Connect with us

Technology

Cisco Security Cloud Vision Comes to Life, Transforming Enterprise Defenses

Published

on

With unified solutions across its security portfolio, Cisco brings enhanced security posture to customers fueled by AI and industry partnerships

News Summary

Industry-first Cisco Hypershield bolsters hardware acceleration to analyze and respond to anomalies in application and network behavior, now supporting AMD Pensando Data Processing Units (DPUs) to be available from Cisco’s Unified Computing System (UCS) servers and other leading vendors, and in future service-accelerated switching platforms.Best-in-class Cisco Secure Firewall introduces the new Firewall 1200 Series, delivering up to three times the performance of comparable firewalls and eliminating the need to have multiple appliances for switches, routers and firewalls at enterprise branch locations.New, AI-native management architecture, Security Cloud Control, will configure, manage and monitor the entire Cisco Security Cloud, beginning now with Cisco’s network security solutions.New sources of Cisco telemetry through technical add-ons for Splunk will deliver unparalleled visibility to power the SOC of the Future.

LAS VEGAS, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CISCO LIVE US 2024 — Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the leader in enterprise networking and security, today announced new capabilities across the Cisco Security Cloud that extend its security architecture in the age of AI. With Cisco’s unified, AI-driven, cross-domain security platform, customers will experience the balance of power tipping in favor of the defenders.

“Cisco Security has delivered more innovation in the past year than in the previous decade combined, and this year will be multiples of what we delivered last year,” said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Security and Collaboration at Cisco.  Our announcements today are helping us realize the vision of Cisco Security Cloud, bringing our customers a true security platform for an increasingly complex and hyper distributed world. Bolstered by our partnerships with other titans in the industry, strategic acquisitions and a commitment to an open ecosystem, we are reimagining security for our customers.”  

Cisco Delivers on Its Vision to Melt Security into the Network
In April 2024, Cisco announced Cisco Hypershield, a brand new security architecture designed to defend modern, AI-scale data centers. Architected to seamlessly incorporate new enforcement points into its fabric, Hypershield embeds security enforcement in virtual machines or Kubernetes clusters in public clouds using an open-source technology called eBPF. It is also architected to insert security enforcement into advanced silicon in servers and networking devices such as switches. Today, Cisco is taking a big step forward towards realizing its vision by announcing Cisco Hypershield support for AMD Pensando DPUs, with targeted availability in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) servers and from other leading server vendors by the end of 2024. 

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Cisco to integrate AMD Pensando DPUs with Cisco Hypershield. This partnership brings together AMD’s cutting-edge hardware acceleration technology and Cisco’s advanced security solutions, enabling enterprises to achieve unparalleled network security performance and flexibility,” said Soni Jiandani, General Manager, Networking Technology and Solutions Group, AMD. “By leveraging our DPUs in customer servers or in future Cisco networking platforms, Hypershield users can enjoy high-capacity throughput and intelligent policy enforcement without compromising on workload performance. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in delivering robust, scalable, and efficient security solutions for private cloud environments.”

Building on this momentum, Cisco is also announcing support for Intel infrastructure processing units (IPUs) with availability to be announced in the future.

“We are pleased with the advancement of our collaboration with Cisco that combines the cutting-edge infrastructure acceleration of Intel IPUs with the breakthrough Cisco Hypershield architecture,” said Pere Monclus, Chief Technology Officer, Network and Edge Group at Intel. “This powerful combination marks a significant leap forward, helping to enable enterprises to realize an AI-driven, distributed security architecture that seamlessly goes from the cloud, to datacenters, to the edge with high performance and energy efficiency.”

The Best Next Generation Firewall is Now Even Better
For the second year running, SE Labs named the Cisco Secure Firewall the best next generation firewall. Today, Cisco is advancing its market leadership with the introduction of the Cisco Firewall 1200 Series, delivering up to three times the performance of comparable competitive firewalls. The 1200 Series is a new family of SD-WAN enabled, high-performing, compact firewall security appliances that eliminate the need to have multiple appliances for switches, routers and firewalls at enterprise branch locations. The first models in the series are targeted for availability in October 2024.

Cisco is also announcing the new software 7.6 version of Firewall Threat Defense (FTD), available for all of Cisco’s physical and virtual firewalls. FTD 7.6 not only enhances security by using AI to prevent zero-day threats and extends application control to over 70 generative AI apps to secure sensitive information but also streamlines branch network rollouts with pre-built SD-WAN and firewall templates and supports zero-touch provisioning.

