DATA SECURITY
CYFIRMA | June 25, 2021
CYFIRMA, a threat discovery and cyber-intelligence platform company, funded by Goldman Sachs, Zodius Capital and Z3Partners, today announced that Zuellig Pharma, a leading healthcare services provider in Asia, has selected DeCYFIR, a cloud-based, AI-powered cybersecurity platform, to gain further visibility into its external threat landscape to uncover hacking campaigns and avert cyberattacks.
In the last 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the global healthcare industry falling victim to cybercriminals taking advantage of the chaos. According to CYFIRMA researchers, cyberattacks on healthcare more than doubled in 2020. COVID-19 response efforts, including vaccine research and supply chain were the largest focus of these targeted campaigns.
With CYFIRMA's DeCYFIR platform, Zuellig Pharma has bolstered its cyber defence ammunition to accurately uncover cyberattacks at the early planning stage and take remedial actions to close vulnerabilities before hackers can compromise the network. The platform enables further visibility into the external threat landscape by monitoring the dark web, hacker forums and various closed communities to look for threat indicators that would signal cybercriminals planning to exploit security weaknesses that could lead to business disruption.
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ENTERPRISE SECURITY
Cengage Group | February 01, 2022
Cengage Group, a global education technology firm with millions of students, has agreed to pay $190.8 million for Infosec, a significant cybersecurity education provider. Cengage Group will expand into the cybersecurity professional training market due to this acquisition, and its fast-developing Workforce Skills business will grow significantly. Subject to usual closing conditions and regulatory clearances, the acquisition is scheduled to close in the first calendar quarter of 2022.
"The cybersecurity industry is at a critical inflection point where the skilled labor shortage could have far-reaching and lasting effects on business and personal safety. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for un- or under-employed workers who can upskill or reskill for career advancement. With our scale and resources, more cybersecurity professionals will have access to an affordable and faster option to develop the skills they need," said Michael E. Hansen, CEO of Cengage Group. "The online, employer-paid cybersecurity training segment is currently a $1 billion market, with expectations that it will grow to $10 billion annually by 2027. Combining Infosec with our already-successful Workforce Skills business will provide top-line growth, expand our base of recurring revenue and accelerate our opportunity within the space."
Cengage Group's ed2go company will absorb Infosec as part of its Workforce Skills division, and Cengage will retain and invest in Infosec people and products to support future growth. Since its inception in 2004, Infosec has taught over 100,000 cybersecurity experts and provided training to over 5 million learners to enhance their cybersecurity knowledge and safety at home and work.
Cengage Group offers post-secondary and online continuing education courses through partnerships with hundreds of community colleges and universities, allowing students to upskill and reskill. According to Cengage Group's study on the "Great Resignation," 78 percent of people who had resigned from a job pursued online training courses or certificate programs. It stated they were critical to getting a new job. The ed2go business of Cengage Group helps job searchers and those who are currently employed by providing market-leading learning experiences that educate people for employment in high-demand fields like IT.
"Infosec was built by talented employees who truly believe that knowledge is power and care deeply about creating training materials that help cybersecurity professionals advance in their careers and keep employers and staff aware of cybersecurity threats at home and at work. Cengage Group has the same level of passion for making learning accessible, affordable and applicable to today's cybersecurity professionals,Building on ed2go's history in online training, Infosec will benefit from Cengage Group's scale and expertise, which means we can reach more cybersecurity professionals and employers that are looking to not only grow their careers but to keep businesses, governments, and people safe from cyber threats."
Jack Koziol, CEO and Founder of Infosec
The frequency of cyber-attacks rose dramatically as the world switched to remote and hybrid working environments. As a result, the demand for competent and educated cybersecurity professionals has increased, prompting the Bureau of Labor Statistics to rank information security analysts as the tenth fastest expanding occupation in the United States over the next decade, with a 31 percent increase in employment.
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ENTERPRISE SECURITY
prnewswire | October 26, 2020
AE Industrial Partners, LP , a private value firm specializing in Aerospace, Defense and Government Services, Power Generation, and Specialty Industrial markets, declared today that it has obtained PCI , a main supplier of cybersecurity, PC network operations , cloud, systems designing, enterprise IT, and information analytics to the knowledge and defense communities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition of PCI represents AEI's ninth stage investment in AE Industrial Partners Fund II, LP, which closed in 2018 with $1.36 billion in value commitments, and the thirteenth transaction closed by AEI in 2020. PCI is an exceptional stage investment for AEI as the firm continues its energy and ongoing success in the Defense and Government Services market, and will furnish PCI with extra venture into the defense, knowledge, and public security communities.
PCI is an innovation focused organization that provides cybersecurity and CNO, cloud designing and IT infrastructure, information analytics, and system designing solutions and services. PCI is a trusted advisor to the U.S. Insight Community, Department of Defense, and Federal Government, creating driving edge mission solutions using rising technologies and demonstrated practices to solve the most intricate cybersecurity, cloud, and enterprise IT challenges of its customers. Established in 2008 via Sean Battle, Don Whitfield, Josh Kinley, and Vance Mitzner, PCI is based in Columbia, Maryland, with extra operations all through the United States and all around the world. The Company has been named a best work environment by the Baltimore Sun, selected for the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-developing privately owned businesses in America, and has also been perceived for its responsibility to network inclusion and commitment.
"PCI is a trusted provider of critical technology services in support of some of the most enduring national security missions across the federal government," said Jeffrey Hart, a Principal at AEI. "Cyber threats faced by the defense and intelligence communities are at an all-time high, and the government can't afford to lag our adversaries in critical technology domains such as cyber and computer network operations, where PCI excels. We believe that PCI, with its full spectrum of solutions and premier relationships, is well-positioned and aligned with the national security community's most strategic priorities. We look forward to working closely with the world-class team at PCI."
"With the backing of AEI, we will have the resources to invest in the technology and talent required to meet the growing needs of our customers," said Sean Battle, CEO of PCI. "AEI knows our sector well, and we are confident that PCI will reach its next level of growth with their guidance, relationships, and partnership."
"We are very excited to partner with Sean and the rest of the PCI team," said Kirk Konert, Partner at AEI. "They have built a great platform in their core intelligence and defense end markets and have a depth of experience supporting customers on missions critical to national security. We look forward to working with PCI and accelerating the growth of the business."
Kirkland and Ellis LLP served as lawful advisor, and Ernst and Young LLP served as budgetary advisor to AEI. Miles and Stockbridge P.C. served as legitimate advisor, and Aronson Capital Partners served as money related advisor to PCI.
About PCI
Founded in 2008, PCI is a technology-focused company that provides cybersecurity and CNO, cloud engineering and IT infrastructure, data analytics, and system engineering solutions and services to the federal government and intelligence community. Based in Columbia, Maryland, and with a corporate office and training facility in Lexington, Massachusetts, PCI operates in 14 states and internationally. For more information
About AE Industrial Partners
AE Industrial Partners is a private equity firm specializing in Aerospace, Defense & Government Services, Power Generation, and Specialty Industrial markets. AE Industrial Partners invests in market-leading companies that can benefit from our deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and relationships throughout our target markets.
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