FP Markets granted  second  African regulation to further expand its regulatory footprint in Africa.

SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In a move that further reinforces its position as a truly global online Forex and CFDs broker, FP Markets has announced that it has been granted a non-dealing Foreign Exchange Broker License by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Kenya for its locally formed subsidiary FP Markets Limited.

FP Markets granted secondAfrican regulation to further expand its regulatory footprint in Africa.

The Kenya regulation adds to FP Markets’ regulatory footprint in Africa having received a regulatory licence from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa on 10 May 2022 as it continues to strengthen its global regulatory presence across multiple continents.

Craig Allison, FP Markets CEO commented on the news adding ‘We are thrilled to have been granted the licence by the CMA. Kenya has emerged as an important new strategic location for us and is a country that boasts a young and dynamic trading and investing community.  It stands out as a well-regulated financial services centre and a hub for large parts of Africa and the economy here is advanced, characterized by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and consistent growth. We’re looking forward to operating in Kenya and working together with the local regulatory bodies and government to ensure the industry continues to develop in a sustainable manner."

The addition of the CMA license extends the group’s regulatory presence which now includes  regulated companies authorised by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB).

As a globally leading brokerage that prides itself on providing unparalleled trading conditions, traders and investors can access over 10,000 tradeable markets through trading platforms MT4, MT5, cTrader and Iress. From popular currency pairs such as the EUR/USD and USD/JPY to small-cap stocks across global exchanges, in addition to Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs and Digital Currencies, FP Markets looks forward to providing world-class trading services to clients  throughout Africa.

Established in 2005, FP Markets is a Multi-Regulated Brand providing clients with over 10,000 tradable instruments across key asset classes and offers aggregate pricing across several top-tier liquidity providers. Additionally, FP Markets deliver Consistently Tight Spreads, Rapid Execution, Unmatched 24/7 Multilingual Customer Support, and various Account Types to suit all trading strategies and styles.

Notes to Editors
About FP Markets:

FP Markets is a Multi-Regulated Forex and CFDs Broker with over 18 years of industry experience. The company offers highly competitive interbank Forex spreads starting from 0.0 pips. Traders can choose from the leading powerful online trading platforms, including FP Markets’ Mobile App, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, WebTrader, cTrader, and Iress. The company’s outstanding 24/7 multilingual customer service has been recognised by Investment Trends and awarded ‘The Highest Overall Client Satisfaction Award’ over five consecutive years. FP Markets has been awarded the ‘Best Global Forex Value Broker’ for five consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) at the Global Forex Awards. FP Markets has been awarded the ‘Best Forex Broker – Europe’ and the ‘Best Forex Partners Programme – Asia’ at the Global Forex Awards 2022 and 2023. FP Markets has been awarded ‘Best Trade Execution’ at the Ultimate Fintech Awards 2022. FP Markets crowned ‘Best CFD Broker in Africa’ at FAME Awards 2023. FP Markets Awarded ‘Best Trade Execution’ and ‘Most Transparent Broker’ at the Ultimate Fintech Awards APAC 2023

For more information on FP Markets’ comprehensive range of products and services, visit https://www.fpmarkets.com/.

Source : FP Markets Awarded FX Broker Licence in Kenya by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA)

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ROCKVILLE, Md. and SUZHOU, China, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announced the interim analysis results of ORIENT-16, the Phase 3 study evaluating sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, IF=120.7). ORIENT-16 the first immunotherapy Phase 3 study published in JAMA for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer, as well as the first immunotherapy Phase 3 in Chinese patients for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumor types globally and nearly half of all cases are diagnosed in China[i]. Advanced gastric cancer generally has very poor prognosis with high unmet medical need. ORIENT-16 demonstrated that sintilimab plus chemotherapy significantly prolongs overall survival in the first line treatment for overall population of gastric cancer. Based on the results of ORIENT-16, sintilimab is recommended by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) guidelines for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer. It is also the first and only PD-1 inhibitor included in national reimbursement drug list (NRDL) for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer.

ORIENT-16 has met its primary endpoint at the prespecified interim analysis. Sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated superior and clinical meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit, compared with placebo plus chemotherapy in all randomized patients as well as patients with CPS ≥5 . Detailed interim analysis results were published in JAMA.

