Critical thinking and media literacy are now seen as essential skills for young people, yet many schools lack the resources to teach them, according to new research with teachers, commissioned for BBC Bitesize. Over half of teachers say they need more support to help pupils identify misinformation, as teens increasingly struggle to separate fact from fiction online, a challenge linked to rising anxiety levels.

To bridge this gap, BBC Bitesize is launching Solve the Story, a six-part media literacy series designed to equip students, teachers, and schools with practical tools to tackle misinformation and disinformation. Premiering in schools on 5 January 2026, the series forms part of the Bitesize Other Side of the Story initiative and will help teenagers question what they see online, verify sources, spot fakes, and understand how misleading narratives spread.

The roll-out comes amid mounting evidence that young people are struggling to manage the sheer scale and sophistication of online content. According to research commissioned by the BBC involving more than 400 teachers, critical thinking is now considered the single most important skill for young people, yet one in three teachers say it is difficult to teach, citing lack of time, resources and curriculum pressure.

More than half of the teachers who took part in the research said they need more support in helping pupils recognise misinformation, and that media literacy is not covered well enough in the current curriculum. Teachers also warn that students are already “outpacing adults” online, with the rate of digital change widening the skills gap in the classroom. The research also suggests that parents echoed this concern, as many felt their own digital skills were already outdated.

For young people, the effect of misinformation reaches far beyond the classroom as the impact is emotional as well as educational. New findings from this year’s Bitesize Teen Summit with Radio 5 Live, suggests that two thirds of teenagers worry about fake news and online misinformation, causing confusion and contributing to rising levels of stress and anxiety.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education said: “In today’s digital landscape, media literacy isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Solve The Story will help schools to equip young people with the critical thinking tools they need to navigate online content confidently, verify what they see, and protect their mental well‑being. This series is a vital next step towards empowering students and supporting educators in tackling misinformation, as we take Other Side of the Story into classrooms.”

Available to schools and on the BBC Bitesize website, Solve the Story uses a six-part mystery series in which characters must apply media literacy skills to uncover the truth, by analysing sources, questioning assumptions, identifying deepfakes, challenging viral claims and spotting bias. Each episode is paired with a “how-to” guide offering clear, practical steps for teachers and resources for classroom use.

Hundreds of schools up and down the country have already signed up to take part in the January launch, signalling strong demand for classroom-ready tools to help pupils navigate online misinformation. The first episode will be shown in schools on 6 January, with new episodes released weekly until the finale event in February.

Solve the Story is the first content series created for us in schools from the Bitesize Other Side of the Story, that was launched in 2021 to help students navigate the online world and be more critical of the information they consume. Bitesize Other Side of the Story provides articles, videos, quizzes and other resources and workshops in secondary schools that to help students be more curious about the news and information they see and share online. It also equips them with the tools to be create content responsibly, stay safe online and avoid scams, be more aware of different types of media, think more critically and become more positive digital citizens.

The BBC commissioner for Solve The Story is Andrew Swanson.

The video content can be found https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/c4gqzw1kxn6tand Other Side of The Story can be found https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/c0rx3447znvt

TEACHER CASE STUDY

Amy, English Teacher, Manchester

“CRIMINALS USE THAT KIND OF MISINFORMATION TO LURE VULNERABLE KIDS IN BY SHOWING THEM A GLAMOROUS LIFESTYLE”

Amy, an English teacher at a secondary school in Manchester, sees first-hand how quickly misinformation online shapes what her students believe. One of the most alarming examples is how many genuinely think glamorous “prison freestyle” videos on social media are accurate depictions of real life.

“They really believe that’s what prison is like,” she says. “The videos make it look easy or exciting. Criminals use that kind of misinformation to lure vulnerable kids in by showing them a glamorous lifestyle and telling them crime can get them there. That’s what scares me the most.”

But the prison clips are just one part of a much bigger issue. Amy says many of her pupils are convinced they’re “too smart” to be tricked by anything online.

“They’ll laugh at obviously fake AI videos and say, ‘that’s so AI’, but underneath that is a belief that they can’t be fooled. If I tell them something isn’t real, they argue back. They think teachers don’t understand technology, and they automatically trust what they see online more than what we tell them.”

She has seen conspiracy theories spill directly into schoolwork.

“We’ve had essays referencing ‘the matrix’ and huge conspiracy theories, because they’ve come from influencers like Andrew Tate. Those opinions really appeal to them because they’re presented as ‘facts’. It’s frightening how quickly those ideas embed.”

Challenging this isn’t always straightforward.

“Teenagers don’t want to believe anything that contradicts what they’ve seen on TikTok or YouTube. Sometimes they push back so hard that it becomes something we pick up with safeguarding, simply because it needs a wider team around it. Mentors and form tutors help us challenge the misinformation as a team.”

Social pressures add another layer.

“Their friendship groups feel like they span the whole internet, so the biggest fear is embarrassment. Anything taken out of context can spread quickly, and at our school the fear of parents seeing them do something they shouldn’t is huge. The consequences feel enormous to them.”

Amy says traditional critical-thinking lessons aren’t enough on their own.

“We teach those skills in English, but once they’re at home, school doesn’t exist. They need practical tools that match the world they’re actually living in.”

That’s why she believes Solve the Story could make a real difference.

“They love short-form content, and this format suits their attention span. If teachers show it to them, it will help them stop and question things instead of just accepting whatever they scroll past. They won’t look for it themselves, so teacher buy-in is essential, but once it’s in front of them, it will click.”

Amy sees media literacy as part of her duty of care.

“Some understand the problem, so they can’t push back on what their children are watching. It falls to us to teach them how to protect themselves. They need these skills more than ever.”

The post BBC Bitesize Launches Media Literacy Series To Help Teens Separate Fact From Fiction Online appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Remote-first companies are no longer an exception. What began as a temporary response to global disruption has evolved into a long-term operating model for startups, scaleups, and even established enterprises. Distributed teams, cloud-based tools, and borderless hiring have unlocked flexibility and talent access—but they have also introduced new cybersecurity and compliance challenges.

One often-overlooked factor in managing these risks is business structure. How a company is legally formed, governed, and registered plays a critical role in determining its cybersecurity responsibilities, regulatory exposure, and ability to respond to incidents. For remote-first companies, structure is not just a legal formality—it is a foundational element of cyber resilience.

Business Structure Shapes Compliance Obligations

Every company operates within a legal framework that defines its obligations around data protection, record keeping, and reporting. These obligations vary significantly depending on whether a business is incorporated, operating as a sole trader, or functioning through informal arrangements.

A formally structured business is more likely to have clearly defined accountability. Directors, officers, and data controllers are identified, which matters when regulators assess responsibility after a data breach. In contrast, loosely structured or improperly registered businesses often struggle to demonstrate who is responsible for cybersecurity decisions, policies, and failures.

For remote-first companies handling customer data across multiple jurisdictions, clarity of structure becomes essential. Regulators typically look first at the legal entity when determining which laws apply and who must answer for compliance failures.

Cybersecurity Policies Depend on Legal Identity

Cybersecurity compliance is not just about technical controls; it also involves policies, contracts, and governance. Business structure influences all three.

Employment contracts, contractor agreements, and vendor relationships must align with the company’s legal identity. A properly formed company can implement standardized security policies, data processing agreements, and incident response protocols. These documents are often required under regulations such as GDPR, even for small or remote-first businesses.

Without a clear structure, remote-first teams may rely on informal tools, shared accounts, or undocumented processes—practices that significantly increase security risk. Legal formation helps enforce separation between personal and business systems, reducing exposure when devices are lost, compromised, or misused.

Cross-Border Teams Increase Risk Without Structure

Remote-first companies frequently operate across borders, hiring talent wherever skills are available. While this offers strategic advantages, it also introduces complexity around data residency, access controls, and jurisdictional compliance.

A defined business structure helps anchor these complexities. It establishes a primary legal home for the company, which regulators and partners use as a reference point. For example, many founders choose company formation in UK because it provides a clear corporate framework, predictable regulatory standards, and alignment with international data protection norms—factors that simplify compliance planning for distributed teams.

Without such anchoring, companies may unintentionally violate local data laws or struggle to demonstrate compliance during audits or investigations.

Incident Response and Liability Management

Cyber incidents are not a matter of if, but when. How a company is structured affects how effectively it can respond to breaches and limit damage.

