Sev1Tech Opens Expanded Facility in Charleston, S.C. with an Eye Toward Growth

CHARLESTON, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sev1Tech, LLC, a leading provider of IT modernization, cybersecurity, and advanced engineering services to both federal and commercial customers, today announced the opening of its expanded Charleston, S.C. facility, which will enable the company to continue delivering mission-critical IT solutions to existing customers while growing its capability to bring digital transformation offerings to a diverse future customer base in the area.

“Today, Sev1Tech is proud to firmly plant a flag in Charleston and affirm our commitment to the community and customers we serve here,” said Bob Lohfeld, Chief Executive Officer of Sev1Tech. “Corporate responsibility, excellence in service, and employee-centricity are core values that define Sev1Tech. With the opening of our expanded facility, Sev1Tech looks forward to deepening our ties to the community, growing our customer base in the area, and bringing even more high-tech jobs to Charleston.”

“Sev1Tech already has a strong presence in the Charleston area, and the opening of our expanded facility provides new opportunities for Sev1Tech to enhance collaboration with our customers, improving support to our Sailors, Marines, and Warfighters,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, Head of U.S. Navy Programs at Sev1Tech. “We are proud of the work we’re currently doing to support the Navy’s mission goals. Sev1Tech’s expanded facility in Charleston puts us in an ideal position to grow our U.S. Navy business unit and extend our innovative mission-centric solutions to more customers, enabling them to successfully overcome ever-changing threats.”

Sev1Tech’s Charleston, S.C. facility is a key location for large-scale modernization, DevSecOps, cloud, and other dynamic mission support services provided by the company’s U.S. Navy business unit to a range of customers in the armed services, notably the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic and the United States Coast Guard. Sev1Tech’s Charleston presence will also be able to offer innovative solutions to future government and commercial customers, enabling them to successfully address emerging digital demands and the increasing sophistication of IT needs to meet mission objectives.

The opening of Sev1Tech’s expanded Charleston, S.C. facility was celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Mayor R. Keith Summey, Sev1Tech executives and employees, and Sev1Tech customers.

About Sev1Tech

Sev1Tech provides IT modernization, cloud, cybersecurity, engineering, training and program support services to U.S. government agencies and major commercial organizations. Headquartered in the Washington, DC metro area, Sev1Tech is a trusted contractor supporting critical missions across the defense, intelligence, homeland security, space, and health markets. Sev1Tech delivers excellence through highly qualified people, CMMI SVC 3, ISO 9001, ISO 20000, ISO 27001 and ISO 27017 certified processes, and cutting-edge technology. To learn more, visit www.sev1tech.com.

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May 01, 2022 at 09:08AM

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Capital One Ventures, Snowflake Ventures, Verizon Ventures, and Wipro Ventures Join Securonix $1B+ Growth Investment as Strategic Investors

ADDISON, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Securonix, Inc., a leader in Next-Gen SIEM and XDR, today announced that Capital One Ventures, Snowflake Ventures, Verizon Ventures, and Wipro Ventures have joined the previously announced $1B+ growth investment in Securonix led by Vista Equity Partners, a leading global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses. These strategic investments allow Securonix to build and expand relationships with existing customers and partners as it continues to set the standard for cloud-native security analytics and operations.

“The demand for Securonix has never been stronger. Strategic partnerships with our customers and partners have been critical to unprecedented market traction, and are key to long-term growth and success,” said Sachin Nayyar, CEO, Securonix. “The collection of strategic investments and technology partnerships will open new doors for Securonix with broader solution offerings, expanded global footprint, and accelerate our trajectory as one of cybersecurity’s next great companies.”

Over the past 12 months, Securonix has accelerated its hypergrowth trajectory, growing its SaaS-business by more than 100%. The company has been at the forefront of technological innovation, empowering global enterprises and Managed Service Providers to more effectively detect and respond to cyberthreats in modern environments with new offerings – including the release of ‘Bring Your Own Snowflake,’ which has been the catalyst for the company’s rapid growth.

“We are highly selective in choosing portfolio companies that complement the Snowflake Data Cloud and define the future of SaaS technology in the enterprise,” said Stefan Williams, VP of Corporate Development & Snowflake Ventures. “The mutual success we have enjoyed with Securonix and the ‘Connected Application’ model made adding the company to our investment portfolio a no-brainer. We recognize Securonix as a market leader in cloud-native security analytics and operations and look forward to jointly developing new solutions and expanding GTM efforts.”

“Securonix is a truly global company, serving leading enterprises all over the world,” said Tony Buffomante, SVP and Global Head, Wipro Cybersecurity & Risk. “Our Cybersecurists have a long history of building and implementing next-gen Managed Detection & Response (MDR) solutions powered by Securonix for our global clients to drive value in their cyber defense programs. We are excited to be investors in Securonix and look forward to playing a significant role in their continued global expansion.”

