Best Of CCP: Backblaze to the Future & Proofpoint Pandemonium

Sam Valencia, Jerry Zigmont and Joe Saponare discuss working with Apple technology and clients. Drawn from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network, thaey discuss technical support issues both with the technology and working with clients.

686: North Korean Remote Job Infiltration, Apple Threat Alerts, and Stopping Gift Card Scams

Joe and Sam discuss a Wall Street Journal documentary on North Korean operatives using stolen identities, AI tools, and U.S. accomplices to gain remote jobs at American companies, including schemes where U.S.-based helpers host shipped laptops for overseas workers, raising financial and data-leak risks. They note interview red flags, AI face/voice masking, and an email pitch offering a U.S. partner for a 50/50 split. Sam updates on trying FDA-approved Closee eye drops for age-related vision issues, finding partial improvement but stopping due to itching/burning and concern over past side effects. They troubleshoot Fireflies AI auto-joining meetings via default settings after easy “Sign in with Microsoft” onboarding. Joe reviews Apple threat notifications, Lockdown Mode effectiveness, verification via account.apple.com, and Consumer Reports resources. Sam outlines KnowBe4 security awareness training and shares a near-miss CEO text gift-card scam stopped by verification.

00:00 Show Kickoff

00:08 Overemployed Meets Espionage

02:04 How the Laptop Proxy Scam Works

04:41 Interview Red Flags and Tests

08:22 AI Voice and Face Spoofing

09:13 Suspicious Joint Venture Email

10:57 Eye Drops Experiment Update

14:42 Fireflies Auto Join Mystery

18:20 Apple Threat Notifications Explained

22:33 Can Attackers Fake Apple Alerts

26:42 Lockdown Mode and Best Practices

28:28 Apple Emergency Resources

29:27 Handling Hard-to-Assess Clients

32:56 Jamf Response Playbook

34:50 Developer Mode Malware Evasion

36:46 Staying Ahead of Scams

38:10 Selling Awareness Training

39:45 KnowBe4 Campaigns and Phishing

45:10 Gift Card Scam Case Study

54:51 Phone-Level Limits and Wrap-Up

685: Recovered MacBook, Client Trust, and Preparing for Rosetta 2’s Phaseout

Recovered MacBook, Client Trust, and Preparing for Rosetta 2’s Phaseout

In this episode of Command Control Power, Sam and Joe discuss being short-staffed while covering client onboarding and ticket work, and how client relationships shift when a different technician becomes the main contact. Joe recounts a new small boutique client raising concerns about him having passwords, leading to credential changes and enabling MFA, plus a quick non-technical win fixing a poorly positioned VoIP phone stand. They address HomePod/Apple Music use in a business and disabling personal content requests, suggesting services like Spotify instead. Joe shares a case where a “stolen” MacBook Air was recovered via Delta’s lost-and-found because his MDM login window message showed company contact info; he used Adigy monitoring to track online status and IP changes, then arranged an Apple trade-in-value credit path for the recovered device. They close with upcoming macOS 28 changes: Rosetta 2 removal and loss of support for encrypted HFS+ volumes, recommending reporting to identify Intel apps and demonstrating MDM value to clients.

00:00 Cold Open And Introductions

00:17 Covering For Matt

01:31 Client Handoffs And Trust

04:49 Passwords And MFA Talk

06:55 The VoIP Phone Fix

08:13 HomePods In The Office

13:34 Small Biz Vs Enterprise Vibes

15:38 Adequate Survey And Anonymity

18:09 Music Tangent And Genre Debates

23:25 Back To Tech Teaser

23:33 Stolen Mac Recovery

24:23 Lost Device Monitoring

25:31 Delta Lost and Found Lead

30:15 Laptop Returned and Verified

30:36 Lock Screen Message Win

32:35 Trade In or Resell

35:29 Refurbish and Alerts Trigger

36:09 Flex Policy Breakdown

39:02 Lock Screen Serial Tips

41:20 Rosetta and HFS Changes

46:53 MDM Reporting Value

49:59 Wrap Up and Next Episode

654: All Trails Lead to Rants: Tackling Technology

In this episode of Command Control Power, the hosts discuss the hustle of their busy January, including managing clients during holiday breaks. They share insights on employing external support teams, retaining work efficiency without a full-time replacement, and offering priority support services for high-demand clients. They dive into domain management stories, highlighting positive and negative interactions with GoDaddy. The hosts also explore the hidden functionality of Apple’s backtrack feature and share frustrations about the all trails app. Join them for a mix of practical advice, tech tips, and candid commentary on managing IT work and client needs.

