Category Archives: Technology: Electronics

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InstantGMP PRO’s External User Feature Gives New CMO Customer Competitive Edge


Operator checking production quality for CMO client.

“When we learned that InstantGMP™ PRO software includes an external user feature that would allow our customers to securely access master production records and batch productions records online, we knew we found the answer to our oversight issues,” said Dave Derian, President of BotanaWay.

InstantGMP, the all-in-one solution for capturing manufacturing, inventory and quality data, is proud to welcome one of the top contract manufacturing organizations (CMO) to our client base – and give them a competitive edge with our software features.

BotanaWay, Inc. is a brand builder and contract manufacturer based in Richmond VA which specializes in low minimum order quantity (MOQ) and proof of concept.

As a thriving CMO, BotanaWay was experiencing some growing pains. Namely, they were finding it difficult to provide their clients with the high level of oversight that they were demanding.

Many of BotanaWay’s clients want to have more control of their product’s formula design, manufacturing instructions creation, and materials selection. Essentially, they want to supervise or collaborate with BotanaWay during the Master Production Record (MPR) creation process. By doing so, the client ensures that the final product meets their specific needs.

To provide this service to its customers, the BotanaWay team drafts an MPR and shares it with their respective clients either as a physical document or electronic file. The client makes their revisions and sends it back to BotanaWay. This process continues between BotanaWay and their clients until a final MPR is approved.

Unfortunately, this process isn’t very efficient or effective for BotanaWay and their clients.

First, it’s an incredibly time-consuming process, especially when dealing with paper documentation. More importantly, the possibility that the information included in the final MPR draft is not completely accurate. Since there are multiple revisions of multiple physical documents or digital files, the final version may:


  • Include outdated information that was not deleted from a previous draft.
  • Exclude critical information or instructions.
  • Omit a key member of the client team during the review process.
  • Lack an electronic signature option for review/approval purposes

To improve their existing process, offer their clients greater oversight, and avoid these serious issues, BotanaWay began looking for software solutions.

“When we learned that InstantGMP™ PRO software includes an external user feature that would allow our customers to securely access master production records and batch productions records online we knew we found the answer to our oversight issues,” said Dave Derian, President of BotanaWay. “With this innovative feature, we’ve simplified our MPR process, improved client communications, and greater oversight during the entire manufacturing process. Additionally, this software feature gives us a competitive advantage over other CMOs who still rely on the traditional process.”

Not only does InstantGMP PRO’s external user feature permit BotanaWay’s customers to conveniently and confidentially review MPRs and BPRs at any time from anywhere, it also allows them to:

  • Revise master production records (MPR) and batch production records (BPR) during the design phase.
  • Provide comments which are recorded as part of the respective records.
  • Check the real-time status of a BPR.
  • See real-time results during a batch production.
  • Receive notifications/emails when production deviations occur.
  • Respond to alerts in the Requests For Action fields.
  • Use an Electronic Signature to approve MPRs and BPRs.

“Thanks to our software innovations, BotanaWay now enjoys greater engagement with their customers during the MPR process and batch production,” said Dr. Richard Soltero, President of InstantGMP. “Plus, this feature acts as a key differentiator between BotanaWay and other contract drug manufacturing organizations.”

To request a demonstration of InstantGMP PRO software and see the external user in action, contact our sales team today!

ABOUT INSTANTGMP™, INC.

Founded by pharmaceutical industry veteran Dr. Richard Soltero, InstantGMP, Inc., offers affordable all-in-one manufacturing, inventory and quality software. The company develops cloud-based electronic batch record software and standard operating procedures specific to industries that are required to follow FDA manufacturing regulations and Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”).

As a manufacturing software company, InstantGMP™ pioneered accessible, easy-to-use electronic batch record software for products manufactured using GMPs. The Company’s updated software simplifies the documentation and approval procedures for quality processes that keep all quality documentation organized in electronic format while providing for quality checks and workflow processes to make compliance with FDA requirements easy.