Interim analysis (cut-off date June 20, 2021, median follow-up 18.8 month) showed that, sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy significantly reduced the risk of death in all randomized patients (HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.63-0.94, p=0.009) and in patients with CPS ≥5 (HR 0.66, 95%CI 0.50-0.86, p=0.002) , successfully reached the prespecified superiority criteria. Median overall survival (mOS) has been prolonged by 2.9months (mOS 15.2mo vs. 12.3mo) in all randomized patients, and 5.5 months (mOS 18.4mo vs. 12.9mo) in patients with CPS ≥5, respectively. In addition, OS benefits were consistent in all prespecified subgroups. The safety profile of sintilimab in this study was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies of sintilimab, and no additional safety signals were identified for the combination of sintilimab and chemotherapy in GC patients.

Furthermore, prespecified final analysis results of ORIENT-16 has been published at the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) Annual Meeting. Final analysis (with additional 15-month follow-up) indicated that OS benefits of sintilimab plus chemotherapy have become more evident in overall population and in patients with CPS ≥5 compared with that of interim analysis, further confirming sintilimab plus chemotherapy as a standard of care of 1L treatment for G/GEJ adenocarcinoma.

Final analysis (cut-off date September 2, 2022, median follow-up 33.9 mo) showed that, sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy significantly reduced the risk of death in all randomized patients (HR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57-0.81; P<0.0001) as well as in patients with CPS ≥5 (HR 0.59, 95% CI: 0.47-0.74; P<0.0001) . Median overall survival (mOS) has been prolonged by 2.9months (mOS 15.2mo vs. 12.3mo) in all randomized patients and by 6.3 months (mOS 19.2mo vs. 12.9mo) in patients with CPS ≥5, respectively. OS benefits were consistent in all prespecified subgroup analyses. The overall safety profile of final analysis was consistent with that observed in previously reported interim analysis, and no additional safety signals were identified with additional 15-month follow-up.

Based on the study results of ORIENT-16, sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy was approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China as first-line treatment for G/GEJ in June 2022, and was included in the national reimbursement drug list (NRDL), becoming the first and only immunotherapy for gastric cancer covered by NRDL in China.

The principal investigator of the ORIENT-16 study, Prof. Jianming Xu from the Fifth Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, stated, "ORIENT-16 is the first phase 3 trial in China to demonstrate a significant overall survival benefit in patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer treated with anti-PD-1 antibody plus chemotherapy in first line setting. The study has met its primary endpoint in the prespecified interim result analysis, and its final analysis demonstrated the OS benefit of sintilimab plus chemotherapy in overall population and in patients with CPS ≥5 compared with chemotherapy alone. ORIENT-16 confirms sintilimab plus chemotherapy as an important new treatment option and a standard of care of first line treatment for G/GEJ adenocarcinoma."

Dr. Zhou Hui, Senior Vice President of Innovent, stated, "The treatment options for advanced G/GEJ cancer are relatively limited and the ORIENT-16 study aimed to address this urgent unmet medical need. ORIENT-16 is the first randomized controlled Phase 3 study in China to demonstrate that PD-1 in combination with chemotherapy significantly prolongs overall survival in overall population of first line treatment for G/GEJ adenocarcinoma. The publication in JAMA further confirms its huge clinical value of the ORIENT-16 study. We are grateful for all the contributions made by every investigator and patient in this study. Up until now, sintilimab is the only PD-1 inhibitor in China approved and included in NRDL for the first-line treatment of five major types of cancer – non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, squamous non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and gastric cancer. Sintilimab is also the first and only immunotherapy for gastric cancer covered by NRDL. We hope this novel immunotherapy to benefit a wider group of cancer patients."

About the ORIENT-16 Study

ORIENT-16 is a randomized, double-blind, multicenter Phase 3 clinical study evaluating sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy, compared to placebo in combination with chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03745170). The primary endpoint was overall survival, in all randomized and in PD-L1 positive patients.

About Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumor types worldwide. According to GLOBOCAN estimates, there were approximately one million new cases and 769,000 new deaths of gastric cancer in 2020, making it the fifth most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer death globallyi[ii]. About half of all gastric cancer cases occurred in East Asia, mainly in Chinai. The first-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer remains limited. Currently, the 5-year survival rate of advanced or metastatic gastric cancer ranges from 5 to 20 percent. The median survival was about 1 year for patients who received chemotherapy only[iii][iv].