The pioneer of UEBA, Securonix provides cloud-native SIEM, XDR, and SOAR capabilities rooted in behavior analytics. With its latest funding and new strategic partners, Securonix looks to extend this to the application layer and to OT and IoT, and further penetrate key verticals and geographic regions.

Additional Supporting Quotes

Katie Crammer, Executive Director of Security Products, Verizon Business

“Securonix is a trusted technology partner and its cloud-native security analytics and operations solution is built into the core of Verizon Managed Detection and Response. At Verizon, we are focused on connecting our customers to solutions that can enable them to run their businesses in a more secure and efficient way. We’re excited to expand our relationship with Securonix as we evolve the platform to support the full scale of our global managed services business.”

Jaidev Shergill, Managing Partner, Capital One Ventures

“As a cloud-native organization ourselves, we recognized the important contribution Securonix could make to businesses securely operating in the cloud.”

Rod Aliabadi, Managing Director at Vista

“Vista originally partnered with Securonix because we recognized that its mission-critical platform represents boundless potential for growth in the ever-evolving cyberthreat landscape. Today’s investments are further evidence of that thesis, and we’re thrilled to welcome the additional support, opportunity, and industry credibility that Capital One, Snowflake, Verizon, and Wipro bring to the table.”

About Securonix

Securonix is redefining threat detection and response for today’s hybrid cloud, data-driven enterprise. Securonix Next-Gen SIEM and XDR are powered by the most advanced analytics and built on a scalable, flexible cloud-native architecture. Securonix leverages behavioral analytics technology that pioneered the UEBA category to reduce noise, prioritize high fidelity alerts, and enable fast and precise response to insider and cyber threats. For more information visit www.securonix.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

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May 01, 2022 at 09:08AM

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Cobalt Iron Earns Patent for Machine-Learning-Driven Authentication Control

LAWRENCE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cobalt Iron Inc., a leading provider of SaaS-based enterprise data protection, today announced that it has been granted a patent on its technology for machine learning (ML) optimization of authentication control. Issued on April 19, U.S. Patent 11310237 describes new capabilities for Cobalt Iron Compass^®, an enterprise SaaS backup platform. Compass already has the patented ability to optimize user authentication and access to IT resources dynamically based on what’s happening in the environment. This new patent extends that capability by applying new ML techniques — adding yet another layer of intelligence and security to enterprise IT resources and operations.

Controlling authorization and access to IT resources such as data, data centers, hardware devices, and applications is a critical part of securing any enterprise business. Yet authentication controls in practice today are static, seldom changed, and unresponsive to changing conditions and events. Often these controls are not monitored or analyzed to determine whether they are effective or optimized to achieve company security and safety objectives. And sometimes security administrators must change user authentication roles temporarily to ensure business security and safety under unusual circumstances, such as a fire or major weather event. The result is security holes that leave enterprise data, operations, and infrastructure vulnerable to attack.

To address such problems, Cobalt Iron’s newly patented ML techniques continually improve authentication controls over time by learning from the results of past controls. What’s more, the technology automatically adjusts authorization controls based on conditions, events, project status, access activities, etc. This eliminates the pervasive security exposures of obsolete, and unresponsive authorization controls and makes the entire IT infrastructure more secure and more intelligent.

The techniques disclosed in this patent are:

• Collect training data, including environmental event data, permission access patterns of users, access control duration data, security events and alerts, project data, cyber event information, security event logs, data protection operational results, and such.
• Analyze training data to determine the effectiveness of authentication controls during previous conditions and events.
• Generate ML rules to potentially adjust authentication controls during future conditions and events.
• Monitor for various conditions and events, including environmental events.
• Dynamically adjust user authentication privileges based on generated ML rules.
• Modify durations of user authentication privilege adjustments responsive to generated ML rules.

Security administrators and other IT professionals who are responsible for maintaining security, authentication, and access control in their environments may be able to leverage Cobalt Iron’s new patented techniques to, for example, restrict physical access automatically and temporarily to data center buildings or rooms during a fire or flood. In another example, access privileges for key IT personnel to data, data centers, or applications may be temporarily increased prior to a weather event to expedite emergency backup procedures.

“Today’s authentication control practices can’t keep up with continually changing business environments, and that can easily lead to security risks,” said Richard Spurlock, CEO and founder of Cobalt Iron. “The novel techniques in this patent use extensive data collection, analytics, and machine learning to adjust user authentication and access to IT resources dynamically based on environmental events and operational outcomes. Not only does this mean that IT infrastructures and business security controls become more intelligent over time, but they automatically adjust themselves to continue meeting business security and safety needs.”