A properly incorporated business can:

• Appoint responsible officers for data protection and security
• Maintain incident response plans tied to legal obligations
• Communicate with regulators, clients, and partners through formal channels
• Access insurance products that require clear legal status

In contrast, poorly structured businesses often face delayed responses, unclear communication, and increased liability. Regulators may impose heavier penalties when they believe negligence stems from inadequate governance rather than technical failure.

Investor and Partner Expectations

Cybersecurity is now a core concern for investors, enterprise clients, and strategic partners. Due diligence processes increasingly examine not just security tools, but governance and legal structure.

Remote-first companies with clear formation, documented policies, and defined accountability are viewed as lower risk. This can affect access to funding, partnerships, and enterprise contracts. Conversely, informal or ambiguous structures raise red flags, especially when sensitive data or regulated industries are involved.

Structure Enables Security Maturity

Cybersecurity maturity develops over time. Early-stage companies may rely on basic controls, but as operations scale, expectations increase. Business structure enables this progression by providing a framework for:

• Assigning roles and responsibilities
• Budgeting for security investments
• Auditing systems and processes
• Demonstrating compliance to third parties

Remote-first companies that delay proper structuring often find themselves retrofitting compliance under pressure—an expensive and risky approach.

Final Thoughts

Remote-first work is here to stay, but it demands a more deliberate approach to cybersecurity. Technical tools alone are not enough. Legal and organizational structure underpins everything from policy enforcement to regulatory compliance and incident response.

For remote-first companies, business structure is not an administrative afterthought. It is a strategic decision that shapes how securely and sustainably the organization can operate in a digital, distributed world. By aligning structure with cybersecurity obligations early, companies position themselves to scale with confidence rather than react under crisis.

The post Why Business Structure Matters for Cybersecurity Compliance in Remote-First Companies appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Private aviation’s typical buyer used to be straightforward: corporate executive, mid-50s, established wealth. That profile is still prominent, but it’s changing fast.

Buyers under 45 now account for 29% of pre-owned private jet transactions, nearly double their share from a decade ago, according to Jetcraft’s 2025 market report. These younger buyers are also spending more: averaging $25 million per transaction, 31% higher than their older counterparts. Many have made fortunes in technology, entertainment, and finance. Others inherited substantial wealth earlier than previous generations as part of what wealth advisors call the Great Wealth Transfer: $90 trillion in assets moving from baby boomers to younger generations over the next two decades.

What they want looks somewhat different from what their predecessors wanted. The question is whether aviation’s traditional sales infrastructure can adapt.

Sergey Petrossov, the Managing Partner of Aero Ventures, believes his company is at the forefront of this change.

“By solving for the two biggest pain points, lack of information and slow delivery, we believe Aero Ventures will become the hub where the world’s most discerning aviation clients begin and manage every major ownership decision,” he told Sherpa Report.

The firm’s AI-driven platform targets those pain points by providing instant valuations and ownership cost simulations, tools addressing buyers who expect immediate access to data whether they’re 35 or 65.

The Productivity-First Buyer

Remote work reshaped how younger high-net-worth individuals approach aviation. A 2025 survey found 81% of affluent 18-35 year-olds work remotely. That demographic enters private aviation younger than previous generations, prioritizing functional amenities like high-speed connectivity, wellness features, and productivity tools.

They want jets functioning as airborne offices. The Gulfstream with mahogany paneling matters less than whether the Wi-Fi handles video conferences reliably.

George Galanopoulos, CEO of Luxaviation UK, described the shift in a recent interview with Inflight. “Millennials, broadly those in their 30s and early 40s, now account for more than half of our business jet charter clients. These are clients who value efficiency over formality, digital access over legacy prestige, and experiences that feel personal.”

Different Entry Points, Different Expectations

Aviation buyers arrive at ownership through varied paths. Some build relationships with brokers over years through charter programs or fractional ownership, developing industry connections and understanding pricing dynamics through long-term advisory relationships. Others enter aviation suddenly and without established broker networks, spurred on by a company sale, inheritance, or rapid business growth.

The challenge emerges when buyers accustomed to digital platforms for other major purchases encounter aviation’s traditionally relationship-driven sales model. It may feel like they are purchasing eight-figure assets with less immediately accessible information than they’d get researching a $50,000 car.

Sergey Petrossov sees the disconnect. “Today, most aircraft sales require weeks of back-and-forth, incomplete information, and outdated valuations,” he told Sherpa Report.

His assessment reflects broader industry data: aircraft transactions still averaged 207 days from listing to closing in 2024.

Platform Access Without Commitment

Aero Ventures’ AI-driven platform was designed to address information asymmetry. Users can access aircraft valuations, ownership cost simulations, and market comparables without engaging brokers initially. The model mirrors what successful real estate platforms like Zillow have done for real estate: provide enough data for buyers to explore options independently before committing to transactions.

The platform generates instant fair market values using AI-based systems tracking transaction data and market comparables. Users can model scenarios like flying 200 hours annually versus 400 hours to understand total cost implications. The system tracks inventory levels and absorption rates across aircraft types, showing whether current conditions favor buyers or sellers.

“Rather than trying to take the human out of the process, the Marketplace serves as an entry point for engagement, letting clients ‘window shop’ and experiment with different ownership scenarios,” Petrossov explained to Sherpa Report.

The concept offers an alternative entry point for buyers who prefer preliminary exploration before advisory engagement. Some buyers want immediate broker consultation. Others prefer researching independently first. Both paths ultimately lead to human expertise for transaction execution.

Maintaining Human Expertise

Aircraft transactions involve bespoke financing, maintenance status assessments, regulatory compliance across jurisdictions, insurance considerations. Automated valuations provide starting points, but closing deals requires interpreting data through operational expertise.

All buyers, regardless of how they enter the market, recognize multimillion dollar purchases demand human expertise at some stage. The question is when that expertise enters the process.

Aero Ventures positions its platform as complementing rather than replacing advisory relationships. The firm targets “qualified buyers and sellers, typically focused on aircraft in the ten million dollar and above range,” according to Petrossov.

Aviation sales have evolved to serve buyers through multiple channels: traditional broker relationships built over years, digital platforms providing immediate data access, or hybrid models combining both.

Platform tools might appeal to buyers entering aviation without established broker networks. Traditional advisory relationships continue serving buyers who value long-term consultation and discretion. The industry is accommodating both approaches rather than replacing one with the other.

Aviation’s relationship-driven culture persists because transactions remain complex enough that human expertise adds genuine value. For Petrossov and Aero ventures, the hope is that digital tools enhance that expertise and reshape how buyers access it.

The post Sergey Petrossov’s Aero Ventures Addresses Aviation’s Younger, Tech-Focused Buyer Demographic appeared first on IT Security Guru.

The post office has once again come under scrutiny after avoiding a fine for a data breach. In the data breach, more than 500 former post office workers who were wrongfully convicted during the Horizon IT scandal had their names and personal information leaked. Despite the seriousness of the breach, the post office received what equated to a light scolding from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). This course of action has sparked strong criticism from privacy groups and advocates for the victims.

Data breaches occurring in top governmental agencies like the post office once again bring into question the strength and readiness of public agencies’ cybersecurity protocols. Amidst increasing occurrences of data and data breaches, cybersecurity experts are calling for government and federal agencies to adopt more stringent IT security measures.

Overview of the Data Breach

The breach involved the accidental publication of an uncensored legal settlement document that revealed the identities and addresses of more than 500 former post office employees.

As the news of the breach spread, commentators pointed out how data breaches create serious risks for victims. They highlight how the leaking of sensitive information can cause years of damage, like falling victim to online fraud or exploitation.

Examples of this have been seen in the online entertainment industry, where users’ email addresses and passwords have been leaked, causing mass account takeovers. Video streaming platforms and social media have become popular online forms of entertainment.

These platforms have inherent security flaws though, as passwords can easily be hacked. For this reason, many online users are turning to platforms that run on more secure blockchain networks, such online games that include top crypto casinos. Firstly, these platforms offer much more entertainment value, providing users with access to thousands of online casino games. The major appeal comes from the safety and transparency offered by blockchain technology. Thanks to blockchain networks, these platforms offer provably fair games, faster and more secure transactions, and strong data protection.

How the Data Leak was Completely Preventable

The data breach happened when a member of the Post Office’s press team uploaded an uncensored version of the 2019 litigation settlement to the agency’s public website by mistake. Two months passed by before the file was finally removed. The presence of the file online was eventually brought to attention by an external law firm rather than internal safeguards. Further highlighting the agency’s internal failings. ICO officials made it clear that the leak was preventable should proper publishing controls and data-handling procedures had been followed. A few major issues were pointed out by the ICO, mainly the lack of quality-assurance processes for online publication. In addition, the regulator pointed to minimal staff training and a lack of technical systems to detect or prevent the upload of sensitive data.