00:00 Introduction and Holiday Recap

00:44 Managing Client Support During Holidays

02:09 Outsourcing Support Services

03:40 Implementing Support Team and Workflow

07:07 Client Feedback and Adaptations

08:59 Priority Support and New Services

13:31 AI and Automation in Client Support

20:26 Domain Management and SEO Challenges

30:58 GoDaddy's Unexpected Favor

32:53 Navigating Domain Transfers

37:35 Apple's Hand Warmer Idea

38:22 Apple TV Screenshot Trick

40:18 Apple's Backtrack Feature

46:34 Frustrations with AllTrails App

54:37 Conclusion and Patreon Plug

646: Navigating Tech Updates and Client Communications

In this episode of Command Control Power, the hosts welcome listeners to their December show, tease upcoming Patreon episodes discussing managed service offerings, designing flyers using Canva and ChatGPT, and all-inclusive pricing with Tim Pearson. The episode touches on experiences with a Canva PDF rendering issue using the Preview app in MacOS, including troubleshooting steps with Adobe PDF engines. The hosts share client communication challenges about service rate negotiations and discuss the intricacies of pricing models and plan structures. Additional technical topics include a significant bug with Microsoft Auto Update renaming apps erratically, strategies for managing OnePassword memory prompts and passkey enrollments, and a tip-off from listeners about Backblaze's change in policy for iCloud Drive backups. They wrap up with amusing anecdotes from client interactions and discuss the complexities of web browsers and user understanding of tech terms.

00:00 Opening Banter and Introductions

00:25 Welcome to Command Control Power

01:40 Patreon Teasers and Managed Service Offerings

02:33 PDF Rendering Issues with Canva

07:53 Client Negotiations and Pricing Strategies

28:02 Reselling Services and Client Retention

30:53 Microsoft Auto Update Issues

34:04 Microsoft Auto Update Issues

34:42 Identifying the Problem

35:08 Known Issues and Workarounds

36:29 Installer Process and Conflicts

37:59 Disabling Auto Update

38:19 Microsoft's Response

39:04 Apple's Role in the Issue

39:43 Temporary Solutions

44:08 One Password Tips

53:32 Backup Solutions and Listener Feedback

01:01:20 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Stories

647: Inside Addigy’s Latest Upgrades: A Deep-Dive into Addigy Assist & Pre-Built Apps with Michaela Gilman & Selina Ali

Explore the newest capabilities inside Addigy with Product Managers Michaela Gilman (Addigy Assist) and Selina Ali (Pre-Built Apps). In this episode of Command-Control-Power, we discuss how Addigy is streamlining Apple device management with improved visibility, faster onboarding, and simplified third-party app updates.

Michaela shares how Addigy Assist elevates the user experience during enrollment and installation—giving administrators clearer insight and reducing uncertainty for end users. Selina walks through the evolution of Pre-Built Apps, explaining how it accelerates standard software deployment, improves update reliability, and reduces overhead for IT teams.

We also explore:

• How customer feedback directly shapes Addigy’s development

• The balance between automation and user transparency

• What’s coming next for Addigy, including self-service, identity improvements, and expanded update workflows

• Real-world challenges, beta feedback, and lessons learned from early adopters

If you manage Apple devices—whether for education, enterprise, or MSP environments—this conversation offers practical insights and a look ahead at where Addigy is headed.

00:00 – Introduction & Guest Welcome

00:16 – Exploring Addigy Assist

01:22 – Improving the Enrollment Experience

07:19 – Overview of Pre-Built Apps

08:54 – User Feedback & Development Cycles

13:11 – Challenges with App Updates

22:33 – Future Enhancements & Self-Service

25:08 – Self-Service App Updates

26:19 – User Experience & Admin Feedback

27:22 – Beta Testing Insights

28:22 – Customer Feedback & Product Iteration

30:24 – User Requests & Pre-Built App Growth

33:24 – New Features & Roadmap Highlights

36:42 – Advice for New Addigy Users

40:43 – Final Thoughts & Contact Info

#Addigy #AppleMDM #DeviceManagement #MSP #macOS #ITAutomation #CommandControlPower #AddigyAssist #PreBuiltApps #AppleConsultants