Market trends, acquisitions, hiring, certifications
RSS feed for this categoryEnterprises are moving beyond the initial adoption of AI and are now facing the execution challenges, with security concerns rising significantly. This shift means that the focus is moving from implementing AI to managing the associated risks.
This article discusses the limitations of traditional security awareness training, which attackers often circumvent by exploiting established routines. It advocates for a human-centered security strategy that embeds guidance and guardrails into daily workflows to make secure practices the easiest option. The session will cover identifying risky behaviors, designing user-friendly controls, and measuring the impact of behavioral changes.
Professor Messer has released a new pop quiz focused on the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification exam. This quiz is designed to help individuals test their knowledge and prepare for the certification.
Proofpoint, owned by Thoma Bravo, has agreed to acquire Varonis in an all-cash deal valued at $6.3 billion. Following the acquisition, Varonis will transition to being a private company.
SecTor 2026, a cybersecurity event held in Toronto, saw record attendance and 22% growth. Experts at the event shared critical perspectives on emerging risks within the rapidly shifting cybersecurity landscape.
This article is a pop quiz related to the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 certification exam. It serves as a learning tool for individuals preparing for the exam, offering practice questions to test their knowledge.
This article presents a pop quiz related to the CompTIA A+ 220-1201 certification exam, focusing on a topic described as 'Dots and dashes'. The quiz is offered as free training material by Professor Messer.
James Robinson shares his unconventional path to becoming the CISO at Netskope, highlighting his journey through seven different companies and a prior role as Deputy CISO. His career in cybersecurity was not a planned one, but rather a progression built through various experiences.
This article is the introduction to the "Seriously Risky Business" weekly newsletter, which covers cybersecurity news. The newsletter is written by Tom Uren and edited by Amberleigh Jack, and this edition is sponsored by Prowler.
Bug bounty platforms like Intigriti are shifting Identity (ID) verification requirements from a payout prerequisite to a submission prerequisite. This change aims to improve the signal-to-noise ratio by encouraging more serious researchers to participate and reducing the number of submissions from those who are not fully committed.
Professor Messer is hosting a Network+ study group, offering a replay of their October 2026 session. The content focuses on CompTIA Network+ exam objectives and provides access to downloadable PDF course notes.
Cybersecurity startup Harmonic Security has secured $50 million in funding to enhance its workforce AI protection solutions. The company intends to utilize these funds to expand its engineering and go-to-market teams in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
This article presents a pop quiz related to the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification, focusing on potential issues with magnets. It is presented as a free training resource.
The article argues that despite significant technological advancements and increased investment in cybersecurity since 2015, many organizations still grapple with fundamental management challenges like governance, accountability, and organizational silos. These persistent issues, which were present over a decade ago, highlight that the difficulty in cybersecurity lies not in understanding what needs to be done, but in effectively implementing and sustaining those changes across complex organizations.
Quantum vendor IonQ has announced a $1.2 billion acquisition of cybersecurity vendor Elisity, aiming to combine quantum cybersecurity capabilities with Elisity's Zero Trust technology platform. The acquisition is intended to address future enterprise quantum cybersecurity needs, including moving beyond current encryption methods and protecting against both LLM and emerging quantum threats. While analysts see potential, they also note technical integration challenges.
Google is adjusting its Chrome bug bounty program, reversing some previous cuts and re-emphasizing rewards for complex memory safety vulnerabilities. This change aims to encourage researchers to focus on more challenging and impactful security flaws.
This article presents a pop quiz on the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 certification exam. The quiz focuses on networking concepts, testing the reader's knowledge in preparation for the certification.
Professor Messer is offering a free pop quiz for the CompTIA A+ 220-1201 certification exam. This quiz is part of their ongoing free IT certification training resources.
TrustedSec has joined OpenAI's Daybreak Defense Network. The article highlights the significance of this partnership, as explained by TrustedSec's Founder and CEO, David Kennedy.
Quantum computing company IonQ has announced its intention to acquire zero trust firm Elisity in an all-stock deal valued at up to $1.3 billion. This acquisition aims to integrate Elisity's least-privilege access technology into IonQ's existing security offerings.
Fahmida Y Rashid has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of Dark Reading. She will be responsible for maintaining the publication's momentum in covering cybersecurity topics.
The article discusses the challenge of consolidating technology tools within organizations, particularly in cybersecurity. It highlights that despite leadership mandates and vendor consolidation efforts, tool sprawl often persists due to organizational psychology and the difficulty of changing developer and operational mindsets. The author suggests that effective transformation requires buy-in and action from the "message from the middle" layer, not just top-down directives.
This article presents a pop quiz related to the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification. It is designed to test knowledge on a specific topic, indicated by the title 'I don't know what time it is'. The quiz is offered through Professor Messer's IT certification training resources.