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OneThird Raises $3 Million to Tackle the $1 Trillion Lost to Food Waste Annually


OneThird, an AI-powered food tech company created to address the annual loss of one-third of all food produced due to spoilage

“One-third of global food produced annually is lost or wasted. Global food waste has an enormous environmental impact; reducing global food waste can help to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and embolden global food security,” said Marco Snikkers, CEO and founder of OneThird. “

OneThird, an AI-powered food tech company created to address the annual loss of one-third of all food produced due to spoilage, today announced the company has raised $3M (2.75M euros) in a late-seed funding round, increasing the total amount of funding raised to date to $6.1M (5.75M euros). The late seed funding was led by Dutch-based impact investor Pymwymic (an acronym for “Put Your Money Where Your Meaning Is Community”), with participation from prior investors Halma Ventures Limited, SHIFT Invest and Oost NL. OneThird will use the new funding to scale its technology and operations to expand to new markets and support fresh produce supply chains in North America and Europe as the company works to tackle the $1 trillion lost annually to worldwide food waste due to spoilage. View a short video about OneThird here.

Launched in 2019, OneThird has been quietly building its technology and carefully selecting early customers across the fresh produce supply chain. OneThird has garnered significant media attention since its debut at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where it was voted ‘Best of Show’ by multiple global tier one media. OneThird’s AI-powered, near-infrared scanning technology enables growers, food distributors, retailers and consumers to accurately predict the shelf life of fresh produce and minimize food waste. The technology currently supports and predicts the shelf life of tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries and avocados, and will extend to a total of ten types of produce, including grapes, bananas, mangoes and raspberries by late 2023.

The United Nations identifies food waste as a major sustainability development challenge. Up to one-third of food brought to market annually is wasted at an estimated cost of $1 trillion, and almost half of it – 40% – is fresh produce. Produce has a varying shelf life and is often transported over great distances — even though it may spoil within a matter of days. Proven to eliminate up to 25% of waste across the produce supply chain, OneThird’s technology empowers produce supply chain stakeholders with real-time information to help them make smarter decisions, such as optimizing best before codes, opting to ship locally or within a shorter trucking distance to maintain shelf-life, or choosing to divert produce that would otherwise spoil by turning it into smoothies, dry frozen products, soups and more.

“Global food waste has an enormous environmental impact; reducing global food waste can help to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and embolden global food security. One-third of global food produced annually is lost or wasted, which is an astronomical volume given the number of people worldwide who go to bed hungry. Global food waste is both inefficient and a major social justice issue — one that is compounded across multiple touchpoints in the supply chain — from agricultural production all the way to the landfill,” said Marco Snikkers, CEO and founder of OneThird. “The latest seed funding we’ve received will allow us to accelerate the implementation of OneThird’s technology beyond our initial customer base, expand internationally and increase the impact we can create for our customers to help them generate higher ROI, and also meet their sustainability and ESG goals.”

“Increasing food security is key to supporting a growing global population,” said Sophie Pickering, Investment Manager at Pymwymic. “We’re excited by the possibilities OneThird’s technology presents in tackling the alarming quantities of global food loss across the supply chain.”

Access the OneThird press kit here.

About OneThird

OneThird is on a mission to address a $1 trillion annual problem — reducing the loss of one-third of all food produced worldwide. OneThird’s food tech solutions for growers, distributors and grocery retailers allow for high-accuracy shelf life prediction of produce at any stage of the supply chain — ensuring the right product gets to the right place at the right time. Using passion and creativity, OneThird delivers meaningful solutions to improve sustainability efforts, feed those in need, and save customers money.

Founded in 2019 in a digital incubator for FTSE 100 company Halma plc [LON:HLMA], and based in Enschede, The Netherlands, OneThird is a privately held company backed by impact investors Pymwymic, SHIFT Invest and Oost NL. Follow OneThird on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or learn more at https://onethird.io.

About Pymwymic

Pymwymic is one of the oldest impact investors in Europe. As a co-owned impact investment cooperative of over 200 individuals, families, entrepreneurs and angel investors, we have taken a frontrunner role in the transition towards investing with care for both people and planet since 1994. Together with institutional investors, we have launched two Sustainable Development Goals-focused impact funds. Pymwymic’s Healthy Ecosystems Impact Fund I (closed in 2021) has nine portfolio companies building solutions to preserve and restore our ecosystems. We are currently investing through the Healthy Food Systems Impact Fund II, supporting the change making entrepreneurs who are transforming our food system from farm to fork.