About Cobalt Iron

Cobalt Iron was founded in 2013 to bring about fundamental changes in the world’s approach to secure data protection, and today the company’s Compass^® is the world’s leading SaaS-based enterprise data protection system. Through analytics and automation, Compass enables enterprises to transform and optimize legacy backup solutions into a simple cloud-based architecture with built-in cybersecurity. Processing more than 8 million jobs a month for customers in 44 countries, Compass delivers modern data protection for enterprise customers around the world. www.cobaltiron.com

Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

PR Link: www.wallstcom.com/CobaltIron/220428-Cobalt_Iron-Patent_Machine_ Learning.docx

Photo Link: www.wallstcom.com/CobaltIron/Cobalt_Iron_Patent_Access_Control_ML.jpg

Photo Caption: Machine-Learning-Driven Authentication Control Patent for Cobalt Iron

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April 30, 2022 at 09:08PM

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Acrisure Unveils Cyber Risk Assessment Backed by Coalition

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Acrisure, a fast-growing fintech leader that operates a top-10 global insurance broker, today announced a partnership with Coalition, a leading global provider of cyber insurance and security. Acrisure’s Cyber Services division will offer the Coalition Risk Assessment, designed to help small and mid-size organizations understand their cyber and digital risk exposure. The risk assessment offers a personalized view into an organization’s cyber vulnerabilities and subsequent recommendations to remediate issues. From there, clients can work with Acrisure to obtain security, insurance and recovery solutions to boost resiliency and prevent costly attacks.

“Cyber threats have never been as prevalent as they are today, and these disruptions can be incredibly costly and damaging to businesses,” said Greg Williams, Co-Founder, CEO and President of Acrisure. “Coalition’s ability to identify and assess digital risks is another tool that Acrisure clients can rely on, especially as it affords access to our robust cyber services solutions.”

To take a cyber risk assessment and learn about Acrisure Cyber Services solutions, contact CyberServices@Acrisure.com.

“Our partnership with Acrisure and its global Partner network will help amplify our mission to provide security for all,” said Coalition CEO and co-founder Joshua Motta. “Together we will work towards creating a safer digital economy where everyone can thrive and protect themselves in a digital world.”

A ransomware attack occurs every 14 seconds and financial loss and cybersecurity insurance claims are at an all-time high. Acrisure Cyber Services President Bill Meara says that, unfortunately, small to mid-size companies are both more susceptible to risk and less likely to be prepared.

“Every business faces the daily, looming threat of a cyberattack and no two companies have the same risk profile. Coalition’s active risk assessment technology enables Acrisure to offer the level of personalization and sophistication businesses need to be resilient in the face of unprecedented and increasing risk,” said Meara.

In early 2022, Acrisure announced its Cyber Services vertical, joining Insurance, Reinsurance, Real Estate Services and Asset & Wealth Management as divisions powered by Acrisure’s technology capabilities and global distribution network. Infused with deep-rooted domain knowledge and expertise in both cybersecurity and cyber insurance, Acrisure Cyber Services delivers unsurpassed speed-to-value by leveraging modern AI techniques and cloud-native architecture to minimize risk.

About Acrisure

Acrisure specializes in intelligence-driven financial services, providing a broad array of products including Insurance, Real Estate Services, Cyber Services, and Asset & Wealth Management. The Company has grown revenue from $38 million to more than $3.5 billion in just over eight years with locations throughout the world. Acrisure is the intelligence-driven financial services distribution platform of the future. Find out more at www.acrisure.com.

About Coalition

Coalition is the leading provider of cyber insurance and security, combining comprehensive insurance and proactive cybersecurity tools to help businesses manage and mitigate cyber risk. Backed by leading global insurers Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Arch Insurance North America, Lloyd’s of London, and Ascot Group, Coalition provides companies with up to USD $15 million of cyber and technology insurance coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as CAD $20M of coverage across 9 provinces and 3 territories in Canada. Coalition’s cyber risk management platform provides automated security alerts, threat intelligence, expert guidance, and cybersecurity tools to help businesses remain resilient in the face of cyber attacks. Headquartered in San Francisco, Coalition has presences in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington DC, Miami, Atlanta, Denver, Austin, and now Vancouver and Toronto.

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April 30, 2022 at 09:08PM

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Cyware Named to Elite 80 List of Hottest Privately-Held Cybersecurity & IT Companies

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cyware, the leading provider of the Cyber Fusion Center Platform, today announced it was named in the JMP Securities Elite 80 report on its list of the hottest and most compelling privately-held cybersecurity and IT infrastructure companies.

