Software Security
PR Newswire | October 23, 2023
BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) today announced its new Generative AI powered assistant for Security Operations Center (SOC) teams. The enterprise-grade solution acts as a SOC Analyst providing Generative AI based cyberthreat analysis and support to enhance CISO operations. It leverages private large language models (LLMs) for greater accuracy and data privacy.
The solution, which will be available to BlackBerry's Cylance AI customers, predicts customer needs to proactively provide information rather than requiring users to manually ask questions and compresses research hours into seconds. Fully integrated in the Cylance Console, it produces a natural workflow instead of an inefficient chatbot experience. Cylance launched as the industry's first AI cybersecurity solution and the industry's first predictive cybersecurity solution. Predictive cybersecurity is a must for emerging cyber risks and seen as the future of cybersecurity.
BlackBerry pioneered the AI cybersecurity market and our commitment to innovation means we are once again at the forefront of the industry as we unveil our Generative AI powered cybersecurity assistant, said Nathan Jenniges, SVP & GM Spark, Cybersecurity Business Unit, BlackBerry. This new solution will enable our customers to modernize their SOC operations helping them to stay a step ahead of the adversary. It will be invaluable to CISOs in overcoming the challenges they face, including an evolving threat landscape and resource constraints.
BlackBerry has delivered transformative innovation for almost forty years and continues to set a standard in the technology industry. In the field of AI this is evidenced by the company today having more than five times the AI/ML patents than competitors and AI being integrated across the company's product portfolio. Furthermore, BlackBerry earlier this month was one of the first signatories of Canada's voluntary Code of Conduct on the responsible development and management of advanced Generative AI systems.
"Generative AI has the potential to deliver tremendous economic value, making it an area of focus for BlackBerry. Our patent portfolio already includes Generative AI," said Charles Eagan, Chief Technology Officer, BlackBerry. "Throughout our innovations we take our commitment to delivering enterprise-grade solutions seriously – innovations that deliver value rather than react to hype – as demonstrated by today's announcement and our being one of the first signatories of Canada's voluntary Generative AI Code of Conduct."
BlackBerry's Generative AI powered cybersecurity assistant will initially be made available to a select group of customers.
For more information register for BlackBerry Summit, taking place on October 17, where leaders from government, enterprise and BlackBerry will reveal the future of IoT, IT and Cybersecurity and showcase the latest BlackBerry innovations.
Read More
Cloud Security
Google | September 18, 2023
Google reveals its pioneering approach to applying generative AI in cybersecurity at the Google Cloud Next conference in San Francisco.
Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai's keynote emphasizes Google's AI-first approach and the transformative impact of AI across industries.
Google introduces innovative security updates and trends, highlighting its commitment to enhancing cybersecurity capabilities.
Google Cloud extends Duet AI to three key products in preview mode, empowering security teams to address complex cybersecurity challenges more efficiently.
Google unveiled its pioneering approach to applying generative AI in cybersecurity at the Google Cloud Next conference in San Francisco. This significant revelation follows the broader accessibility of generative AI, made possible earlier this year by technologies like ChatGPT. Google's strategic endeavor aims to harness the potential of AI to combat cybersecurity challenges. Additionally, the event featured a keynote address by Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who underscored the transformative influence of AI across sectors and emphasized Google's extensive history of adopting an AI-first approach.
During the conference, Google seized the opportunity to introduce innovative security updates and trends, signifying its commitment to enhancing cybersecurity capabilities for its customers. These developments come at a time when the integration of AI technologies in addressing cybersecurity concerns has gained substantial attention and recognition. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, a prominent figure in the technology industry, initiated the conference, reiterating the profound influence of AI across various sectors, industries, and business functions. His emphasis on Google's decade-long dedication to an AI-first approach solidified the company's leadership position in this transformative era.
Furthermore, Google unveiled significant developments in the conference, including expanding Vertex AI with over 100 foundation models and introducing enhancements like PaLM 2, supercomputing capabilities, and the fifth-gen Tensor Processing Units. However, their commitment to democratizing AI was highlighted, demonstrated through customer stories and live demos. Google Cloud's developer advocate, Priyanka Vergadia, showcased Duet AI, an intelligent chatbot assistant that streamlines developers' tasks, saving time and enhancing security. Duet AI automates deployments, configures applications correctly, aids in debugging, and strengthens security. Its preview release marks a step towards achieving shift-left and DevSecOps goals, empowering developers to secure their code effectively and allowing security teams to scale their efforts.