About Sintilimab

Sintilimab, marketed as TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) in China, is a PD-1 immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody co-developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly and Company. Sintilimab is a type of immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody, which binds to PD-1 molecules on the surface of T-cells, blocks the PD-1 / PD-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway, and reactivates T-cells to kill cancer cells[v]. Innovent is currently conducting more than 20 clinical studies of sintilimab to evaluate its safety and efficacy in a wide variety of cancer indications, including more than 10 registrational or pivotal clinical trials.

In China, sintilimab has been approved for seven indications and included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) for six indications. The updated NRDL reimbursement scope of TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) include:

For the treatment of unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma; For the treatment of unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; For the treatment of unresectable locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer lacking EGFR or ALK driver gene mutations; For the treatment of unresectable locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer; For the treatment of unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma with no prior systematic treatment; For the treatment of relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma after two lines or later of systemic chemotherapy.

Additionally, sintilimab has been approved in combination with bevacizumab and chemotherapy (pemetrexed and cisplatin) for the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated nsqNSCLC who progressed after EGFR-TKI therapy.

Besides, two clinical studies of sintilimab have met their primary endpoints:

Phase 2 study of sintilimab monotherapy as second-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Phase 3 study of sintilimab monotherapy as second-line treatment for squamous NSCLC with disease progression following platinum-based chemotherapy.

Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drugs/indications.

About Innovent

Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent’s mission is to discover and develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to discovering and developing, manufacturing and commercializing high-quality innovative medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, and ophthalmology diseases to enhance the quality of the patients’ lives. Innovent has 10 products in the market, including TYVYT® (Sintilimab Injection), BYVASDA® (Bevacizumab Injection), SULINNO® (Adalimumab Injection), HALPRYZA® (Rituximab Injection), Pemazyre® (Pemigatinib Oral Inhibitor), olverembatinib, Cyramza® (Ramucirumab Injection), Retsevmo® (Selpercatinib Capsules ), FUCASO® (Equecabtagene  Autoleucel Injection) and SINTBILO® (Tafolecimab Injection). Additionally, we have 2 NDA under NMPA review, 5 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials, and 19 more molecules in early clinical stage.

Innovent has also entered into 30 strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center and other international partners. We strive to work with many collaborators to help advance the biopharmaceutical industry, improve drug availability and enhance the quality of the patients’ lives.

Note:

TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) is not an approved product in the United States.
BYVASDA® (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO®, and HALPRYZA® (rituximab biosimilar injection) are not approved products in the United States.
TYVYT® (sintilimab injection, Innovent)
BYVASDA® (bevacizumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)
HALPRYZA® (rituximab biosimilar injection, Innovent)
SULINNO® (adalimumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)
Pemazyre® (pemigatinib oral inhibitor, Incyte Corporation). Pemazyre® was discovered by Incyte Corporation and licensed to Innovent for development and commercialization in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab, Eli Lilly). Cyramza® was discovered by Eli Lilly and licensed to Innovent for commercialization in Mainland China.
Retsevmo® (selpercatinib, Eli Lilly). Retsevmo® was discovered by Eli Lilly and licensed to Innovent for commercialization in Mainland China.

Disclaimer: Innovent does not recommend any off-label usage.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Innovent does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Innovent with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Innovent’s control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Innovent’s competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

Innovent, the Directors and the employees of Innovent assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.

[i] Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021; 71(3): 209-249.

[ii] Fuchs CS, Shitara K, Di Bartolomeo M, et al. Ramucirumab with cisplatin and fluoropyrimidine as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic gastric or junctional adenocarcinoma (RAINFALL): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2019; 20(3): 420-435.

[iii] Wang H, Guo W, Hu Y, et al. Superiority of the 8th edition of the TNM staging system for predicting overall survival in gastric cancer: Comparative analysis of the 7th and 8th editions in a monoinstitutional cohort[J]. Molecular and Clinical Oncology, 2018, 9(4): 423-431.

[iv] Price TJ, Shapiro JD, Segelov E, Karapetis CS, Pavlakis N, Van Cutsem E, Shah MA, Kang YK, Tebbutt NC. Management of advanced gastric cancer. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Apr;6(2):199-208; quiz 209. doi: 10.1586/egh.11.103. PMID: 22375525.

