Riverbed appoints Crighton to lead sales across Asia-Pacific
Riverbed has appointed Paul Crighton as Vice President Sales for Asia-Pacific and Japan as the company seeks to increase its presence for AI-powered observability and performance solutions in the region.
Paul Crighton joins Riverbed with over 25 years of experience in sales leadership across the technology sector, having previously held senior roles at Barracuda, NetApp, Blackberry, PGi, Symantec, and Intel Security/McAfee.
In his new role as Vice President Sales for Asia-Pacific and Japan, Crighton will oversee Riverbed's sales strategy and day-to-day operations within the region. He will report to Kris Luhrsen, Chief Revenue Officer at Riverbed.
Kris Luhrsen said, "I'm delighted to welcome Paul to Riverbed as Vice President Sales for the APJ region. As an inspirational, people-centric leader, Paul has a proven track record in leading sales organisations, navigating complex markets, and forging strong customer and partners relationship across APJ. As Riverbed continues to invest in its AI-powered Platform and solutions, Paul will be instrumental in leading the APJ team to help our customers further leverage the Platform and Riverbed AI capabilities at scale, delivering significant business outcomes and ROI."
Crighton expressed enthusiasm about his new position, stating, "I'm thrilled to be joining Riverbed at this really exciting time in the company's journey, delivering next-generation AIOps and observability solutions for our customers, as they look to streamline and improve their IT operations, and deliver exceptional digital experiences. The innovation agenda demonstrates the value customers are seeing in the Riverbed Platform. I look forward to working with our experienced team to execute on Riverbed's vision, drive value for our customers, and further extend the company's growth and market share in the region."
The appointment comes as Riverbed expands its platform with new features designed to assist enterprises in managing complex hybrid environments. These additions include AIOps, data observability, and acceleration solutions.
In April, Riverbed announced a significant extension of its platform, introducing AI-powered observability offerings that integrate Riverbed Generative, Predictive and Agentic AI, as well as enhanced data observability modules. The new modules support unified communications applications, network packet analysis, and compatibility with Intel Thunderbolt and Wi-Fi connected devices.
Recent product launches from Riverbed include NPM+, which offers visibility into cloud, remote work, and zero trust architectures, Aternity Mobile for digital experience management of enterprise-owned mobile devices, Riverbed IQ Ops, Riverbed Unified Agent, and Aternity Intelligent Service Desk.
This month, Riverbed introduced new and upgraded acceleration solutions aimed at increasing enterprise network performance, security, and IT adaptability. Notable advancements include RiOS 10, Riverbed's acceleration software for cloud, data centres, and edge environments; the SteelHead 90 series for improved resilient networking; and Riverbed Flex, a new subscription-based consumption model.
Riverbed's focus is on using AI automation to help organisations identify and resolve IT issues, backed by over two decades of experience in data collection, AI, and machine learning. Its open, AI-powered platform supports a range of digital experience and IT efficiency improvements for customers operating in complex digital environments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Techday NZ
5 days ago
- Techday NZ
CommScope unveils AI-powered Wi-Fi 7 for all hotel types
CommScope has introduced new AI-driven Wi-Fi 7 and Gen AI-based solutions from RUCKUS Networks, developed specifically for the hospitality industry to provide tailored, high-performance Wi-Fi experiences for hotels ranging from luxury to budget tiers. The expanded portfolio includes a range of connectivity options designed to fit the varied demands of full-service, mid-scale, and limited-service hotels, with the goal of enabling seamless and personalised guest Wi-Fi alongside operational cost reductions. Bart Giordano, Senior Vice President and President, NICS at CommScope, commented on the company's efforts: "RUCKUS has worked with leading hotels around the world to raise the bar for wireless connectivity and guest experiences. These cutting-edge RUCKUS solutions reflect our commitment to helping