Assembled annually by leading financial services firm JMP Securities, the Elite 80 list is comprised of the most compelling and strategically well-positioned private companies in the Cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure industries. In its report, JMP Securities notes that nimble and adaptive privately-held companies have fared best during the transition towards a post-pandemic “normal” and take advantage of the rapid advancement in technologies and the profound changes in society’s use of technology.

Cyware’s Cyber Fusion solution portfolio was recognized in the Elite 80 report for its ability to combine the insights gained from last-mile threat intelligence delivery and operationalization to enhance threat visibility and drive automated, end-to-end threat management workflows. Cyware’s Cyber Fusion Center Platform delivers autonomous SOC (ASOC) capabilities through an integrated Threat Intel Platform (TIP), SOAR technology, and a Security Case Management platform for use by enterprise security teams across sectors.

The Cyber Fusion Center Platform also enables collective defense at industry-scale through threat intelligence sharing between information sharing communities (ISACs and ISAOs) and their more than 10,000 member organizations. More than 20 large information sharing communities including healthcare, aviation, automotive, space, retail, legal services, energy, and media and entertainment are leveraging Cyware’s collective defense solutions to defend against advanced threats through real-time bi-directional threat information sharing and operationalization.

“We’re honored by our inclusion in the JMP Securities Elite 80, which validates our team’s continual efforts to never settle at the bare minimum and keep pushing the envelope to build truly game-changing solutions,” said Anuj Goel, CEO and co-founder of Cyware. “We are committed to building next-generation security infrastructure through our Cyber Fusion and collective defense solutions. As cybersecurity continues to be a top priority for organizations globally, Cyware is helping organizations ready their security operations with advanced next-generation SOC (NG-SOC) capabilities.”

Cyware’s inclusion in this year’s JMP Securities Elite 80 report follows the company’s prior recognitions in industry leading reports including Gartner’s 2021 Market Guide for Security Threat Intelligence Products and Services and 2020 SOAR Market Guide.

Download the report here: https://go.cyware.com/jmpelite80.

About Cyware

Cyware is transforming security operations by delivering the Cyber Fusion Center Platform, the next-generation SOC (NG-SOC), for its customers orchestrating the entire post-detection SecOps with automated SOC (ASOC) capabilities. As a result, organizations can increase speed and accuracy while reducing costs and analyst burnout. Cyware’s Cyber Fusion solutions make secure collaboration, information sharing, and enhanced threat visibility a reality for enterprises, sharing communities (ISAC/ISAO), MSSPs, and government agencies of all sizes and needs. https://cyware.com/

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April 30, 2022 at 09:09AM

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11:11 Systems Launches Expanded Managed Security Services

FAIRFIELD, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–11:11 Systems, (“11:11”), a managed infrastructure solutions provider, today announced the launch of its Managed Security Services portfolio designed to prevent, detect and respond to malicious activities.

The FBI reports a 300% surge in reported cybercrimes and a 400% year-over-year increase in phishing attacks* since COVID-19 and the increase in the remote workforce. It also estimated that 30,000+ websites on average are hacked every day with enterprises facing a cyberattack every 39 seconds. With the increasing complexity of traditional and multi-cloud infrastructures and high sophistication of today’s cybercriminals, the need for dedicated security solutions to address evolving threats is crucial to ensuring proper protection of business-critical data. With a robust family of managed security services, 11:11 provides companies of any size the ability to prevent, detect and respond to malicious activities, freeing up IT resources to focus on their core business.

“These additional features are a natural expansion of the work we have done for years backing up our customers’ critical data and helping them to recover their applications and restore operations after security incidents,” said Justin Giardina, CTO of 11:11. “Our customers and partners will have new tools available to them to defend against those attacks. It’s an exciting step forward for the protection of our customer’s businesses.”

11:11 Managed Security Services protect networks from attacks, detect active malicious activities on endpoints and identify risks across a company’s infrastructure. With decades of cybersecurity experience, the 24x7x365 Security Operations Center will protect a business’s infrastructure from malicious cyber attacks.

11:11 Managed Security Services include:

• Managed Firewall services provide customers immediate visibility into their network to help increase performance and guard against attacks and unplanned downtime. With advanced technology protecting the perimeter managed by a 24x7x365 team of security experts, organizations can rest assured the network, employees and data are protected.
• Continuous Risk Scanning provides deep, contextual risk analysis to prioritize vulnerabilities and minimize an organization’s attack surface. It is constantly monitoring security, both internally and externally, tuned to an organization’s specific environment. Reports are then generated to quickly and easily identify the most critical vulnerabilities that pose risk to data and customers.
• Managed Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) relieves the burden of log collection and analysis by providing a real-time machine analysis of all log files that can identify and alert on suspicious activities. This allows customers to react quicker to time-sensitive security threats.
• Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) enables businesses to get ahead of cybercrime, like ransomware, by reducing the time gap between detection and response. Real-time detection and active prevention of malicious activities can prevent security breaches where they happen. Utilizing next-generation antivirus technology, the detection of both known and unknown malicious behaviors (including zero-day attacks) can be quickly identified and addressed.

