Palo Alto Networks agrees to buy CyberArk for $25 billion

Cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks announced on Wednesday its intent to acquire identity management and security company CyberArk for $25 billion. The deal, a mix of cash and stock, marks Palo Alto’s entrance into the identity security space, according to a company press release. Palo Alto has been on a shopping spree since Nikesh Arora … Read more

Space Force bets on commercial entrants in $4B satcom contest

American warfighters need jam-proof communications, and the Space Force is planning to spend hundreds of millions to ensure they have them. As part of that effort, the service established the Protected Tactical Satcom program to build out secure battlefield communications via satellites. The Space Force has already awarded contracts to defense primes Boeing and Northrop … Read more

Google says UK government has not demanded an encryption backdoor for its users’ data

The U.K. government is reportedly backing down from its earlier demand that Apple builds a secret backdoor allowing its authorities access to customer data worldwide, following a harsh rebuke from the U.S. government. But one U.S. senator wants to know if other tech giants, like Google, have also received secret backdoor demands from the U.K. … Read more

Golden Dome may not be the golden ticket Silicon Valley is hoping for

Golden Dome, the Trump administration’s gambit to build a next-generation missile defense system, has startups and longstanding defense contractors preparing to duke it out for a piece of a $151 billion multi-year contract.  The process to qualify for the $151 billion contract vehicle, essentially an umbrella program, is stacked against most startups – not because … Read more

Waymo taps Avis to manage robotaxi fleet in Dallas

Waymo said it plans to launch a robotaxi service next year in Dallas, the latest city to be added to the Alphabet-owned company’s growing commercial footprint that already includes Los Angeles and San Francisco. This time around, Waymo is partnering with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Avis … Read more

AI data analyst startup Julius nabs $10M seed round

Julius AI, a startup that describes itself as an AI data analyst, announced it has raised a $10 million seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Horizon VC, 8VC, Y Combinator, the AI Grant accelerator participated in the round along with several high-profile angel investors, including Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, Vercel CEO Guillermo Rauch, and … Read more

Flights grounded as Russia’s largest airline Aeroflot hit by cyberattack

Flights across Russia have been grounded after a cyberattack hit the country’s largest airline, Aeroflot, on Monday.  Details of the cyberattack remain limited, but a pro-Ukrainian hacker group known for targeting Russian organizations called Silent Crow took credit for the cyberattack alongside Belarusian hackers, citing Russia’s occupation of Ukraine.  The group said in a Telegram … Read more