GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
nok nok | November 30, 2022
Nok Nok, a leader in FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) authentication solutions and a founder of the FIDO Alliance, today announced it is partnering with UberEther, a leading provider of identity and access management solutions to the federal government. Together they will extend FedRAMP certification of UberEther's IAM Advantage platform with innovative cybersecurity capabilities requested by some of the world’s highest-profile agencies and organizations.
FedRAMP’s standards-based approach to security assessment and authorization enables federal agencies, customers, and their suppliers to transition from insecure legacy IT infrastructure to mission-enabling, secure, and continuously-monitored cloud solutions with an increased focus on securing and protecting federal information.
UberEther’s IAM Advantage model is FedRAMP High and DoD Impact Level 5 ready, which means that even the most closely monitored companies can run their identity in the cloud more securely, efficiently, and effectively. Once UberEther is fully FedRAMP authorized, it will have one of the only private-tenant, cloud identity solutions available in the federal marketplace that government agencies use to find compliant, FedRAMP-approved cloud services. This designation builds on UberEther’s highest commitment to security standards.
“Nok Nok is very honored to partner with UberEther to deliver trusted IAM solutions to the largest government agencies with built-in next-level MFA that meets the highest levels of security, Nok Nok’s FIDO authentication solutions add key features and benefits per the federal mandate in the White House’s 2021 Cybersecurity Executive Order that defines how the government will lead by example in adopting best of breed cybersecurity capabilities. Nok Nok and UberEther’s partnership adds new innovation to mandated FedRAMP solutions that enables government agencies and their supplier networks to become phishing-resistant and therefore more secure, while also becoming easier to use.”
-Phillip Dunkelberger CEO Nok Nok.
At UberEther, we're extremely excited to be working with Nok Nok on this opportunity to bring phishing-resistant credentials to the federal government, said Matt Topper, President and CEO, UberEther. We're not only focused on enabling citizens and partners of the federal government to connect to services more securely, but we're also enabling service members, civilians, government employees, and contractors to work with mission-critical systems more easily.
We all know that zero trust is the future of security within the federal government and worldwide, and identity is the first pillar of zero trust that we need to protect the nation. With Nok Nok inside, government agencies and their suppliers will be able to offer more secure sign-in and a great user experience that's better than anything we've been able to provide before, continued Topper.
“I am excited about the future that Nok Nok and UberEther are creating. With FIDO passkeys built into device hardware and software applications, and now FedRAMP standards incorporating phishing-resistant MFA, we are keeping our nation’s networks safe along with the agencies, partners, civilians, and government employees who use these networks”.
-Robert Lentz, a member of Nok Nok’s Board of Advisors and who served our nation as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and the first Chief Information Security Officer for the Department of Defense.
About UberEther:
UberEther effectively builds and efficiently runs the security, identity, and access management services that protect many of our nation’s most critical assets. Identity is the core foundation for secure services in every organization, and we pride ourselves on protecting it. Our established and dependable UberEther team delivers identity solutions for some of the most trusted government agencies and supplier networks. Since 2009, the UberEther team has been building simple, secure, sustainable customer solutions for local and Federal Government agencies and within the Intelligence Community. We are passionate about using technology to solve problems, and we use this passion to prove innovative solutions on our own time before bringing these innovations to our customers. Our diverse background of development, integration, and operations skills allows our team to take into account all aspects of a solution and ensure that what works great in the lab will excel in production.
About Nok Nok:
Nok Nok is a global leader in passwordless customer authentication. Delivering the most innovative FIDO solutions for the authentication market today, Nok Nok empowers global organizations to dramatically improve their user experience and security, and reduce operating expenses while meeting the most advanced privacy and regulatory requirements. The Nok Nok™ S3 Authentication Suite integrates into existing security environments to deliver proven, FIDO-enabled passwordless customer authentication. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, the company has delivered unique inventions and innovations protected by a robust global patent portfolio. As a founder of the FIDO Alliance and an innovator of FIDO standards, Nok Nok is an expert in next-level, multi factor authentication. Global customers trust their customer authentications with Nok Nok’s S3 Suite for their user registrations, sign-ins, and payment confirmations. Nok Nok’s customers and partners include Verizon, Intuit, T-Mobile, BBVA, NTT DOCOMO, NTT DATA, MUFG Bank, AFLAC Japan, Standard Bank, Fujitsu Limited, and Hitachi.