Source : Innovent Announces the Phase 3 ORIENT-16 Study Results Published in JAMA Evaluating Sintilimab in Combination with Chemotherapy for the First-Line Treatment of Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction (G/GEJ) Adenocarcinoma

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Analysis from Secureworks annual State of The Threat Report shows ransomware median dwell time has dropped from 4.5 days to less than 24 hours in a year

ATLANTA, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Ransomware is being deployed within one day of initial access in more than 50% of engagements, says Secureworks® (NASDAQ: SCWX) Counter Threat Unit™ (CTU™). In just 12 months the median dwell time identified in the annual Secureworks State of the Threat Report has freefallen from 4.5 days to less than one day. In 10% of cases, ransomware was even deployed within five hours of initial access.

"The driver for the reduction in median dwell time is likely due to the cybercriminals’ desire for a lower chance of detection. The cybersecurity industry has become much more adept at detecting activity that is a precursor to ransomware. As a result, threat actors are focusing on simpler and quicker to implement operations, rather than big, multi-site enterprise-wide encryption events that are significantly more complex. But the risk from those attacks is still high," said Don Smith, VP Threat Intelligence, Secureworks Counter Threat Unit.

"While we still see familiar names as the most active threat actors, the emergence of several new and very active threat groups is fuelling a significant rise in victim and data leaks. Despite high profile takedowns and sanctions, cybercriminals are masters of adaptation, and so the threat continues to gather pace," Smith continued.

The annual State of the Threat report examines the cybersecurity landscape from June 2022 to July 2023. Key findings include:

While some familiar names including GOLD MYSTIC (LockBit), GOLD BLAZER (BlackCat/ALPV), and GOLD TAHOE (Cl0p) still dominate the ransomware landscape, new groups are emerging and listing significant victim counts on "name and shame" leak sites. The past four months of this reporting period have been the most prolific for victim numbers since name-and-shame attacks started in 2019. The three largest initial access vectors (IAV) observed in ransomware engagements where customers engaged Secureworks incident responders were: scan-and-exploit, stolen credentials and commodity malware via phishing emails. Exploitation of known vulnerabilities from 2022 and earlier continued and accounted for more than half of the most exploited vulnerabilities during the report period.

Most Active Ransomware Groups

The same threat groups continued to dominate in 2023 as in 2022. GOLD MYSTIC’s LockBit remains the head of the pack, with nearly three times the number of victims as the next most active group, BlackCat, operated by GOLD BLAZER.

New schemes have also emerged and posted numerous victims. MalasLocker, 8BASE and Akira (which ranked at number 14) are all newcomers that made an impact from Q2 2023. 8BASE listed nearly 40 victims on its leak site in June 2023, only slightly fewer than LockBit. Analysis shows that some of the victims go back as far as mid 2022, although they were dumped at the same time. MalasLocker’s attack on Zimbra servers from the end of April 2023 accounted for 171 victims on its leak site in May. The report examines what leak site activity actually reveals about ransomware attack success rates — it’s not as straightforward as it seems.

The report also reveals that victim numbers per month from April-July 2023 were the most prolific since name and shame emerged in 2019. The highest number of monthly victims ever was posted to leak sites in May 2023 with 600 victims, three times as many as in May 2022.

Top Initial Access Vectors for Ransomware

The three largest initial access vectors (IAV) observed in ransomware engagements where customers engaged Secureworks incident responders were: scan-and-exploit (32%), stolen credentials (32%) and commodity malware via phishing emails (14%).

Scan-and-exploit involves the identification of vulnerable systems, potentially via a search engine like Shodan or a vulnerability scanner, and then attempting to compromise them with a specific exploit. Within the top 12 most commonly exploited vulnerabilities, 58% have CVE dates of earlier than 2022. One (CVE-2018-13379) also made the top 15 most routinely exploited list in 2021 and 2020.

"Despite much hype around ChatGPT and AI style attacks, the two highest profile attacks of 2023 thus far were the result of unpatched infrastructure. At the end of the day, cybercriminals are reaping the rewards from tried and tested methods of attack, so organizations must focus on protecting themselves with basic cyber hygiene and not get caught up in hype," Smith continued.