The research conducted by ESG and ISSA highlights the challenges faced by cybersecurity professionals. A significant majority (63%) have found their roles increasingly complex over the past two years. A closer look reveals that the surge in complexity (81%), rising workloads, and growing cyberthreats (59%), as well as understaffing issues (46%), are the primary factors contributing to this challenge. In response to these evolving demands, Google Cloud has taken a proactive step by extending the application of Duet AI to three key products, now available in preview mode. These applications empower security teams with Mandiant Threat Intelligence for threat analysis, Google Chronicle for accelerated SecOps processes, and Google Security Command Center for risk mitigation. A live demonstration showcased how Duet AI streamlines security analysts' workflows, making threat detection and response more efficient and enhancing overall security posture management.
Google Cloud announced Mandiant Hunt for Chronicle Security Ops in preview, boosting threat hunting with expert Mandiant insights. Agentless vulnerability scanning (powered by Tenable) in preview detects OS, software, and network vulnerabilities on Google Compute Engine VMs. Custom posture findings and threat detectors are now available in the Security Command Center. Cloud Firewall Plus, in preview, enhances firewall service with advanced threat protection (Palo Alto Networks). These updates, utilizing Duet AI in preview, demonstrate Google Cloud's dedication to cybersecurity innovation, with specific availability details to come. The conference also highlighted partner offerings in the ever-evolving cloud security landscape.
Read More
Platform Security
GlobeNewswire | September 29, 2023
Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced it has formed the Veterans Program Advisory Council, made up of a global board of esteemed members from organizations that support the military veterans community across the Five Eyes countries: United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. Members will provide counsel on how Fortinet can continue meeting the needs of military veterans looking to transition into the cybersecurity field.
Military veterans have many complementary skillsets that make them ideal candidates for cybersecurity roles, including discipline, problem-solving under immense pressure, situational awareness, and an understanding of the importance of maintaining a strong defense posture. With the industry facing a talent shortage with an estimated 3.4 million security roles needing to be filled worldwide, the veteran community can play a key role in filling critical cyber roles with access to training, mentorship, and employment opportunities.
Yet, the Fortinet 2023 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Global Research Report found that 43% of organizations indicated difficulty in recruiting qualified veterans for cybersecurity roles. At the same time, veteran turnover is high in the industry, with one key reason being the shortage of staff, leading to overwork and burnout.
To further address these hurdles veterans face, the esteemed members of the Veterans Program Advisory Council with extensive backgrounds working with the military veteran community and as veterans themselves will help Fortinet strengthen its Veterans Program offerings by providing guidance on how to continue reskilling and upskilling veterans so they can start and stay in various cyber career pathways.
Veterans Program Advisory Council members (listed in alphabetical order) include:
Chris Barlow, Managing Director at Cerco IT Ltd (U.K.)
Marty Donoghue, Chief Executive of the RNZRSA (New Zealand)
Colin Grimes, Training Coordinator of TechVets Programme, The Forces Employment Charity (U.K.)
Tom Marsland, Board Chairman and CEO at VetSec, Inc. (U.S.)
Heath Moodie, Director of Vets in Cyber (Australia)
James Murphy, Director of TechVets Programme, The Forces Employment Charity (U.K.)
Bryan Radliff, CyberVets Program Manager at Onward to Opportunity, D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (U.S.)
Patrick Shaw, Founder of Cyber Catalyst (Canada)
Mark Wilcox, Head of Cyber Training, Permanent Opportunities and Partnership at Cerco IT Ltd (U.K.)
Fortinet’s Commitment to Supporting Veterans to Close the Cyber Skills Gap
The Veterans Program Advisory Council will help build on the Veterans Program's success in providing more cybersecurity training pathways for military veterans with both existing technical background or no IT experience. Fortinet provides Veterans Program members access to its Network Security Experts (NSE) Certification Program curriculum to help them transition into the cybersecurity field and advance in their security careers through access to cyber training, professional development resources, and employment opportunities. This year, the Veterans Program is celebrating five years of helping military service members, veterans, and military spouses receive the fundamental resources they need to transition into cyber roles.
Fortinet has also been recognized as a 2023 VETS Indexes Recognized Employer, further underscoring the company’s commitment to supporting the veteran community throughout their careers.
Veterans Program Advisory Council Members Biographies
Chris Barlow, Managing Director at Cerco IT Ltd (U.K.)
Chris Barlow joined Cerco in 2003, and has since established a recruitment division for graduates through Cerco Training, a large proportion of which were British forces veterans. Chris acquired the entire business in 2017, and the company has continued to grow, prosper, and develop further. The vision for Cerco is to become a market leader in taking novice talent and guiding them to the highest levels of IT support and cybersecurity. Chris has made employment connections for new engineers with global IT companies such as Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM.
Marty Donoghue, Chief Executive of the RNZRSA (New Zealand)
Marty Donoghue has been chief executive of the RNZRSA since October 2020. Marty has a 35-year track record of transformational leadership, successfully building and managing teams and mobilizing volunteers in New Zealand and internationally across defense, sport, science, and in the not-for-profit sector. Marty served in the New Zealand Army for 25 years and is a veteran of Bosnia, Angola, Bougainville, and Iraq.
Colin Grimes, Training Coordinator of TechVets Programme, The Forces Employment Charity (U.K.)
Colin Grimes joined TechVets from the education sphere, where he worked as a primary school teacher with particular responsibility for computing across the curriculum. During his time in education, he also worked as a consultant to schools for the National Centre of Computing Education, delivering training to schools in computing and remote learning, leaning on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this, he enjoyed a 24-year career as an air battle management specialist in the Royal Air Force. He also served as an instructor within the U.K. School of Air Battle Management, where he was responsible for training the next generation of air surveillance specialists.
Tom Marsland, Board Chairman and CEO at VetSec, Inc (U.S.)
Tom Marsland is a cybersecurity professional with over 21 years of experience in the information technology and nuclear power industry. He has also served over 21 years in the U.S. Navy and has a BS in IT security and an MS in cybersecurity. He is the board chairman of VetSec and the VP of technology and technical services at Cloud Range.
Heath Moodie, Director of Vets in Cyber (Australia)
Heath is the director of Vets in Cyber, where he is helping to build a mentoring program, running community events, and partnering with industry-leading training providers to offer employment assistance to veterans. As a five-year Australian Army infantry veteran, Heath transitioned into cybersecurity and was immediately confronted with the different cultures between the military community and civilian life. Wanting to be the change that he needed, Heath created a grassroots organization, Vets in Cyber, which is focused on helping to build a community around veterans to offer them the support they need within the cybersecurity industry.
James Murphy, Director of TechVets Programme, The Forces Employment Charity (U.K.)
James Murphy joined TechVets from Government Digital Services in the Cabinet Office, where he was employed as the head of threat intelligence, providing strategic cyber threat intelligence advice to key decision makers within central government with specific focus on protecting national infrastructure. Prior to this, James served for 19 years in the British military, deploying to Northern Ireland, East Africa, and Afghanistan with the infantry, receiving lifelong injuries as a result of enemy action. James then served the remainder of his service in intelligence, developing the army’s exploitation capability, providing support to U.K. Defence Engagement in East Asia before delivering strategic support to global joint military operations.
Bryan Radliff, CyberVets Program Manager at Onward to Opportunity (O2O) (U.S.)
Bryan Radliff serves as the CyberVets program manager in the Onward to Opportunity Program for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University. CyberVets is a skills-to-job pathway that aims to fast-track veterans into high-demand cyber careers by providing no-cost employment training, industry certifications, and career services to transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. Bryan is a 31-year veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as an enlisted medical supply specialist, infantryman, and an armor/cavalry officer before retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
Patrick Shaw, Founder of Cyber Catalyst and Tech Vets (Canada)
Founder of Cyber Catalyst and co-founder of Coding For Veterans (CFV), Pat initiated Cyber Catalyst Talent Solutions to assist veterans achieve meaningful and rewarding careers using the skills developed through their upskilling or reskilling studies. Pat curated the CFV secure software development and the cybersecurity curriculum and established the learning approach aligning widely recognized industry certification exams to meet the cyber talent needs of employers. Cyber Catalyst Talent Solutions offers job-focused microcredentialing and certifications in support of job placement. Tech Vets Canada engages veterans and military family members with career mentorship and learning support.
Mark Wilcox, Cyber Training, Opportunities and Partnership at Cerco IT Ltd (U.K.)
Mark has over 30 years of commercial software development experience, the majority of which has involved web technologies. Throughout his career, Mark has developed and supported complex systems for a range of clients, including the London Stock Exchange, Lloyds Bank, Ryman stationers, Debenhams, and Woolworths. In January 2022, Mark joined Cerco IT to head up the cybersecurity training and employment division. As a key architect of Cerco's Cradle to Cyber training program, an initiative to provide advanced network security skills to Cerco’s trained graduates (many of whom are ex-armed forces), Mark continues to forge relationships with internationally renowned tech and training partners, such as Fortinet and CompTIA.
About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere you need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.
Read More