For more information, download the Data Sheets here and download the Safeguarding Your Business in the Digital Age White Paper here.

* https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/ransomware-prevention-and-response-for-cisos.pdf/view

ABOUT 11:11 SYSTEMS

11:11 Systems is a managed infrastructure solutions provider that holistically addresses the challenges of next-generation managed cloud, connectivity and security. The 11:11 model empowers customers and partners to “Rethink Connected,” which includes fully-integrated, fully-automated services, activities and data powered on a single platform delivering increased performance, optimization and savings. Learn more at 1111Systems.com.

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April 30, 2022 at 09:08AM

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The Global Cyber Innovation Summit, the CISO “Invitation-only” Event, Returns in 2022 to Set the Global Agenda for Cybersecurity

BALTIMORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Global Cyber Innovation Summit (GCIS), renowned as the “Davos of Cybersecurity,” returned this year to bring together a preeminent group of leading Global 2000 CISO executives, cyber technology innovators, policy influencers, and members of the cyber investment community to catalyze the industry into creating more effective cyber defenses.

The “invitation-only” Global Cyber Innovation Summit—featuring representatives from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), National Security Agency (NSA), and the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD)—gathered in Baltimore for two days of high-level strategy, policy, and technology discussions on the future of cyber threats and defense. The Summit was kicked off with opening remarks from State of Maryland’s Secretary of Commerce R. Michael Gill and a special welcome by State of Maryland’s Governor, Larry Hogan.

“The National Security Agency supports the mission objective of the Global Cyber Innovation Summit and has been featuring Rob Joyce as a contributing thought leader since the program’s inception in 2019,” stated an NSA spokesperson.

“This conference is unlike any other in the cybersecurity realm, convening the community’s thought leaders from Fortune 100 CISOs, CEOs of innovative cybersecurity companies, venture capitalists, policy makers and the intelligence community to raise the level of dialogue and facilitate collaboration on how we as a community meet the challenges of the ever-evolving threat landscape and move the future of cyber forward in actionable ways,” said Bob Ackerman, Chairman of the GCIS forum and the founder of cybersecurity venture capital firm, AllegisCyber, and co-founder of DataTribe, a cybersecurity and data science startup studio.

GCIS offers a confidential cybersecurity venue for top-tier intellectual discourse and collaboration amongst peers. The Summit included a series of keynote presentations, panel discussions, fireside chats and briefings by cyber security practitioners and thought leaders operating at the very cutting edge of the industry.

Topics this year included “National Security – Call To Action”; “Cybersecurity In 2021 & Beyond”; “NSA: The Cyber Defense Strategy”; “ONCD: The Cyber Defense Strategy”; “Mission Critical: The Emergent Cyber Response To Support Cyber Innovation”; “Cyber 2022: The State of the Market & The Call To Action”; “Transforming Businesses – The Interplay Between The Board and The C-Suite”; “Mission Possible: Preparing For The Next Wave of Cyber Attacks”; “Offense To and Defense”; “Dodging Debacles: Growing Concerns Around Supply Chain”; “Nation State Threats Are On The Rise: Are We Prepared to Disrupt a Possible Attack?”; “In Cyber War….And Peace: The Rising Threat Horizon and Creation of Digital Trust”; “The New Frontier & Changing Threat Landscape: The Impact of Current Events on Cyber Security in 2022 and Beyond”; and “It’s A Matter Of Trust: The Cloud Security Approach.”

Overseeing the strategy and direction of the Summit is GCIS Chairman, Bob Ackerman, and a 17-member advisory council that includes:

• Rich Baich, CSO of AIG
• Roland Cloutier, CISO of TikTok
• Rajesh De, Partner at Mayer Brown Law and former General Counsel of the NSA
• Adam Fletcher, CISO at Blackstone
• Fred Gibbins, SVP and CISO American Express
• Ron Gula, Founder of Tenable Network Security
• George Hoyem, Managing Partner of In-Q-Tel
• Mike Janke, co-founder of DataTribe
• John Nai, CISO at PayPal
• Douglas Powers, Director for Vigilant at Deloitte
• Jim Routh, CSO of Aetna
• John Stewart, former CISO of Cisco
• Eli Sugarman, Program Officer, Cyber Initiative
• Phil Venables, CISO of Google Cloud
• Deborah Wheeler, CISO at Delta Airlines
• Tom Wilson, CISO at Southern Company
• Michael Chertoff, Chairman of the Chertoff Group and former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

Honoring 8 Disruptive Innovators

As part of the Summit, eight early-stage disruptive cyber security companies—dubbed the “Disrupt 8″— were awarded by the community and selected to deliver “TED talks” that describe the most challenging, emerging industry problems and their innovative, over-the-horizon solutions.