our hospitality customers and partners scale their networks, reduce operational costs, and improve performance and reliability through AI-driven network assurance systems. We offer a purpose- driven solution for every tier of the hospitality spectrum—enabling every guest, device and application to get the connection and attention it deserves." The new offerings build upon the RUCKUS One platform, an AI-driven, cloud-native system delivering network assurance, service delivery, and business intelligence through a unified dashboard. The new solutions allow LAN service providers to offer more customised solutions and provide pre-configured bundles suited to different needs within the hospitality sector. Full-service hotels The RUCKUS H670 access point is featured as the primary solution for premium and full-service hotels. As an AI-driven, tri-radio, wall-mounted Wi-Fi 7 access point with dual concurrent IoT radios and dual multi-gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports, it facilitates seamless IoT integration, supporting innovations from smart locks to environmental sensors. Its design enables the accommodation of high device density, aiming to provide reliable, uninterrupted connectivity for activities such as streaming, video conferencing, and management of smart room controls. Mid-scale hotels For mid-scale properties, the company has introduced the RUCKUS R370 access point. This dual-band, AI-driven Wi-Fi 7 solution provides secure and manageable wireless coverage for guest rooms and communal spaces, offering data rates that are twice those of entry-level Wi-Fi 6 APs. Its capacity for seamless streaming, video calling, and IoT device integration is intended to deliver a future-ready network environment without extensive infrastructure upgrades. Limited-service hotels The limited-service bundle has been designed for affordability and simplified deployment, featuring cloud-managed services via the RUCKUS Unleashed platform, an integrated guest Wi-Fi portal, the RUCKUS R350e access point, and the ICX 8100 Ethernet switch. This combination is described as delivering secure, enterprise-grade networking for cost-conscious organisations. Advanced hospitality features The new RUCKUS One Hospitality Edition expands the portfolio's capabilities, providing automated onboarding and dynamic network access based on guest identity. The edition includes agentic AI-powered dashboard customisation, patented DPSK3 technology for secure large-scale Wi-Fi 7 access, role-based access control for secure delegation of network roles, and a configuration template engine to streamline deployment and reduce errors. The enhanced Brand 360 Dashboard offers organisations a global view of property performance, compliance tracking, and assessment of connectivity quality and network service partner efficacy. An AI onboarding assistant is provided to boost productivity and accuracy in configuration and policy management, complemented by features such as improved single sign-on and multi-factor authentication for enhanced administrative security. Jillian Kenney, Property Internet Services Manager at Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, shared her experience: "I've been very impressed by how intuitive RUCKUS One is! It makes managing the entire network effortless for any hotel in Sonesta's portfolio, regardless of which provider we are working with. The full visibility it offers means I can pinpoint issues, down to the AP level, before it becomes a problem, making operations smoother and more secure every day." New wireless access points Two new wireless access points have joined the existing portfolio. The RUCKUS H670 is described as the first tri-band, wall-mounted Wi-Fi 7 AP with dual concurrent IoT radios and dual multi-gigabit PoE output, intended to improve in-room connectivity and IoT integration. The RUCKUS R370 is a compact, entry-level, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 AP offering multi-gigabit performance for low to medium density environments, focusing on economical and reliable connectivity. The company has stated these solutions are aimed at delivering fast speeds, low latency, increased capacity, and stable connections in demanding radio frequency conditions to ensure performance across all segments of the hospitality market. RUCKUS Networks solutions are already in use at global hotels, including Passalacqua on Lake Como, Le Royal Monceau in Paris, and Sonesta Hotels in the United States.