For the victims still dealing with the fallout of their wrongful convictions, the leak was just another institutional betrayal. Many of the workers whose information was leaked spent years trying to clear their names. They faced bankruptcy, damaged reputations, and in some cases, imprisonment.

Why the ICO Issued Only a Reprimand

The regulatory body sees the data breach as not serious enough to meet the requirements for a fine. Under its regulatory framework for the public sector, the ICO can impose financial penalties of up to £1.09 million for serious breaches. In the case of this leak, the ICO felt that a public admonishment would suffice instead of issuing a fine. This decision received strong criticism and backlash, especially from privacy advocates. Privacy advocates and cybersecurity groups argue that a public reprimand does nothing to remedy the situation. Instead, they argue, it gives public agencies the impression that they can continue to get away with data breaches unscathed.

The Open Rights Group called the decision “ludicrous”, warning that it risked sending the signal to other public organisations that a lack of proper data-protection standards carries few consequences. These concerns were mirrored by the victims of the breach and their legal representatives. They pointed out that data relating to exonerated individuals carries unique risks. In their criticism, they highlighted that a lack of fines or any tangible consequences minimises the harm caused and reduces the pressure on the Post Office to improve its internal processes and systems.

The Horizon Scandal’s Lasting Impact

The Post Office’s data breach cannot be separated from the history of the Horizon IT scandal. More than 500 post office employees, many of whom were sub-postmasters, were wrongfully accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting. These accusations were made after the Horizon software, which had software bugs, generated financial shortfalls in branch accounts. This software error caused many people to lose their livelihoods, their homes, and affected their mental health. In the worst cases, some were even imprisoned or died before their names could be cleared.

Compensation and Mitigation Measures Taken by the Post Office

After the data breach, the Post Office offered the victims financial compensation. While the compensation was a welcome relief, it was limited. Depending on the case, victims could receive up to £5000, with payouts based on whether the leaked addresses of the victims were current or outdated. Although some victims accepted the payout, critics of how the Post Office handled the situation say that the compensation was too little when compared to the seriousness of the breach.

Beyond financial settlements, the Post Office also offered two years of identity-protection services for the victims. These services included fraud monitoring, credit alerts, and dark-web surveillance. Again, these interim measures are aimed at helping the immediate victims of the data breach, but legal experts are still calling for more robust security systems and risk mitigation protocols to be put in place so that future breaches can be avoided.

The post ICO Issues Post Office Public Reprimand Instead of Fine Over Data Breach appeared first on IT Security Guru.

For years, the cybersecurity community has fought the scourge of weak, reused passwords. The solution, which was overwhelmingly adopted by both businesses and consumers, was the password manager (PM). These tools moved us from flimsy ‘123456’ credentials to unique, 30-character alphanumeric strings, stored behind a single, powerful master password.

But this elegant centralisation creates a paradox. By consolidating all digital keys into one encrypted vault, have we simply moved the weakness rather than eliminated it? Is this single, powerful key actually the soft underbelly of modern cybersecurity?

The Centrality of Strong Credentials

The necessity of strong and unique passwords cannot be overstated, as they form the bedrock of digital defence. Compromised credentials are the primary vector for data breaches. They affect everything from sensitive work systems and financial applications to personal e-commerce accounts and, increasingly, entertainment platforms. The security stakes are incredibly high across the board. For example, when engaging with entertainment platforms such as online casinos, where sensitive financial details are exchanged, and large sums can be involved, robust password hygiene is a non-negotiable requirement.

The need to protect these accounts dictates that users rely on tools to generate and store complex character strings. When reviewing the offerings for such platforms, resources like those curated by adventuregamers.com often highlight sites that prioritise player security. What’s more, they typically pay attention to strong architectural benefits such as secure payment methods and end-to-end encryption. Such diligent, layered protection is extremely important, yet all of that diligence ultimately hinges on the user’s own diligence in protecting their account with a unique, strong password that they have stored safely.

The Single Point of Failure Paradox

The most significant challenge to password managers is the single point of failure that they represent. If a cybercriminal can acquire the master password for a vault, they gain immediate access to every stored credential: banking, email, social media, and corporate access. This represents a far more lucrative target than breaching a single, isolated account. The risk is compounded by the fact that the most common failure point is not the vault itself. It is actually human error.

The master password, by necessity, must be complex yet memorable enough for the user to type manually. If a user chooses a weak master password or if they fall victim to a targeted keylogger or highly sophisticated phishing attempt, then the entire security framework collapses. While this risk does, of course, exist with any single password, the cascading effect here can be catastrophic. Furthermore, the master password’s security relies entirely on the security of the device it is typed into. If that device is compromised by potent, custom-built malware, then the master password can be intercepted before it ever interacts with the zero-knowledge architecture of the manager itself.

Architectural Defence: Zero-Knowledge Encryption

To counter the single point of failure, reputable password manager services employ sophisticated zero-knowledge architecture. This is the core technical defence that elevates them above simple, local file encryption. In a zero-knowledge system, the encryption and decryption of the vault happen locally on the user’s device and never on the provider’s actual server.

The provider only stores the cryptographically scrambled and salted blob of data. They never hold the master password or the key required to unscramble the vault, meaning that even if the password manager company’s servers are breached, the hackers only obtain a useless piece of encrypted data. They would still need to launch a brute-force attack on a highly salted and iterated hash, and this is an effort that could take centuries with our current computing technology.

This distinction is crucial. The provider cannot hand over your passwords to a government agency, a subpoena, or a hacker because they genuinely do not have access to them. The weakness doesn’t lie in the manager’s architectural security, but in its implementation on the end-user device. A sophisticated, state-sponsored attack on the endpoint device itself, such as a remote access trojan (RAT) or screen-scraping malware, is the only way to bypass this robust, zero-knowledge encryption model.

Beyond the Code: Phishing and Human Error

Ultimately, the password manager’s greatest vulnerability is not its code, but the user experience it requires. The convenience of autofill is a double-edged sword. While it does save time and prevent typographical errors, it can also be easily exploited by malicious sites.

Sophisticated phishing attacks can create near-perfect, convincing login pages that are designed to capture credentials. A well-designed password manager should only autofill a login on a specific, trusted domain, but user confusion or certain browser extensions can sometimes override these safety checks. The user, who is accustomed to the ease of autofill, may not notice the subtly altered URL of a phishing site until it is too late.

The other primary vector is the bypass of multi-factor authentication (MFA). While a PM helps secure the first factor (the password), many high-value accounts protected by PMs are also protected by MFA. However, attackers are increasingly using MFA fatigue attacks or complex adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) techniques to steal a session token after the user authenticates with both their PM-stored password and their MFA token. This attack targets the session rather than the vault. This proves that a PM is not a complete security solution. Rather, it is a robust tool that must be correctly layered with other security controls, such as hardware security keys and stringent device hygiene.

The post The Vault or the Vulnerability? Why Your Password Manager Might Be the New Cyber Risk appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Modern iGaming security has evolved quickly, and users notice the difference. Stronger protections, more transparent communication, and more innovative tools give people far more confidence than older platforms ever did. At the same time, the number of online poker sites keeps growing, prompting users to seek more explicit guidance and safer options. This mix of better security and higher expectations shapes how people decide where to play—and why modern platforms continue to gain their trust.

Rising Expectations Around User Choice and Platform Safety

A lot of people feel overwhelmed the moment they start comparing different digital entertainment platforms, mainly because everything starts to look the same. You jump from one option to another, and before long, you’re not even sure which features actually matter. That’s usually when people begin looking for more explicit guidance and platforms that communicate safety without making users dig for it.

As platforms compete for attention, they raise their security standards to show they take user protection seriously. People notice stronger authentication, more precise privacy explanations, and better overall transparency. Those small details help them decide faster and feel more confident in their choice, rather than second-guessing every step.

There’s the bonus of feeling at ease since you know what you’re doing business with, taking out the blind step risk, and making it all more deliberate. When users are supported from the get-go, they relax and focus on savoring the experience rather than fretting about hidden snags.

Security Advances Driving Modern iGaming Forward

Modern iGaming platforms invest a chunk in authentication because users are known to give proper attention to it. Forcing a user to feel ‘safer’ with features such as device verification, biometrics, app-based codes, and never just an empty password field. These protections do not signal professionalism; they set expectations. After finally becoming used to ‘stronger’ security, anything ‘less’ feels dated.