The World of Nation-State Attackers

The report also examines the significant activities and trends in the behavior of state-sponsored threat groups belonging to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Geopolitics remains the primary driver for state-sponsored threat groups across the board.

China:

China has shifted part of its attention to Eastern Europe, while also maintaining a focus on Taiwan and other near neighbors. It displays a growing emphasis on stealthy tradecraft in cyberespionage attacks — a change from its previous "smash-and-grab" reputation. The use of commercial tools like Cobalt Strike, as well as Chinese open-source tooling, minimizes risk of attribution and blends with activity from post-intrusion ransomware groups.

Iran:

Iran remains focused on dissident activity, on hindering progress on the Abraham Accords, and on Western intentions towards renegotiations of nuclear accords. Iran’s main intelligence services — the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS or VAJA) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) — both use a network of contractors to support offensive cyber strategies. The use of personas (impersonating real people or fake created people) is a key tactic across Iranian threat groups.

Russia:

The war in Ukraine remained the focus for Russian activity. This falls into two camps; cyberespionage and disruption. This year has seen an increase in the amount of patriotic-minded cyber groups targeting organizations considered adversaries of Russia. For gangs, Telegram is the social media/messaging platform of choice for recruitment, targeting and celebrations of success. The malicious use of trusted third-party cloud services is frequently incorporated into Russian threat group operations.

North Korea:

North Korea threat groups fall into two groups: cyber espionage and revenue generation for the isolated regime. AppleJeus has been a fundamental tool for North Korea’s financial theft initiatives, and according to Elliptic, North Korean threat groups have stolen $2.3 billion USD between May 2017 and May 2023 (30% of this from Japan).

State of the Threat Report 2023

This latest State of the Threat Report is the eighth annual report from Secureworks providing a concise analysis of how the global cybersecurity threat landscape has evolved over the last 12 months. The information within the report is drawn from the Secureworks Counter Threat Unit’s (CTU) firsthand observations of threat actor tooling and behaviors and includes real-life incidents. Our annual threat analysis provides a deep dive insight into the threats our team has observed on the front line of cybersecurity.

The Secureworks State of the Threat Report can be read in full here: https://www.secureworks.com/resources/rp-state-of-the-threat-2023

About Secureworks

Secureworks (NASDAQ: SCWX) is a global cybersecurity leader that secures human progress with Secureworks® Taegis™, a SaaS-based, open XDR platform built on 20+ years of real-world threat intelligence and research, improving customers’ ability to detect advanced threats, streamline and collaborate on investigations, and automate the right actions. Connect with Secureworks via Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and Read the Secureworks Blog

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Source : Ransomware Dwell Time Hits Low of 24 Hours

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NEWS SUMMARY:

The new Cisco AI Assistant for Security marks a major step in making artificial intelligence pervasive in the Security Cloud, Cisco’s unified, AI-driven, cross-domain security platform. The AI Assistant will reframe how organizations think about cybersecurity outcomes and tip the scales in favor of defenders by helping make informed decisions, augment existing capabilities and automate complex tasks. With unmatched visibility across the network and security, Cisco’s AI Assistant is trained on one of the largest security-focused data sets in the world, which analyzes more than 550 billion security events each day.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — CISCO LIVE — Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the leader in enterprise networking and security, today unveiled the Cisco AI Assistant for Security. This marks a major step in making artificial intelligence (AI) pervasive in the Security Cloud, Cisco’s unified, AI-driven, cross-domain security platform. The AI Assistant will help customers make informed decisions, augment their tool capabilities and automate complex tasks.

Cisco AI Assistant for Security

"To be an AI-first company, you must be a data-first company. With our extensive native telemetry, Cisco is uniquely positioned to deliver cybersecurity solutions that allow businesses to confidently operate at machine scale, augmenting what humans can do alone," said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco. "Today’s announcement is a monumental step forward. This advancement will help tip the scales in favor of defenders, empowering customers with AI built pervasively throughout the Cisco Security Cloud."

As cyber attacks continue to evolve, organizations’ defenses must, too. Ransomware and extortion attacks continue to persist at a steady pace, making up 20 percent of Cisco Talos Incident Response engagements this year, according to the new Cisco Talos 2023 Year in Review report. Talos also observed an increase in sophisticated attacks on networking devices this past year, particularly by state-sponsored actors. The increased speed and sophistication of malicious actors requires the adoption of machine scale defenses.

With unmatched visibility across the network and security, Cisco works with more machine-driven telemetry and on a scale larger than most in the industry. The new Cisco AI Assistant for Security is trained on one of the largest security-focused data sets in the world, which analyzes more than 550 billion security events each day across web, email, endpoints, networks and applications. It can understand event triage, impact and scope, root cause analysis and policy design. With this data, the AI Assistant aims to close the gap between cybersecurity intent and outcomes. All of Cisco’s AI capabilities are built securely and align with Cisco’s Responsible AI Framework. 

Continuing the rapid pace of innovation, today Cisco is introducing:

AI Assistant for Firewall Policy: The Cisco AI Assistant for Security is first going live within the Cisco Cloud-delivered Firewall Management Center and Cisco Defense Orchestrator to solve the big challenge of setting and maintaining complex policies and firewall rules. Administrators can now use natural language to discover policies and get rule recommendations, eliminating duplicate rules, misconfigured policies and complex workflows with increased visibility as well as accelerated troubleshooting and configuration tasks. AI-powered Encrypted Visibility Engine for All Firewall Models: Most data center traffic today is encrypted and the inability to inspect encrypted traffic is a key security concern. Decrypting traffic for inspection is resource-intensive and fraught with operational, privacy and compliance issues. With the 7.4.1 Operating System now available across the entire Cisco Secure Firewall family, customers see AI go even further via the Encrypted Visibility Engine. The Encrypted Visibility Engine leverages billions of samples, including sandboxed malware samples, to determine if the encrypted traffic is transporting malware. It can tell which operating system the traffic is coming from and what client application is generating that – all without the need for decryption.

"The ability for AI to reshape our daily lives and professional landscapes is immense. As a longstanding Cisco partner, we’re excited about the new Cisco AI Assistant for Security and how this will empower our customers with AI-driven efficiencies," said Graham Robinson, Chief Technology Officer, Data#3. "The introduction of the AI Assistant to Cisco Firewall Management Center will help our customers quickly and easily configure policy changes. When combined with the new features in the 7.4.1 software release and the Encrypted Visibility Engine, this offers a truly compelling overall experience."

To learn more visit cisco.com/go/security.

Additional Resources

Blog: How We’re Making AI Pervasive in the Cisco Security Cloud Blog: Give your firewall admins superpowers with Cisco AI Assistant for Security Report: Cisco Talos 2023 Year in Review

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure and meet their sustainability goals. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

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Source : Cisco Redefines Cybersecurity Defense with Powerful, Portfolio-Wide Artificial Intelligence Capabilities

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SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cannabis Psychedelics, an Australian company has launched the first Cannabis Psychedelic Therapy at the Nine Perfect Strangers resort in Byron Bay.

Location of Cannabis Psychedelic retreat near Byron Bay, Australia

Psychedelic therapy with mushrooms and MDMA has been legal for around 6 months, with around ONE person gaining access legally in Australia. In a ground-breaking development, and in a new era of mental health treatment legal Cannabis Psychedelic experiences supported by Doctors and Psychotherapists are now available in Australia.

Cannabis Psychedelics is designed to provide holistic healing for individuals suffering from a range of mental health challenges and those simply looking to improve their wellness is now accessible to all Australians holding a valid prescription for medical cannabis.

As part of the launch a FREE cannabis psychedelic experience is being offered in Byron Bay, with all the trimmings.

One of the retreat locations is at The Nine Perfect Strangers that holds a special significance in the world of wellness, having served as the backdrop for the critically acclaimed movie of the same name. Boasting a serene ambiance and world-class facilities, it serves as an idyllic backdrop for individuals seeking profound transformative wellness and healing experiences.

Founded by Paul Benhaim, a pioneer with over three decades of involvement in the cannabis industry, this initiative represents a significant expansion in the field of mental health and alternative therapies. Benhaim, known for establishing the first hemp food company in Australia, has been at the forefront of legal cannabis cultivation since 1999. Now semi-retired in Byron Bay, he extends a warm invitation to individuals seeking profound healing experiences at his retreat home overlooking Byron Bay.

