clients. Getting serious about compliance now is critical for MSPs who want to hedge against steep penalties and regulatory disruption in the years ahead. State Breach Notification Law Updates U.S. states such as California, New York, […]
CISA Flags Rapid7 Velociraptor Vulnerability as Active Ransomware Target
A critical vulnerability in Rapid7’s Velociraptor — tracked as CVE-2025-6264 — has recently been highlighted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), underscoring new risks faced by organizations relying on security tools for endpoint monitoring and threat hunting. The flaw, now included in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue, has become a key target for […]
Blacksmith Wins Channel Program Category Leader Badge
Blacksmith has just been awarded the Channel Program’s prestigious Category Leader badge, a distinction reserved for the top-rated vendors in the IT channel across more than 80 technology categories. This achievement is a powerful endorsement from the Managed Service Provider (MSP) community, as Category Leader badges are earned through verified, real-world peer reviews and evaluations […]
Ransomware as a Service: The Shift in Cybercrime Targeting MSPs and Their Clients
Understanding Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is transforming the way MSPs face cybercrime, allowing anyone — not just technical experts — to launch devastating attacks through rented ransomware platforms. These service models reduce the barriers to entry for ransomware actors by providing them with ready-made toolkits, infrastructure, and support, while developers take a […]
MSPs and Incident Response Plans — An Overview
For Managed Service Providers (MSPs), incident response planning is a critical part of cybersecurity preparedness. With cyber threats targeting not only their own infrastructure but also their clients’ systems, MSPs face unique risks and high stakes when it comes to incident response. Having a clear, actionable incident response plan can mean the difference between business […]
Exploring the October 2025 Discord Data Leak
In early October 2025, Discord disclosed a significant data breach that exposed confidential user data through a compromise at a third-party customer support provider. This incident has triggered renewed concerns about supply chain security and the risks associated with trusted external vendors in today’s interconnected IT ecosystem. The breach not only affected Discord’s own systems […]
Rising Regulatory Pressure on SMBs: Why Compliance is Now a Critical Priority
It’s become a standard refrain in industry forums and vendor webinars: demand for compliance services is skyrocketing for managed service providers (MSPs) and their clients. But have you ever wondered exactly why this is happening? The answer isn’t just about headline-grabbing breaches or new technology — it’s about an unprecedented surge in regulatory pressure that’s now […]
Cyber Insurance and Compliance: The New Gatekeepers
Cyber insurance was once viewed as a safety net — merely a way for businesses to transfer risk in the event of a breach or ransomware attack. But that safety net is tightening. Rising premiums, stricter exclusions, and growing demands for evidence of security maturity mean that insurance is no longer a backstop you can […]
Compliance: Make 2025 the Last Year of Spreadsheets
It’s no secret that spreadsheet-driven compliance management is becoming obsolete. They might be familiar and easy to use, but spreadsheets introduce significant (and often hidden) risks that threaten operational efficiency, audit success, and security posture. The Risks of Spreadsheet-Based Compliance Spreadsheets rely heavily on manual data entry, which is inherently error-prone — any oversight can […]