On the other hand, real-time monitoring is of tremendous importance at present, as threats change rapidly. Platforms employ behavior-based tools to identify abnormal patterns before they materialize into something substantial. End-users may not realize it is happening in the background, but they surely see the outcomes. Fewer account issues and fewer security pop-ups really smooth the experience and take the stress out of it.

Encryption standards are at a level most people associate with banking or healthcare, and that in itself speaks volumes about the users. When a platform secures data with the same level of seriousness as a financial institution, people respond with greater trust. It turns moments of sensitivity – payments, or identity checks – into simple steps instead of points of anxiety.

Another interesting trend is the transparency that platforms provide. They do not ask users to trust them blindly; instead, they publish summaries of audits, security updates, and system notes. When details are shared, it gives people a sense that the platform is really taking ownership of their safety. This, in turn, lowers the fear of hidden issues and builds a stronger relationship with long-term users.

Why Traditional Apps Struggle to Keep Pace with Modern Threats

Most traditional apps rely on older system structures, which becomes problematic when threats evolve faster than their update cycles. A platform that still relies on legacy permissions or outdated libraries will create lag that end users feel. End users can feel it when an app feels very clunky and not ready to face modern risks; it’s a confidence eroder all by itself.

Many of these older systems also require manual updates, which slows everything down. A security issue that modern platforms patch instantly can sit unresolved in a traditional app until someone schedules the update. Users don’t always see the technical reason behind the delay, but they feel the fallout every time something doesn’t work the way it should.

Another issue comes from rigid permission handling. Older apps often ask for more access than they actually need, which raises red flags for people who care about privacy. Modern platforms take the opposite approach: they request the minimum and explain why. That contrast makes traditional apps look careless, even when they’re not trying to be.

On top of that, traditional apps tend to approach security reactively instead of proactively. They address problems after they happen rather than preparing for them in advance. Users today expect more, especially when digital entertainment platforms keep showing what quick adaptation looks like. Once they realize the difference, it becomes hard to go back to something that feels slower and less reassuring.

Wrap Up

Modern iGaming platforms raise the bar with faster updates, stronger authentication, and a more explicit commitment to user protection. People feel the difference immediately, especially when they have guidance that helps them make confident choices. As security continues to improve and new tools become standard, users can expect a safer, more transparent experience every time they play online.

The post Do Modern iGaming Platforms Offer Better Cyber Protections Than Traditional Apps? appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Casino security used to be pretty straightforward. You had cameras watching the floor and security guards watching for suspicious players. These days, things are way more complicated. Casinos deal with hackers, data breaches, and scammers who go after players through their phones and computers. The technology protecting casinos has improved a lot, but there’s still one weak spot that doesn’t get enough attention: most players have no idea how to protect themselves online.

You can spend millions on fancy security systems, but it doesn’t help much when a player clicks on a fake email or uses “password123” for their account. Criminals know that people are usually easier to trick than to break through firewalls. That’s why teaching players about security needs to be a priority, not something casinos ignore.

Building Security Awareness From Day One

When someone signs up for a casino account, that’s when they should learn the basics. But most sites just show a wall of legal text that nobody bothers reading. What actually works is giving people simple, useful advice. Things like how to make a strong password or how to tell if an email is really from the casino or just a scam.

Sweepstakes platforms are a type of casino that works differently from regular online sites. They use virtual money instead of real cash, which can be new for beginners. Offering premium sweepstakes helps new players learn how the system works and enjoy the games safely. This way, they can play the game confidently and with peace of mind.

Banks spend years educating customers to check URLs before logging in and never share sensitive account info over the phone, even with their staff. It worked. Casinos should do the same thing. Security tips need to show up regularly, not just once during signup.

Why Security Awareness Really Matters

The casino industry keeps getting bigger. In 2023, it was estimated that there were over 1.5 billion people playing online gambling games worldwide. That’s a lot of people who could run into security problems. Every new player can either help keep things safe or accidentally give criminals a way in. When millions of people are using these sites, even a few falling for scams adds up fast.

Teaching players about security takes effort, but it’s worth it. Players who know what to watch for make fewer mistakes. They spot weird activities happening in their accounts and report them quickly. They feel better about using the platform, so they keep coming back and recommend it to people they know.

Making Security Education Something Players Actually Want

Nobody wants a boring security lecture when they’re trying to have fun. The trick is teaching people without making it feel like school. Quick videos, simple quizzes with small prizes, and occasional reminders work way better than long presentations.

There are good moments to bring up security naturally. When someone makes their first deposit, you can explain how the site protects their payment info. When they contact support, the team can mention a security tip while helping them. The goal is to make this stuff feel helpful instead of annoying.

Some casinos treat security education like a mini-game. Players already like earning points and unlocking rewards, so applying it here will be useful. Give out bonus credits or badges for finishing security lessons. A few sites even run contests where players practice spotting fake emails or recognizing secure websites.

Building a Community That Watches Out for Each Other

Teaching individual players helps, but things work even better when the community gets involved. When someone in a forum spots a scam and warns others, that message spreads way faster than any official email. Casinos should make reporting simple and recognize players who help catch problems.

Scams targeting casino players are a real problem in the US. Between 2022 and mid-2025, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), an organization for ethical standards, reported receiving almost 200 scam reports and over 10,000 complaints about online gaming. People reported getting their money stolen, not understanding the terms, and having a hard time telling real betting sites apart from fake ones. 

Chat rooms and social media groups connected to gaming sites are where scammers like to operate. Players who recognize the warning signs can help protect new people before they lose money.

Being honest about security issues builds trust, too. When a casino has a security problem and tells players exactly what happened and how they’re fixing it, people respect that. It shows the casino sees players as partners instead of just customers. This kind of openness makes players take their own security habits more seriously.

Wrapping Up 

You can’t turn players into security experts overnight. One training video during signup won’t stick. Regular updates about new scams, reminders about password basics, and positive feedback when players report issues all help build better habits gradually.

Technology matters a lot for casino security. But it can’t do everything alone. When players know how to protect themselves and actually participate in keeping things safe, they stop being the weak link. They become the strongest defense a casino has.

The post How User Education Can Become the Strongest Link in Casino Security appeared first on IT Security Guru.

How CTEM Helps Cyber Teams to Become More Proactive

Software, infrastructure, and third-party services change far faster than quarterly audit cycles, which increases the risk of data and infrastructure exposure.

In the UK, just over four in ten businesses and three in ten charities identified a cyber breach or attack in the last 12 months alone. Phishing is dominant, and larger organisations are hit more often. ENISA’s latest threat landscape lists availability attacks, ransomware, and data threats as the top three cybersecurity concerns across Europe. It can be a lot to keep up with.

Today’s security teams need a way to keep exposure data current and to turn that data into work that actually removes attack paths. Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) serves as the basis for that cadence, as it runs as a repeatable loop. CTEM enables teams to scope what matters, discover the real attack surface, prioritise by reachability and likely impact, validate in the way an attacker would, and route fixes through the tooling you already use.

For developer-led organisations, the advantage is straightforward. Rather than noisy findings and notifications, CTEM provides a framework for reproducible work items so you close meaningful paths quickly instead of growing a backlog of low-signal tickets.

A Developer’s Framework for CTEM

A simple way to operationalise CTEM is the DEPTH method: Discover, Evaluate, Prioritise, Test, Hand-off. It maps neatly to normal delivery rhythms without creating unnecessary complexity and bureaucracy.

Discover. Keep a continuous inventory of what is actually reachable from the internet, one service at a time. This can include domains and subdomains, API gateways and endpoints, object stores, edge devices, certificates, and identity integrations. Treat identity posture as exposure in its own right. Stale tokens, over-broad roles, default credentials, and unaudited service accounts are just as exploitable as a common vulnerability and exposure (CVE).

Evaluate. Attach signals so triage is deterministic. For each finding, store the CVE, the exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) probability, inclusion in CISA’s known exploited vulnerabilities (KEV) database, authentication state, blast-radius indicators (data sensitivity, privilege reach), and a small proof of reachability (for example, a curl output, test URL, or certificate details). Keep the schema compact enough to sort in an issue tracker.

Prioritise. Use an ordering rule that anyone can apply. Internet-exposed items that are KEV-listed go first. Next, rank by EPSS probability (higher first). Break ties by unauthenticated reachability and then by data sensitivity. Maintain a parallel queue for identity and configuration faults that open paths even without a CVE. Publish this rubric at the top of the board to aid in decision-making.