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Kredivo Holdings, the Leading Southeast Asian Digital Financial Services Platform, Closes ~US$270m Series D Equity Round


Kredivo Holdings

The expansion into digital banking with Krom is synergistic with the existing Kredivo product and opens up a channel for us to become the digital financial services platform of choice for millions of consumers. We are delighted to have Mizuho join us as an investor.– Akshay Garg, Kredivo Holdings

Kredivo Holdings (formerly known as FinAccel), the parent company of Kredivo and Krom Bank Indonesia, today announced that it has raised ~US$270 million in equity financing in a significantly oversubscribed round, bringing its Series D fundraise to a successful close. This round was led by Japanese global bank Mizuho Bank, Ltd., a subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (“Mizuho”) and also drew significant interest from Kredivo Holdings’ existing stable of top tier investors, including Square Peg Capital, Jungle Ventures, Naver Financial Corporation, GMO Venture Partners and Openspace Ventures, among others.

This fundraise will cement Kredivo’s leading position in the digital financial services industry through its powerful expanding ecosystem which includes online and offline Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”), personal loans, credit cards (physical and virtual) and support the upcoming launch of the neobank Krom. Kredivo is already a market leader in the third party BNPL segment in Indonesia, covering all major ecommerce and offline channels in the country via its open loop network.

Akshay Garg, CEO of Kredivo Holdings, said, “Despite challenging market conditions, investors continue to recognize the scale and strength of our business, and our innovation potential. The upcoming expansion into digital banking with Krom is deeply synergistic with the existing Kredivo product and also opens up a very promising channel for us to become the digital financial services platform of choice for tens of millions of consumers in Southeast Asia. Finally, we are delighted to have Mizuho join us as a valuable investor and strategic partner.”

Daisuke Horiuchi, Group Executive Officer Deputy Head of Retail & Business Banking Company of Mizuho, said, “We are very proud to be an investor and long term strategic partner of Kredivo Holdings. Kredivo has a stellar track record in Southeast Asia, leveraging on its deep data partnerships to promote financial inclusion within Indonesia and Southeast Asia, while maintaining bank-like risk metrics and building a capital efficient business model. The digitization of financial services is a multi-decadal theme, and we’re excited to back Kredivo’s mission of building the highest quality digital financial services platform in Southeast Asia.”

Evercore acted as the financial advisor to Kredivo Holdings for Mizuho’s investment in the Series D equity transaction, and Cooley LLP acted as the legal advisor.

For any inquiries, please contact press@kredivocorp.com.

About Kredivo Holdings (formerly known as FinAccel)

Kredivo Holdings is Southeast Asia’s leading provider of digital financial services through its brands Kredivo, KrediFazz and Krom. Kredivo is the leading digital credit platform in Indonesia and Vietnam that gives customers instant credit financing for ecommerce and offline purchases, and personal loans, based on real-time decisioning. Kredivo users can buy now and pay later across the entirety of Indonesia’s retail commerce network with one of the lowest interest rates amongst digital credit providers in the country. Krom Bank Indonesia (formerly known as Bank Bisnis Internasional, IDX: BBSI) is the group’s bank entity and the operator of the soon-to-be-launched Indonesian neobank Krom. Kredivo Holdings is backed by leading financial and strategic investors such as Mizuho Financial Group, Square Peg Capital, Jungle Ventures, Naver Corp, Mirae Asset and Victory Park Capital among others. To know more, please visit http://www.kredivocorp.com.

About Mizuho Financial Group

Mizuho Financial Group is a leading global financial institution with one of the largest customer bases in Japan, offering comprehensive financial and strategic services including retail banking, corporate finance, investment banking, asset management, capital markets, and sales and trading, through its subsidiaries. Mizuho has over USD 2 trillion of assets and over 870 offices across the world. Established over 140 years ago, Mizuho’s vision is to become the most trusted financial services group with a global presence and a broad customer base, contributing to the prosperity of the world, Asia, and Japan. To know more, please visit http://www.mizuhogroup.com.

