SonicWall’s Jason Carter and Matt Brennan Earn 2023 CRN Channel Chief Recognition

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SonicWall Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) Jason Carter and Vice President Americas Channel Sales Matt Brennan have been named to CRN’s 2023 Channel Chiefs list. Every year, CRN honors the IT channel executives who drive the channel success and evangelize the importance of channel partnerships within the IT industry.

“As we monitor and adjust to the economy and business dynamics, we recognize that we must consider those impacts on our partners, and how we can collectively address them together,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bob VanKirk. “To counter challenges with the economy, we’ve rolled out programs to our partners which deliver key cost-savings based upon our industry leading TCO. SonicWall is proud to be a 100% channel company and we’re grateful to CRN for recognizing our executive sales team, who tirelessly work to ensure our partners are successful today and into the future.”

The 2023 CRN Channel Chiefs were selected by the editorial staff based on their record of business innovation and dedication to the partner community. The 2023 accolade represents the top IT executives responsible for building a robust channel ecosystem.

“Once again, this year’s list gives well-deserved recognition to the IT Channel Chiefs who are dedicated to driving the channel agenda and advocating for the development of strong channel partnerships,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “Under their exceptional leadership, influence and innovation, the IT channel vendor community continues to deliver solutions and services that meet the rapidly evolving needs of their solution provider partners and their customers.”

As CRO for SonicWall, Jason Carter is responsible for driving top-line sales across SonicWall’s global distribution network and oversees the teams, strategy and execution related to SonicWall’s global partner success.

Brennan drives the development of SonicWall’s NOAM channel efforts. He leads the implementation of the company’s modern channel strategy to build a sustainable competitive advantage for SonicWall’s partners.

CRN’s 2023 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2023 issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

SonicWall Wins CRN’s 2022 Tech Innovator Award in Enterprise Network Security

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SonicWall is thrilled to share that CRN has chosen SonicWall’s Network Security Appliance (NSa) 5700 Next Generation Firewall as a winner for the 2022 CRN Tech Innovator Awards in the Security – Enterprise Network Security category.

This annual award program celebrates innovative vendors in the IT channel across 38 different technology categories, in critical business areas ranging from cloud to storage to networking to security. The selection process for this year’s winners was overseen by a panel of CRN editors and is based on a review of  hundreds of vendor products using multiple criteria. These include key capabilities, uniqueness, technological ingenuity, and best fit with customer and solution provider needs.

“The growing volume of ransomware attacks has the enterprise moving quickly to evaluate their mitigation capabilities and strengthen their security postures,” said SonicWall CEO and President Bob VanKirk. “We consistently see high-profile, highly publicized cyber-attacks. SonicWall is there to help deliver solutions that are cost-effective with high security efficacy for organizations both large and small. We’re grateful to be recognized by CRN as offering the best Enterprise Network Security solution available.”

SonicWall Generation 7 Network Security Appliance next-generation firewalls offers enterprise-leading performance at the lowest total cost of ownership. With comprehensive security features such as intrusion prevention, VPN, application control, malware analysis, URL filtering, DNS Security, Geo-IP and Bot-net services, it protects the perimeter from advanced threats without becoming a bottleneck. The Gen 7 NSa Series has been built from the ground up with the latest hardware components, all designed to deliver multi-gigabit threat prevention throughput – even for encrypted traffic.

“Our CRN Tech Innovator Awards recognize those technology vendors that are making the biggest impacts in digital transformation for solutions providers with unique, cutting-edge products and services,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “It is my pleasure to congratulate each and every one of our 2022 CRN Tech Innovator Award winners. We’re delighted to recognize these best-in-class vendors that are driving transformation and innovation in the IT space.”

The Tech Innovator Awards will be featured in the December issue of CRN and can be viewed online at crn.com/techinnovators.

SonicWall Included on the Acclaimed CRN Edge Computing 100 List for 2022

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MILPITAS, Calif. — OCT. 25, 2022 — SonicWall announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, earned a spot in its 2022 Edge Computing 100 list in the security category. The annual list honors the trailblazing vendors leading the channel with next-generation technology that is helping to build intelligent edge solutions for Edge Hardware, Software and Services; IoT and 5G Edge Services; and Security.

