Category Archives: Internet Security
Cyber Threat Exposure: Detection & Prevention Guide – Security Boulevard
At its core, cyber threat exposure management (CTEM) is the culmination of traditional vulnerability management, threat intelligence, and attack surface management. In the past, organizations focused on identifying and patching software vulnerabilities, often with a reactive approach. CTEM is focused on proactively identifying all types of high-risk exposure that could leave your organization at risk, and empowering teams to proactively remediate them.
Today, the scope of cybersecurity threats has expanded enormously, extending beyond the traditional IT infrastructure to include cloud, operational technology, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and even business processes.
At the same time, the threat landscape is undergoing rapid and disjunctive shifts. New threats such as stealer logs and triple extortion ransomware continue to proliferate leaving many security teams in a mode of constant reactivity.
CTEM aims to bridge the gap between these teams and enable cybersecurity teams to build a threat driven approach to cyber exposure management.
Cyber exposure refers to the quantifiable measure of an organizations attack surface the sum total of vulnerabilities that a threat actor can exploit in its:
This exposure encompasses not only known vulnerabilities but also previously undiscovered ones that may exist in the organizations complex IT infrastructure. The greater an organizations cyber exposure, the more likely it is to suffer a potentially catastrophic cyber attack.
Cyber exposure aims to address this widened threat landscape by providing a live view of the entire attack surface, including both digital and physical assets. It uses data to develop risk-based insights and visualizes cyber risk in the same manner that CFOs visualize financial risk. This enables an organization to make strategic decisions based on the potential business impact.
Understanding and managing cyber exposure is crucial in todays hyper-connected world. It serves as the foundation for a proactive and risk-based approach to cybersecurity, ensuring organizations stay ahead of threats rather than merely responding to them. The next step in managing cyber exposure is implementing effective detection strategies.
As cyber threats grow more complex and numerous, detection strategies must evolve to match the pace. Implementing a robust, proactive approach to detecting cyber exposure is integral to a successful cybersecurity strategy.
Here are some critical pillars of cyber exposure detection in the context of the modern threat landscape:
The first step to managing cyber exposure is obtaining complete visibility of your entire IT ecosystem. This means identifying and cataloging all physical and digital assets, including:
Its essential to continuously monitor these assets to spot any changes or vulnerabilities that might increase your cyber exposure.
After mapping out your digital landscape, the next step is assessing the vulnerabilities within your network and systems. This process includes identifying known vulnerabilities using databases like the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system and conducting penetration testing to discover unknown vulnerabilities.
Its crucial to remember that new vulnerabilities can emerge at any time, necessitating a routine and ongoing assessment process.
Cyber threat intelligence is a critical tool in the fight against cyber exposure. By keeping abreast of the latest threat trends, attacker tactics, and emerging vulnerabilities, organizations can stay one step ahead of potential attacks.
Using a cyber threat intelligence platform can aid in automating this process, providing real-time alerts and in-depth analysis of the current threat landscape.
Identifying vulnerabilities is only part of the process; understanding the potential impact of these vulnerabilities is equally important. By performing a risk analysis, organizations can prioritize their remediation efforts based on the potential business impact of a vulnerability being exploited. This approach ensures that resources are allocated effectively, addressing the most critical threats first.
Detection strategies must be complemented by a robust incident response plan. When organizations detect a threat, they need to respond quickly to mitigate the damage.
This requires having a pre-established incident response plan that includes:
Incorporating these pillars into your cyber exposure detection strategy can significantly enhance your cybersecurity posture. However, while detection is vital, its only half of the equation. The other half lies in prevention strategies.
While detection is a critical component of managing cyber exposure, prevention is equally paramount. By implementing strategic preventive measures, organizations can significantly reduce their cyber exposure and mitigate potential risks.
Here are some best practices to consider:
One of the simplest ways to reduce cyber exposure is to regularly update and patch:
Many cyber attacks exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software. Therefore, adhering to a regular patching schedule is essential.
Ensure all your systems and applications are configured securely. Default configurations can often leave organizations exposed to threats. By hardening these configurations based on industry best practices or guidelines like those provided by the Center for Internet Security (CIS), you can significantly reduce your attack surface.
Human error remains one of the largest contributors to cyber exposure. Regular training and awareness programs can equip your employees with the knowledge to identify and avoid common threats like phishing attacks, thereby reducing the chance of a successful cyber attack.
Implement a least privilege access control policy, which ensures that employees have only the access they need to perform their job. This minimizes the risk of internal threats and limits the potential damage in case of a breach.
Use advanced threat protection tools that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to proactively detect and prevent threats. These technologies can spot unusual patterns or behaviors that traditional tools might miss, helping to prevent attacks before they occur.
While the focus here is on prevention, having a well-established incident response plan is still vital. It can help minimize the damage in the event of a security incident and ensure a swift return to normal operations.
Foster a culture of cybersecurity within your organization. This goes beyond mere training; it means integrating cybersecurity into your organizational ethos and everyday practices.
Preventing cyber exposure is an ongoing, dynamic process that requires continuous attention and refinement. By proactively implementing these best practices, organizations can protect themselves against evolving cyber threats and significantly decrease their cyber exposure. The ultimate goal is to establish a resilient security posture that enables your business to thrive in the digital age.
In an age of escalating cyber threats, it is not enough to merely react to incidents. Organizations need to take a proactive stance to manage their cyber exposure effectively, and one of the key ways to do this is through leveraging cyber threat intelligence.
Cyber threat intelligence refers to the collection and analysis of information about potential or current attacks threatening an organization. By using this intelligence, organizations can better understand the risks and implications of cyber threats, allowing them to make informed decisions about their security strategy.
Heres how cyber threat intelligence can be harnessed for effective cyber exposure management:
With detailed threat intelligence, your security team can proactively hunt for threats before they materialize into attacks. This involves searching for indications of malicious activities or anomalies within your networks that could signal a cyber threat.
Early detection of these potential threats can help organizations remediate them swiftly, reducing their cyber exposure.
All threats are not created equal. Threat intelligence allows your organization to understand the potential impact and likelihood of different threats. With this understanding, you can prioritize your security efforts towards the most significant risks, ensuring efficient use of resources.
By providing an in-depth understanding of the threat landscape, cyber threat intelligence can guide strategic security decision making. It helps you identify trends, understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of threat actors, and make predictions about future threats.
This empowers your organization to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and make strategic investments in your cybersecurity infrastructure.
In the event of a security incident, cyber threat intelligence can provide valuable context, helping your incident response team understand the nature of the attack, the possible motivation of the attackers, and the potential implications. This leads to a faster and more effective response, minimizing damage and downtime.
At a broader level, cyber threat intelligence feeds into your organizations overall risk management strategy. It aids in assessing your cyber risk, aligning your cybersecurity strategy with your business objectives, and demonstrating due diligence for compliance purposes.
In essence, cyber threat intelligence offers the foresight needed to anticipate and mitigate cyber threats. As such, it is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any organization seeking to manage its cyber exposure effectively. By integrating cyber threat intelligence into your cybersecurity strategy, your organization can navigate the digital landscape confidently, securing its future in an increasingly connected world.
Understanding and effectively managing cyber exposure is paramount for every organization. At the core of these strategies lies the powerful role of cyber threat intelligence, providing crucial insights and enabling proactive responses to the ever-evolving threat landscape.