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Adobe-Salsify Connector Solves Buyers’ Top Digital Pain Point: Accurate Product Information


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“2023 is shaping up to be a year with an emphasis on efficiency. Layering in smaller ecosystem players with outsized benefit for digital commerce and experience platform stakeholders is one way to accomplish that,” said Joe Harouni, head of Avionos’ Connected Commerce Practice.

Avionos, a global digital partner to Fortune 500 companies, announces the launch of the Adobe-Salsify Connector, which automates publishing product data into Adobe Commerce. Built by Avionos in partnership with Salsify and Adobe, the Connector enables brands to publish product information quickly and confidently. It reduces manual, repetitive tasks and alerts users of product publishing errors which provides more visibility for brands. All of this means less incorrect product information that customers have to wade through.

As organizations seek ways to increase efficiency in their processes, the Adobe-Salsify Connector is the answer to B2B and B2C buyers’ main pain points: poor product data. In fact, Avionos’ Annual Buyer Reports indicate that detailed, accurate, up-to-date product information is critical to converting browsers to buyers. It increases brand credibility and buyer confidence. In fact, 66% of B2B buyers say their suppliers are not effective in showcasing product information and pricing. On the consumer side, from browsing inventory to completing a purchase, retailers need to go above and beyond to create a seamless checkout experience across channels. More than a quarter of consumers wish finding new products and learning more about products was easier online.

“Customers expect personalized and contextual interactions throughout their digital purchasing experiences. This requires robust and accurate product information which can be a challenge for merchandisers who manage information across sites, marketplaces, and distributors,” said Errol Denger, Director of Strategy and Product Management for Adobe Commerce. “We collaborated with Avionos to build a solution that delivers robust product information into Adobe Commerce optimizing personalization and merchandising across all digital channels. The new Adobe-Salsify Connector was developed using App Builder for Adobe Commerce showcasing its speed and flexibility for building enterprise integrations.”

“2023 is shaping up to be a year with an emphasis on efficiency. Layering in smaller ecosystem players with outsized benefit for digital commerce and experience platform stakeholders is one way to accomplish that,” said Joe Harouni, head of Avionos’ Connected Commerce Practice. “Improving accuracy, efficiency, and visibility in the domain of product information management is an obvious next step for brands seeking to elevate their customer and employee experience, optimize the product management process, and win more on the digital shelf. We partnered with Salsify and Adobe to launch the Connector with these goals top of mind.”

The Connector allows brands to make time for what matters. It provides high visibility into product publish success results so that teams can focus on higher value activity like lead generation, customer experience and customer loyalty i.e., sales and revenue. The Connector will run on App Builder for Adobe Commerce which is included in Adobe Commerce and Adobe Experience Cloud. It also requires no additional licenses or infrastructure. Salsify is the only PIM Solution that leverages the power of Adobe’s serverless, low-code infrastructure.

“Avionos is uniquely positioned in our partner ecosystem to maximize the combined return on investment of Adobe and Salsify. Partnering with our product organization to create The Connector, Avionos pushes the envelope of what is possible through Salsify’s composable, extensible platform. Some of our largest customers choose to partner with Avionos not just due to their platform capabilities, but also their outcome-driven approach to process design, commerce and content strategy, and end-to-end digital transformation,” said Salsify Chief Corporate Development Officer, John Federman.

Avionos is an Adobe Gold Partner and a Salsify Gold Partner. The companies worked together to create an offering specifically for brands that seek to maximize their existing digital commerce and experience platform investment. The Connector is a way for them to enhance the employee and customer experience while driving business value without another extraordinary investment.

To learn more about the Adobe-Salsify Connector, please go here.

About Avionos™

Avionos’ team of experts drives measurable business outcomes for Fortune 500 and 1000 companies like Brunswick, Abbott Laboratories, and Transunion by partnering with executives to turn their digital vision into reality. Avionos’ integrated digital transformation, marketing, and commerce capabilities elevate its global clients’ digital experiences and drive growth. Avionos is an Inc. 5000 company, a Certified Great Place to Work, a Crain’s Best Place to Work, and on the Comparably Best Company Culture list. Learn more at http://www.avionos.com.