Taking another giant leap, Cisco is introducing Cisco Security Cloud Control to unify management for the Cisco Security Cloud, beginning with its network security fabric including Cisco Secure Firewall. Going beyond AI assistants, Security Cloud Control delivers an AI-native approach to proactively surface actionable insights and automate resolution across hybrid environments. Customers benefit from simpler, more streamlined policies while getting the most out of their Cisco Security investment with optimal configuration. Unified management with Security Cloud Control is targeted for initial availability in September 2024 with support for Secure Firewall Threat Defense, Secure Firewall ASA, Multicloud Defense, and Hypershield.  

“We are very excited about the platform level innovation Cisco is bringing to market with the Security Cloud. Where security meets the network is a massive opportunity for our customers,” said Chris Konrad, Vice President, Global Cyber, World Wide Technology. “The promise of what Cisco Hypershield will deliver is a game-changer for how our customers will be able to close the exploit gap and achieve segmentation that adapts and learns. Along with new AI-powered management through Security Cloud Control and the quality innovation we continue to see in Cisco’s firewall portfolio, we are able to deliver an unparalleled customer outcome coupled with our services capabilities and expertise.”

Better Telemetry Means a Better Security Operations Center (SOC) of the Future 
Security companies today also need to be AI companies, and that requires data. As the creator of the network, Cisco has unmatched visibility across its customer’s IT environments. Embracing that notion and building on the recently announced integration of Cisco Extended Detection and Response (XDR) and Splunk Enterprise Security, Cisco continues to unify its portfolio of solutions to deliver the promise of the SOC of the Future, powered by Cisco’s unparalleled telemetry to better detect lateral movement. 

Splunk + Cisco Security Cloud: Security Operations teams can fully leverage the telemetry and alerts from the Cisco Security Cloud as part of a unified threat detection, investigation, and response workflow in Splunk. The new Cisco Security Cloud Technology Add-on (TA) for Splunk is a simple, reliable way to get a broad range of Cisco Security Cloud telemetry and analytics outcomes into Splunk. Cisco Duo and Secure Malware Analytics are available now, with additional sources to be added in the coming months. Cisco XDR + Cisco Meraki MX: Customers will be able to quickly and easily see and stop network-based attacks with a new, native integration coming soon to deliver network telemetry from Meraki MX appliances directly to Cisco XDR. With just a few clicks, Cisco XDR can begin analyzing network telemetry across even highly distributed organizations and correlating it with other telemetry to prioritize active threats.

“Organizations of all sizes continue to be challenged on the security front. Generative AI is enabling bad actors with new capabilities to launch widescale automated attacks, compose grammatically correct and realistic phishing emails and orchestrate deep fakes that challenge identity access management platforms. The combined power of Splunk and Cisco Security Cloud could serve as a transformative leap for defenders in mitigating collateral damage,” said Will Townsend, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Moor Insights & Strategy. “Cisco is already demonstrating early integrations of Splunk that weave advanced analytics and AI into a cloud-delivered security architecture that has the potential to level the cybersecurity playing field.”

“Network telemetry is consistently ranked in the top three most valuable security signals,” said Dave Gruber, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. “Native integration between Cisco XDR and Meraki MX strengthens detection and investigation capabilities, while simplifying deployment and management. This will be especially helpful for lean IT and distributed organizations. The convergence of network and security operations sets the stage for the SNOC of the Future.”

Integrated and Open Security Ecosystem
In today’s world where the threat landscape is rapidly evolving, the call from organizations for an integrated and open security ecosystem is louder than ever. Cisco Security Cloud was built to deliver better security outcomes for customers by avoiding dependence on a single vendor, optimizing instead to partner with other industry titans against a common adversary: the malicious actor.

Furthering this mission and differentiation with a robust technology ecosystem, today Cisco announced its latest collaboration with Google. Cisco is working with Google to bring browser-based threat and data protection from Chrome Enterprise to web apps secured by Cisco Secure Access. As more modern work happens on the web, a secure enterprise browser strengthens and simplifies endpoint security as part of broader zero trust initiatives.

“Cisco shares our vision for a more holistic zero trust architecture that is better for users and easier for the IT team to deploy and manage,” said Sunil Potti, General Manager and Vice President of Cloud Security at Google Cloud. “We are excited to work together to deliver a combination of browser-based and cloud-based protection that results in a secure and frictionless user experience.”

