The ITAM Roundup: 8/18/24
đ° News
Cyber security update, July (SoftwareOne)
SoftwareOne's July "Cyber Security Update" highlights several significant breaches: Greece's Land Registry had a data breach, Los Angeles courthouses faced a ransomware attack, and Life360 experienced a data leak due to a login API flaw. Major incidents also included AT&Tâs theft of call records, Evolve Bank & Trust's breach affecting 7.6 million Americans, and TeamViewer's breach linked to a Russian hacking group. The update also covers Microsoftâs new email security features, CISAâs warning about a critical GeoServer vulnerability, and increased cybersecurity spending driven by the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Ravi Bindra
AWS announces support for Cost Allocation Tags on AWS Transit Gateway
AWS has announced the general availability of Cost Allocation Tags for AWS Transit Gateway, allowing administrators to categorize and allocate costs by team, department, or application. This feature expands cost categorization beyond just Attachment Hours to include data processing and data transfer charges, and is available in all regions without additional cost. Users can enable this feature through the AWS Management Console, CLI, or SDK.
Microsoft: Enable MFA or lose access to admin portals in October
Microsoft has announced that Entra global admins must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) by October 15, 2024, or risk losing access to admin portals like Azure and Intune. This requirement is part of Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative, aiming to protect accounts from phishing and hijacking by enforcing mandatory MFA for all Azure sign-ins. Admins can delay this enforcement until April 2025, but Microsoft warns that delaying increases security risks, as accounts are valuable targets for threat actors.
Cisco to Layoff 7% of Global Workforce to Focus on AI and Security
Cisco Systems, Inc. announced it will lay off approximately 7% of its global workforce, affecting around 5,000 employees, to refocus on AI, cloud, and cybersecurity amid declining revenue from networking hardware. These layoffs are part of a broader strategy following Cisco's $28 billion acquisition of Splunk to strengthen its AI-powered security offerings. Cisco's leadership emphasized that the layoffs are not for cost savings but to reallocate resources into the company's fastest-growing sectors.
Nancy Simeone
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to Acquire Morpheus Data
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has announced its acquisition of Morpheus Data, a leader in hybrid cloud management software, to enhance HPE GreenLake's capabilities in orchestrating and automating hybrid IT environments. This acquisition will strengthen HPE GreenLake by adding multi-vendor, multicloud application provisioning, and FinOps capabilities, solidifying HPE as the first vendor to offer a complete suite of enterprise-grade services across the hybrid cloud stack. The integration of Morpheus Data is expected to close in the fourth quarter of HPE's 2024 fiscal year, positioning HPE GreenLake as the go-to platform for managing complex, multi-cloud IT environments.
W32 SAM & ITAM Jobs
Looking to hire, or get hired? Here's another post from Alex at Licenseware with some jobs in the ITAM & SAM industry.
Licenseware
Microsoft Copilot to Add Enterprise Data Protection Capabilities for Entra Accounts
Microsoft Copilot is set to receive an update in mid-September, adding enterprise data protection (EDP) capabilities for Entra accounts, enhancing security, privacy, and compliance without additional costs. The update also includes a new ad-free interface for work and school accounts and allows administrators to pin Copilot within apps via the Microsoft 365 admin center. Microsoft assures that user data won't be used to train AI models, and all organizational access controls and policies will apply to Copilot.
https://petri.com/microsoft-copilot-enterprise-data-protection-entra-users/
đ Tips
Oracleâs VSAM Partner Program Insights: What You Need to Know
Anglepoint has become a Verified Partner in Oracleâs new Software Asset Management (SAM) program, designed to help organizations optimize their Oracle license investments and potentially qualify for software audit exemptions. The program focuses on proactive management of Oracle licenses, including Database, Middleware, and E-Business Suite products, and offers benefits such as audit reprieves, annual license baselines, and expert support from Anglepointâs experienced Oracle licensing team. Existing Anglepoint clients with managed services can automatically enroll in the program, while new clients must first sign up for managed services to participate.
Forrester: Rethink your software asset management practices
Forrester emphasizes the evolving role of Software Asset Management (SAM) from basic record-keeping to complex license and contract management, integrating AI and machine learning for enhanced operational efficiency and risk reduction. The focus of SAM has shifted towards usage management, security, contract risk management, and optimizing business value, with a growing need to manage software-as-a-service (SaaS) and open-source software effectively. The report also highlights the potential of generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning to automate contract management, compliance monitoring, and personalized asset management recommendations, further enhancing the value of SAM practices.
Biswajeet Mahapatra Published: 12 Aug 2024
26 essential book recommendations by and for IT leaders
This article features 26 essential book recommendations from IT leaders, covering topics like leadership, business growth, and technology innovation. The books range from spiritual guidance and team management to understanding AI and fostering company culture, offering valuable insights for IT professionals looking to enhance their leadership and organizational skills. These recommendations aim to inspire and equip IT leaders with the knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern technology and business environments.
Christina Wood
Practical Sentinel: Ingesting Networking Data in Microsoft Sentinel
The article discusses the process of ingesting networking data into Microsoft Sentinel, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right architecture and method for data ingestion. It explains the differences between Syslog and Common Event Format (CEF) for data ingestion, and explores various methods including using Azure Monitor Agent, LogStash, and API-based integration. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of filtering data before ingestion, particularly using LogStash for large data volumes, and advises on selecting the appropriate method based on the specific needs of the environment.
Thijs Lecomte
đBugs & Exploits
CISA warns critical SolarWinds RCE bug is exploited in attacks
CISA has issued a warning that attackers are exploiting a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-28986) in SolarWinds' Web Help Desk (WHD) software, which allows remote code execution on vulnerable servers. SolarWinds released a hotfix for the Java deserialization flaw, advising all users to apply it, despite the company's inability to reproduce the exploit without authentication. CISA has mandated that federal agencies patch their systems by September 5, following the inclusion of this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