The 2022 GCIS Disrupt 8 Award Recipients:

This year’s Global Cyber Innovation Summit took place April 27-28, 2022 at The Sagamore Pendry Hotel, Baltimore, MD.

The date for the 2023 Global Cyber Innovation Summit has been set for April 24-27, 2023 and will take place at The Sagamore Pendry Hotel.

Attendance to the Summit is “by invitation only.” For consideration for an invitation please contact info@GlobalCyberSummit.org

About the Global Cyber Innovation Summit

The annual Global Cyber Innovation Summit convenes the Global 2000 CISO community, cyber technology innovators, policy thought leaders and members of the cyber investment community for exchange of ideas, discussion and collaboration designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of cyber security strategies and solutions.

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April 29, 2022 at 09:09PM

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ISG to Publish Reports on Contact Center Services, Platforms

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, has launched research studies examining contact center services and as-a-service platforms that address how providers are responding to new enterprise requirements stemming from the pandemic and other factors.

The study results on contact center services will be published in a comprehensive ISG Provider Lens report, called Contact Center – Customer Experience Services 2022, scheduled to be released in September. The report will cover companies offering services such as social media customer experience (CX), AI and analytics, and work-from-home services. At the same time, ISG Provider Lens will publish the Contact Center as a Service 2022 report, covering providers of cloud-based platforms and contact center solutions.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the reports to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance of contact center capabilities, making seamless interactions essential. It also has changed customer experience expectations and disrupted work modes while contributing to a shortage of qualified employees. Along with recent geopolitical events, these trends have heightened the general uncertainty for businesses. They are leading enterprises to seek newer technologies that can meet changing contact center needs.

“Enterprises need seamless, end-to-end customer experience more than ever to stay competitive,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Contact center innovation is essential, and providers have been stepping up.”

For the Contact Center – Customer Experience Services study, ISG has distributed surveys to more than 70 contact center services providers. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce five quadrants representing the digital services and products the typical enterprise is buying, based on ISG’s experience working with its clients. The five quadrants are:

• Digital Operations, evaluating contact center CX outsourcing services focused on end-to-end engagement and managed services.

• Work From Home Services, assessing providers of services to facilitate working from home, including infrastructure, technologies and reliable cybersecurity that enable hybrid and flexible work models.

• AI & Analytics, assessing providers of AI and analytics capabilities that can help drive meaningful conversations with customers and have a significant impact on business outcomes.

• Social Media CX Services, evaluating providers of social media services, including query resolution, immediate feedback, personalization and social media monitoring and analysis, to enable seamless customer experiences.

• Debt Collection Services, assessing the collection solutions of service providers in Brazil, including their technologies, technology accelerators, integration tools and organizational capabilities such as training and humanized negotiations.

Geographically focused reports from the study will cover the global contact center market and examine products and services available in the U.S., Europe and the U.K., Brazil, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia. ISG analysts Kenn Walters, Phil Harpur, Namratha Dharshan, Sandya Kattimani, Florian Scheibmayer, Angelia Kho and Craig Baty will serve as authors of the reports.

An archetype report will also be published as part of this study. This report, unique to ISG, is the study of typical buyer types of contact center services as observed by ISG advisors.

A list of identified customer experience services providers and further details on the study are available in this digital brochure.

For the Contact Center as a Service study, ISG has distributed surveys to more than 35 providers of these services. The quadrant to be covered is:

• Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), evaluating providers’ cloud solutions, including omnichannel and customer experience platforms, that enable enterprises to run virtual contact centers.

Separate reports will cover the global CCaaS market and services available in the U.S., as well as Europe and the U.K. ISG analysts Kenn Walters, Namratha Dharshan and Sneha Jayanth will serve as authors of the reports.

A list of identified providers and vendors and further details on the CCaaS study are available in this digital brochure.

Providers not listed in either brochure can contact ISG and ask to be included in the studies.

All 2022 ISG Provider Lens evaluations now feature new and expanded customer experience (CX) data that measures actual enterprise experience with specific provider services and solutions, based on ISG’s continuous CX research. Enterprise customers wishing to share their experience about a specific provider or vendor are encouraged to register here to receive a personalized survey URL. Participants will receive a copy of this report in return for their feedback.