“SonicWall prides itself on providing innovative security solutions that supply its channel partners with next-generation edge technologies that allow businesses to capture, process, and use data in more intelligent ways,” said SonicWall VP of Products Jayant Thakre. “This acknowledgment by CRN is an indicator of SonicWall’s unwavering commitment to the channel and delivering efficient and reliable security solutions for our customers.”

Now more than ever, we have grown to understand the importance of adapting quickly to market conditions, changes, and trends. The rise of the intelligent edge is making that easier, delivering solutions that move data collection and processing closer to where it’s needed the most — users. Extracting the value of data is a key differentiator for every business today. As more employees move to hybrid or remote work, the need for elevating and securing the edge is critical. The vendors highlighted on this year’s Edge Computing 100 list encompass the dedication and commitment to constantly improving the technology to provide utmost security and precision technology to the channel.

Having an intelligent edge wrapped in security tools and channel services is key to a successful edge deployment, and SonicWall’s cloud-native management and analytics transform threat data into defensive actions to mitigate hidden risks across networks, applications, and users. Its virtual offerings and cloud services are paired with on-premises deployments to solve security issues for SMBs, enterprises and governments.

“CRN’s 2022 Edge Computing 100 list is an exciting opportunity for CRN to recognize innovative vendors that are delivering the technology enterprises need to build unique, intelligent edge solutions,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “These contributors empower channel partners to work smarter and extract the most value from their data. We want to celebrate their impact on the IT channel and the incredible progress we are able to make because of them. Congratulations to all those recognized on this year’s list!”

The categories recognized in this list include Edge Hardware, Software and Services; IoT and 5G Edge Services; and Security.

Companies named to the Edge Computing 100 list are judged on a number of criteria, including the company’s impact on the market, its overall influence on the channel, and the types of technologies and services it makes available to partners to help them build state-of-the-art edge solutions.

SonicWall’s Nicola Scheibe Recognized by CRN as One of 2022’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should

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MILPITAS, Calif. — September 26, 2022 — SonicWall announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Sr. Director, Global Field Marketing Nicola Scheibe, as one of the IT channel’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should for 2022. This annual list honors the IT channel’s unsung heroes who work tirelessly to support channel partners, while rarely stepping into the spotlight.

CRN’s editorial team assembles this list every year based on feedback from solution providers and industry executives to identify behind-the-scenes channel players who help partners drive growth, innovation, and profit.

With her 15+ year experience in IT security, Scheibe is responsible for all direct field marketing activities, as well as any joint activities with partners and distributors across SonicWall’s global regions.

“Nicola is a perfect reflection of SonicWall’s commitment to our partner network, as she has built a strong channel team, managed the global roll-out of marketing campaigns to and through our channel partners and helped build SonicWall’s channel strategy,” said SonicWall Executive Vice President of Americas Channel Jason Carter “I am grateful to CRN for recognizing Nicola’s remarkable contributions. She has been an instrumental leader, and she has been integral in driving our channel expansion over the last several years.”

“We are thrilled to honor and recognize the extraordinary group included on this year’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should list for their remarkable contributions to the channel and their partners,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “There are many talented and creative individuals working behind the scenes every day that contribute to channel growth and make game-changing decisions that impact partner success.”

CRN’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should spotlights some of the channel’s best and brightest people who may not be as visible as some channel chiefs or CEOs but are just as important to the partner community.

The 100 People You Don’t Know But Should will be featured in the October issue of CRN Magazine and can be found online at www.crn.com/100people.

Vote for SonicWall in Computing Security Awards 2022

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SonicWall is excited to announce that the company has been selected as a finalist in several categories for the Computing Security Awards 2022. We are privileged to be included alongside other admired companies — a testament to the loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our more than 17,000 global partners.

SonicWall was included in the finals of four categories:

  • Remote Monitoring Security Solution of the Year: SonicWall Capture Security Center
  • Security Hardware Solution of the Year: SonicWall NSa Firewall Series
  • New Security Hardware Product of the Year: SonicWall NSa Firewall Series
  • Web Application Firewall of the Year: SonicWall Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Voting is now open and ends Sept. 30, 2022. Please vote for SonicWall in each of the categories in which we are finalists. To access the Computing Security Awards 2022 portal, click here.