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Cyber Threat Exposure: Detection & Prevention Guide - Security Boulevard
Navigating the Cyber Frontier: The 126 ARW Way > Air National … – ang.af.mil
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The Department of the Air Force is highlighting cybersecurity this month and this year's overarching theme is "Cybersecurity Every Airman, Every Guardian Mission Possible!"
Airmen and Guardians play a critical role in maintaining operational security. From practicing a safe online presence, to learning the fundamentals of cybersecurity and understanding what its contribution to the mission is, the 126th Air Refueling Wings Communications Flight specialists explain the importance of their work.
Staff Sgt. Joshua McCoid, a network operations specialist from the flight, puts it simply.
Were maintaining functionality of communications, whether it be radio, cyber, or just digital communications. Maintaining those, making sure that we have the capability and the availability. Making sure nobody can mess with that signal as well, said McCoid.
In an age of rapidly advancing technology, the U.S. military adapts accordingly. With every software update or newly released connected device comes new ways for the enemy to puncture our digital defenses, leaving our greatest assets vulnerable. Its the responsibility of our servicemembers to continually adapt their cybersecurity techniques to defend against malicious actors and foreign adversaries.
Airman Maximillian Bremer, an information assurance specialist, has an answer to this. With a background in scripting, Bremer wants to work his way into becoming an ethical hacker. Right now, hes using his skills to identify shortcomings in the Air Forces cyberspace.
We look for outdated versions of software that shouldn't be on the system that could allow a bad actor to get in," said Bremer. "Anything that a bad actor could use to get into the system, or that someone already in the system could use to exfiltrate data that we don't want to leave the system.
Its extremely important that all guardsmen are up to date on the latest security practices to ensure operational security. Airmen of all ranks are entrusted with sensitive information, which must be shared only with those who require it, making it crucial that proper cybersecurity hygiene is practiced by all individuals, rather than a select few experts of the field.
One of those experts, McCoid, switched from active duty to the Illinois Air National Guard this year.
During some of his time in active duty, he worked as a cyber warfare operations specialist, where he specialized in Windows operating systems. Engaging in cyber warfare among his DoD counterparts, an exercise referred to as a hackathon, McCoid sought out innovation within his field to expand the understanding and ability of the DoD, experimenting boldly and creatively to develop the cyber field.
Thinking about a career after active duty, McCoid sought true mastery in his field and saw the Illinois Air National Guard as an opportunity to hone in on specific skills.
I think I want to stretch my legs I want to be really good at this one thing, said McCoid. "I want to really focus in on being an event manager, you know, where I'm in charge of making sure all the security logs get to where they're going, or I'm an analyst of some sort."
I want to be really good at this I want to be streamlined and expert in this.
McCoid searched for a more conducive work-life balance by joining the Illinois National Guard and says he has no regrets.
According to Maj. Christopher Kruse, the 126th Communications Flight commander, we need to be aware of what good digital conduct looks like, and this month is a time to expand on what we already know about maintaining security.
The Department of the Air Forces focus on cybersecurity expresses a commitment to safeguarding missions and ensuring that every Airman and Guardian is equipped with the knowledge and tools to protect against digital threats.
Strong cyber security is the foundation of trust in our digital world, said Kruse, which is important at work and especially at home with the vast Internet of things.
Here are some resources available to learn more about online safety:https://www.safcn.af.mil/CISO/Cybersecurity-Awareness/CSAM-2023/
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Navigating the Cyber Frontier: The 126 ARW Way > Air National ... - ang.af.mil
Southern District of Texas | Mexican national sentenced for … – Department of Justice
BROWNSVILLE, Texas A 34-year-old resident of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been sentenced for possessing child pornography found on his cell phone as he tried to enter the country, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Jesus Banda-Olivo pleaded guilty Jan. 25.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Banda-Olivo
to serve 97 months in federal prison. Garza was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve eight years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Aug. 15, 2022, Banda-Olivo attempted to make entry into the United States through the Veterans Port of Entry. Authorities believed he was in the country illegally and sent him to secondary inspection.
There, law enforcement conducted a consensual search of Banda-Olivos cell phone and discovered multiple photographs and videos of child pornography. The investigation revealed Banda-Olivo possessed 1,223 unique images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone and his cloud storage account. Some of the images included images of the sexual abuse of toddlers and prepubescent minors. The images found on the seized cell phone were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for victim identification.
Banda-Olivo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJs PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
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Southern District of Texas | Mexican national sentenced for ... - Department of Justice
What’s the Best Protection Against Ransomware and Data Stealers … – Digital Information World
Getting your hands on some protection against ransomware and data stealers is essential because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up preventing malicious actors from illicitly obtaining your data. This data can often be of a highly personal and sensitive nature, so it is no surprise that consumers all around the world are trying to make themselves feel safer than might have been the case otherwise by choosing the best one.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that AV-TEST recently did an analysis of 27 protection solutions that are currently available on the market. This testing process revealed which options can withstand the attacks that are being committed in the here and now, and each software was graded on a 35 point scale.
It turns out that V3 Internet Security, a product offered by the folks over at AhnLabs, came out on top. It received the maximum possible score of 35 points, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, there were a few other protection solutions that also managed to reach this score.
All in all, ten of the 27 protection solutions that AV-TEST experimented with received the highest score that was possible with all things having been considered and taken into account. Apart from V3 Internet Security, they include the Free Antivirus by Avast, Internet Security by AVG, SAFE by F-Secure, and Standard by Kaspersky.
Furthermore, Premium by Malwarebytes, Total Protection by the widely popular McAfee, the stock Defender Antivirus offered by Microsoft, the eScan Internet Security Suite and Application Allowlisting by PC Matic also made the cut. These ten represent the absolute pinnacle of ransomware and data stealer protection, but some of the 27 products that were tested missed the mark.
On the other end of the spectrum, Security for Windows by Avira missed out on 3 points. This just goes to show that you need to be careful about which security solution you end up selecting. Failing to pick the right one could lead to your systems getting compromised. Once a malicious actor has been allowed in, there is no telling what type of irreparable damage they might end up doing on their way out.
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What's the Best Protection Against Ransomware and Data Stealers ... - Digital Information World
How to choose the best cloud security posture management tools – CSO Online
After companies move to the cloud, many are under the impression that their cloud hosting providers are solely responsible for security, a misconception that can lead to data breaches and other security issues.
While the responsibility for securing cloud infrastructure falls to cloud services providers, it's up to customers to configure the cloud and secure their applications and sensitive corporate data.
Thats where cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools can help. These tools continuously and automatically check for misconfigurations that can result in data leaks and data breaches. CSPM tools manage cloud security risks on an ongoing basis and ensure compliance in the cloud so enterprises can continuously make any necessary changes.
"CSPM solutions use best practices and compliance (PCI, SOC2, etc.) templates to identify drifts and insecure configurations in cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform) in the compute, storage, and network areas," says Andras Cser, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research. "CSPM tools can alert and optionally remediate the insecure configurations.
CSPM tools look at workloads to see whats happening and they provide context, so organizations know which of the vulnerabilities or issues is most important, says Charlie Winckless, senior director analyst at Gartner. These tools enable companies to prioritize which risks are real, which risks are important, and which risks they may be able to delay fixing a little bit, he says.
Organizations evaluating various CSPM tools should ensure that they cover all the cloud platforms theyre using, says Winckless.