Techday NZ
13-06-2025
- Techday NZ
Phishing-as-a-Service drives surge in cybercrime for 2025
Barracuda Networks has released new details on the rising prevalence of Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) attacks, the technologies underpinning them, and trends shaping cybercrime in 2025. The company's analysis found that an estimated 60% to 70% of all phishing attacks observed since the beginning of 2025 have been delivered using PhaaS models. Of these, the Tycoon 2FA phishing kit emerged as the most popular, responsible for 76% of the detected incidents. EvilProxy accounted for 8%, while Mamba 2FA and Sneaky 2FA together made up 6%. The remaining 10% consisted of other kits such as LogoKit, CoGUI and FlowerStorm. Understanding PhaaS Phishing-as-a-Service is a model in which individuals or groups provide ready-made phishing tools, infrastructure and support to customers for a fee, often via subscription services or one-off payments. This business-like approach means non-technical users can easily launch phishing campaigns without building infrastructure or writing code. According to the explainer released by Barracuda, "Phishing-as-a-Service, or PhaaS, is a cybercrime model where threat actors offer phishing tools, kits and services to other attackers, often via subscription or one-time payment. It lowers the barrier to entry for phishing attacks by providing ready-made templates, hosting, automation and even customer support. PhaaS enables non-technical users to launch sophisticated phishing campaigns, contributing to the rise in phishing incidents globally." Attackers typically access these services through forums, darknet markets, or messaging channels such as Telegram. The platforms provide templates for impersonating well-known brands and offer means to collect sensitive information entered by victims, which attackers can then use for financial gain or identity theft. The explainer notes, "Attackers sign up for this service — often through Darknet or Telegram channels — and obtain access to their PhaaS infrastructure. The service provides ready-made fake emails and websites that look just like real companies. The scammer can customise messages to make them convincing. Then, these fake emails or websites are sent out to lots of people. When someone falls for the trick and enters their private info, the scammer collects it and can steal money or identities." Barriers lowered PhaaS is popular with users seeking to commit credential theft but lacking the skills to develop phishing infrastructure from scratch. The systems are marketed not only at experienced cybercriminals, but also at individuals with limited technical knowledge, as the ease of use and available support bring phishing within reach of a broader group of criminal actors. "Attackers who want to do credential theft but don't know how to build the phishing emails, infrastructure to host fake Microsoft/Google login pages, steal multifactor-authentication (MFA) tokens and send them to a command-and-control server. Sometimes even people who aren't very tech-savvy can use PhaaS because it makes it easy for anyone to launch scams," the explainer says. PhaaS allows for rapid deployment of attacks, high levels of automation and large-scale targeting, including of small businesses and individual consumers. Typical victims range from employees at companies targeted for access to internal systems, to consumers receiving emails purporting to be from banks or popular online services. "It saves time and effort — they don't have to create complicated scam setups from scratch. It's often cheap or subscription-based, so it's easy to access. It's much easier now to launch a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting thousands of people with just a few clicks or minimal effort, compared to traditional phishing attacks. These modern attacks are highly advanced — they use clever methods to avoid detection and often rely on legitimate but compromised websites and platforms." Market forces PhaaS providers continually update their kits to bypass security measures, and competition between providers is fierce. Kits compete on factors such as price, accessibility, customer support, regular updates, and their ability to avoid detection. Subscription models and customer service functions have become normal, mirroring the software industry. "Kits that are cheaper or easier to get tend to attract more users. Some offer subscriptions, while others sell one-time licenses. The price and payment options matter a lot. Updates: Some PhaaS providers offer customer support and regularly update their kits to bypass new security measures. Kits that stay updated and provide help keep their users loyal. Success rates: If a kit is known for helping scammers avoid detection and successfully steal information, it gains popularity over others." Emerging kits and techniques Barracuda identified several new PhaaS kits, such as Darcula, which merges phishing with malware delivery and tends to target mobile users, and Morphing Meerkat, noted for altering its appearance to bypass email controllers. Other kits like CoGUI have been regionally tailored, such as those targeting Japanese organisations, and Sniper Dz is highlighted for mimicking the login pages of popular services. According to the explainer, "What makes these kits particularly dangerous is that they constantly evolve — updating their methods to avoid being detected by security systems. This ongoing development helps scammers stay one step ahead and makes it harder to shut them down." Detection strategies avoided PhaaS operators and their customers deploy techniques including encrypting malicious code, using code obfuscation, leveraging legitimate but compromised websites, and actively detecting when they are being monitored by security software or research sandboxes. In such cases, the kits will direct users to bona fide websites to avoid raising suspicion. The use of encryption and the adoption of real, trusted sites for hosting phishing content make detecting such threats more challenging for security tools, which traditionally focus on signature-based or heuristic detections of uncommon domains or content. Despite ongoing efforts by security professionals and law enforcement, the widespread distribution of PhaaS services and kits, international hosting, and frequent method changes continue to pose challenges for effective mitigation and takedown of phishing operations.