"Psychedelic therapy has shown immense promise in not only alleviating a range of mental health issues, but simply in wellness and biohacking. We are thrilled to be able to offer this legally and responsibly both from my home and at the Nine Perfect Strangers resort," said Paul Benhaim, founder of Cannabis Psychedelics.

The therapy sessions are conducted under the guidance of trained facilitators and, unlike psilocybin and MDMA, do not need to be supervised by licensed psychiatrists. Having a trained facilitator ensure individuals receive the highest standard of care and support throughout their experience.

A key feature of the therapy sessions includes the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies such as sound therapy including the first of its kind revolutionary vibration sound bed, complemented by advanced light frequency techniques. "These elements are all backed by science and work synergistically to enhance the therapeutic experience and facilitate deeper states of healing and self-discovery." said Benhaim.

Benhaim, with his global cohort of cannabis experts, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and Doctors has also created a 9 month Cannabis Psychedelic Facilitator Training course aimed at therapists, wellness practitioners or budding cannabis specialists looking to use cannabis psychedelics in their own practice.

About Us:

Cannabis Psychedelics is a pioneering initiative dedicated to providing legal and responsible access to psychedelic therapy in Australia. Founded by Paul Benhaim, a trailblazer with a rich history in the cannabis industry, the organization is committed to revolutionizing mental health treatment through holistic healing experiences.

Learn more at www.cannabispsychedelics.com.au

Source : Australia's first Cannabis Psychedelic Therapy launches at the Nine Perfect Strangers resort in Byron Bay

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This content was prepared by our news partner, Cision PR Newswire. The opinions and the content published on this page are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Siam News Network

Leading imagery intelligence provider strengthens and complements insurance solution with acquisition

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Nearmap, one of the world’s largest location intelligence and aerial imagery solutions providers, has signed an agreement to acquire Betterview, a leading property intelligence and risk management platform in the insurance industry.

Founded in Australia in 2007, Nearmap expanded operations into the U.S. in 2014 to help companies better visualize the truth on the ground to make more informed business decisions. Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in the advancement of the Nearmap global growth strategy. This will reinforce the company’s position as a leading source of imagery intelligence, data and solutions, and expand and complement its expertise and capabilities for insurance customers and partners.

"The Nearmap acquisition of Betterview is transformative for the industry," said Andy Watt, CEO of Nearmap. "Integrating the Betterview platform and AI solutions into the Nearmap technology stack will enable better visualization of the truth on the ground with a richer, more powerful set of AI capabilities that combine the best of both companies. This is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to innovate solutions for insurance carriers, and expand our presence within the property and casualty space."

Betterview is an established and trusted source of property intelligence and risk management for the insurance industry, applying artificial intelligence and computer vision to help identify and mitigate property risk, improve and automate underwriting and inspection workflows, and provide a more productive, seamless customer experience.

"Combining the offerings of two best-in-class providers will deliver greater impact for insurers," said Betterview Co-Founder and CEO David Lyman. "The acquisition of Betterview by Nearmap will increase access to premium imagery and cutting-edge, scalable property intelligence solutions for the insurance industry."

"We are optimistic about the outcomes this acquisition will bring to our customers, the potential for developing even greater products together, and the impact it will have on the future of the insurance industry," said Betterview Co-Founder and COO Dave Tobias.

Nearmap and Betterview will harness the power of the leading image intelligence and property risk-management technology solutions — including a historical archive for change analysis, comprehensive post-catastrophe imagery, and AI attributes — to provide customers and partners with greater certainty and clarity, through:

More efficient development of insurance solutions and capabilities Faster and more accurate underwriting, property condition identification, and overall mitigation of risk Enhanced visualization and interpretation of over 100 AI-powered property attributes Deeper analytics, with more recency, and regularity through insights easily accessible within a browser, via API or business intelligence tools, or seamlessly integrated with existing underwriting or claims core systems

From imagery to insights to answers, this acquisition aligns with the Nearmap long-term global vision to be the source of truth that shapes our livable world.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Jefferies served as exclusive financial advisor to Betterview.