A Canadian cybersecurity executive, believed to be Edward Dubrovsky, has been arrested in the United States in connection with an FBI probe into the ShinyHunters hacking group. Dubrovsky was reportedly in the U.S. attending a conference at the time of his arrest.
CISOs are facing an escalating volume and sophistication of cyberattacks, coupled with expanding and complex attack surfaces. The rise of AI introduces new threats and governance challenges, contributing to increased stress and burnout within the CISO profession.
OpenAI has terminated the employment of three safety researchers, citing violations of policies regarding the handling of sensitive information. This action comes amidst ongoing discussions and disputes within the company concerning the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence.
The cybersecurity M&A market experienced a boom in the latest quarter, with 117 deals announced. A notable trend is that many of the acquiring companies are not traditional cybersecurity firms.
The 2026 Microsoft Digital Defense Report highlights a security landscape characterized by interconnected risks, identity sprawl, and AI-driven acceleration. The report emphasizes how expanding environments and complex relationships between identities, permissions, applications, and cloud services benefit attackers.
This article announces "DAF Day," an event promoting the use of Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) for charitable giving. It encourages readers to consider supporting the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) through their DAFs, highlighting how such contributions help the EFF defend encryption, privacy, and security, and shape technology policy.
This article is a CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 pop quiz from Professor Messer, focusing on a specific topic related to records. It is presented as a quick knowledge check for individuals preparing for the certification.
Enterprises universally implement security awareness training for their employees, however, the actual tangible benefits of such programs are frequently questioned. The article suggests that while not obsolete, security awareness training requires significant reevaluation and modernization.
This article announces a free pop quiz for the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification. It provides an opportunity for individuals preparing for the exam to test their knowledge and identify areas needing further study.
Dark Reading is announcing the beginning of a new decade in its history. The publication is also sharing some breaking news of its own.
Cybersecurity startup Rein Security has secured $25 million in funding. The company plans to use this investment to enhance its product development, conduct research into agentic AI, and grow its workforce.
Hadrian, a company offering an autonomous offensive security platform, has secured $40 million in funding. This investment will be used to expand their platform, which aims to enable defenders to operate at a speed comparable to attackers.
This article is a pop quiz for the CompTIA A+ certification (220-1201), designed to test knowledge for IT professionals. The quiz is presented by Professor Messer, a well-known provider of IT certification training.
The Sixth Voice of the CISO data indicates a shift in cyber risk, moving from external threats to internal workflows over the past five years. Key areas like resilience, AI governance, and human risk are now converging within operational systems.
Professor Messer is hosting a study group for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) certification. The content is a replay of a past study group, focusing on exam objectives and Q&A. Related course notes and practice exams are also available.
This article features an interview with Nick Kakolowski, senior director for CISO research at IANS, who discusses the impact of AI on CISO budgets and security teams. The conversation covers return on investment (ROI) for AI initiatives and the resulting changes within security departments.
The article argues that a singular "cybersecurity mindset" is insufficient to combat modern threats, advocating instead for diverse thinking within security teams. It emphasizes the importance of integrating human strengths and varied perspectives with technological advancements to improve threat assessment, decision-making, and incident response.
This article presents a pop quiz question related to the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 certification. The quiz focuses on the concept of analog transfer.
Professor Messer is offering a pop quiz for the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification. This quiz is part of their free IT certification training resources.
In September 2026, the cybersecurity sector saw a notable increase in mergers and acquisitions, with 39 deals announced. Key players involved in these transactions included Dragos, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, Kiteworks, and Upwind.
Google has temporarily paused accepting new vulnerability reports for its open-source software through its bug bounty program, effective October 1st. This decision was made due to a significant increase in invalid automated reports, which overwhelmed the program. However, reports concerning supply chain compromises and those submitted before the deadline are still being processed.
Despite significant investment in security awareness training, its effectiveness against social engineering remains largely unproven. New approaches are emerging to detect and counter social engineering tactics directly within live conversations.
Google has temporarily suspended its Open Source Software Vulnerability Reward Program (OSS VRP) due to an influx of invalid automated vulnerability reports. This action aims to address the challenges posed by such reports and improve the program's effectiveness.
This article announces a pop quiz related to the CompTIA A+ 220-1201 certification. It is presented as a "secret weapon" for preparing for the exam, indicating it's a study aid.
The CISO role, which has evolved significantly over 30 years, is increasingly encompassing executive authority and strategic decision-making beyond traditional technical oversight. As technology and threats advance, particularly with the rise of AI, the role's responsibilities have expanded, leading to discussions about whether a single CISO can effectively manage both technical and executive duties.
The cybersecurity landscape in 2026 is characterized by the growing influence of cloud infrastructure, AI, and distributed systems. Organizations face increasing complexity in managing identities, devices, data, and internet-facing assets, necessitating a shift towards continuous visibility, control, and scalable risk response.
This article presents a pop quiz related to the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 certification, focusing on the task of writing a button application. It is hosted on Professor Messer's IT Certification Training Courses website.