Techday NZ
12-06-2025
- Techday NZ
Amplitude unveils AI Agents to automate digital product growth
Amplitude has launched Amplitude AI Agents, a new suite of artificial intelligence-driven assistants designed to automate a range of product development and management tasks. Amplitude's AI Agents are intended to function as a team of specialised experts, supporting organisations in achieving goals such as improved checkout conversion rates and faster feature adoption. The agents analyse user behaviour, run experiments and optimise product experiences to help teams work more efficiently and effectively. Resource challenges The company highlights that resource constraints are common among product, marketing and data teams. Gathering data, generating dashboards, running queries, and testing hypotheses are often time-consuming tasks. Such work can be hindered by limited team capacity, leaving little room for strategic planning or execution. With the introduction of Amplitude AI Agents, organisations are expected to be able to explore, test and iterate more rapidly. The agents can monitor data, detect patterns, observe user sessions, form and test hypotheses, implement changes and measure their impact—all while human teams focus on strategic goals and creative problem-solving. Teams can instruct agents on specific focus areas, such as conversion, engagement, or campaign performance, and the agents will then begin their tasks based on these guidelines. Executives' perspectives "The pressure to turn data into real outcomes is growing across Australia and New Zealand — yet many teams are still struggling to make that leap," said Mark Drasutis, Head of Value, APJ at Amplitude. "Many don't have the time, tooling and resources to use data effectively, but Amplitude's AI Agents change that. They don't just focus on writing code, they also allow you to automate product management tasks and experimentation at scale. These agents unlock the ability for teams to solve problems that previously felt out of reach and more efficiently improve the customer experience." The issue of user trust with enterprise AI agents has previously been a concern, as some solutions have made changes autonomously. Amplitude states that its customers retain control over the autonomy level of their AI Agents. Organisations can set guardrails and approve any customer-facing changes, ensuring that the AI Agents function under human oversight. Use case templates Amplitude plans to release multiple use-case-specific AI Agent templates. These include: Website Conversion Agent, which monitors performance metrics and investigates conversion drops by analysing user sessions, subsequently recommending improvements. Onboarding Agent, which identifies points where users hesitate or abandon onboarding, and then creates in-app guides tailored to assist specific user segments. Feature Adoption Agent, which analyses engagement with new product features across different user groups, offering targeted recommendations for increasing adoption rates. Monetisation Agent, which detects signs that users are ready to upgrade or purchase premium features, and suggests interventions such as in-product messages or special offers. Vinay Sharma, Head of Software Engineering at Yum! Brands, commented on the potential for these agents to streamline and accelerate product development processes. "What excites me most about Amplitude's AI Agents isn't just that they can identify conversion issues or run experiments - it's that they'll be able to work through dozens of scenarios and execute toward our goals while our team focuses on higher-level strategy," said Vinay Sharma, Head of Software Engineering at Yum! Brands. "The traditional product development process gets bottlenecked by resource constraints, but Amplitude is changing that. With Agents, it'll be much faster and easier to understand customer behaviour, identify optimisation opportunities, and measure impact." Spenser Skates, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Amplitude, noted that demand for AI Agents has been high. "AI Agents were our most-wanted new product at multiple customer advisory boards this year," said Spenser Skates, CEO and co-founder of Amplitude. "They give our customers an edge in building products people love, and they mark the beginning of a broader AI evolution at Amplitude." Platform integration Amplitude's AI Agents are integrated across the company's Digital Analytics Platform, leveraging data from Analytics, Session Replay, Experimentation and Guides and Survey modules. According to the company, the agents not only use organisation-specific data but also apply insights observed across thousands of teams that use Amplitude's platform. The new agents are positioned as a response to increasing demand for more automated and scalable solutions in digital product development and optimisation. Follow us on: Share on:
