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Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to tackle the security risks of agentic AI

Proofpoint announced Thursday it has acquired Acuvity, an AI security startup, as the cybersecurity company moves to address security risks stemming from widespread corporate adoption of agentic AI. The acquisition strengthens Proofpoint‘s capabilities in monitoring and securing AI-powered systems that are increasingly handling sensitive business functions across enterprises.  Financial terms of the deal were not…

LevelBlue scoops up Alert Logic’s managed services from Fortra

LevelBlue, a Dallas-based managed security services provider, announced Tuesday that it is expanding its managed detection and response business through a strategic partnership with cybersecurity firm Fortra that includes the acquisition of Fortra’s Alert Logic managed services unit. The companies said the agreement covers Alert Logic’s Managed Detection and Response services, along with associated Extended…

Congressional appropriators move to extend information-sharing law, fund CISA

Congressional appropriators announced funding legislation this week that extends an expiring cyber threat information-sharing law and provides $2.6 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including money for election security and directives on staffing levels. The latest so-called “minibus” package of several spending bills to keep the government funded past a Jan. 30…

CrowdStrike is buying Seraphic Security to lock down the browser, where work actually happens

CrowdStrike announced Tuesday an agreement to acquire Seraphic Security, a browser runtime security provider, in a move that signals growing recognition among cybersecurity firms that traditional protective measures have failed to keep pace with how employees actually work. The acquisition, expected to close during CrowdStrike’s first fiscal quarter of 2027, will integrate Seraphic’s browser-level protection…

CrowdStrike to buy identity startup SGNL for nearly $740M

CrowdStrike is buying identity management startup SGNL, a move that underscores how identity security has become a central battleground in enterprise cybersecurity as companies add cloud services and deploy AI-driven tools. The cybersecurity firm did not disclose financial terms in a Thursday announcement, but CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told CNBC the deal is valued at…

ServiceNow agrees to buy cyber firm Armis for $7.75B

ServiceNow has agreed to buy cybersecurity firm Armis for $7.75 billion in cash, a deal that would push the enterprise software company deeper into a fast-growing corner of security focused on tracking and reducing “exposure” across sprawling networks of connected devices. The companies said Tuesday that combining ServiceNow’s workflow and risk products with Armis’ asset…

Is ransomware finally on the decline? Treasury data offers cautious hope

Ransomware is on the decline, according to a study the Treasury Department released Thursday, pointing to fewer attacks and payments following an all-time spike in activity in 2023. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) report on ransomware trends concluded more positive development in payments — the critical and most visible layer of attacks that have…

Authorities take down Cryptomixer, seize $28M in Switzerland

European authorities shut down and seized the assets of Cryptomixer, a cryptocurrency mixing service that allegedly facilitated more than $1.5 billion in money laundering for cybercriminals and other illegal activity, Europol said Monday.  The weeklong operation, part of “Operation Olympia,” netted the seizure of nearly $28 million in Bitcoin, three servers in Switzerland, the cryptomixer.io…

Palo Alto Networks to acquire observability firm Chronosphere for $3.35 billion

Palo Alto Networks announced Wednesday it will acquire Chronosphere, a cloud observability platform, for $3.35 billion in cash and equity, marking the cybersecurity company’s latest move to expand beyond its traditional security perimeter into adjacent infrastructure monitoring capabilities. The acquisition represents a significant bet on the convergence of security and operational observability as organizations grapple…

DOJ lauds series of gains against North Korean IT worker scheme, crypto thefts

The Justice Department notched a few more wins in the fight against North Korean cryptocurrency heists and the regime’s expansive scheme to get remote IT workers hired at U.S. businesses.  Officials’ countermeasures to these schemes, which ultimately launder ill-gotten money to North Korea’s government, involve the targeting of U.S.-based facilitators who provide forged or stolen…

Bugcrowd acquires Mayhem Security to advance AI-powered security testing

Bugcrowd, a company known for its work in bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure, has announced the acquisition of Mayhem Security, an AI-driven offensive security firm.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.  Organizations are dealing with more complicated cybersecurity risks as they build software faster, add more APIs, and work with many suppliers. Traditional…

Zscaler adds more AI to its offerings with Splx acquisition

Cloud security company Zscaler announced Monday it has acquired SplxAI, an artificial intelligence security platform, in a move to strengthen its ability to protect enterprise AI assets. Terms were not disclosed.  Zscaler said the purchase is aimed at enhancing its zero-trust security offerings by integrating Splx’s technology for AI asset discovery, automated red-teaming, and governance.…

Cyber scholarship-for-service students say government has pulled rug on them, potentially burdening them with debt

A landmark program that offers scholarships in exchange for federal service is threatening to saddle students with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt amid hiring freezes and budget cuts, raising questions about the future of an initiative proponents say has helped close the government’s cyber workforce gap. Some CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service participants…

Veeam acquires Securiti AI for $1.7 billion

Veeam announced Tuesday it agreed to acquire Securiti AI for $1.725 billion, marking the data protection company’s largest acquisition and its entry into the artificial intelligence security market as enterprises struggle to deploy AI systems safely. The deal, expected to close in early December, comes as organizations face mounting challenges in managing data across fragmented…

Dataminr to acquire cybersecurity firm ThreatConnect for $290 million

Dataminr, a New York-based company specializing in real-time threat intelligence, announced plans Tuesday to acquire ThreatConnect, a cybersecurity threat intelligence provider, for $290 million. The acquisition will combine Dataminr’s AI-powered analysis of public data with ThreatConnect’s internal threat management capabilities, creating what the companies describe as “Client-Tailored intelligence” that adapts to individual customer needs. The…

LevelBlue to acquire Cybereason in latest cybersecurity industry consolidation

LevelBlue announced Tuesday it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cybereason, a Boston-based cybersecurity firm specializing in extended detection and response platforms and digital forensics.  Dallas-based LevelBlue, a managed security services provider formerly known as AT&T Cybersecurity, will fold Cyberreason’s extended detection and response (XDR) platform, threat intelligence team, and digital forensics and incident…

CISA work not ‘degraded’ by Trump administration cuts, top agency official says

A top official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday rejected concerns that personnel and program cuts at CISA have hindered its work. Nick Andersen, who just began serving as executive assistant director of cybersecurity at CISA this month, said he’s seen the agency function at a high level from both the outside…

F5 to acquire AI security firm CalypsoAI for $180 million

F5, a Seattle-based application delivery and security company, announced Thursday it will acquire Dublin-based CalypsoAI for $180 million in cash, highlighting the mounting security challenges enterprises face as they rapidly integrate artificial intelligence into their operations. The acquisition comes as companies across industries rush to deploy generative AI systems while grappling with new categories of…

The npm incident frightened everyone, but ended up being nothing to fret about

Security professionals and observers across the industry got swept into a pit of fear Monday when an attacker took over and injected malicious code into a series of widely used open-source packages in the node.js package manager, or npm. Despite all that worry, the disaster that many presumed a foregone conclusion was averted and the…

Mitsubishi Electric to acquire Nozomi Networks in $1 billion deal

Industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi Electric has agreed to acquire OT and IoT cybersecurity specialist Nozomi Networks in a transaction that values the San Francisco-based firm near the $1 billion mark. The deal, slated to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, will see Nozomi Networks become a wholly owned subsidiary while continuing to operate independently. The…

Treasury Department targets Southeast Asia scam hubs with sanctions

Federal authorities on Monday imposed sanctions on 19 people and organizations allegedly involved in major cyberscam hubs in Burma and Cambodia. “Criminal actors across Southeast Asia have increasingly exploited the vulnerabilities of Americans online,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “In 2024, Americans lost at least $10 billion to scam operations in…

Cato Networks acquires AI security startup Aim Security

Israeli cybersecurity company Cato Networks has acquired AI security startup Aim Security in its first ever acquisition, reflecting the broader industry rush to address security challenges posed by artificial intelligence adoption. The deal combines Cato’s Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) networking platform with Aim’s AI security capabilities, allowing the company to protect customers from threats…

Varonis buys AI email security firm SlashNext

Varonis has acquired SlashNext, an AI-driven email security company, for up to $150 million in a move that reflects the rising role of artificial intelligence in both attack and defense. The acquisition, announced Tuesday, brings together Varonis’ focus on data-centric security and threat detection with SlashNext’s technology for blocking phishing and social engineering attacks across…

Prolific Russian ransomware operator living in California enjoys rare leniency awaiting trial

Authorities and threat intelligence analysts alike relish taking ransomware operators off the board. Holding cybercriminals accountable through arrest, imprisonment, or genuine reform creates a powerful deterrent and advances the ultimate goal of a safer internet for everyone.  Getting to that point is a remarkably tough task for defenders. Ransomware attacks are often initiated by people…

Palo Alto Networks to acquire CyberArk for $25 billion

Palo Alto Networks has agreed to acquire identity security firm CyberArk for approximately $25 billion, marking the cybersecurity giant’s largest acquisition and its formal entry into the identity security market as the industry continues consolidating amid rising cyber threats. The transaction ranks among the largest technology acquisitions this year and underscores the market’s focus on…

Contract lapse leaves critical infrastructure cybersecurity sensor data unanalyzed at national lab 

Data from sensors that detect threats in critical infrastructure networks is sitting unanalyzed after a government contract expired this weekend, raising risks for operational technology, a program leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory told lawmakers Tuesday. That news arrived at a hearing of a House Homeland Security subcommittee on Stuxnet, the malware that was discovered…

UK sanctions Russian hackers, spies as US weighs its own punishments for Russia

As the U.S. government contemplates additional sanctions on Moscow, the United Kingdom went ahead and levied its own Friday against what it said was a group of Russia’s hackers and spies.  The sanctions target 18 military intelligence officers and three divisions of the Russian military unit known as the GRU. Cyber operations in support of…

DOJ seizes $7.7M from crypto funds linked to North Korea’s IT worker scheme

Federal authorities on Thursday said they seized $7.74 million from North Korean nationals as they attempted to launder cryptocurrency obtained by IT workers who gained illegal employment and funneled the wages to the North Korean regime. The allegedly illegally obtained funds were linked to Sim Hyon Sop, a representative of North Korean Foreign Trade Bank,…

Cellebrite to acquire mobile testing firm Corellium in $200 million deal

Security technology company Cellebrite has announced plans to acquire Florida-based mobile testing startup Corellium for $170 million in cash, with an additional $20 million converted to equity at closing and the potential for $30 million more based on performance milestones. The Israel-headquartered Cellebrite, known for its forensic equipment that unlocks smartphones, said the acquisition would…

Rep. Garbarino: Ending CISA mobile app security program for feds sends ‘wrong signal’

The chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on cybersecurity is apprehensive about the Department of Homeland Security’s plans to end a program that vets mobile apps for federal agencies. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday saying that especially in light of the massive Salt Typhoon telecommunications…

Proofpoint to acquire Hornetsecurity for over $1 billion

Proofpoint has entered into an agreement to acquire Hornetsecurity Group, a Germany-based provider of Microsoft 365 security services, in a deal reportedly valued at more than $1 billion. The acquisition, described as the largest in Proofpoint’s history, comes amid accelerating consolidation in the cybersecurity industry as companies seek to broaden their offerings to enterprise customers…

Who needs VC funding? How cybercriminals spread their ill-gotten gains to everyday business ventures

Cybercriminals aren’t so different from the rest of us — they live in the real world, and their spending and investment habits, though funded through crime, can look surprisingly ordinary. Luxury cars and lavish vacations may still grab headlines, but those perks are reserved for the most elite cybercriminals. In reality, everyday businesses — like pizza…

DHS won’t tell Congress how many people it’s cut from CISA

The Department of Homeland Security won’t tell Congress how many employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency it has fired or pushed to leave, a top congressional Democrat said Wednesday. “You’ve overseen mass reductions in the workforce at CISA and” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the…

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Sen. Murphy: Trump administration has ‘illegally gutted funding for cybersecurity’

Another top appropriations Democrat criticized budget cuts affecting the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, saying the Trump administration has “illegally gutted funding for cybersecurity.” Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, made his remarks Thursday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a hearing on…

Trump administration proposes cutting $491M from CISA budget

President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal would slash $491 million from the budget of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, according to a summary released Friday. That would amount to a nearly 17% reduction to the agency’s approximately $3 billion budget. The administration did not release a detailed itemization of the cuts, only an…

Renew — but improve — billion-dollar cyber grant program to states and locals, House witnesses say

It’s vital that Congress renew the expiring $1 billion state and local cybersecurity grant program, witnesses testified before a House panel, but they added that it could benefit from some upgrades, too. New York Rep. Andrew Garbarino, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection that held the hearing Tuesday, said…

ReliaQuest secures $500 Million in funding, boosting AI-driven cybersecurity operations

U.S.-based cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest has secured a significant funding boost with a new investment round totaling over $500 million, elevating the company’s valuation to $3.4 billion. The funding round was led by global investors EQT Partners, KKR, and FTV Capital, alongside existing investors Ten Eleven Ventures and Finback Investment Partners. This fresh capital injection underscores…

Crypto analysts stunned by Lazarus Group’s capabilities in $1.46B Bybit theft

Last week’s $1.46 billion Ethereum theft by North Korean-linked Lazarus Group has sent shockwaves through the cybercrime ecosystem, as it has not only joined the ranks of the largest known financial thefts in history but also demonstrated that the group’s skillset is presenting new challenges for defenders.  In the wake of the theft, numerous experts…

Ransomware payments dropped 35% in 2024

Ransomware payments saw a dramatic 35% drop last year compared to 2023, even as the overall frequency of ransomware attacks increased, according to a new report released by blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.  The considerable decline in extortion payments is somewhat surprising, given that other cybersecurity firms have claimed that 2024 saw the most ransomware activity…

Russia bans cybersecurity company Recorded Future

Russia banned the cybersecurity company Recorded Future on Wednesday, labeling it an “undesirable” organization — much to its CEO’s delight. The company stands accused of collaborating with the Central Intelligence Agency, Ukraine and other countries.  “They provide information and technical support for the propaganda campaign launched by the West against Russia,” Russia’s Office of Prosecutor…

Arctic Wolf acquires Cylance from BlackBerry for $160 million

Minnesota-based Arctic Wolf, a cybersecurity operations firm, announced an agreement Monday to acquire BlackBerry’s Cylance business for $160 million, a stark drop from the $1.4 billion BlackBerry initially paid to acquire the startup in 2018.  Arctic Wolf is integrating Cylance’s AI-powered endpoint security technology into its platform to broaden its security solutions. With this acquisition,…

Senators, witnesses: $3B for ‘rip and replace’ a good start to preventing Salt Typhoon-style breaches

The $3 billion that Congress folded into the annual defense policy bill to remove Chinese-made telecommunications technology from U.S. networks would be a huge start to defending against breaches like the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign, senators and hearing witnesses said Wednesday. Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel recently told Hill leaders that the $1.9 billion…