About ISG Provider Lens Research

The ISG Provider Lens Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG’s global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG’s enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 800 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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April 29, 2022 at 09:09PM

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Quantum Physics is said to make hacking impossible

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Mathematical Sciences have developed a new security identification that authenticates whether we are communicating with the right person based on their precise geographical location.

Authenticating a user based on their geographical location is called the science of quantum encryption and will help banking customers when a representative from the bank calls them to help change their account on a respective note.

The location data of that person is stored in a single quantum bit called Qubit and that is followed by the usual bits comprising ones and zeroes. As both bits communicate with each other in a highly encrypted mode, it is almost impossible for hackers to read, intercept or make changes to the communication.

However, until a hacker gets hold of a quantum computer and tries to intercept a quantum physics-based communication, the communication will remain foolproof.

As only a single quantum bit is needed to confirm a geographical location authentication, it is easy to put such technology readily into use even today.

But adoption of it by companies will need a lot of time as the newly invented tech needs to be developed on a commercial note.

NOTE 1- Quantum Mechanics, also called Quantum Physics, is a study of the behavior of particles such as atoms, photons, electrons, and other molecular structures. It all started at the beginning of the 20th century when a few scientists from the west explored the theory of relativity predicted by Albert Einstein.

NOTE 2-Such type of service will assist the banking sector a lot, as they are always being pestered by sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals.

 

The post Quantum Physics is said to make hacking impossible appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

April 29, 2022 at 08:37PM

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How to Use Your Asset Management Software to Reduce Cyber Risks

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Have you heard of the Colonial Pipeline incident? 

 

The cyberattack on the company caused widespread panic throughout the United States and disrupted operations for days. 

 

Yes, one lapse on a spam email, one inadequate password, one abandoned account, or a malfunctioning asset can cause havoc.

 

In fact, in the cybersecurity world, you can’t protect something if you have no idea where the threat exists.  

 

As a result, asset management has become an essential part of the base of cybersecurity processes in all sorts of businesses. 

 

IT asset management aka ITAM counts among the key components of a vigilant, full-fledged security strategy — because it allows your security staff to retain a real-time database of IT assets and the related attack vectors.

 

Let us now see how you can make the best use of ITAM to minimize cyber attacks.

9 ways through which ITAM can decrease cybersecurity threats

Here is a rundown of the benefits of an asset management software in cutting down cyber-related threats.

1. Identify assets and their associated risks

The best asset management software sets up a stock of your organization’s assets, phases of their entire life cycles, most recent software upgrades, the risks they could face, and the approaches to ensure their security.  

 

Hackers, for instance, are widely recognized for using phishing emails plus social engineering techniques to acquire access to classified data. IoT devices could be used like botnets so as to execute DDoS attacks. 

 

An ITAM system assists IT teams in keeping a record of both physical and virtual assets and monitoring their condition in real-time.

 

Ambiguity about cyber security threats, legal responsibilities, and unexpected events is exacerbated for IT security professionals who don’t understand where resources are positioned, how well they are handled, or whether they are susceptible. 

 

ITAM depicts those IT assets, which are being utilized in the widespread operating conditions. Admins can reduce security risks associated with unidentified, forgotten, or malfunctioning IT assets when IT possessions are tracked.

2. Handle the threats’ possible risks

 

IT asset management mitigates the unidentified unpredictability associated with cyber attacks. ITAM aids in the definition of an entity’s intent and the challenges it can encounter. 

 

For instance, an asset designed to store the bank details of its clients will involve a higher security level as compared to the firm’s attendance monitoring system. 

 

Security personnel gain a deeper insight of the associated risks with a resource by linking its function to it.

 

For instance, the team of WhatsApp introduced a new browser extension from early this week to keep their app service users via web safe and secure. 

 

The extension is called Code Verify and reassures the WhatsApp web version whether their session is authenticated or not, eliminating the threat of the text being tampered in transmission.

3. Streamline the security measures for assets

In almost every situation, safety and comfort are frequently at odds. Creating a system more reliable frequently involves making it a little less user-friendly. Likewise, vice versa. 

 

ITAM simplifies asset protection without sacrificing simplicity. For instance, prior to handling a gadget, the IT unit must thoroughly examine its security features. 

 

The IT division can rapidly categorize a new technology or software and approve it for usage by utilizing an ITAM platform.

 

ITAM would also make sure that the resources adhere to ITAM’s security protocols. This will, for instance, guarantee that gadgets are not linked to unsecure network systems and that files are not made accessible without approval. 

 

It aids in the enforcement of IT security practices when dealing with cyber assets.