Test. Prove exploitability and control efficacy in the environment you run today. Keep checks short and scriptable. Examples are a curl or HTTPie snippet for an insecure direct object reference (IDOR) or weak-auth path; a signed URL to demonstrate public object-store access; a one-liner to verify default credentials on a lab-scoped edge device; or, an OpenSSL command to confirm certificate or TLS posture. Ensure the scripts are idempotent for retesting after a fix, and save the artifacts along with the ticket. For APIs, align test cases with the common failure modes you already track.

Hand-off. Convert proof into change using the rails you already have. Standardise the ticket: owner, environment, link to reachability proof, EPSS score, KEV status, fix approach, rollback plan, and the exact retest command. Route through change control and CI/CD. Close only when the retest passes in the target environment. For software-supply-chain items, ensure policy and build pipelines reflect secure-development practices rather than ad-hoc checks.

Integration Touchpoints

In security operations and monitoring, enrich alerts with exposure context so events touching known high-risk assets are ranked higher by default. If a relevant CVE enters an actively exploited list, adjust priority accordingly.

In change management, add a simple control to the template. A CTEM checkbox stating “retest script attached and passing” is useful here, so that evidence is required at approval rather than after deployment.

In the SDLC, treat exposure checks like any other quality gate: keep validation scripts in the same repository as your IaC and application code, run them post-deploy in staging, and schedule safe, read-only checks against production endpoints where appropriate.

This keeps evidence versioned, reproducible, and close to the code. For third-party and open-source exposure, track both the upstream fix and your local mitigation. Use a clear baseline for secure development, and surface objective health and provenance signals in builds rather than relying on informal judgements.

Common Failure Modes

Tool sprawl without ownership. Adding scanners without assigning triage and closure grows the backlog and erodes trust. Keep outputs flowing into the same issue tracker, and apply SLAs only to items with proof and reachability so effort tracks risk, not volume.

Counting patches instead of paths removed. If a CVE is marked fixed but an object store remains public, the path still exists. Make “closed and retested” your lead metric, not “PR merged.”

Ignoring identity. Weak authentication, stale tokens, and overly broad roles create routine lateral movement. Keep identity items in the same queue and run them through the same DEPTH flow as infrastructure and code.

Enabling a Proactive Approach

CTEM replaces ad-hoc reaction with an operating rhythm that ties signals to fixes. Discovery jobs refresh the exposed surface for one service. Triage applies a simple ordering rule that combines KEV status and EPSS probability with reachability. Validation turns each top item into a short and scriptable proof. Mobilisation converts that proof into a change ticket with an owner, rollback plan, and an exact retest command.

CI runs the same script after the change and fails if the path still exists. The board shows “attack paths removed” and “time to risk reduction” as the lead metrics.

The result is a closed loop. On a rolling basis, you learn what’s exposed, you choose the highest-likelihood, highest-impact items, you prove them, you fix them, and you retest automatically. That is what “proactive” looks like. This means less time waiting on alerts and more time closing off the routes attackers actually use.

With CTEM, the goal is simple: a smaller exposed surface, fewer reachable attack paths, and faster time to risk reduction. CTEM, implemented with DEPTH and wired into delivery and operations, keeps those outcomes on a timetable that teams can sustain, without adding complexity or creating a parallel process.

The post How CTEM Helps Cyber Teams to Become More Proactive appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Global defense spending will reach $6.38 trillion by 2035, growing from $2.7 trillion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate of 8.13%, according to Spherical Insights & Consulting research. This massive expansion coincides with fundamental shifts in how the U.S. government procures defense capabilities and manages contractor relationships.

Margarita Howard, CEO and owner of aerospace and defense firm HX5, sees transformation coming to almost every aspect of defense contracting on the heels of groundbreaking technological advances.

“Government agencies will increasingly utilize AI to streamline procurement processes, evaluate contractor performance, and probably predict future needs based on historical data that they collect,” she says.

Audit Advancements

Historically, government audits of contractors have relied on scheduled reviews, document submissions, and periodic site visits. By 2035, this model may largely disappear. “Compliance protocols will be automated,” Howard predicts. “Contractors will be required to integrate systems that provide continuous reporting and real-time audit capabilities.”

Federal agencies are already moving toward this reality. In 2025, the General Services Administration announced plans to manage $400 billion in procurement consolidation, marking a fourfold volume increase from previous levels. Managing this increased scale could require automated oversight rather than manual reviews.

With more automated auditing capabilities contractors could transmit performance data continuously to government systems. Financial transactions, milestone completions, and compliance metrics could flow automatically into federal databases. Anomalies might trigger immediate alerts rather than being discovered months too late during scheduled audits.

AI-Powered Procurement Decisions

Procurement administrative lead time currently frustrates both government and industry. AI tools can produce statements of work in minutes rather than days, according to Greg Young, general manager for civilian at Unison Software.

“If you have to change a core element on 100 different contracts or you need to change a term and condition in 1,000 different contracts, you can use automation and newer AI technologies to do that one time and then repeat 1,000 more times,” he said.

In the coming years, AI could help analyze a contractor’s past performance across thousands of data points. Machine learning models might predict which companies can successfully complete specific projects based on historical patterns. Procurement officers may review AI-generated recommendations rather than starting evaluations from scratch.

Howard anticipates these systems could use a wide range of nuanced historical data to make increasingly sophisticated predictions. Contract awards might occur within days rather than months as AI can help accelerate the process of matching requirements to qualified contractors.

Workforce Transformation and Demographic Shifts

Congressional Budget Office projections show defense outlays increasing from $891 billion in 2023 to $1.07 trillion by 2034. Yet the workforce supporting these expanding budgets faces demographic pressures that technology must address.

Howard recognizes generational differences in workplace expectations. “Gen Z thrives in digital-native environments,” she says. HX5 has already “modernized some of our internal communication processes to include those platforms that we believe that they’re comfortable in.”

Real-Time Financial Transparency

Current federal procurement systems create payment delays and reconciliation problems. Contractors often work “at risk,” performing approved work before funding arrives. “It might be that the funding will be a little late, and we’re paying out of pocket, basically, during that period,” Howard explains about current practices.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation overhaul, the first major revision in 40 years, aims to eliminate outdated and duplicative regulations while accelerating acquisition timelines. Plain language requirements and simplified processes could enable smaller contractors to participate without armies of compliance specialists, and could streamline payment to avoid performing “at risk” work.

Security Infrastructure as Competitive Differentiator

Cybersecurity requirements could determine which contractors survive the next decade.

“There are heightened cybersecurity requirements, and contractors will not have a choice but to implement them if they want to be a government contractor,” Howard stated plainly.

Contractors are expected to meet Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification standards, though currently only 4% of contractors meet these minimum standards. Going forward, contractors unable to achieve certification may lose eligibility for federal contracts entirely, as cybersecurity only continues to grow in importance for government work.

By 2035, AI could monitor contractor networks continuously for threats. Automated responses might isolate breaches instantly. Government agencies may maintain real-time visibility into contractor security postures.

Geographic Flexibility Through Digital Integration

HX5 operates across 34 states at 90 government locations, demonstrating the geographic demands of current contracting. Future digital integration could reduce physical presence requirements while maintaining service quality.

“Where it makes sense, we have implemented flexible work models, like hybrid work models, allowing some flexibility while maintaining very strict security standards,” Howard says about her firm’s current adaptations.

Augmented reality and virtual collaboration tools allow remote workers to participate in on-site activities. Engineers in different states can collaborate on designs as if sharing the same room. Training and knowledge transfer might occur through immersive digital environments rather than travel-intensive programs.

Preparing for the Automated Future

The transformation Howard predicts requires immediate preparation. Contractors cannot wait until 2035 to develop AI capabilities, achieve security certifications, or modernize their operations. “If you don’t embrace it, you’re just going to be gone,” she says.

Workforces need training in digital collaboration tools and AI interfaces. Financial systems must prepare for instant payment processing and real-time reporting.

Most critically, contractors must shift from reactive compliance to proactive transparency. The future Howard envisions rewards contractors who voluntarily provide performance data rather than those who submit minimum required documentation.

Defense contracting in 2035 could bear little resemblance to today’s processes. Real-time monitoring, AI-driven decisions, and automated compliance may create a more efficient but demanding environment. Contractors who begin preparing now, as Margarita Howard and HX5 have, are positioning themselves to thrive in this transformed environment.