After entering your information in the predefined sections, you can vote for your favorite solution in each of the mentioned categories. Don’t forget to click the ‘Submit’ button. Only then will your answers be recorded. Please note that votes from personal email accounts, such as Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc., will not be counted.

Thank you in advance for voting for SonicWall.

SonicWall Earns 2022 CRN Annual Report Card (ARC) Honor

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SonicWall is thrilled to share that CRN has named the company as one of the winners in the Enterprise Network Security category of the 2022 CRN Annual Report Card (ARC) Awards. This award honors the industry’s top technology vendors for success in providing high levels of satisfaction for channel partners through innovative products, services and partner programs — and SonicWall was rated as the top-performing channel provider for enterprise network security.

“As a 100% channel company, we remain completely committed to delivering our partners and customers with the absolute best products and support to face today’s increasingly complicated security challenges,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bob VanKirk. “We’re excited to be recognized by CRN, especially knowing that they celebrate best-in-class vendors that are committed to driving partner growth and demonstrating outstanding channel performance. SonicWall is uniquely positioned to help partners, including MSSPs, evolve and help facilitate their growth.”

The ARC Awards are based on an invitation-only research survey conducted by The Channel Company. Responses from 3,000 solution providers across North America were evaluated in this year’s survey, rating 82 vendor partners across four criteria: product innovation, support, partnership, and managed cloud services. Scores were awarded in 25 major product categories in technology areas that are critical to channel partner success.

SonicWall’s SecureFirst Partner Program and its industry-leading security products help partners and MSSPs exceed customer demands. More than 17,000 active SonicWall partners help protect our customers every day, and because of them SonicWall is one of the unquestioned leaders in the cybersecurity space.

“It’s our pleasure to honor vendors that consistently deliver top-performing products and services to establish and foster successful channel partner relationships,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO, The Channel Company. “In addition to highlighting our winners, CRN’s Annual Report Card Awards provide vendors with actionable feedback and insight into their current standing with partners that can be incorporated into their channel strategies in the future.”

Winners will be featured throughout The Channel Company’s XChange 2022 conference, taking place Aug. 21-23 in Denver, Colorado. Coverage of the CRN 2022 ARC results can be found online at www.CRN.com/ARC and will be featured in the October 2022 issue of CRN Magazine.

 

CoinDesk TV Covers Cryptojacking with Bill Conner

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SonicWall’s mid-year update to its 2022 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report is creating some serious buzz – especially when it comes to cryptocurrency. The data reveals that global cryptojacking volumes increased by 66.7 million hits in the first half of 2022 – representing a 30% increase when compared to its 2021 levels over the same period.

In cryptojacking attacks, criminals use malware to gain access to computer networks. They then use the system’s computing power to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin — a process that typically requires investing in costly state-of-the-art equipment and consumes vast amounts of electricity. The victim is often unaware of the intrusion.

Today, SonicWall CEO and President Bill Conner was interviewed by Coin Desk TV to discuss the meteoric rise of this criminal act.

“We are seeing a major shift as cybercriminals are using cryptojacking as a means to an end,” explained Conner. “Bad guys are getting into servers, computers, and laptops to take over the compute engine and run in the background to mine for crypto. The financial sector has been hit the hardest over the last six months, and I don’t anticipate that to slow down any time soon.”

Cryptojacking cases across the financial sector rose 269% in the first half of 2022 – that’s five times higher than attacks on retail. SonicWall registered record growth in total cryptojacking volume but unevenly distributed across 2022. In January this year, the metric stood at 18.4 million hits, a new all-time high surpassing previous record levels, taking the total Q1 attacks to 45.1 million.

As criminals continue to have success leveraging compute power to mine for crypto currency, you can expect the problem to increase.

“I think as the economy gets a little shaky, you will see cryptojacking and other malicious cyber activities increase – especially the second half of the year,” said Conner. “It’s really important to segment your networks to protect your data and valuable business assets.”

To learn more about the trends of cryptojacking, ransomware, malware and other cyber threats download the mid-year update to the 2022 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report now.

2022 CRN Rising Female Star

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SonicWall is thrilled to announce that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has chosen Danielle Dacey, Senior Sales Manager, for its 2022 Rising Female Stars list. This annual list honors 100 up-and-coming, dedicated, driven women who are leaving their mark and making a difference for solution providers throughout the IT channel.