"You want to be able to normalize the configuration risks across the major cloud platforms," he says. "Most organizations that are purchasing these tools will probably be multicloud. Theyll be using at least two clouds, maybe more, since the cloud providers themselves do offer some of this functionality built into their platforms."
Philip Bues, cloud security research manager at IDC, says the new reality for most organizations is a hybrid multicloud environment, "so you want something thats going to be able to give you really deep visibility throughout all the environments and workloads that you have. And that's what the CSPM solution should be able to provide you."
Other features organizations should look for in CSPM tools include:
Comprehensive threat detection: Because threats in multicloud environments are complex, these tools must gather threat intelligence from a number of sources to give companies clear views of their risks.
Integrated data security: Keeping data safe in the cloud requires a multipronged defense that gives companies deep visibility into the state of their data. This includes enabling organizations to monitor how each storage bucket is configured across all their storage services to ensure their data isnt inadvertently exposed to unauthorized applications or users.
Automated alert remediation: Organizations must ensure that the CSPM tools they select can automate routine security monitoring, audits, and remediations across their cloud environments. This allows security teams to prioritize and remediate the risks that can potentially cause the most damage.
CSPM tools offer a number of benefits that help companies boost security, minimize their risk exposure in cloud environments, and reduce costs. These benefits include:
There are some pitfalls that companies need to be aware of when it comes to CSPM tools, including:
Not understanding the requirements of CSPM tools: This is one of the biggest mistakes that organizations can make when theyre shifting workloads to the cloud because things that werent connected before are now interconnected, says Bues. The best way to implement CSPM tools is to ensure teams receive the proper training and proper awareness for how this solution is supposed to work within the environment. "You dont want to have the security team with little or no cloud experience or developers with limited security experience trying to manage this new CSPM solution," he says. "You should have the developers and the security team working together because everyone has different needs."
Not opting for a multicloud CSPM tool: Another mistake companies make is selecting tools that offer a one-size-fits-all approach offered by public cloud vendors that dont offer a unified view across all their cloud environments. Organizations should opt for CSPM tools that provide multicloud monitoring and protection.
Thinking theyre too small/not mature enough: A company that assumes its too small or not mature enough to consider security will always put the business at risk as it typically only thinks about security after an issue or breach occurs. However, companies of all sizes should ensure they protect their assets across teams by implementing CSPM tools.
There are numerous CSPM tools on the market, so to help you begin your research, we've highlighted the following products based on discussions with analysts and independent research.
Aqua Security Real-Time CSPM: Connects organizations cloud accounts so they can identify all their cloud resources running in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Alibaba Cloud, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Intune, and Oracle Cloud. Provides a comprehensive view of organizations' real-time cloud security risks, identifying the most critical problems so they can focus on fixing high-priority issues. Uses agentless workload scanning to scan workloads and assess companies basic risk postures. Detects cloud risks and catches threats that evade agentless detection, including fileless malware, memory-based attacks, and unknown exploit attempts, such as zero days. Provides context-based insights and recommends remediation actions. Prioritizes the most important security issues. Connects issues detected in the cloud back to development.
Check Point CloudGuard for Cloud Security Posture Management: Automates security, compliance, and governance across multicloud environments and services. Detects misconfigurations, visualizes and assesses companies security postures, and enforces compliance frameworks and security best practices. Companies can manage the security and compliance of their public cloud environments across Azure, AWS, GCP, Alibaba Cloud, and Kubernetes. CloudGuards network and asset visualization enables companies to detect any compromised workloads, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or open ports in real-time. Offers threat intelligence support as a free add-on to CSPM customers. This feature offers insights into account activity through threat research and machine learning.
CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security: Provides threat detection, prevention, and remediation and enforces compliance and security posture and compliance across AWS, Azure, and GCP. Provides CSPM features for hybrid and multicloud environments. Enables companies to continuously monitor the compliance posture of all their cloud resources from a single console and dashboard for numerous regulations, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), SOC2, and more. Lets companies compare cloud application configurations to organizational and industry benchmarks so they can detect violations and remediate them in real time to ensure their applications are always available.
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud: Safeguards resources across multicloud and hybrid environments. Its features work on AWS, Azure, Alibaba Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and GCP public cloud environments. Provides users with total visibility into their cloud environments, automated responses, and continuous threat detection. Analyzes, normalizes disparate data sources to offer enterprises clarity into risk management. Provides historical and real-time visibility across assets and configurations. Offers companies step-by-step remediation instructions for compliance violations and misconfigurations. Collects audit event logs allowing security administrations to see configuration changes and identify when they occurred.
Tenable Cloud Security: Provides a complete inventory of assets across Azure, GCP, and AWS. Automatically detects and maps organizations cloud environments, including workloads, infrastructures, data, and identities. Enables companies to view infrastructure thats configured incorrectly, as well as associated risks, vulnerabilities, excessive permissions, and network configurations that can expose corporate resources. Allows organizations to automatically remediate misconfigurations, risky privileges, and policy violations. Companies can audit multicloud environments against industry standards, including AWS Well-Architected framework, NIST, PCI-DSS, SOC2, and Center for Internet Security benchmarks for Kubernetes and more. Companies can create their own custom checks.
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How to choose the best cloud security posture management tools - CSO Online
26 Gloucestershire tech companies leading the UK’s cyber sector – SoGlos
With National European Cyber Security Month shining a spotlight on some of the UK's leading tech companies in the cyber sector, SoGlos showcases 26 of the Gloucestershire businesseshelping to make the county the UK's cyber capital.
From homegrown tech start-ups to multinational organisations drawn to the county by its strong reputation, we reveal some of the best in the industry...
SGGBA winner for Cyber Business of the Yearand Gloucester tech giant Salus Cyberis a certified provider of world-class cybersecurity services. It helps clients identify and manage their cyber risks proactively and effectively and is the cyber security partner of choice for industry-leading organisations throughout the UK and Europe. Based at Eagle Tower in Cheltenham.
This Cheltenham-headquartered firm based in Eagle Tower describes itself as countering global money laundering, terrorism, and criminal networks. Founded by former members of GCHQ,Ripjardevelops software that combines automation, data visualisation and the ever-expanding features of AI to tackle complex threats to our digital society.
An official Gloucestershire B Corp, Optimising IT provides a range of services from cyber security improvement to complete outsourced IT department services, for organisations that need help managing their IT or require consultancy about changes such as mergers or acquisitions. Based at Twigworth Court Business Centre in Gloucester.
North Green Security is a UK-based cyber security training and consultancy company, with offices in Eagle Tower in Cheltenham. Its aim is to assist in providing a more secure future by ensuring more people at all levels of learning can contribute to an ever-growing and evolving industry, with companies benefitting from strategic assessments conducted by its knowledgeable consultants.
Based in Quedgeley and working with a range of organisations from SMEs to government bodies, Infrastaris a specialist computer networking andinfrastructure company. Its expertise lies in assisting organisations insecuring the IT hardware and solutions they require to operate at optimumefficiency,' from assessing current network environments to the full-scalenetwork design and implementation.
SGGBA Team of the Year 2023 winners,Bamboo Technology, worksto improve other businesses through its extensive IT and telecommunicationsexpertise and it designs and delivers digitally assured solutions for thehybrid workforce. Its headquarters are at Gloucestershire Colleges Cheltenhamcampus.
Based out of Gloucestershire's Hub8, Berta Pappenheimfounded CyberFish in 2018 to build organisational resilience in a way that issustainable, focusing on the psychology of a team so it becomes self-improvingand never goes out of date a few updates later. CyberFish works withmission-critical departments in governments, law enforcement and globalorganisations.