The post What Will Defense Contracting Look Like in 10 Years? appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Black Duck has expanded its software composition analysis (SCA) capabilities to include AI model scanning, helping organisations gain visibility into the growing use of open-source AI models embedded in enterprise software.

With the release of version 2025.10.0, the company’s new AI Model Risk Insights capability allows teams to identify and analyse AI models used within applications, including details about their versions, datasets, and licensing. As businesses increasingly turn to AI to accelerate innovation, the feature aims to address mounting challenges around transparency, compliance, and risk management.

The new tool detects models sourced from repositories such as Hugging Face, even if they are hidden or not declared in build manifests. It displays metadata, such as model cards and training data, helping teams assess potential risks associated with licensing or data provenance. The feature also supports emerging governance requirements under frameworks such as the EU AI Act and the U.S. Executive Order on AI, providing audit-ready reports to simplify compliance.

“With the introduction of AI model scanning, Black Duck SCA is setting a new standard for software composition analysis,” said Jason Schmitt, CEO at Black Duck. “This innovation directly addresses the emerging security challenges of AI adoption, empowering companies to confidently integrate AI models securely while maintaining compliance and regulatory adherence. The capabilities now available through AI Model Risk Insights also represent a significant leap forward in Black Duck’s mission to help companies build and deliver secure and compliant software.”

The AI Model Risk Insights capability integrates seamlessly into existing Black Duck workflows through CodePrint scanning and the BOM Engine, ensuring minimal setup for users. Available as a licensed feature, it marks another step in Black Duck’s mission to help development teams manage risk across the evolving software supply chain.

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One minute, everything’s fine. The next? Something feels off. Maybe there’s an unfamiliar charge on your bank account, or an email says your password has been changed, except you didn’t do it. Or perhaps your social media starts posting things you’ve never written.

The first reaction is disbelief. Then confusion. Then fear. Take a breath. Don’t panic. Panicking clouds judgment, and in these moments, clarity is your best defense.

Contain the Breach

Your first step is containment. Disconnect affected devices from the internet. Log out of suspicious accounts, and if necessary, shut down devices completely. Every second matters, cutting access limits how much a hacker can manipulate. Don’t guess your way through this. Act swiftly, even if it feels overwhelming.

Lock Down Your Accounts

Next comes passwords, the frontline of your defense. Change them all: email, banking, cloud services, and anything that holds personal data. Make each one unique and complex. Enable two-factor authentication everywhere you can. Check your security questions too; hackers can exploit them if they’re predictable. It’s tedious work, but every reset builds another barrier between your information and whoever’s trying to exploit it.

Assess the Damage

Take stock of what’s happened. Which accounts were accessed? What data could have been stolen? Review activity logs, recent account changes, and connected devices. It’s tedious, but understanding the full scope of the breach is essential, ignoring it only leaves the door open for future attacks.

Alert the Right Organizations

Contact your bank, credit card provider, and any company holding sensitive data. Most have dedicated fraud departments ready to freeze transactions and restore accounts. Follow their procedures exactly, even if it feels slow or bureaucratic. In cases involving identity theft or sensitive information, report it to authorities, early action preserves evidence.

Document Everything

Keep a detailed record of suspicious emails, password resets, and calls with service providers. These notes can be invaluable for insurance claims, police reports, or even tracking repeat attacks later on. Writing things down helps turn chaos into a plan.

Inspect and Clean Your Devices

Run reputable antivirus or anti-malware scans on your phone, laptop, and tablet. Look for strange files, new apps, or signs of sluggish performance. If something feels off, consult a professional, hackers often leave hidden backdoors behind.

Review Your Apps and Permissions

We all have dozens of apps, some vital, others forgotten. It’s easy to ignore how much access they have to personal data. Certain gaming and lifestyle apps are designed securely, even under heavy scrutiny. For instance, Pokerscout.com’s expert analysis of casino payout times highlights how some regulated platforms prioritize transparency, quick but secure payments, and user protection. These same principles, clear oversight, timely security updates, and encryption, apply across all legitimate apps, not just gaming ones.

Still, check every app you’ve installed:

• Remove those you no longer use.
• Update the rest.
• Review permissions and limit access to sensitive data.

Even an innocent-looking app can become a vulnerability if neglected.

Secure Every Account — Even the Small Ones

Streaming platforms, shopping apps, and social media accounts might not seem critical, but they often connect to payment details or personal information. Update passwords, enable 2FA, and monitor for suspicious login attempts. Each secured account adds another layer of defense.

Warn Those Who Might Be Affected

If your accounts have been compromised, let friends, family, and coworkers know. They might receive strange messages or links from you. A quick heads-up prevents the attack from spreading further. Yes, it’s awkward, but honesty is the best damage control.

Keep Watching Your Finances

Even after the initial panic fades, vigilance is crucial. Monitor bank statements and credit reports for weeks or months afterward. Report any unknown transactions immediately. Banks can issue new cards or freeze accounts before losses pile up.

Recover and Rebuild Carefully

When restoring backups, make sure they’re clean before reconnecting devices to the internet. Update all operating systems and security patches first. Rushing this step risks re-infecting your system.

Acknowledge the Emotional Impact

Being hacked is deeply unsettling. You might feel violated, anxious, or angry. All valid reactions. Reach out to friends, family, or professionals for support. Cyberattacks affect both data and emotions.

Stay Proactive — Not Paranoid

Once the dust settles, reflect on how the breach happened. Was it a phishing email, a weak password, or malware? Learning from mistakes is the best form of protection. Keep systems updated. Be cautious with links and attachments. Stay alert, but don’t live in fear.

Consider Cyber Insurance

Many insurers now offer cybersecurity coverage for identity theft and fraud. Accurate documentation and prompt reporting can make reimbursement smoother. Know what your policy covers and where the limits are.

Regaining Trust in the Digital World

Recovering from a cyberattack isn’t just about fixing devices. It’s about rebuilding confidence. It may take time to trust online banking, communication, or shopping again. But with consistent monitoring, updated protection, and smarter habits, you’ll regain control. Every small, deliberate step toward normalcy is a victory.

The post Staying Safe After a Cyber Attack appeared first on IT Security Guru.

APIContext, the leader in resilience monitoring, today unveiled its new Browser Monitoring tool, a headless browser capability that lets organisations see exactly how their websites perform in real-world conditions.

According to a public presentation by Akamai Technologies, 58% of website traffic is now generated by machines, making it critical to understand how web pages interact with APIs and autonomous agents. APIContext’s Browser Monitoring feature captures precise timing data including how long a page takes to load, which elements slow it down, and when it is truly ready for user interaction or further navigation.

APIContext’s new Browser Monitoring tool is also valuable for SEO optimisation, given Google’s updated page ranking algorithms now factor in page load speed, interactivity, and other performance metrics. These insights give organisations the visibility needed to track these factors, identify slow elements, and ensure sites meet performance standards that can impact search rankings.

This new feature extends APIContext’s synthetic monitoring beyond APIs to full page loads in a controlled headless browser, allowing teams to track how websites render, behave, and evaluates both performance and availability.

APIContext’s Browser Monitoring tool is ideal for monitoring homepages, key landing pages, CDN performance, third-party scripts, and validating front-end releases. All results align with OpenTelemetry standards, keeping data portable and analytics-ready.

Key Benefits of Browser Monitoring:

• Catch front-end issues before users notice: Detect broken elements, missing assets, or content drift.
• See every dependency: Track all assets and third-party calls to pinpoint slowdowns.
• Enterprise-ready access: Static IPs enable secure, allow listed monitoring.
• Unified view: Combine API and browser results for faster triage and reduced incident response time.

“As web experiences grow more complex, tracking performance APIs and web pages has become more complex,” said Mayur Upadhyaya, CEO of APIContext. “Our Browser Monitoring capability gives teams a unified view of website health and user experience, enabling them to detect page issues early, improve SEO outcomes, and maintain confidence in their operational resilience.”

For more information on APIContexts’ Browsing Monitoring Tool, visit https://apicontext.com/features/browser-monitoring/

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Zensar Technologies, a leading experience, engineering, and engagement technology solutions company, announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Saviynt, a global leader in AI-based identity security and governance solutions. This collaboration is aimed at helping organizations manage growing identity and governance-related challenges without adding operational risk.

Zensar’s global delivery capabilities are supported by a growing pool of certified Saviynt professionals with continued upskilling and deployment readiness investments.