This work builds on the successful integration between Chrome Enterprise and Cisco Duo to enable end-to-end zero trust access, including device trust, strong authorization, and secure access for applications on both managed and unmanaged devices. Together, the companies are committed to delivering innovative security solutions that address today’s evolving landscape.

Cisco protects 100% percent of the Fortune 100. To learn more, visit cisco.com/go/security

Additional Resources 

Blog: Cisco Security at Cisco Live 2024: Innovating at Scale

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cisco-security-cloud-vision-comes-to-life-transforming-enterprise-defenses-302163429.html

SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

/C O R R E C T I O N from Source — Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc./

Published

on

By

In the news release, Carbon Upcycling, Minnesota DOT and National Road Research Alliance Joint Study Shows High-Performance Low-Carbon Concrete is 30% Stronger than Existing Roadways, issued 12-Nov-2024 by Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc. over CNW, we are advised by the company that corrections were made to the release. The complete, corected release follows:

Carbon Upcycling, Minnesota DOT and National Road Research Alliance Joint Study Shows High-Performance Low-Carbon Concrete is Stronger than Existing Roadways

Carbon Upcycling’s concrete mix demonstrated a 28% increase in strength at 28 days, while reducing cementitious content by 12.3%, setting a new standard for low-carbon sustainable infrastructure

CALGARY, AB, Nov. 12, 2024 /CNW/ – Carbon Upcycling Technologies, Inc. (Carbon Upcycling), a leader in decarbonization and carbon capture & utilization (CCU) for hard-to-abate industries, along with, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) has successfully completed the construction phase of a multi-year study on the use of low-carbon cement in highways. The results highlight Carbon Upcycling’s ability to be a drop-in solution for reducing carbon-intensive cement in concrete.

The study, managed by Sutter Engineering LLC and sponsored by the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA), rigorously tested 16 unique concrete mixtures in real-world conditions on an active Minnesota highway to identify options that could reduce the carbon footprint of infrastructure without sacrificing strength or durability. Completed in early 2024, the study aimed to find materials that could significantly lower the carbon footprint of concrete paving without compromising durability. Carbon Upcycling’s CO2-enhanced mix achieved a 12.3% reduction in cement content while matching the workability of traditional concrete, allowing seamless handling, placement, and setting times for construction crews. These findings provide valuable data to guide future low-carbon infrastructure projects across North America, as the seamless integration into existing workflows offers a drop-in, low-carbon alternative without compromising ease of use or performance.

The study revealed significant performance and environmental benefits of Carbon Upcycling’s concrete mix:

Increased Strength: 28% stronger at 28 days compared to the advanced control concrete.Reduced Cement Use: The CCU process allowed a 12.3% reduction in cementitious material, effectively reducing both carbon emissions and material costs.Greater Resiliency to Natural Elements: 32% increase in chloride resistivity for more durable concrete.

“Infrastructure is the very foundation of a sustainable future, and at Carbon Upcycling we’re committed to creating materials that support this vision while establishing a secure, stable North American supply chain,” said Apoorv Sinha, CEO of Carbon Upcycling. “Our collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Transportation highlights how Carbon Upcycling can transform captured emissions into local materials that strengthen our infrastructure. By focusing on resilience and sustainability, we’re contributing to a vision where our essential structures are clean and built to last.”

Carbon Upcycling partnered with BURNCO to deploy and test 140 m³ of its CCU-enhanced concrete mix, monitored by Larry Sutter, Principal Engineer at Sutter Engineering LLC, for strength, workability, and environmental impact on a Minnesota highway.

“Carbon Upcycling submitted a very impressive mixture design to the trial,” said Larry Sutter, MnDOT’s Principal Engineer and the project’s technical manager. “Their material not only achieved the highest reduction in cementitious content among all submissions but also demonstrated remarkable strength. By embedding CO2 and reducing the reliance on portland cement, Carbon Upcycling’s technology addresses one of the concrete industry’s most pressing challenges—lowering its carbon footprint as global demand for cement is expected to double by 2050. This project data will be invaluable as the industry works toward its 2030 CO2 reduction targets.”

Since 2021, Carbon Upcycling has deployed over 3,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement and has attracted investment from some of the world’s largest cement industry players such as Cemex, CRH and Titan Cement.