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ThunderCat Technology Honored on the 2023 CRN Tech Elite 250 List


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ThunderCat Technology today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has honored ThunderCat on its 2023 Tech Elite 250 list.

This annual list features solution providers of all sizes across the U.S and Canada that have differentiated themselves by achieving the highest level and largest breadth of certifications and specializations from key technology vendors in the infrastructure, cloud, and security spaces.

Businesses rely on solution providers to maintain the highest levels of technical prowess across critical products and services to help them meet today’s IT challenges and take advantage of the benefits of cutting-edge solutions. To meet these demands, solution providers such as strategic service providers, systems integrators, managed service providers and value-added resellers strive to maintain high levels of training and certification from IT vendors and achieve the highest tiers within those vendors’ partner programs.

“ThunderCat is getting ready to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. Yet, this is already our 10th appearance on this list. It is quite an honor to be included with major players and blue-chip names like Accenture, GDIT, and many others. As a Value Added Reseller or Solution Provider we have always believed is it our duty and responsibility to have and be able to demonstrate competencies across multiple disciplines. We do not specialize in just storage, or just cloud, or just cyber, or just networking. To be a resource and trusted advisor to our customers and prospects we believe we must be experts in many areas to give proper objective and independent advice on what they need for their particular goals and current architecture. We are proud to be on this list and will remain vigilant to stay current on best-in-class technologies and providers like Amazon, Cisco, Dell, HPE, and VMware,” said ThunderCat’s CEO, Tom Deierlein.

“CRN’s Tech Elite 250 list features the leading solution providers in the IT channel with the most in-depth technical knowledge, expertise, and certifications for providing the highest level of service for their customers,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “These solution providers have continued to extend their aptitudes and abilities across various technologies and IT practices, demonstrating their commitment and value to their customers.

Coverage of the Tech Elite 250 will be featured in the April issue of CRN Magazine and online at http://www.CRN.com/techelite250.

About ThunderCat Technology

Currently ranked #65 on the Solution Provider 500, the award winning ThunderCat Technology is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that delivers technology products and services to government organizations, educational institutions, and commercial companies. Led by a combat-wounded CEO, ThunderCat is a systems integrator that brings an innovative approach to solving customer problems in and around the datacenter by providing strategies for Data Storage, Networking, Cyber Security, and Cloud Transformations. A proven leader, ThunderCat Technology provides and optimizes technologies from best of breed manufacturers. Clients include DOD, DHS, VA, Treasury, FBI, State of Virginia, State of NY, Sony, VISA, and CareFirst. http://www.thundercattech.com

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 40 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

© 2023. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Channel Company Contact:

Natalie Lewis

The Channel Company

nlewis@thechannelcompany.com

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New KnowBe4 SecurityCoach Integrates With Cloudflare’s Cloud Email Security


SecurityCoach helps IT/security professionals to develop a strong security culture by enabling real-time security coaching of their users in response to risky security behavior.

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced that its new SecurityCoach product integrates with Cloudflare’s cloud email security. The two security organizations have collaborated together to help reduce risky behavior with product integration to support real-time security coaching.

SecurityCoach helps IT/security professionals to develop a strong security culture by enabling real-time security coaching of their users in response to risky security behavior. Leveraging an organization’s existing security stack, IT/security professionals can configure their real-time coaching campaigns to immediately deliver a SecurityTip to their users related to a detected event.

“Cloudflare joins our ecosystem of technology partners, which is growing rapidly, to enrich the support we provide to our customers and to fortify their organization’s human firewall,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “KnowBe4 is proud to work with Cloudflare to provide a seamless integration with our new SecurityCoach product, which aims to deliver real-time security coaching and advice to help end users enhance their cybersecurity knowledge and strengthen their role in contributing to a strong security culture. KnowBe4 is actively working with Cloudflare to provide an API-based integration to connect our platform with systems that IT/security professionals already utilize, making rolling out new products to their teams an easy and unified process.”