Jitendra Nandwani, SVP and Head – Cloud, infrastructure, and security services – Zensar, said, “Our collaboration with Saviynt to deliver AI-powered identity governance is focused on securing the full spectrum of the infrastructures that drive modern business operations. With the emergence of AI-driven agents, the IT landscape is evolving rapidly, bringing complexities and new security challenges. This strategic partnership enables robust identity management for enterprises building on the Zero Trust framework. Together, we will empower our customers with adaptive AI-enabled solutions to build scalable Identity Governance platforms to scale their digital transformation journey.”

Steve Blacklock, SVP, Global Partners & Channel Chief – Saviynt, said, “Zensar has proven to be a trusted Saviynt partner with the expertise needed to help enterprises accelerate secure digital transformation. We’re unlocking enterprise AI-enabled productivity by combining Saviynt’s intelligent, AI-driven identity security with Zensar’s delivery strength. This partnership simplifies governance and protects both human and non-human identities, giving organizations the confidence and agility to embrace AI, cloud technology, safeguard their digital assets, and reduce compliance costs, all while operating more efficiently.”

The partnership is already delivering impact in the United Kingdom, where Zensar has executed several deployments on Saviynt’s advanced cloud platform to secure human identities and AI agents and modernize their identity governance framework. The joint go-to-market strategy (GTM) starts with implementing tailored identity and Privilege management solutions to develop joint use cases that capitalize on Saviynt’s latest technology.

The company is also strategically expanding its Saviynt footprint in South Africa and the United States. In South Africa, Zensar’s established client base across sectors offers fertile ground for joint growth, while in the U.S., the company is actively scaling its capabilities and customer reach in alignment with its broader global strategy.

As the partnership evolves, Zensar remains focused on building robust cybersecurity ecosystems powered by Saviynt’s cloud-native platform. The two companies aim to deliver enhanced client value through innovation, agility, and a deep commitment to secure digital transformation.

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Proton, the company best known for Proton Mail and Proton VPN, has launched Lumo for Business, a new version of its privacy-first AI assistant designed specifically for teams. The move marks the third major update to Lumo in just three months and signals Proton’s push to bring confidential, end-to-end encrypted AI to the enterprise market.

While generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini have become ubiquitous in the workplace, their use has raised growing concerns about data privacy and compliance. Many of these systems operate as closed “black boxes,” with little visibility into how they store or handle sensitive information. The risk of corporate data exposure or government access requests has led some companies to ban their use altogether.

Proton says Lumo for Business addresses this issue by combining the productivity benefits of AI with strict privacy and compliance safeguards. Protected by European data protection laws and Proton’s zero-access encryption, the platform allows teams to collaborate securely without risking leaks of customer or proprietary data.

“Generative AI has changed everything and stands to create the biggest societal shift since the creation of the internet itself. This is true for consumers, but possibly even more so for businesses. AI assistants boost productivity and are already widespread in the workplace. But they come with serious risks,” said Eamonn Maguire, Director of Engineering for AI at Proton. “Many businesses have already banned ChatGPT and we’re seeing reports of multinational companies building their own in-house AI because they can’t risk their data disappearing into a black box. But small businesses don’t have the resources to build their own ChatGPT from scratch. That’s the gap Lumo fills. Companies shouldn’t have to choose between competitive advantage and data security. With Lumo, they get both: enterprise-grade AI that keeps their sensitive data safe.”

Built on the same foundation of privacy and transparency as Proton’s other products, Lumo for Business offers encrypted chat storage, GDPR compliance, and open-source transparency, ensuring that both the AI models and codebase can be independently verified.

The service also integrates with Proton Drive, allowing users to securely upload and reference documents, such as PDFs, during conversations. Proton says this feature allows Lumo to generate more contextually accurate responses without compromising security.

Unlike many enterprise AI platforms that require complex setup or costly licensing, Lumo for Business is a self-service, affordable solution designed for teams of any size. Employees can get started directly via the Lumo website or mobile apps without IT support.

Key features of Lumo for Business include:

• Zero-access encryption: Chat histories are stored securely and can only be decrypted by the individual user.

• Data sovereignty: Hosted entirely in Europe, Lumo complies with GDPR and benefits from some of the world’s strongest privacy laws.

• Transparency: Lumo’s code and models are open source, allowing public verification of its security and functionality.

• Productivity tools: Teams can summarize meetings, analyze datasets, write code, and draft documents — all within a secure environment.

Proton reports that millions of individuals already use Lumo for personal productivity tasks such as summarizing information, drafting content, and searching the web. With this latest update, businesses can now access the same technology — but with the enterprise-grade privacy and compliance safeguards they require.

More information about Lumo for Business is available on the Proton blog.

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As online gaming platforms expand across jurisdictions, the use of cryptocurrencies for payouts opens new vistas — and new risk corridors. Winnings flowing across borders via digital assets challenge the conventions of banking systems, yet also force operators and regulators to confront security, regulatory, and compliance gaps. The shift from fiat to crypto is more than a payment method change: it is a structural change for how winnings circulate internationally.

Unlocking Global Crypto Gaming Perks

As crypto gaming grows, new operators are pushing the boundaries of what global play can offer. Platforms known for their expansive game portfolios, rapid payouts, and high-value bonuses — from leading Bitcoin and Ethereum casinos to Litecoin and stablecoin hubs — are reshaping the experience. Among these, examples like 99Bitcoins top Tether casinos show how stable, low-volatility assets make cross-border transactions faster and more reliable, without the friction of traditional banking.

These modern crypto platforms demonstrate that speed and variety no longer come at the cost of trust. By supporting multiple digital currencies and offering near-instant settlements, they merge accessibility with financial steadiness. The result is a smoother player experience and streamlined operations for gaming providers managing payouts across continents.

Each wave of innovation carries with it new layers of complexity and accountability. The same systems that make fluid, borderless payouts possible now demand stronger coordination, precise infrastructure, and continuous adaptation. As technology and regulation evolve side by side, maintaining smooth operations across currencies and jurisdictions becomes as important as the innovation itself.

Security Complications of Digital-Asset Payouts

When payouts shift into crypto, the operational landscape changes dramatically. Wallet infrastructure becomes part of the payout chain, and each transfer carries pseudonymous traces, not conventional banking trails. Consequently, issues such as custody, key security, wallet theft, and platform vulnerabilities become central. 

If an operator holds user funds and initiates a crypto transfer, any compromise of the wallet or keys can lead to rapid cross-border loss. Moreover, once a crypto payout is executed, it is in most cases irreversible due to the immutable nature of blockchain transactions. This raises stakes for platform design, auditing, wallet segregation, and multi-factor controls.

Simultaneously, blockchain transparency offers a dual-edged sword. On one hand, public ledgers allow transaction tracing, providing a clear audit trail and enabling operators to monitor flows in real time. On the other hand, the pseudonymity inherent in many digital-asset systems complicates identification of beneficial owners, especially when funds cross national boundaries. The combination of borderless flow and digital-asset anonymity demands robust identity verification and wallet analytics to trace funds reliably.

Regulatory Hurdles in a Fragmented Landscape

Globally, the rules governing digital assets are inconsistent at best. In the context of cross-border iGaming payouts, this fragmentation amplifies challenges. In the United States, entities managing digital assets may trigger disclosures and registration obligations under securities or virtual-asset service provider frameworks. 

In the European Union, the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation introduces new standards for anti-money laundering and know-your-customer processes in cross-border crypto payments, but implementation varies by country. For operators in the iGaming sector, this means that licensing, payout mechanisms, and player flows must respect multiple jurisdictions’ laws, making global rollout of crypto-payout systems a regulatory maze.

Jurisdictions differ in how they treat online gaming, digital assets, payouts, and taxation. Some regimes explicitly ban crypto gambling, others permit it under strict license conditions. Operators must therefore evaluate local laws for both gaming and crypto assets before offering cross-border crypto-payout services. The result is a patchwork of rules, increasing compliance costs, operational complexity, and regulatory risk.

Compliance Gaps and How Blockchain Can Help

With crypto-based payouts, compliance must evolve beyond traditional checks. Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer processes now need to reach the crypto layer — verifying fund origins, tracing wallets, and detecting suspicious patterns. Many operators still lack the tools to monitor blockchain activity effectively, leaving vulnerabilities exposed.

Still, blockchain’s transparency can be a strength. Immutable ledgers allow cross-border verification, wallet mapping, and transaction audits. When paired with on-chain analytics and in-platform controls, operators can identify anomalies, flag high-risk addresses, and act before issues escalate.