About Carbon Upcycling Technologies:
Carbon Upcycling is a decarbonization and carbon capture & utilization technology provider for the world’s hardest-to-abate industries. The company’s commercial technology upcycles point-source industrial CO2 emissions and local industrial waste materials into high-performance, low-carbon cement alternatives. The company is currently commissioning its first-of-a-kind commercial system at Canada’s largest cement plant. Carbon Upcycling has received global recognition for its industry-leading innovation. Notably, Carbon Upcycling was named a 2023 and 2024 Global Cleantech 100, Reuter’s Top 100 Innovators Leading the Energy Transition, and a World Economic Forum 2024 Technology Pioneer.

For more information, visit www.carbonupcycling.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbon-upcycling-minnesota-dot-and-national-road-research-alliance-joint-study-shows-high-performance-low-carbon-concrete-is-stronger-than-existing-roadways-302307192.html

SOURCE Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc.

Continue Reading

Technology

Massachusetts Community Colleges Partner with AMSimpkins & Associates to Implement their S.A.F.E. Platform in Efforts to Combat Student Applicant Fraud

Published

on

By

This partnership marks a significant milestone for Massachusetts Community Colleges in their efforts to prevent fraud and ensure equitable access to education. The implementation of S.A.F.E. will provide the institutions with cutting-edge technology and reliable safeguards, solidifying their reputation as forward-thinking leaders in the fight against student application fraud.

ATLANTA, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — AMSimpkins & Associates, a leader in cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions for educational institutions, is proud to announce that Massachusetts Community Colleges have selected the S.A.F.E. (Student Application Fraudulent Examination) platform to bolster their efforts in preventing and detecting student application fraud. This strategic move underscores Massachusetts’ commitment to maintaining the integrity of its admissions process and ensuring that valuable educational resources reach legitimate students.

“We’re excited to partner with Massachusetts Community Colleges and support their mission to provide quality education to genuine, eligible students.”

In recent years, fraudulent applications and financial aid scams have become increasingly pervasive issues, especially as institutions pivot towards more digital and remote application processes. By adopting the S.A.F.E. platform, Massachusetts Community Colleges are taking a proactive stance to safeguard their institutions against evolving fraud tactics.

S.A.F.E., developed by AMSimpkins & Associates, is a comprehensive fraud detection and prevention solution that leverages advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning algorithms, and real-time monitoring to identify potentially fraudulent activity within the student application and financial aid processes. With over 50 colleges and universities already utilizing the S.A.F.E. platform, Massachusetts Community Colleges now join a growing community of educational institutions committed to integrity, transparency, and security.

“S.A.F.E. is built from the ground up with the unique needs of higher education institutions in mind,” said Maurice Simpkins, President of AMSimpkins & Associates. “With our deep understanding of the higher education landscape, we’ve created a solution that not only detects and prevents fraud but also allows institutions to seamlessly integrate these checks into their admissions workflows. We’re excited to partner with Massachusetts Community Colleges and support their mission to provide quality education to genuine, eligible students.”

The S.A.F.E. platform offers a robust set of features to prevent and detect fraudulent applications, including:

Real-time Identity Verification: Through partnerships with industry-leading identity verification services, S.A.F.E. ensures that applicants are who they claim to be by cross-referencing multiple data points, including Social Security Number validation, address checks, and real-time ID verification.AI-Driven Anomaly Detection: S.A.F.E. continuously monitors and learns from application data patterns, enabling it to detect suspicious behaviors that could indicate fraudulent activity.Geo-Blocking and Risk Scoring: Institutions can customize geo-blocking settings to restrict access from high-risk regions and employ dynamic risk scoring based on user interactions, device profiling, and behavior analytics.Customizable Fraud Rules and Policies: The platform allows administrators to set specific fraud thresholds and responses, tailoring the system’s sensitivity to meet the unique needs of each college or university.Real-time Alerts and Data Sharing: S.A.F.E. sends real-time alerts to designated stakeholders if suspicious activities are detected, allowing for quick responses and preventative actions.Additionally, the platform facilitates data sharing across institutions to block repeated offenders system-wide.

In addition to its fraud prevention features, AMSimpkins & Associates also provides cybersecurity consulting and support through partnerships with Cybersecurity organizations, adding another layer of protection for Massachusetts Community Colleges. This comprehensive approach aligns perfectly with the state’s vision of creating a secure and resilient higher education environment.