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY,CYBERSECURITY
Privacera | January 02, 2023
A recent announcement by Privacera, the only open-standards based data security governance leader gave a round-up of predictions and trends that will be the mainstay for companies wanting to compete in a data-driven economy for 2023.
As more data accumulates within an organization, the adoption and combined power of data analytics, privacy, and security solutions will explode over the next few years.
Privacera's data security and governance predictions and trends for 2023:
CAOs (Chief Data Analytics Officers) will be part of C-Suite
As enterprises will become more data-driven to achieve desired business outcomes, the CAO’s role will become even more indispensable.
Multi-cloud adoption to exponentially grow
To modernize their data architecture, enterprises will look towards adopting a multi-cloud strategy with a strategic approach and a scalable data security platform.
Create Frictionless Data Security (DSG) environments
A universal DSG environment with security and governance controls across the entire data estate for organizations of all sizes.
Zero Trust and Data Mesh
With Zero Trust and Data Mesh location of the data remains the same and ensures all safety, compliance and privacy measures are observed.
New Federal Regulations to Protect Consumer Data
Consumer awareness that organizations are collecting, storing and using their data is creating an urgent need for Congress to write and pass data and privacy regulations.
"Data security platforms will continue to gain popularity as they help simplify the complexity of managing data access controls, support data governance strategies, and drive higher-value analytics that unlock the full data-driven potential of enterprises."Privacera CEO Balaji Ganesan.
About Privacera
Founded in 2016, Privacera's SaaS-based data security and access governance platform, gives you a unified view and control over sensitive data across multiple cloud services, including AWS, Azure, Databricks, GCP, Snowflake, and Starburst. Privacera platform is used by Fortune 500 customers in the finance, insurance, life sciences, retail, media, and consumer industries, as well as government agencies, to automate sensitive data discovery, mask sensitive data, and manage high-fidelity policies at petabyte scale on-premises and in the cloud.
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
IBM | December 08, 2022
IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced an agreement to acquire Octo, a U.S.-based IT modernization and digital transformation services provider exclusively serving the U.S. federal government, including defense, health, and civilian agencies. IBM's acquisition of Octo establishes one of the largest digital transformation partners to the federal government. Upon the close of the acquisition, Octo's approximately 1,500 employees will join IBM Consulting's U.S. public and federal market organization.
Octo will be IBM's eighth acquisition of 2022. Since Arvind Krishna became CEO of IBM in April 2020, IBM has acquired more than 25 companies, bolstering its hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Today's news builds on prior IBM Consulting acquisitions, including Dialexa, Neudesic, and Taos.
Federal government agencies face significant challenges including technology skills shortages, rebuilding of U.S. domestic supply chains and more demand for citizen services. To address these complex challenges, agencies need an industry partner to help them navigate a scalable path to IT modernization with the power to leverage emerging technologies and applications, optimize costs and operational efficiencies, and improve security. The convergence of new hybrid cloud and AI technologies enables government to deliver rapid improvements and adapt to unprecedented challenges.
The acquisition of Reston, Va.-based Octo will complement IBM's existing strengths in IT modernization and digital transformation, enhancing its ability to support federal agencies with a flexible, modern approach to digital transformation and growing IBM Consulting's public and federal market organization to 4,200 highly-skilled employees. With a proven track record of enabling rapid IT modernization and seamless citizen engagement, Octo also brings deep federal mission experience, as well as certifications in the technologies most used across the federal government.
"Governments require agility and resiliency to meet the evolving needs of citizens directly and in real time," said John Granger, Senior Vice President of IBM Consulting. "The combination of Octo's highly qualified and respected team with IBM's consulting expertise, technical capabilities and strategic partner ecosystem will enable federal clients to transform faster and better serve citizens."
Building on a shared commitment to co-creation, oLabs, Octo's 14,000 square foot innovation center with in-house computing capability, expands IBM's ability to work collaboratively with federal agencies to rapidly prototype emerging technology solutions – enabling greater impact for federal agencies and the people they serve.
"Octo was founded on the belief that digital transformation could be delivered at scale to modernize the federal government's approach to today's most pressing challenges – from public healthcare to national security, to defense and intelligence," said Mehul Sanghani, Chief Executive Officer of Octo. "Today, we are excited to join forces with IBM to continue to deliver these digital transformation capabilities with greater reach and scale."
IBM's acquisition of Octo from Arlington Capital Partners is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
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