About Nearmap
Nearmap provides easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, AI data sets, and geospatial tools. Using its own patented camera systems and processing software, Nearmap captures wide-scale urban areas in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand several times each year, making current content instantly available in the cloud via web app or API integration. Every day, Nearmap helps thousands of users conduct virtual site visits for deep, data-driven insights—enabling informed decisions, streamlined operations, and better financial performance. Founded in Australia in 2007, Nearmap is one of the largest aerial survey companies in the world. For more information, please visit www.nearmap.com.

About Betterview
Betterview is the Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solution the insurance industry depends on to identify and mitigate property risk, improve underwriting and inspection efficiency, and build a more transparent customer experience. Applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision to aerial imagery and geospatial data, Betterview generates the most accurate property information insurers trust to automate pricing, underwriting, and renewals while focusing strategic action on critical properties, helping transform property insurance from Repair and Replace to Predict and Prevent. For more information, please visit www.betterview.com.

PR Contact
Taylor Cenicola
[email protected]

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Source : Nearmap Announces Agreement to Acquire Betterview, a Complementary Property Intelligence and Risk Management Platform

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This content was prepared by our news partner, Cision PR Newswire. The opinions and the content published on this page are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Siam News Network

SHANGHAI, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — OC&C Strategy Consultants (OC&C), the global strategy consulting firm, has become a certified B CorporationTM, joining a global community of businesses committed to balancing profit with purpose.

As a Certified B Corporation, OC&C Strategy Consultants has undergone rigorous evaluation by B Lab, meeting high standards for social and environmental impact. This certification also reflects the firm’s ongoing dedication to using business as a force for good, evidenced by its legal commitment to stakeholder governance and pledge to continuous improvement.

OC&C has always been committed to building for the long-term – for both their clients and themselves – and B Corp aligns well with these values and initiatives already pursued by the firm. As a people-oriented business, OC&C is dedicated to becoming the best home for the best strategy talent, striving to ensure that individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds are well-equipped to thrive as employefes and individuals. This gives OC&C the strongest possible team to provide high quality bespoke advice to their clients.
In the broader community, the firm’s commercial client work increasingly embeds environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, and the resources dedicated to pro bono work have continually expanded to nearly 1.5% of all revenue.

Environmentally, the firm has made significant strides in performing in-depth measurements of its carbon emissions and setting and working towards science-based targets to minimise its footprint in the short and long term.
As a Certified B Corp, OC&C Strategy Consultants aims to demonstrate that profitability and social responsibility are not mutually exclusive but integral components of a forward-thinking and impactful business model. 

Will Hayllar, OC&C’s Global Managing Partner, commented on the announcement: 
"We aspired to become a B Corp to put our values into practice – moving beyond profit to make a positive impact on people and the planet. As a global strategy consulting firm growing in size and influence, it’s critical to ensure these principles are intrinsic to both our core strategic work for clients and the way our business operates more widely”.
"The foundation of our business is our people. I hope this mark of assurance instils a sense of pride and motivates even greater engagement in our collective mission”.

Deidre Sorensen, Partner and Global Head of ESG, OC&C, added: 
"We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with over 7,000 B Corp companies worldwide, united in a commitment to use business as a force for good. And whilst this is a moment to celebrate, we know this is just the beginning. From our carbon footprint to our stakeholders’ well-being, every aspect of our impact will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, looking for ways to create positive change. It’s daunting to make this commitment, but critical if we want to drive lasting impact in a genuine way.”

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, shared: "We are delighted to welcome OC&C Strategy Consultants to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that OC&C Strategy Consultants are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward".
OC&C looks forward to their exciting new chapter and enthusiastically invites and encourages industry peers to join them in reshaping the consulting landscape and the positive impact they can collectively make. 

About OC&C   
Founded in 1987, OC&C is a leading global strategy consulting firm that brings clear thinking to the most complex issues facing today’s management teams. OC&C’s client roster includes some of the world’s most respected companies throughout the retail, consumer goods, leisure & hospitality, media, technology, industrial products and services and private equity sectors.  

For more information about OC&C Strategy Consultants, please visit occstrategy.com   

About B Lab:
B Lab is transforming the economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies—known as B Corps—who are leading the way. To date, our global community includes over 7,000 B Corps in 90 countries and 161 industries, and over 150,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.

bcorporation.net

Source : OC&C Strategy Consultants Becomes A Certified B Corporation

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This content was prepared by our news partner, Cision PR Newswire. The opinions and the content published on this page are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Siam News Network