Yet transparency alone is not enough. Structured policies for wallet management, fund traceability, and jurisdictional controls remain essential. Regular audits of payment partners and wallet providers are critical. As digital assets take the place of banks, compliance frameworks must adapt — fast and decisively.

Bridging the Gap

The industry is already seeing signs of rapid crypto-payout adoption. Reports indicate that certain leading iGaming platforms have processed more than one billion dollars’ worth of crypto payouts, underscoring the scale and momentum of this shift. For operators, the next frontier will be marrying speed and accessibility with compliance and security. Those who build payouts with traceability, jurisdictional filtering, and layered security will be ahead.

Regulators, meanwhile, are moving toward more harmonised frameworks. Global watchdogs have identified persistent gaps in cross-border crypto regulation and emphasised the need for coordinated international oversight. The implication for iGaming is clear: payout systems must be architected with flexibility, designed to adapt as rules evolve.

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Saviynt, the leader in AI-powered identity security solutions, today unveiled groundbreaking advancements to its platform that redefine how enterprises manage and secure identities in the AI era. These new enhancements address two of the most pressing challenges facing enterprises today: the inability to onboard and govern all applications; and the lack of secure management for all identities – human and non-human, including AI agents.

Saviynt’s new AI-driven capabilities address these long standing challenges by accelerating and simplifying application onboarding, enabling all apps to be managed from a single, unified identity security platform, and extending Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) to include every identity – human, non-human and AI agent – to help organizations strengthen their overall security posture.

Onboard All Applications with Agentic AI

Comprehensive application onboarding has long been one of the biggest roadblocks to realizing the full value of an identity security program. In fact, a Ponemon study found that 49% of organizations don’t even track how many disconnected apps they have – creating dangerous visibility gaps and expanding the attack surface.

Saviynt’s new Agentic AI Onboarding for Applications solves this challenge by harnessing agentic AI to accelerate and simplify the integration of both connected and disconnected applications across hybrid environments.The result is that every application—no matter where it resides – can now be seamlessly onboarded, governed, and secured under a single identity platform.

Secure All Identities — Human, Non-Human, and AI

As artificial intelligence transforms how enterprises operate, identity ecosystems are expanding at an unprecedented pace. Non-human identities and AI agents now outnumber human identities by more than 82 to 1, underscoring their explosive growth and the urgent need for stronger governance and control.

While AI agents are fueling major productivity gains, they also introduce a new class of identities that widens the attack surface. Most organizations lack the visibility and oversight to manage them effectively, leaving hidden risks across critical systems.

Saviynt is addressing this challenge head-on by extending its Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) capabilities to cover all identities – human, non-human, and AI. These enhancements empower enterprises to confidently adopt AI while maintaining full visibility, governance, and compliance.

New capabilities include:

• Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) for AI Agents: Provides comprehensive visibility, governance, and audit readiness for AI agents and their core components – such as MCP servers and tools – through simplified discovery, prioritized risk insights, and integrated access maps enriched with signals from leading security solutions like CrowdStrike.

• ISPM for Non-Human Identities (NHI): Enhanced NHI capabilities now include a unified inventory for all NHIs, their access policies, and detected violations, with support for one-click remediation.

“AI is reshaping enterprise security at every level. Identities no longer belong only to people – they now extend to non-human users like machines, applications, and AI agents,” said Sachin Nayyar, Chief Executive Officer, Saviynt. “Our latest AI innovations ensure that every identity is governed with the same rigor, context, and automation. With agentic AI onboarding and comprehensive identity security posture management across all identities, we’re enabling organizations to stay secure, compliant, and prepared for what’s next.”

Built for an AI-Driven Future

Together, these AI-driven capabilities enable unified identity security across all environments, simplifying application onboarding and extending protection to every identity.

“Saviynt has always been at the forefront of identity innovation,” said Vibhuti Sinha, Chief Product Officer, Saviynt. “While others are experimenting with AI overlays, we’re embedding AI natively into the fabric of identity security. This isn’t just about adding new features—it’s about delivering an end-to-end, AI-first platform that helps enterprises govern more effectively, scale seamlessly, and confidently embrace the future of digital business.”

Saviynt’s AI-powered platform seamlessly integrates identity governance, application governance, privileged access management, and security posture management for all identities. With the addition of AI-native capabilities, organizations can proactively reduce risk, accelerate decision-making, and enhance operational agility.

By unifying human and non-human identity security under a single platform, Saviynt empowers enterprises to achieve true Zero Trust at scale and ensure continuous compliance in today’s AI-driven world.

For more information on Saviynt’s AI-powered identity security platform, read the new blog. Saviynt will also showcase these new capabilities during its 2025 UNLOCK Roadshow, taking place in six cities around the world over the next two months.

The post Saviynt Unveils Major AI Capabilities for Identity Security appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Pentest People from WorkNest, the Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS®) and cybersecurity experts, today announces the launch of GuardNest, the latest evolution of its award-winning cybersecurity platform, previously known as SecurePortal. Version 3 of the platform represents a major step forward in both design and functionality, marking a new milestone in Pentest People’s ongoing collaboration with WorkNest and its commitment to making security management simpler, smarter, and more collaborative.

GuardNest has been completely re-engineered to reflect how people actually use security tools in their day-to-day work. The redesign draws on extensive research, UX testing, and client feedback, addressing more than sixty usability challenges identified in earlier versions. The result is a cleaner, faster, and more intuitive experience that helps users focus on what really matters: identifying and resolving vulnerabilities efficiently.

“From the moment users log in, they’ll notice an entirely refreshed look and feel. Navigation has been rebuilt to prioritise the most used areas, such as the dashboard, assessments, and vulnerabilities, allowing faster access to key features. Dashboards now present information more clearly, with reduced clutter and improved visual hierarchy, while onboarding has been simplified through guided steps, contextual prompts, and progress tracking that make it easier for new users to get up and running,” comments Harry Alderton, Product Owner at Pentest People. 

Accessibility has also been significantly improved. With enhanced colour contrast, refined typography, and consistent layouts, GuardNest meets WCAG 2.1 standards, creating a more inclusive experience for everyone. Workflows between assessments, vulnerabilities, and remediation are now fully integrated, reducing the number of clicks required to act on security findings and saving valuable time for busy teams.

The development of GuardNest reflects Pentest People’s growing partnership with WorkNest, a trusted leader in compliance, HR, and health & safety. The two organisations share a vision for innovation, operational excellence, and customer experience. Their collaboration has strengthened the platform’s design philosophy, focusing on clarity, collaboration, and compliance across every interaction.

Behind the new design lies a stronger and more flexible technical foundation. GuardNest’s architecture supports faster feature delivery, easier integration with other tools, and greater customisation for clients. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.pentestpeople.com/guardnest 

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APIContext, the leader in machine-first resilience monitoring, has appointed Lelah Manz as Chair of its Board of Directors.

Manz previously served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Data and Shared Services at Akamai Technologies, where she led a global team delivering data, AI, and shared platform capabilities. Over her nearly two-decade tenure at Akamai, she played a pivotal role in the company’s transformation from a $250M CDN provider to a $4B global platform in security, compute, and data services.

Manz’s appointment follows APIContext’s deepening collaboration with Akamai, marked by the recent launch of a managed API performance service built on the APIContext platform. This service combines proactive testing, expert analysis, and tailored optimisation to ensure APIs remain fast, reliable, and compliant across today’s complex digital environments. In a statement about the partnership last month, Patrick Sullivan, CTO of Security Strategy at Akamai said, “APIs are now the heartbeat of businesses. Keeping them fast, resilient, and standards-aligned is a competitive advantage.”

With a deep understanding of the B2B technology ecosystem and global go-to-market, Lelah’s guidance will expand strategic relationships. Her experience driving innovation across product, engineering, and sales organisations adds capacity to build on APIContext’s accelerating growth.

“Lelah joining as Chair is a pivotal step as we scale APIContext from a product into a category-defining platform,” said Mayur Upadhyaya, CEO of APIContext. “Her leadership at Akamai shaped how the internet is delivered. Now she’ll help us shape how it’s verified. Machine-driven traffic already dominates digital services, and the world needs a new signal layer. Together, we’re building it.”

Manz said, “I’m thrilled to join APIContext at such a pivotal time. APIContext’s technology plays a critical role in enabling reliability, visibility, and performance at scale. I’ve seen firsthand the need for better application resilience, and I’m excited to join a team with such a compelling product, vision, and track record of execution.”

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