“When we’re talking to CISOs—whether at Fortune 500s, startups, or non-profits — email security emerges as the biggest threat vector that they face,” said Alex Dyner, Senior Vice President, Special Projects at Cloudflare. “We are excited to integrate with KnowBe4 to allow our mutual customers to offer real-time coaching to their employees when a phishing campaign is detected by Cloudflare’s cloud email security. This will help in reducing the human errors that lead to phishing attacks.”

KnowBe4 will provide step-by-step instructions and recommendations to help IT/security professionals achieve quick and pain-free integration and data syncing during the implementation process.

KnowBe4 now integrates or partners with over 20 of the world’s top cybersecurity platforms across Endpoint, Network, Identity, Cloud and Data Security https://www.knowbe4.com/integrations. For more information on SecurityCoach, visit https://www.knowbe4.com/products/securitycoach.

To learn more about the integration, read this blog from Cloudflare https://blog.cloudflare.com/Knowbe4-emailsecurity-integration

About KnowBe4

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 56,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense.

Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and other Cloudflare marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.

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KnowBe4 Launches Phishing Security Resource Kit To Help Combat the Most Common Form of Social Engineering


KnowBe4’s phishing security resource kit will include user resources such as access to a free on-demand webinar on phishing mitigation, KnowBe4’s most popular phishing white paper, “Comprehensive Anti-Phishing Guide E-Book” and more.

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced the release of its phishing security resource kit to help end users defend themselves and their organizations against the threat of phishing attacks.

Phishing is a social engineering scheme in which bad actors attempt to acquire sensitive information from users such as login credentials and credit card information or trick them into clicking on an infected link or attachment that can download malware by disguising the email as being from a trustworthy entity like a known contact or organization. Over 90% of successful data breaches and hacks start with phishing scams — it is the most common form of social engineering and a threat to every end user and organization around the world.

KnowBe4’s phishing security resource kit will include user resources such as access to a free on-demand webinar on phishing mitigation, KnowBe4’s most popular phishing white paper, “Comprehensive Anti-Phishing Guide E-Book”, a video on how to avoid phishing attacks, infographics, posters, digital signage and more.

“Phishing remains one of the most dangerous threats to users and organizations because of how easily it can be disguised and its potential to cause detrimental harm and fallout,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “KnowBe4 recognizes the significance of this threat, which is why we are dedicated to producing world-class, new-school security awareness training and resources to educate users on the signs of phishing scams and how to best prepare and defend against them. Our new phishing security resource kit enables end users and organizations to strengthen their security culture and make smarter security decisions.”

To download the KnowBe4 Phishing Security Resource Kit, visit https://www.knowbe4.com/phishing-resource-kit.

About KnowBe4

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 56,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud, and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist, and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense.

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Gilsbar is Excited to Unveil the New Client-Centered Portal


Gilsbar_Portal_Homepage

Gilsbar Portal Homepage

“Our goal is to establish an innovative digital environment for professionals to interact with their insurance company that is easily accessible and revitalizes the image of our industry from rows of filing cabinets filled with documents,” said Megan Motichek, Director of Operations.

Gilsbar offers customers a new way to manage their business insurance policies through its new client portal. From the portal, users can renew and establish new plans, pull proof of coverage and quickly receive support from an agent all in one place.

Through the launch of the new portal, Gilsbar hopes to offer professionals the same ease of access to renewing and purchasing business insurance that they would expect to receive from a personal insurance agent.

“Our goal is to establish an innovative digital environment for professionals to interact with their insurance company that is easily accessible and revitalizes the image of our industry from rows of filing cabinets filled with documents,” said Megan Motichek, Director of Operations.

Additional benefits to the new environment include online bill pay, claims reporting, professional tool kits, mid-term policy changes and action-related notifications so that users are always up-to-date on their current policies.

About Gilsbar

Established in 1959, Gilsbar offers robust insurance solutions for businesses and their employees including employee benefits consulting, commercial insurance consulting and association benefits management. Gilsbar is also recognized as an industry leader in professional liability administration. For more information, visit http://www.Gilsbar.com

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The Government’s Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) Mandate Is Part of a Bigger Cybersecurity Picture


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SBOMs are meaningless unless they are part of a larger strategy that identifies risks and vulnerabilities across the software supply chain management system.