Amiosec specialises in the design and development of securesolutions for government and commercial organisations. The Tewkesbury-based business providesa range of next generation advanced mobile and remote access solutions thatprovide secure mobile communications across public networks. Its products aresimple to configure, easy to use.
Tewkesbury-based business Synalogik describes itself as a team ofopen-source intelligence, data processing and automation experts from across the intelligence, law enforcement and investigation industries. Its vision is to revolutionise the automation of targeted data collection and analysis, allowing organisations to make 'smarter decisions.' The team also won a prestigious Queen's Award for Innovation in 2022.
With thousands of courses spanning health and safety to data protection,Nimble Elearningscloud-based elearning platform is well-used by individuals and businesses alike. Its intuitive tools have also helped clients create thousandsmore courses too. In short, the Stonehouse firm is enabling a revolution UK-wide in thedelivery of effective, affordable, dynamic online training.
Founded byGloucestershire-based Chris Dunning-Walton, this boutique cyber andtechnology recruitment consultancy prides itself on its ability to inspire talented people to find careers that inspire them. Working exclusively within the IT sector, with specialism areas in cyber security, software development and engineering, the award-winning Infosec is based in the Eagle Tower in Cheltenham, with offices in Bristol, too. Dunning-Walton is also a key member of Gloucestershire-basedcyber networking and support group CyNam.
Founded in 2016, Savient is a bespoke software consultancy firm based in Hub8 in the Brewery Quarter in Cheltenham that uses software technology solutions and services to help customers solve business problems and unlock the value in their data. It says its mission is to find and deliver solutionsusing software technology, so your business can work faster and moreefficiently, while meeting emerging opportunities', adding 'we work closely with youapplying our creative, intuitive and adaptive thinking to deliver technologythat works the way your business thinks.
If you want a simple to understand, but sophisticatedsolution to your businesss cyber security concerns, Cheltenham-basedReformIT iscapturing a growing market of firms from all sectors looking to put their IT inthe hands of a business which can manage all its software, hardware, updates,cyber attacks and even training all under one roof.
P3M Works delivers cyber security and digital transformation projects across both private and public sector clients. Its collaboration ofpermanent, technical delivery staff and cyber SMEsare based at Cheltenham's home of private sector cyber, Hub8, in the Brewery Quarter.
Blacksmiths Group is a team of human, digital and physical security specialists who will develop your businesss capability to tackle security challenges and defend against complex threats. The Cheltenham firm provides consultancy and develops technologies to solve problems. Its teams are highly experienced technical and security experts with skills acquired in UK government and the tech industry.
North Tower Consulting is a software solutions consultancy based in Cheltenham, providing professional expertise in cyber security, cloud computing and much more. Set up in 2019 by its founding business partner, the business has gone from strength to strength, with major government contract wins and now a team of more than 50 people onboard.
Another Cheltenham-based company, Gemba Advantage, which was co-founded by Shelley Wood, is a tech development firm that builds high-impact software for businesses.Itspartners include the UK government and the National Crime Agency.Its teamcan build and maintain high quality software to help your business make the mostof its technological investments.
Founded in 2020 byRobert Diamond, Craig Morgan and Craig Stocks who bring years of experienceworking within the cyber security, defence and IT sectors, Cheltenham-based, HamiltonianDynamics provides 'high performance, big impact mission critical software', anddoes so for multiple government departments, as well as being a design anddevelopment consultancy agency.
This Cheltenham-basedfirm was started by a husband-and-wife team in 2016 and has operated primarily in the defence sector for the past few years. Fat Potato worked across multiple major projects deliveringsoftware solutions in challenging and demanding environments and has provenexpertise in a wide array of technical specialisms. It works with businesses totransform their applications and enhance performance.
Established in 2013,Cyber Security Associates (CSA) provides cyber consultancy and cyber managedservices which help to detect, protect and educate against the ever-changing threat of cyber attacks. It has built a team from government (ex-military) andcommercially experienced specialists all holding current and relevant cybercertifications. Today, its core services are based around a 24/7 securityoperations centre in Gloucester.
This Cirencester firm is dedicated to assisting organisations to adopt cloud services andtechnologies securely, whilst understanding the continued challenges of acomplex hybrid environment. Somerford Associates will work as your trusted partner and as part of yourteam to deliver success. Its aim is to meet customers needs with afocus on service quality and delivery for on-premises, hybrid or full cloudenvironments.
CoreTech is a niche cyber security company whose people aremotivated by the desire to deliver exceptional capabilities coupled with a realsense of mission. Its Cheltenham-based team is highly experienced, deeply technical,and blend vulnerability research, research engineering and software developmentskills.
Cirencester-based Core to Cloud is an SGGBA 2022 award winner and its founder, James Cunningham,was named in The Times LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders list in the same year. Describing itself as your 'cyber security sidekick', its services include cyber security gap analysis, MDR, crisis simulating and dark web monitoring.
Started and run by engineers from the UK intelligence anddefence communities, and headquartered in Cheltenham's Eagle Tower, Red Maple Technologies is a technicalconsultancy and product company. Founded to help organisations of all sizesprotect themselves from cybersecurity threats, it solves technical and security problems with technical solutions.
Another resident of Gloucestershires home of private sector cyber, Hub8 but in its Gloucestershire College campus workspace Indeloy specialises in helpingcustomers find the right IT solution for their needs. It can source a widevariety of products and provide services such as hardware disposal, softwareerasure, licence management and more.
Headquartered in New York but with a UK base in the Brewery Quarter's cyber hot spot, Hub8, Cylera is pioneering IoT (Internet of Things) security and intelligence to protect what matters most people, safety, privacy and business continuity. Specialising in support for the healthcare sector, it delivers acyber security platform that discovers devices, analyses network traffic andrisk, detects vulnerabilities, continuously identifies threats or maliciousdevices and helps reduce attacks.
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26 Gloucestershire tech companies leading the UK's cyber sector - SoGlos
France and Germany increasingly drift apart on digital sovereignty of … – EURACTIV
The recent announcement of a new, independent cloud for Europe by Amazon Web Services (AWS) has underlined the growing divergence between the positions of Paris and Berlin regarding digital sovereignty in the cloud sector.
The move by AWS last week came as part of an overall trend whereby American hyperscalers a term used to describe cloud service providers with massive operations seek to address the concerns of EU countries looking to keep their data within Europes borders.
Past examples include leading market players like Microsoft, which announced its Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty offer in July 2022, and Oracle, which launched its EU Sovereign Cloud offer last June.
What worries me the most is that the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has endorsed the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, French centrist MP Philippe Latombe told Euractiv, explaining he fears that the Germans start exerting pressure against Frances highest cloud security certification, called SecNumCloud.
AWS was in fact the first cloud service provider to receive the BSIs C5 testate,a German cloud security certification, based on the same international standard as SecNumCloud.
BSIs Director General Claudia Plattner said in a statement that she was very pleased to constructively accompany the local development of an AWS cloud, which will also contribute to European sovereignty in terms of security.
According to Arnaud David, Director of European Affairs at AWS, the company has put in place technical building blocks, including safeguards, controls and security features that allow customers to enforce access restrictions so that nobody, including from AWS, can access customer data.
He further explained that AWS cannot access customer data unless the access is given by its customers and that AWS provides its customers with encryption tools. Moreover, only EU-resident AWS employees located in the EU will control operations of the AWS European sovereign cloud.
