US government report reveals premium Android phones are getting harder to crack

Money Control | January 30, 2020

The United States government is reviving its push to convince companies to build backdoors into smartphones, which it claims would give law enforcement agencies easy access to the data, and help them to prevent terrorist plots and mass shootings in the country. However, companies like Apple have refused to cooperate. At the same time, critics have also spoken out against the government having easy access to private data as it defeats the purpose of encryption.

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Government Business, Cybersecurity

iboss Attains StateRAMP Authorized Status, Bolstering its Cloud Security Leadership

Prweb | July 26, 2023

Today, iboss, the leading Zero Trust cloud security provider, is proud to announce that it has achieved State Risk and Authorization Management Program (StateRAMP) Authorized status. This milestone is indicative of iboss' unyielding dedication to assisting state agencies and local governments to secure their users and data from an evolving landscape of cyber threats. StateRAMP provides an equivalent security baseline to FedRAMP. iboss takes pride in being able to meet and exceed both of these rigorous security standards. With rising challenges posed by cybersecurity threats to government agencies, iboss provides an innovative, robust solution that reduces risks, lowers costs, and increases productivity and security. Built on a revolutionary Zero Trust Security Service Edge (SSE) platform, iboss provides a comprehensive and integrated cloud-based security solution that replaces legacy VPNs, Proxy appliances, and VDI with a single, unified service. The iboss platform includes ZTNA to replace legacy VPN, Security Service Edge to replace legacy proxies, and Browser Isolation to replace legacy VDI. iboss includes ZTNA, CASB, malware defense, compliance policies, DLP, Browser Isolation, and logging that applies to users inside and outside the office. It scales to secure traffic volume as functionality is delivered within the cloud security service instead of strictly with appliances hosted within the data center. The iboss Zero Trust SSE implements the concepts in the NIST 800-207 and is a technical implementation of the centerpiece of this model. Organizations, such as state and local government agencies, wishing to implement Zero Trust according to the NIST 800-207 Zero Trust Architecture principles can use iboss to do so as it forms the technology foundation of this architecture. The NIST 800-207 model provides a strong and clear foundation for organizations to implement Zero Trust which greatly reduces cyber risk, breaches, and data loss. “Achieving the StateRAMP certification signifies that the iboss Zero Trust SSE platform meets the rigorous security standards required by state and local governments,” said Paul Martini, CEO of iboss. “We’re proud to achieve this certification, as it strengthens our mission to provide government entities with the most secure, efficient, and comprehensive Zero Trust Security solutions.” StateRAMP is a program that delivers a uniform approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services for state and local governments. About iboss iboss is a cloud security company that enables organizations to reduce cyber risk by delivering a Zero Trust Security Service Edge platform designed to protect resources and users in the modern distributed world. Applications, data, and services have moved to the cloud and are located everywhere, while users needing access to those resources are working from anywhere. The iboss platform replaces legacy VPN, Proxies, and VDI with a consolidated service that improves security, increases the end-user experience, consolidates technology, and substantially reduces costs. Built on a containerized cloud architecture, iboss delivers security capabilities such as SWG, malware defense, Browser Isolation, CASB, and Data Loss Prevention to protect all resources via the cloud instantaneously and at scale. The iboss platform includes ZTNA to replace legacy VPN, Security Service Edge to replace legacy Proxies, and Browser Isolation to replace legacy VDI. This shifts the focus from protecting buildings to protecting people and resources wherever they are located. Leveraging a purpose-built cloud architecture backed by 230+ issued and pending patents and more than 100 points of presence globally, iboss processes over 150 billion transactions daily, blocking 4 billion threats per day. More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies. iboss was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide ZTNA, one of the Top 25 Cybersecurity Companies by The Software Report, one of the 25 highest-rated Private Cloud Computing Companies to work for by Battery Ventures, and CRN’s top 20 Coolest Cloud Security Companies.

