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Welcome to the MSP Radio newsletter, catching you up on some stories you might have missed! Each week we'll pull a few stories from the podcasts, give you high lights and insights, and make it easy for you to catch up on the latest news and commentary.
Share the newsletter and podcast with your colleagues, and help change the conversation around delivering technology services.
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Apple makes changes to security policies
From Monday, Dec 30th's show: Apple is going to start enforcing new security rules within macOS Catalina this coming February. Starting Feb 3rd, developers of applications that are non-Mac App Store will need to be notarized in order to run by default. Otherwise, the apps will result in warnings, and require the additional step of allowing them within the security preferences panel.
Why do we care?
Part of the defense macOS has against ransomware is this level of enforcement by Apple, and this will result in the classic trade-off of usability in favor of security. Support organizations should expect to see customer support tickets over this issue, so here’s your warning.
Apple is betting on privacy, and here you see more of it. I’m in favor of this type of move – and would call on more vendors to focus on secure by default, even if it does introduce some complexity.
My prediction – MSP tool vendors will lock down and enforce more of these rules themselves, and one that doesn’t will have a very bad year.
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California's Privacy Law hits for 2020
From Tuesday, Dec 31st's show: January 1, 2020, will not only be a new decade but will be the implementation of the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Here’s a quick primer on what’s in the law.
- Californians have the right to know what personal information is being collected about them. Practically, a business must tell you that it collects personal information about you before or as that information is collected.
- Californians have the right to know whether their personal information is sold or disclosed and to whom. A business must tell you the types (but not the names) of third parties it shares your information with, but you have to ask. You can also ask to have it deleted.
- Californians have the right to say no to the sale of personal information. Businesses must give you a way to opt-out of having your information sold.
- Californians have the right to access their personal information. This means businesses must offer you a way to request a copy of the personal information they have collected and they must provide it free of charge within 45 days of asking.
- Californians have the right to equal service and price, even if they exercise their privacy rights. This means you can’t be charged extra or refused service if you use to take advantage of your rights. However, you can be offered bonuses of incentives in exchange for the information.
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Catch out the four trends to watch from CES this week.
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Lenovo with SMB buying data
From Thursday, Jan 2nd's show: Lenovo’s Global study reports that 40 percent of all SMB employees are dissatisfied with their work environments, and 41 percent said they are missing the key technology tools for flexible working. 38 percent say tech issues present an issue at work, and three quarters don’t have access to cloud-based tools.
Why do we care?
Lenovo includes in that report that buying more mobile and portable devices to improve workers' experience is an answer. Shocking, a hardware company saying buying hardware is the answer to their survey.
I don’t disagree that an investment in people is wise and can make a difference in employee satisfaction but having replacing old devices as the first recommendation seems self-serving. Sure, that helps, but give someone a shiny new laptop without training and implementation and it doesn’t matter.
The big opportunity is highlighted in the fact that a lack of dedicated internal resources is cited as a problem. Of course! And what SMB SHOULD have an internal IT department? Lenovo, that’s crazy!
My two takeaways. First, the report has a ton of good information for technology providers on problems you can solve that are related to business outcomes.
Second, Lenovo, seriously, you miss the boat here by a lack of discussion about how technology should be delivered in the SMB, which is with partners.
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