Featuring a powerhouse list of nominees, hand-selected by the CRN editorial team based in large part on the recommendations from channel chiefs and other channel management executives across the industry, this third annual list of Rising Female Stars represents extraordinary women who are working hard to help their channel partners find success. These IT channel standouts demonstrate an aptitude for growing their respective channel partner programs and initiatives through a variety of disciplines, including marketing, channel program management and partner engagement, to name a few.

“CRN’s 2022 Rising Female Stars list highlights the women poised to become tomorrow’s channel leaders and luminaries who consistently demonstrate dedication to IT channel innovation and excellence. All of these women are helping to create a brighter future for the IT industry,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “On behalf of The Channel Company and CRN, I want to congratulate all of the honorees. The change these rising leaders are helping to enact today will define the IT channel for many years to come.”

Image of Danielle Dacey

“Danielle is an incredible colleague, a hard worker and has an outstanding business acumen,” said Matt Brennan, Vice President, North America Channel Sales at SonicWall. “She’s respected by her colleagues and easy to work with and is an asset to the entire SonicWALL team. We’re pleased and proud that CRN has chosen to include her on its annual list of rising female stars.”

The 2022 list of Rising Female Stars will be featured online at www.CRN.com/risingstars starting July 25 and in a special July issue of CRN Magazine.

This award marks yet another earned by SonicWall who has been included in the following CRN 2022 Awards: Channel Chiefs, Women of the Channel, Security 100 and a 5-Star Rating Program Guide.

SonicWall CEO Bill Conner Selected as SC Media Excellence Award Finalist

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SonicWall President and CEO Bill Conner has been recognized a 2022 SC Media Excellence Award finalist in the Best Security Executive of the Year. Now in its 25th year, the SC Awards are cybersecurity’s most prestigious and competitive program. Finalists are recognized for outstanding solutions, organizations, and people driving innovation and success in information security.

“Thank you to SC Magazine for this honor and congratulations to the many deserving nominees and finalists. This is truly a company award and is a reflection of the support and trust that our dedicated team of security professionals have helped to earn among our partners, distributors and end customers,” said SonicWall CEO and President Bill Conner. “SonicWall has over 30 years of success delivering world-class security solutions, and that success is due largely to our first-class partner community. We are excited for SonicWall’s continued growth, propelled by more than 17,000 channel partners worldwide.”

Entries for the SC Awards were judged by a world-class panel of industry leaders, from sectors including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, consulting, and education, among others.

“Bill Conner and other Excellence award finalists reflect astonishing levels of innovation across the information security industry, and underscore vendor resilience and responsiveness to a rapidly evolving threat landscape,” said Jill Aitoro, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy at CyberRisk Alliance, the SC Magazine parent company. “We are so proud to recognize leading products, people and companies through a trusted program that continues to attract both new entrants and industry mainstays that come back year after year.”

The 2022 SC Awards were the most competitive to date, with a record 800 entries received across 38 categories — a 21% increase over 2021. This year, SC Awards expanded its recognition program to include several new award categories that reflect the shifting dynamics and emerging industry trends. The expanded Excellence Award categories opened participation to startups, as well as the investors and financial partners supporting their success.

Winners will be announced during SC Awards week, scheduled to begin August 22, 2022. A ‘Meet the Winners’ networking reception celebration will take place during InfoSec World 2022, Sept. 27, in Orlando, Fla.

About CyberRisk Alliance

CyberRisk Alliance (CRA) is a business intelligence company serving the high growth, rapidly evolving cybersecurity community with a diversified portfolio of services that inform, educate, build community, and inspire an efficient marketplace. Our trusted information leverages a unique network of journalists, analysts and influencers, policymakers, and practitioners. CRA’s brands include SC Media, SecurityWeekly, ChannelE2E, MSSP Alert, InfoSec World, Identiverse, Cybersecurity Collaboration Forum, its research unit CRA Business Intelligence, and the peer-to-peer CISO membership network, Cybersecurity Collaborative. Click here to learn more.