4. Respond fast to incidents via IT experts

 

As you might expect, developing a specific strategy leads to quicker response times in the event of an incident. 

 

A data security ITAM enables your IT security staff to react immediately, contain the consequences of a violation or bypass, and minimize their impact.

 

However, please note that you will need a hands-on, expert team of IT professionals and QA engineers who have the right know-how of implementing ITAM in the organization.

 

It’s a good idea to evaluate the skills of your hires via assessments like a comprehensive test for hiring QA engineers. You can also involve professionals from various other departments – to create a toll that operates in all divisions.

 

Again, in the event of a problem, contemporary ITAM solutions can even optimize the reactions via automated solutions.

 

For instance, if anybody tries to enter an asset outside of the company firewall, ITAM can issue a notification and initiate the incident’s automatic message.

5. Control the cost and reporting of software assets

 

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Organizations that know how much software they possess can recapture unutilized apps and reassign it, avoiding the need to purchase a new license for the suggested software. 

 

Handling an excessive number of software apps raises the cyber-related risks associated with outdated or unpatched software. 

 

Companies are able to better oversee software demands and investments with appropriate IT asset management.

 

ITAM can help security professionals enhance the precision of their reports. Take into account to use your IT asset management dataset as an arbiter of facts to ensure that every asset has already been recorded and installed with the necessary security control mechanisms.

 

Ignored assets may not receive the necessary security controls, posing a potential threat to the system.

6. Ensure that software and hardware are updated

Older editions of software as well as applications which have not been properly rectified, can pose a cybersecurity risk to a company. 

 

ITAM keeps track of assets in the producing phase as well as resources in storage. IT supervisors can ensure that all IT resources are tallied and installed with the adequate tools to ensure that software applications are up to date alongside complete and accurate inventory data.

 

Unauthorized or unidentified IT resources can put the network’s security at risk. ITAM, in conjunction with network detection mechanisms, will enable IT admins to see all network-connected gadgets. 

 

Supervisors can place verifications in place in order to ensure that resources are able to comply with security protocols and upgrades when they recognise what is trying to connect to the system.

 

Assets which do not connect to a network for a longer length of time also can pose a threat. Managers can be alerted by ITAM when an asset fails to notify into the system, enabling someone to to probe into missing resources which have been seized or misplaced. 

 

Missing IT software having sensitive data might become a huge embarrassment for an organization, in addition to unforeseen legal expenses or fines.

7. Map software assets

Administrators can use ITAM to record the intent of an IT resource. ITAM services can link IT assets to tasks or IT services, giving security managers the details they need to safeguard each asset correctly. 

 

Servers bought for a testing phase, for instance, may necessitate security measures that vary considerably from servers acquired to offer online services within a live setting.

 

ITAM will indicate on which software bundles the company has certified, as well as what an application is doing for the organization. 

 

IT admins can refrain from buying duplicated software by mapping software names to software resources. Decreasing the number of software products that IT must support reduces cybersecurity risks.

8. Categorize IT assets

Inside an IT climate, not all resources are created equal. ITAM could indeed classify IT assets based on their integrated process. 

 

For instance, an IT asset characterized as crucial to IT operations might be connected with a system component, then controlled in a central repository via configuration management procedures to improve the overall workflow. 

 

It will report if any modifications, upgrades, or revisions are authorized and booked by using a change management process.

 

IT assets containing confidential or sensitive details should be classified appropriately to make sure that they are securely stored and, if disrupted, delegated to the right incident-response approach with the correct level of intensity. 

 

Whenever IT assets classified information are properly labeled, they can be allotted to applicable disposal procedures and guidelines so that data is adequately discarded from a system.

9. Track non-conventional assets

 

Non-conventional IT gadgets, including the Internet of Things (IoT), keep flooding the infrastructure. 

 

IT admins must record all equipment, both conventional and non-traditional, in order to successfully analyze the potential threat.

 

Even though the security risks involved with a smart headlight may appear to be minor, the technology that regulates the same can be vulnerable to hacking if not secured properly. 

 

ITAM makes non-traditional IT gadgets accessible to security officers, guaranteeing that all machines, like IoT equipment and supporting tools, are fully secure and up to date with the most recent safety and software updates.

Conclusion

To fully deliver on its guarantee, information security and IT asset management necessitates the integration of a series of functions. 

 

Businesses need to be able to classify, evaluate, and resolve the cyber security threats posed by all kinds of tools and assets, while also taking assertive actions to safeguard their equipment, systems, and information. 

 

They should also detect and track resources instantaneously, perform constant risk assessment, as well as immediately isolate untrustworthy resources from the entire network.

The post How to Use Your Asset Management Software to Reduce Cyber Risks appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

April 29, 2022 at 07:37PM

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