Content by Michael Novinson

Cato Networks Raises $238M on $3B Valuation to Move Upmarket

Michael Novinson  •  September 22, 2023

A late-stage SASE startup led by a serial entrepreneur hauled in a massive equity investment to address the feature and capability needs of large enterprises. The $238 million in funding will allow Cato Networks to more tightly align CASB and DLP with SASE to safeguard cloud apps and sensitive data.

Google CISO Phil Venables on Building Strong CIO-CISO Bonds

Michael Novinson  •  September 22, 2023

Increased engagement from boards on digital transformation initiatives around cloud and AI adoption has spurred greater investment in cybersecurity, said Google Cloud CISO Phil Venables. Systems built and designed decades ago have become increasingly difficult to secure, he said.

Forecasts of SIEM Death Premature - Just Ask Cisco, Splunk

Michael Novinson  •  September 21, 2023

It turns out SIEM isn't on life support after all. Cisco is providing 28 billion reasons to believe enterprises aren't scrapping the security operations center staple anytime soon, even though rivals with other types of security technology have attempted to write SIEM's obituary for years.

Cisco to Bring XDR, SIEM Together With $28B Splunk Purchase

Michael Novinson  •  September 21, 2023

Cisco's proposed $28 billion buy of Splunk allows businesses to move from threat detection and response to threat prediction and prevention by combining XDR and SIEM. The deal brings together Cisco's newly released XDR platform with Splunk's long-standing SIEM technology.

Why Palo Alto Is Eyeing Secure Browser Firm Talon for $600M

Michael Novinson  •  September 20, 2023

Last year's winner of RSA Conference's prestigious Innovation Sandbox contest could soon be acquired by Palo Alto Networks, according to Calcalist. The platform security behemoth is in advanced negotiations to purchase enterprise browser startup Talon Cyber Security for $600 million, Calcalist said.

WatchGuard Buys CyGlass to Bring NDR to Midmarket Customers

Michael Novinson  •  September 20, 2023

WatchGuard purchased a Massachusetts company to extend network detection and response capabilities traditionally reserved for high-end enterprises to the midmarket through MSPs. The deal gives WatchGuard clients more visibility into east-west network traffic and activity taking place on the cloud.

Expert: Keep Calm, Avoid Overhyping China's AI Capabilities

Michael Novinson  •  September 19, 2023

A researcher advised lawmakers to "keep calm and avoid overhyping China's AI capabilities" since the authoritarian regime struggles to drive widespread adoption of new technology. He urged Congress to embrace an "open system of innovation" around AI even it that results in some IP leaking to China.

CrowdStrike to Buy AppSec Startup Bionic for Reported $350M

Michael Novinson  •  September 19, 2023

CrowdStrike will buy an application security firm founded by two Israel Defense Forces veterans to deliver risk visibility and protection across the cloud. The deal will provide visibility into application behavior and vulnerability prioritization for server-based and serverless infrastructure.

Sift, LexisNexis Top Digital Fraud Management Forrester Wave

Michael Novinson  •  September 18, 2023

Established provider LexisNexis Risk Solutions remains atop Forrester's digital fraud management rankings, while upstart Sift broke into the leaders category for the first time. Many providers in the space have expanded from payment transactions to account takeover fraud as well as handling scams.

Dragos Raises $74M to Advance OT Protection in Europe, Asia

Michael Novinson  •  September 18, 2023

Dragos completed a Series D extension to help organizations address enhanced OT security requirements from regulators and cyber insurance providers. The money will allow Dragos to help EU businesses affected by updated cybersecurity directives requiring many smaller organizations to boost security.

How the US Government Views the Bright, Dark Sides of AI

Michael Novinson  •  September 14, 2023

AI allows U.S. agencies to address hard problems like quickly writing secure code but comes with risks around nation-states generating attacks more efficiently. "The cybersecurity element is a great example of the bright and the dark side of AI technology," said White House Director Arati Prabhakar.

DOD Cyber Strategy Aims to Disrupt Hackers, Deepen Ally Work

Michael Novinson  •  September 13, 2023

The Defense Department's updated cyber strategy calls for disrupting malicious actors and boosting the cyber capabilities of U.S. allies to take on Chinese threats to critical infrastructure. Defense officials also plan to conduct defensive operations to protect the department's information network.

Netcraft Buys FraudWatch to Boost Cybercrime Takedown Skills

Michael Novinson  •  September 12, 2023

Netcraft purchased an online brand protection vendor to incorporate security analysts into the company's highly automated cybercrime takedown process. The deal will expedite the takedown of fraudulent websites by capitalizing on their joint knowledge of the global infrastructure provider landscape.

Certa Raises $35M to Bring AI to Third-Party Risk Management

Michael Novinson  •  September 8, 2023

A third-party management platform founded by a longtime McKinsey consultant closed a funding round to bring further automation to compliance and procurement tasks. Certa plans to invest in AI that takes text-based organizational policies and converts them into controlled workflows.

CEO Gil Shwed on Why Check Point Decided to Buy Perimeter 81

Michael Novinson  •  September 8, 2023

Perimeter 81's ease of deployment and embrace of a cloud-based architecture made it stand apart from other secure remote access offerings, according to Check Point Software CEO Gil Shwed. The deal will help Check Point build a scalable network foundation that extends to thousands of users.