About SonicWall

SonicWall delivers Boundless Cybersecurity for the hyper-distributed era in a work reality where everyone is remote, mobile and unsecure. SonicWall safeguards organizations mobilizing for their new business normal with seamless protection that stops the most evasive cyberattacks across boundless exposure points and increasingly remote, mobile and cloud-enabled workforces. By knowing the unknown, providing real-time visibility and enabling breakthrough economics, SonicWall closes the cybersecurity business gap for enterprises, governments and SMBs worldwide. For more information, visit www.sonicwall.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Cybersecurity in the Fifth Industrial Revolution

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Participate in a discussion about the impacts of rapid changes on society and businesses, pushing new development of better and more effective cybersecurity.

Think about your life without computers and other digital devices we now take for granted. If you took inventory, how many devices are in your business, at your home and on your person right at this moment? Now consider the experience of earlier generations; their entertainment, travel, communication, and even simple things like reading a newspaper or a book.

Industrial Revolutions change lives and produce excellent opportunities for growth for individuals and society. We have experienced five so far, with the first starting around 1750 and the fifth rolling out only a few years ago. So, we’re very well experienced in recognizing their implications and absorbing their benefits as well. We’re also experts in evolving from the enormous disruptions they bring.

First and Second Revolutions: The Evolution of Industries

The First Industrial Revolution was the harbinger of a massive wave of innovation. Factories sprung up in major cities, and people began producing more products than ever before. But as productivity increased, the number of jobs decreased, and the living standards of specific segments of society fell hard. Eventually, society (and economics) filled in with new jobs that serviced fledgling heavy industries. Companies needed more skilled workers to build the machines that made more machines. As a result, high-paying jobs returned, and society recovered.

But then came the Second Industrial Revolution, also known as the Technological Revolution, because it ushered in a phase of rapid scientific discovery and industrial standardization. From the late 19th century through much of the early 20th, mass production transformed factories into conveyors of productivity. As a result, while we endured a new phase of job losses and societal upheavals, we also saw the rise of highly skilled workers and higher-paying jobs that afforded better homes and greater mobility.

Third and Fourth Revolutions: The Evolution of Modern Society

The Third Industrial Revolution began in the later parts of the 20th century as the need for better automation triggered the advent of electronics, then computers, followed by the invention of the Internet. Technological advancements began fundamental economic transformation and, along with it, greater volatility. In addition, new methods of communication converged with rapid global urbanization and new energy regimes such as renewable sources.

Then came the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which some argue ended just before the pandemic. The blaze of technological advancements from the previous period facilitated the introduction of personal computing, mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) – developments that forced us to redefine the boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies added to social pressures that blurred traditional boundaries to the point of confusion.

The Fifth Industrial Revolution: Societal Fusion

Many global thinkers believe we are in the throes of a Fifth Industrial Revolution (also “5IR”) that inaugurated new metrics for productivity that go beyond measuring the output of humans and machines in the workplace. We are witnessing a fusion of human abilities and machine efficiencies in this context. The physical, digital and biological spheres are now interchangeable and intertwined. So, it’s not just about connecting people to machines but also about connecting devices to other machines, all in the name of human creativity and productivity.

One remarkable aspect of 5IR is that it is happening at an unprecedented rate. For example, accelerated by the COVID pandemic, remote network and wireless communication saw an enormous surge as Work-From-Home became a permanent fixture for the Western workforce; thus, workplace and home were fused. And along with that fusion came education and home. But other fusions are more challenging to discern, such as information and misinformation, news and propaganda, political action and terrorism, and so on, which leads us to the fusion between crime and cybersecurity.

Learn and Explore the Impacts of the 5IR and Cybersecurity

Interestingly, a very high percentage of successful ransomware hits are due to people bypassing or ignoring cybersecurity protocols simply because they don’t believe they could ever become a victim. Unfortunately, the same can be said about organizations that have not yet prioritized updating their security technology. Many owners and managers don’t understand the threats and think that ransomware only happens to bigger companies. Current threat reports prove that the impulse to avoid and dodge better cybersecurity is incorrect, and that’s the part that we’re struggling with the most.

The $10.5T question (est. cost of cybercrime per year by 2025) is how much effort we will expend to correct this trend. Cybercrime is one of the most complex byproducts of our “revolutions.” As a result of the surge in new threats, technology and behavior is rapidly evolving. Taking responsibility and deploying new cybersecurity technology will help us mitigate today’s risks.

Book your seat to learn more during our next MINDHUNTER #9 episode in June.