A comprehensive bill aiming to secure and regulate the internet in France aims to strictly respect the new digital European regulations and, when it comes to cloud regulation, will go even further.
For MP Latombe, AWS cloud cannot be sovereign because it is subject to the US FISA and Cloud Act, legislations mandating US companies, US citizens or foreign subsidiaries on US soil to cooperate with the US security agencies.
According to AWSs David, if AWS is requested to send data to US administrations under the FISA, Amazon will challenge every request it deems inappropriate, especially if it is contrary to local law, like the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU.
Of course, every company affirms it would not disclose sensitive information, at least until they are caught in the crossfire of conflicting jurisdictions.
We are a global company subject to laws in every country where we operate, including US law, David said, adding that this was also the case for EU companies with subsidiaries in the US.
Latombe disagrees, arguing that European cloud providers with operations in the United States are subject to US laws only through their US-based subsidiaries, which is not the case with AWS, a US-based company that must comply with US agencies globally.
Jean-Sbastien Mariez, founding partner of the French tech law firm Momentum Avocats, noted that since the Cloud Act, the location of data is irrelevant in the applicability of US laws.
Moreover, while Amazon advertises that only EU-resident AWS employees located in the EU will access data, a 2022 memo by the Dutch National Cyber Security Center states that this does not necessarily mean protection from FISA and Cloud Act laws.
Traditionally, Paris could count on Berlins support to push digital sovereignty principles that favour their national champions over foreign providers. In contrast, smaller member states prefer to buy the best available technology regardless of its provenance.
But a Franco-German divergence on the concept of the sovereign cloud has been long in the making. Different understandings of what digital sovereignty meant for cloud infrastructure are what made the Gaia-X European digital sovereignty project lose its political momentum.
Tensions came to a head with the European Cloud Services scheme (EUCS), a cybersecurity certification scheme where France, via its Commissioner Thierry Breton, tried to replicate the sovereignty requirements of SecNumCloud at the EU level.
This attempt faced significant resistance from more liberal countries, led by the Netherlands. With the liberal Free Democratic Party occupying critical ministries in the current coalition government in Berlin, France not only did not receive support from Germany but was at times more or less openly criticised.
In this context, Latombe fears that Germans are taking a pro-US and anti-French position and, therefore, would be exchanging their industrial dependency on Russian gas for a dependency on American digital companies.
That is why he considers that giving the C5 certification to the AWS European Sovereign cloud was a nook in [the French certification] SecNumCloud since the French ANSSI and German BSI authorities have a mutual recognition agreement for security certificates, albeit only for the first security level at the moment.
A BSI spokesperson told Euractiv there was no specific connection between the AWS announcement and the currently discussed EUCS. Meanwhile, the German Digital Ministry said to Euractiv that it was committed to ensuring that the [German] economy can access secure and powerful cloud structures to the extent required.
The French ANSSI and the Digital Ministry declined Euractivs requests for comment.Latombe advertised on Monday (30 October) that he sent a written question to French Digital Minister Jean-Nol Barrot on the matter.
[Edited by Luca Bertuzzi/Nathalie Weatherald]
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France and Germany increasingly drift apart on digital sovereignty of ... - EURACTIV
Internet access in Gaza is collapsing as ISPs fall offline – TechCrunch
Image Credits: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images / Getty Images
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas reaches its third week, internet connectivity in Gaza is getting worse.
On Thursday morning, internet monitoring firm NetBlocks wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the Palestinian internet service provider NetStream has collapsed days after the operator notified subscribers that service would end due to a severe shortage of fuel supplies.
Hours later, NetBlocks wrote that its network data showed a collapse in connectivity in the Gaza strip, including Paltel, which bills itself as the leading telecommunication company in Gaza.
Todays incident is the largest single disruption to internet connectivity we have observed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict. It will be experienced by many as a total or near-total internet blackout, Isik Mater, director of research at NetBlocks, told TechCrunch.
According to Doug Madory, an expert who for years has worked at various companies that monitor networks across the world, internet connectivity in Gaza is dramatically worsening.
The evidence of the crippled internet in Gaza is not hard to find. By every metric of internet connectivity, things are in bad shape, Madory, who is now the director of internet analysis at Kentik, told TechCrunch.
Madory said that he monitored internet connectivity in Gaza during the 2014 war. At the time, despite some outages, the ISPs were able to keep their connections to the outside world up using backup power, etc., even if many people were unable to access service due to power outages and infrastructure failures.
NetStream did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to its email, Facebook and WhatsApp accounts. NetStreams website appeared offline as of Friday.
Earlier on Friday, Mater told TechCrunch that Paltel and Mada Al-Arab another major regional internet provider as well as their downstreams and subsidiaries, still have a degree of connectivity although its not clear how much of this is reaching end users.
Internet security firm Cloudflare also showed issues with NetStream as of the time of writing. Cloudflare head of data insight David Belson pointed to several other ISPs that the company is monitoring, including SpeedClick, AjyalFI, DCC, Fusion, NewStarMAX, JETNET, Digital Communications Palestine and TechHub-HiNet, which are all either largely or completely offline since the first few days of the conflict.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists launched a surprise attack against Israelis in their homes, at a music festival and on the streets, killing more than 1,400 people. Since then, the Israeli military has responded with a series of airstrikes that have killed more than 7,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, though U.S. officials have called into question the accuracy of these numbers. As part of its response to the terrorist attack, Israel cut off electricity in Gaza, reportedly reducing the regions power supply by 90%.
IODA, which is a system that monitors the Internet infrastructure connectivity in near-real time, with the goal of identifying macroscopic Internet outages, is monitoring several internet providers in Palestine, including NetStream, and shows widespread outages or at least significant degradation.
The organization wrote on X that connectivity in Gaza further dropped on Friday, due to a complete outage of NetStream.
Amanda Meng, a research scientist at Georgia Tech, told TechCrunch that they are seeing a continued decline of connectivity in Gaza. Meng described the first decline beginning on October 7 with connectivity dropping to 20%, followed by a second decline early on October 21, dropping to about 15% and below.
IODA was originally developed by the Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA) at the University of California San Diego, and is now maintained by the Georgia Institute of Technology.
On Friday afternoon, Palestine Red Crescent Society, a humanitarian NGO in Palestine, wrote on X that it had completely lost contact with the operations room in Gaza Strip and all our teams operating there due to the Israeli authorities cutting off all landline, cellular and internet communications.
We are deeply concerned about the ability of our teams to continue providing their emergency medical services, especially since this disruption affects the central emergency number 101 and hinders the arrival of ambulance vehicles to the wounded and injured, the PRCS wrote.
Digital rights organization AccessNow has warned that internet outages in Palestine can have serious repercussions on the ground.
With thousands of people already killed, and currently in a near-complete blackout, access to information has become scarce, directly impacting the capacity to document atrocities perpetrated on the ground, the organization wrote in a press release updated last week. People find it nearly impossible to learn the whereabouts of their families and loved ones, and if theyre dead or alive.
This story has been updated to add information and comments provided by Cloudflare and NetBlocks, and with more from Isik Mater and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
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Internet access in Gaza is collapsing as ISPs fall offline - TechCrunch
Companies that had their IPO in 1998 – Cantech Letter
The year 1998 was a significant one in the world of technology and finance, particularly marked by a surge in initial public offerings (IPOs) in the tech sector, fueled by the dot-com boom. This period was characterized by an unprecedented level of excitement and optimism regarding internet-based companies and the potential of the World Wide Web, which was still relatively new to the public and businesses.
During this time, investors were eager to pour money into any company that had a .com in its name, often overlooking traditional business metrics like profitability, revenue, or viable business models. The stock market saw a proliferation of tech startups going public, with their stock prices often soaring on their first day of trading, driven by high investor demand and speculation. This phenomenon led to inflated valuations of many tech companies.
Among the notable IPOs in 1998, there were some standout companies that attracted significant attention. For instance, eBay, the online auction and shopping website, had its IPO in this year, and it was a major success. The eBay IPO was emblematic of the era, demonstrating how a novel internet-based business model could capture the imagination of investors and achieve a high market valuation.
The 1998 IPO frenzy was part of a larger tech bubble that grew in the late 1990s. The excitement was based on the belief that the internet would fundamentally change business and society. However, this enthusiasm often led to overvaluation and speculation, with many investors and companies assuming that traditional business metrics could be overlooked in favor of growth and market share acquisition.
The eventual bursting of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s led to a market correction, with many of the companies that had gone public during this period seeing their values plummet, and some going out of business entirely. The period also brought about a reevaluation of investment strategies and a more cautious approach to tech IPOs, with greater scrutiny on the fundamentals of the business, rather than the hype surrounding the internet and technology.
In summary, the IPO scene of 1998 was a hallmark of the dot-com boom, marked by a flurry of tech startups going public amidst a climate of optimism and speculation about the potential of the internet. This period played a crucial role in shaping the tech industry and the approach to tech investments in the years that followed.
Amdocs, a company known for its software and services for communications, media, and financial services providers, made its mark on the financial markets with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. As an IPO, Amdocs offering was a significant event, particularly because of the context in which it occurred during the dot-com boom, a period characterized by high investor enthusiasm for technology and telecommunications stocks.
Founded in Israel in 1982, Amdocs developed a reputation for providing customer care, billing, and order management systems for telecommunications carriers. By the time of its IPO, Amdocs had already established itself as a significant player in its field, serving a global client base with its software solutions. This positioning helped the company stand out amidst the numerous tech and internet-based companies that were going public around the same time.
The Amdocs IPO was noteworthy for several reasons. First, it was one of the larger IPOs of that year and attracted considerable attention from investors interested in the telecommunications sector. Unlike many tech startups going public at the time, Amdocs had a solid history of operations and a proven business model, which offered some assurance to potential investors.
Moreover, the success of the Amdocs IPO was reflective of the broader market trends. There was a high demand for shares of technology and telecom-related companies, fueled by the widespread belief that these sectors would continue to experience significant growth. Amdocs, with its established business in a vital tech sector, was well-positioned to capitalize on this investor sentiment.
The performance of Amdocs stock post-IPO was also an indicator of the companys strength. While many other companies that debuted in the market around the same period experienced turbulent journeys, especially after the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s, Amdocs managed to navigate these challenging times relatively well. This resilience was partly due to the companys focus on providing essential services to telecommunications companies, a sector that remained vital even during market downturns.
In conclusion, the Amdocs IPO in 1998 was a significant event in the tech and telecommunications sectors, coming at a time when investor interest in these areas was particularly high. The companys successful transition to a publicly-traded entity reflected both the strengths of its business model and the broader market enthusiasm for technology-related stocks during the late 1990s.
Broadcast.com, a pioneering internet company, had a notable moment in its history with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This event was particularly significant in the context of the late 1990s, a period characterized by immense investor enthusiasm for internet-related businesses, often referred to as the dot-com boom.
Founded in 1995 by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner, Broadcast.com specialized in online multimedia and streaming technology, providing a platform for broadcasting live and pre-recorded events over the internet. This was at a time when the concept of streaming media was in its infancy, and internet bandwidth was still a limiting factor for many users.
The Broadcast.com IPO in 1998 was one of the most successful of that era. On its first day of trading, the companys stock price soared, nearly tripling in value. This dramatic increase was a testament to the feverish investor appetite for anything related to the internet and the growing recognition of the potential of online media.
What made Broadcast.com particularly attractive to investors was its unique position in the burgeoning field of online streaming. The company was one of the first to recognize and capitalize on the potential of the internet as a medium for broadcasting events, music, and other forms of entertainment, at a time when traditional media companies were still trying to figure out their online strategies.
Broadcast.coms success post-IPO was short-lived, however, as the company quickly became a target for acquisition. In 1999, it was acquired by Yahoo! in a deal valued at $5.7 billion, one of the largest acquisitions during the dot-com era. This acquisition was seen as a strategic move by Yahoo! to enhance its multimedia and streaming capabilities and compete more effectively in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
However, the acquisition did not realize the full potential that many had envisioned. The integration of Broadcast.com into Yahoo!s operations faced several challenges, and the expected synergies did not materialize as anticipated. Additionally, the burst of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s led to a dramatic shift in the internet business landscape, affecting many companies, including those within Yahoo!s portfolio.
Despite its relatively brief independent existence, Broadcast.coms IPO remains a notable episode in the history of the internet. It symbolized the immense possibilities that the internet held for transforming media and entertainment, and it was a harbinger of the streaming revolution that would unfold in the years to follow. The story of Broadcast.com also serves as a cautionary tale about the volatility of the tech market, especially during periods of speculative investment frenzy like the dot-com boom.
Celestica, a key player in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry, marked a significant milestone with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. Based in Toronto, Canada, Celestica was originally a part of IBM before becoming an independent entity, and by the time of its IPO, it had established itself as a major name in the provision of electronics manufacturing and supply chain services to a range of high-tech companies.
The timing of Celesticas IPO was crucial, as it coincided with a period of robust growth and optimism in the technology sector. The late 1990s saw a surge in demand for technology and telecommunications equipment, fueled by the dot-com boom and the expanding global internet infrastructure. This environment created a fertile ground for companies like Celestica, whose services were integral to the production of electronic components and systems for a wide array of technology products.
During its IPO, Celestica was well-received in the market, reflecting investors confidence in the EMS sector and the role of companies like Celestica in the global technology supply chain. The companys offering was seen as a solid investment, given its established customer base, which included some of the biggest names in technology, and its proven track record in managing complex manufacturing processes.
Post-IPO, Celestica continued to grow, capitalizing on the increasing trend of outsourcing in the electronics industry. Many large technology firms were looking to streamline operations and reduce costs by outsourcing manufacturing processes, and Celesticas expertise positioned it well to capture a significant share of this market.
However, the early 2000s brought challenges, as the burst of the dot-com bubble led to a downturn in the technology sector. This shift had repercussions for the EMS industry, including Celestica, as demand for electronics manufacturing services waned with the reduced pace of growth in technology spending. Like many in its sector, Celestica had to navigate these challenging economic conditions, adjusting its operations and strategy to align with the changing market dynamics.
Despite these challenges, Celesticas IPO remains an important event in the tech and manufacturing sectors, signifying the growing importance of the EMS industry in the global technology ecosystem. Celesticas evolution from an internal division of a major corporation to a publicly traded company is reflective of broader trends in technology manufacturing, where agility, specialization, and global supply chain management have become critical components of success.
Descartes Systems Group, a Canadian company specializing in logistics software, supply chain management software, and cloud-based services for logistics businesses, experienced a significant milestone with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. The timing of Descartes IPO was notable, as it coincided with the burgeoning interest in technology and internet-related stocks during the late 1990s, a period often referred to as the dot-com boom.
Founded in the early 1980s, Descartes Systems Group had established itself as a leader in providing innovative solutions that addressed complex logistics and supply chain challenges. The companys software solutions were designed to optimize and streamline transportation and logistics operations, making it an essential player in a rapidly globalizing economy. By the time of its IPO, Descartes had a solid customer base and a strong reputation in the logistics technology sector.
The Descartes IPO came at a time when investors were eagerly looking for growth opportunities in the technology sector. The market was particularly receptive to companies that offered internet-based solutions or services that could leverage the growing capabilities of the internet. Descartes focus on logistics software, which was increasingly becoming essential for businesses around the world as they managed complex supply chains, made it an attractive proposition for investors.
The IPO was well-received, reflecting the confidence of the market in Descartes business model and its growth potential in the burgeoning field of logistics technology. This positive response was indicative of the broader trend of investor enthusiasm for tech stocks during this era.
Post-IPO, Descartes Systems Group continued to evolve and grow, adapting to changes in the global logistics landscape. The early 2000s were challenging for many technology companies, particularly in the wake of the dot-com bubble burst. However, Descartes managed to navigate these challenges, partly due to its focus on a specialized niche in the logistics and supply chain sector, an area that remained critical despite broader economic fluctuations.
Over time, Descartes expanded its offerings, integrating cloud-based technologies and expanding its global reach. The companys growth strategy often involved strategic acquisitions that complemented and expanded its core capabilities in logistics and supply chain management.
The story of Descartes Systems Groups IPO and subsequent growth is illustrative of the opportunities and challenges faced by technology companies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It highlights the potential for specialized software solutions in global business operations, particularly in areas like logistics and supply chain management that are crucial to the functioning of the global economy. Descartes journey from its IPO to its position as a key player in logistics technology underscores the importance of innovation, adaptability, and strategic growth in the tech sector.
DoubleClick, an internet advertising company, had a notable chapter in its corporate story with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This event was especially significant in the context of the late 1990s, during the dot-com boom, a period marked by fervent investor interest in internet-related businesses.
Founded in 1996, DoubleClick quickly became a pioneer in the field of online advertising. The company developed and provided internet ad serving services, a technology that was revolutionary at the time. DoubleClicks technology allowed advertisers and publishers to track the performance of ads and manage their advertising inventory efficiently, filling a critical need in the rapidly growing world of online marketing.
The timing of DoubleClicks IPO was fortuitous, aligning with the burgeoning interest in digital advertising and the broader excitement around internet-based companies. The late 1990s saw a surge in online activity and an increasing recognition of the internets potential as a commercial platform. In this environment, DoubleClicks offering was met with considerable enthusiasm by investors who were eager to capitalize on the digital revolution.
On its first day of trading, DoubleClicks stock price soared, reflecting the high hopes and optimistic projections for the online advertising industry. This successful IPO was a testament to the perceived value and future potential of online advertising technologies and positioned DoubleClick as one of the frontrunners in this emerging field.
Post-IPO, DoubleClick continued to expand and innovate, riding the wave of the dot-com boom. The company played a significant role in shaping the online advertising landscape, introducing new technologies and strategies for ad placement and tracking. However, the early 2000s brought challenges, as the burst of the dot-com bubble led to a reevaluation of many internet-based businesses. Despite the downturn, DoubleClick managed to sustain its operations, albeit amidst a more challenging business environment.
DoubleClicks story took another significant turn in 2005, when it was acquired by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, and later, in a landmark move, was acquired by Google in 2007 for $3.1 billion. This acquisition marked a pivotal moment in the online advertising world, solidifying Googles position in the digital advertising space and underlining the importance of ad serving technology as a key component of the online ecosystem.
DoubleClicks journey from its IPO to its eventual acquisition by Google illustrates the rapid evolution of the online advertising industry and the broader digital landscape. The companys rise, challenges, and ultimate integration into one of the worlds leading tech companies highlight the volatile nature of the tech industry, especially during periods of rapid technological change and market speculation.
eBay, the renowned online auction and shopping website, experienced a defining moment in its history with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This event came at a pivotal time during the late 1990s, characterized by the dot-com boom, where investor enthusiasm for internet-related businesses was at an all-time high.
Founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995, eBay quickly evolved from a quirky site hosting auctions for collectible items into a massive online marketplace. It gained popularity by enabling people to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. By the time of its IPO, eBay had already established itself as a significant player in the emerging world of e-commerce, differentiating itself with its user-friendly platform and a diverse range of products.
The timing of eBays IPO was strategic, tapping into the markets growing fascination with the internet and e-commerce. This period saw a rapid expansion in online activity and a recognition of the internets potential to transform traditional retail and commerce. eBays model of creating a virtual marketplace where anyone could buy or sell goods resonated with the public and investors alike.
When eBay went public in 1998, the response from investors was overwhelmingly positive. The IPO was a resounding success, with stock prices soaring on the first day of trading. This enthusiastic reception was a testament to the markets confidence in eBays business model and its future potential in the burgeoning e-commerce sector.
Following its IPO, eBay entered a phase of rapid growth and expansion. The company continuously enhanced its platform, introducing new features and services to improve the user experience and expand its market reach. eBays early focus on community building, customer feedback, and secure payment methods like PayPal, which it acquired in 2002, played crucial roles in its growth and the trust it built with users.
However, the journey wasnt without challenges. The early 2000s, marked by the burst of the dot-com bubble, tested the resilience of many internet companies. Despite these market upheavals, eBay managed to sustain and grow its operations, benefiting from its already established brand and a loyal user base.
eBays story from its IPO through its rapid growth encapsulates the dynamic nature of the tech industry, especially in the field of e-commerce. The companys success story became a model for online retail and has significantly influenced how people buy and sell goods over the internet. eBays evolution from a startup to a global e-commerce giant illustrates the potential of innovative business models in the digital age, particularly those that prioritize user engagement and adapt to changing market needs.
GeoCities, a web hosting service that rose to prominence in the 1990s, marked a significant chapter in the history of the internet with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. The GeoCities IPO was a landmark event, coming during the dot-com boom, a period characterized by intense investor interest in internet-related companies.
Founded in 1994 by David Bohnett and John Rezner, GeoCities provided a unique platform where users could create their own websites, organized into thematic neighborhoods. It was one of the first platforms to democratize web presence, allowing users with little to no technical expertise to build their own web pages. By the time of its IPO, GeoCities had grown into one of the most visited sites on the internet, renowned for its vibrant community and diverse array of user-generated content.
The IPO of GeoCities tapped into the excitement surrounding the internets potential and the growing interest in social aspects of the web. In the late 1990s, the notion of community-building online was gaining traction, and GeoCities was at the forefront of this movement. This backdrop contributed to the enthusiastic reception of GeoCities IPO, where investors saw the company not just as a web hosting service, but as a gateway to the expanding digital community and online interactions.
Upon going public in 1998, GeoCities experienced a significant surge in its stock price, reflecting the markets optimism about the future of internet communities and user-generated content. The success of its IPO highlighted GeoCities role in shaping the early internet landscape and its perceived potential for further growth.
However, the journey post-IPO was not without challenges. The company faced several issues, including mounting competition from other web hosting services, concerns over the commercialization of user-generated content, and the complexities of managing a rapidly growing online community. Despite these hurdles, GeoCities continued to be a significant player in the web hosting space.