About AMSimpkins & Associates

AMSimpkins & Associates is an industry-leading provider of cybersecurity solutions focused on safeguarding educational institutions. Their flagship product, S.A.F.E. (Student Application Fraudulent Examination), is specifically designed to address the complex challenges of fraud in higher education admissions and financial aid. By partnering with colleges, universities, and technology providers, AMSimpkins & Associates is committed to maintaining the integrity of education by keeping students and institutions safe from fraud.

For more information about AMSimpkins & Associates and the S.A.F.E. platform, please visit amsa-highered.com

Media Contact

LAQWACIA SIMPKINS, AMSimpkins and Associates, 1 6786824193, LSIMPKINS@AMSA-CONSULTING.COM, AMSimpkins and Associates

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/massachusetts-community-colleges-partner-with-amsimpkins–associates-to-implement-their-safe-platform-in-efforts-to-combat-student-applicant-fraud-302306684.html

SOURCE AMSimpkins and Associates

Continue Reading

Technology

bswift Acquires Evive: Launches Integrated Personalized Engagement Platform

Published

on

By

bswift announces a fully integrated personalized engagement solution aimed at delivering better health care outcomes through data-driven personalization, predictive analytics, and behavioral science. 

CHICAGO, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — bswift LLC, an industry leader in employee benefits technology and administration, announced today the launch of its fully-integrated personalization and engagement engine. This solution is a result of bswift’s recent acquisition of Evive Health, LLC, a pioneer in the field with a demonstrated track record of driving outcomes for employees, employers and health plans by optimizing benefit understanding and utilization, resources, and programs for millions of Americans. 

“By bringing bswift and Evive together, we have integrated a powerful engagement platform,” – bswift CEO, Ted Bloomberg.

With this exciting investment, bswift reinforces its mission to lead the benefits administration space and strengthens its role as a strategic ally for its clients – empowering them to deliver on their benefits strategies by motivating plan participants to manage their health and wellbeing proactively.

“Our clients and partners consistently tell us that member engagement, personalized experiences, and cost management are their top strategic priorities today and in the foreseeable future,” said bswift CEO, Ted Bloomberg. “By bringing bswift and Evive together, we have integrated a powerful engagement platform into our core benefits administration solution. That is a first, and we are delighted to immediately and directly support employers’ critical priorities with proven, industry-leading capabilities.” 

Using data-driven personalization and the power of predictive analytics and behavioral science, bswift’s personalization toolset is proven to increase benefits awareness, engagement, and utilization by delivering tailored and actionable messages about the right benefit at the right time. Demonstrated results include driving a 3X increase in health actions recommended by qualified providers, and a 12% increase in annual preventative care screening visits. 

“We’re thrilled to be the first in our market to deliver this supercharged engagement capability across all aspects of the user experience,” said bswift Executive Vice President of Product, Matt Waldrup. “bswift is completely reimagining the benefits experience with personalized, data-driven, multi-channel communications that engage employees across their physical, emotional, financial, and personal wellbeing, empowering people to make the most of their benefits.” 

bswift’s new personalization engine empowers employers and employees: 

Personalized, next-best-action journeysReward and incentive-based gamification to boost engagementOn-the-go access to benefits and incentive activities via mobile appRobust analytics and reporting for HR teams to track campaign ROI and engagement metrics

Employers can now leverage bswift’s expertise to systematically deliver smarter, more relevant communications to promote healthier habits, optimize benefit utilization – and maximize employee health outcomes. 

About bswift 
bswift LLC offers cloud-based technology and services that transform the way employees perceive and engage with their benefits. With adaptive technology, service excellence, and compassionate service, bswift serves millions worldwide. Their comprehensive suite of solutions provides intuitive, personalized online enrollment, interactive decision support, ACA compliance reporting, and employee engagement. Visit www.bswift.com to learn more. 

About Evive 

Evive is a digital communications and engagement platform that helps health plans and employers optimize the benefits, resources and programs they offer their employees. Using data-driven personalization, closed-loop engagement reporting and the power of predictive analytics and behavioral science, Evive increases benefits awareness, engagement and utilization to deliver the right message about the right benefit at the right time. Visit www.goevive.com to learn more.

Media Contact: 
Zoya Siddiqui 
Senior Director, Marketing 
zsiddiqui@bswift.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bswift-acquires-evive-launches-integrated-personalized-engagement-platform-302307016.html

SOURCE bswift LLC

Continue Reading

Trending