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Emerging Technology

BRP Group, Inc. Introduces Government Contracting Center of Excellence

Businesswire | July 28, 2023

BRP Group, Inc. today announced the establishment of its newest national Center of Excellence (“COE”) — Government Contracting (“GovCon”) – to join the firm’s expanding portfolio of specialty practices. The new practice launch is part of BRP Group’s intentional strategy of leveraging the deep expertise of its national network of risk management and insurance partnerships, and their experts and specialists, to make a greater difference for their clients’ business needs regardless of geographic location. BRP Group’s GovCon COE team is comprised of knowledgeable insurance experts with broad experience advising clients who operate in the government contracting space. This COE is specifically structured to support federal contracting clients with property and casualty, employee benefits and retirement insurance solutions, GovCon M&A due diligence and in-house compliance specialists. “Our new Government Contracting (GovCon) Center of Excellence (COE) is an expansion of BRP Group’s specialized solutions and capabilities that work to meet the unique needs of current and prospective clients. By combining the expertise from our two partner firms, Armfield, Harrison & Thomas (AHT) and The Capital Group, we are excited to bring this additional practice to the marketplace,” said Dan Galbraith, BRP Group’s Chief Operating Officer. “Not only do government contractors encounter typical risk management and insurance issues, they also navigate unique challenges associated with conducting business within a rapidly-evolving, highly-regulated environment. With more than 25 years of experience and a proven track record of designing specialized insurance coverage for these complex business and regulatory conditions, our dedicated colleagues, led by BRP Group’s Senior Director of Sales Kevin FitzPatrick, keep clients protected, in compliance and proactively prepared to mitigate risk and manage costs.” The GovCon COE focuses on addressing the unique needs and challenges of clients in the hyper- competitive federal contracting space that are best solved by a unified team approach. The GovCon COE helps federal contractors navigate these mission critical areas: Controlling fringe expenses to keep competitive Wrap Rates GovCon Employee Benefits Benchmarking - designing programs that help improve employee attraction and retention. Risk Management Strategy Defense Base Act (DBA) Coverage International Coverage Cyber Liability Insurance Service Contract Act (SCA) Compliance and Strategy 401K plan development and administration In addition, the GovCon COE has integrated two key programs: GovTech™: The Government Technology Insurance Company offers robust commercial insurance policies that flow down the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) framework and provides easy access to GovCon insurance subject matter experts at premiums that accurately reflect the exposures. GovConHealth: Provides go-to-market strategies to federal contractors to help them control employee benefits expenses. The initiative is powered by a unique and proprietary consortium-funded stop-loss arrangement that bands together high-performing federal contractors to safely and conservatively partially self-fund their employer-based healthcare. ABOUT BRP GROUP BRP Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRP) is an independent insurance distribution firm delivering tailored insurance and risk management insights and solutions that give our Clients the peace of mind to pursue their purpose, passion and dreams. We are innovating the industry by taking a holistic and tailored approach to risk management, insurance, and employee benefits, and support our Clients, Colleagues, Insurance Company Partners and communities through the deployment of vanguard resources and capital to drive our growth. BRP Group represents over 1.3 million clients across the United States and internationally. For more information, please visit www.baldwinriskpartners.com.

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Emerging Technology

US Department of Defense Selects Info-Tech Research Group for Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) Program

PR Newswire | August 04, 2023

Global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has been selected for participation in the US Department of Defence (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) program. This new partnership enables the DoD and its IT leaders to access world-class resources, gain industry-leading guidance, and receive transformative insights and invaluable consultation from experts with extensive experience. The agreement also includes McLean & Company, a division of Info-Tech known for its exceptional HR research and advisory services, and MyPolicies, the firm's provider of robust online policy management and administration software. The DoD ESI is an official DoD initiative sponsored by the DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO). The initiative is designed to streamline procurement and optimize cost efficiency in the acquisition of commercial software, IT hardware, and services. Through its joint team of experts, ESI consolidates requirements and establishes agreements with IT providers, resulting in a unified contracting and vendor management strategy across the entire department. "We are honored to have been selected to provide services as a member of the US Department of Defense's Enterprise Software Initiative. This partnership affirms our commitment to providing world-class IT research and advisory services to the public sector," says Ron Gumbert, senior managing partner at Info-Tech. "There is a shared vision to foster a technology-enabled, efficient future for the DoD, driving strategic change and transforming challenges into opportunities." Info-Tech's public sector executive services and research team comprises highly experienced industry experts focused on supporting government clients to address mission-critical, technology-enabled initiatives. "Our recent expansion into Arlington, Virginia, signifies our dedication to being an integral part of the IT ecosystem in the US, and this collaboration with the US Department of Defense's Enterprise Software Initiative further solidifies that commitment," adds Gumbert. "Our Arlington office stands ready to serve as a strategic hub for our work with the DoD and other Federal agencies, providing unparalleled research and advisory services. This pivotal development marks a new chapter in our mission to drive impactful digital transformation within the defense sector and beyond." About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

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