In a major turn of events, GeoCities was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999 for approximately $3.6 billion, a move that underscored the value of web communities and user-generated content in the eyes of major internet companies. However, under Yahoo!s stewardship, GeoCities gradually lost its prominence. Changing web trends, competition, and strategic shifts at Yahoo! led to the eventual closure of GeoCities in the United States in 2009.
The story of GeoCities, from its IPO to its acquisition and eventual shutdown, offers a glimpse into the rapidly evolving nature of the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It illustrates the massive potential of online communities and user-generated content, as well as the challenges inherent in sustaining and monetizing such platforms. GeoCities rise and fall is a notable example of the dynamic, often unpredictable nature of the tech industry, particularly during the speculative fervor of the dot-com era.
InfoSpace, a company that emerged during the early days of the internet, made a significant mark with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This event was a key milestone, situated in the midst of the dot-com boom, an era characterized by heightened investor enthusiasm for internet-based companies.
Founded by Naveen Jain in 1996, InfoSpace specialized in providing online content and services, including search engines, email, and news, to websites and mobile device manufacturers. The companys approach was innovative for its time, focusing on syndicating and aggregating content for various third-party sites and platforms, rather than building its own consumer brand. By the time of its IPO, InfoSpace had established itself as a significant behind-the-scenes player in the burgeoning internet landscape.
The timing of InfoSpaces IPO in 1998 was strategic, tapping into the markets growing appetite for internet stocks. The late 1990s saw a rapid expansion of the internet and a widespread belief in its potential to revolutionize various industries. InfoSpace, with its diverse range of internet services and partnerships with numerous telecom and web companies, was well-positioned to capitalize on this trend.
When InfoSpace went public, the reception from investors was highly positive. The IPO was successful, with the stock price rising significantly, reflecting the markets optimism about the companys business model and the broader potential of the internet sector. This success underscored the perceived value of InfoSpaces role as an aggregator and provider of internet content and services.
Following its IPO, InfoSpace experienced a period of rapid growth, expanding its services and increasing its partnerships. The company also made a series of acquisitions, further diversifying its offerings and attempting to consolidate its position in the market.
However, the early 2000s, marked by the burst of the dot-com bubble, brought challenges for InfoSpace, as it did for many other tech companies. The industry faced a significant downturn, and InfoSpace was not immune to these market shifts. The company had to navigate through a series of strategic, financial, and legal challenges during this tumultuous period.
Despite these challenges, InfoSpace managed to endure and transform over time. It shifted its focus and rebranded several times, eventually evolving into Blucora, a provider of technology-enabled financial solutions.
The story of InfoSpaces IPO and its subsequent journey is reflective of the broader narrative of the tech industry during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It exemplifies the rapid rise and challenges faced by internet companies in an era marked by great enthusiasm and subsequent reevaluation of the dot-com sector. InfoSpaces evolution from an internet content provider to its current incarnation is a testament to the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the technology industry.
VeriSign, a company that plays a critical role in the infrastructure of the internet, had a notable moment in its history with its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This event was a significant one, coming at a time when the dot-com boom was in full swing, and there was immense investor excitement around internet technology companies.
Established in 1995, VeriSign quickly became known for its digital security services, primarily focusing on domain name registry services and internet security. It managed the .com, .net, and .org domain name system (DNS) registries, a crucial component of the internets infrastructure, ensuring stability and security in online communications. By the time of its IPO, VeriSign had already established a strong presence in the industry, recognized for its essential role in maintaining and securing internet domain names.
The timing of VeriSigns IPO was opportune, aligning with the rapid expansion of the internet and growing concerns about online security. In the late 1990s, as the internet began to see widespread commercial use, the need for robust security measures and reliable domain name services became increasingly evident. VeriSigns offering was therefore viewed as not just a business investment, but as an investment in the foundational elements of the digital economy.
The market responded positively to VeriSigns IPO, reflecting both the companys importance in the internet infrastructure and the overall enthusiasm for technology stocks at the time. The successful IPO demonstrated a clear recognition by the market of VeriSigns critical role and its potential for growth in an increasingly connected world.
Following its IPO, VeriSign continued to expand its services, further cementing its position as a leader in domain name registry and internet security. The company navigated through the turbulent period of the early 2000s, which saw the burst of the dot-com bubble and a subsequent reassessment of many internet-focused businesses. Despite these challenges, VeriSigns services remained in high demand, given their fundamental role in the functioning of the internet.
Over the years, VeriSign has had to adapt to changing technological landscapes and regulatory environments. The companys focus on maintaining a secure and stable internet infrastructure has led to continued investment in technology and infrastructure upgrades, ensuring it remains at the forefront of domain name and internet security services.
The journey of VeriSign, from its IPO through its evolution in the following years, underscores the critical nature of internet infrastructure services. The companys story highlights the importance of security and stability in the digital age, reflecting the ongoing need for such services as the internet continues to expand and evolve. VeriSigns sustained presence and growth in the industry exemplify the enduring value and relevance of foundational internet services in the ever-changing technology landscape.
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Companies that had their IPO in 1998 - Cantech Letter
The ‘Valley of Death’ or the ‘Yellow Brick Road’? – Signal Magazine
On one side of history, the newer generation of vendors benefited greatly from the federal government. Ever heard of Fidelis, Palo Alto, ArcSight or Blue Coat? That is a partial list of startups focusing on government after Y2K. If you reviewed those companies sales for the first five-plus years of their existence, more than 50%and probably closer to 90%went to the federal government. Their products, features, staff and market position were all created by sales to the federal government with no special programs or funding avenues to take advantage of. The federal government was actually the Yellow Brick Road, not the Valley of Death.
However, before FASA/FARA, we encountered several companies that once stood as giants but eventually succumbed to the fast-changing industry. Novell, once a dominant force in networking operating systems, could not scale or adapt to meet the ever-changing market demands and lost its position to Microsoft. The browser pioneer Netscape faced a similar fate as it failed to transition effectively in fierce competition from Internet Explorer and Google. These examples teach us the importance of adaptability and the risks of stagnation in a rapidly evolving market. For both vendors as well as users, adaptability is key to survival. Maybe you have a policy that is 10 years old and unchanged. If so, you may want to look at it. This is one of the DNA factors for the government Valley of Death creation. They dont like change; they like safety and security. Industry doesnt want that. It does not make you money.
The federal governments adoption of innovative technologies has frequently presented its unique set of challenges. Centralized procurement and decision-making processes have often resulted in long sales cycles, making it challenging for the government to respond quickly to emerging technology trends. While centralization offers economies of scale, it can hinder the timely implementation of cutting-edge solutions, particularly in the face of evolving threats and opportunities. When the industry started, we needed centralization. Multiple operating systems, office suites and hardware manufacturers caused many inefficiencies and problems. That environment no longer exists, but the policies do. Does your agency test all updates before they are pushed out to all users? The blue screen of death is ancient history, but the policies to prevent it are not.
Over the years, various government initiatives have demonstrated how innovation can thrive despite the current Valley of Death challenges. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), renowned for its role in developing breakthrough technologies like the internet and GPS, showcases how targeted investments and risk-taking can revolutionize the technology landscape. Moreover, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has nurtured numerous startups, fostering a culture of innovation within the government. But even those are large and slow programs.
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The 'Valley of Death' or the 'Yellow Brick Road'? - Signal Magazine