The number of cyberattacks waged against government sectors worldwide increased by 95% in the second half of 2022 compared to the same time period in 2021.(1) The global cost of cyberattacks is expected to grow exponentially from $8.44 trillion in 2022 to $23.84 trillion by 2027.(2) To support the nation’s critical infrastructure and Federal Government networks, the White House issued Executive Order 14028, “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity” in May 2021.(3) The EO defines the security measures that must be followed by any software publisher or developer that does business with the Federal Government. One of these measures requires all software developers to provide a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), a complete inventory list of components and libraries that comprise a software application. Walt Szablowski, Founder and Executive Chairman of Eracent, which has provided complete visibility into its large enterprise clients’ networks for over two decades, observes, “SBOMs are meaningless unless they are part of a larger strategy that identifies risks and vulnerabilities across the software supply chain management system.”

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) defines a Software Bill of Materials as “a complete, formally structured list of components, libraries, and modules that are required to build a given piece of software and the supply chain relationships between them.”(4) The U.S. is especially vulnerable to cyberattacks because much of its infrastructure is controlled by private companies who may not be equipped with the level of security necessary to thwart an attack.(5) The key benefit of SBOMs is that they enable organizations to identify whether any of the components that make up a software application may have a vulnerability that can create a security risk.

While U.S. government agencies will be mandated to adopt SBOMs, commercial companies would clearly benefit from this extra level of security. As of 2022, the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. is $9.44 million, with a global average of $4.35 million.(6) According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, the Federal Government runs three legacy technology systems dating back five decades. The GAO warned that these outdated systems increase security vulnerabilities and frequently run on hardware and software that is no longer supported.(7)

Szablowski explains, “There are two key aspects that every organization will have to address when using SBOMs. First, they must have a tool that can quickly read all of the details in an SBOM, match the results to known vulnerability data, and provide heads-up reporting. Second, they must be able to establish an automated, proactive process to stay on top of SBOM-related activity and all of the unique mitigation options and processes for each component or software application.”

Eracent’s cutting-edge Intelligent Cybersecurity Platform (ICSP)™ Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management™ (C-SCRM) module is unique in that it supports both of these aspects to provide an additional, critical level of protection to minimize software-based security risks. This is essential when initiating a proactive, automated SBOM program. The ICSP C-SCRM offers comprehensive protection with instant visibility to mitigate any component-level vulnerabilities. It recognizes obsolete components that can also increase security risk. The process automatically reads the itemized details within the SBOM and matches each listed component to the most up-to-date vulnerability data using Eracent’s IT-Pedia® IT Product Data Library — a single, authoritative source for essential data concerning millions of IT hardware and software products.”

A vast majority of commercial and custom applications contain open-source code. Standard vulnerability analysis tools do not scrutinize individual open-source components within applications. However, any one of these components may contain vulnerabilities or obsolete components, increasing software susceptibility to cybersecurity breaches. Szablowski notes, “Most tools let you create or analyze SBOMs, but they are not taking a consolidated, proactive management approach — structure, automation, and reporting. Companies need to understand the risks that may exist in the software they use, whether open-source or proprietary. And software publishers need to understand the potential risks inherent in the products they offer. Organizations need to fortify their cybersecurity with the enhanced level of protection Eracent’s ICSP C-SCRM system delivers.”

About Eracent

Walt Szablowski is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Eracent and serves as Chair of Eracent’s subsidiaries (Eracent SP ZOO, Warsaw, Poland; Eracent Private LTD in Bangalore, India; and Eracent Brazil). Eracent helps its customers meet the challenges of managing IT network assets, software licenses, and cybersecurity in today’s complex and evolving IT environments. Eracent’s enterprise clients save significantly on their annual software spend, reduce their audit and security risks, and establish more efficient asset management processes. Eracent’s client base includes some of the world’s largest corporate and government networks and IT environments — the USPS, VISA, US Airforce, British Ministry of Defense — and dozens of Fortune 500 companies rely on Eracent solutions to manage and protect their networks. Visit https://eracent.com/. 

References:

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