Latest news with #InformationSystemsAuditandControlAssociation
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Women aren't just joining the cybersecurity industry, they're redefining it
In 1956, 20 000 women marched against injustice - united by courage, resilience, and a vision for a better South Africa. Nearly seventy years later, their spirit endures. This Women's Month, a new generation carries that legacy forward, leading a different kind of struggle: in the digital realm, women are once again at the forefront, quietly yet powerfully shaping the future of cyber defence. Across Africa, a quiet revolution is reshaping cybersecurity. It's not driven by slogans or quotas, but by women who are entering the field not to fit in, but to reimagine it. They're not asking for seats at the table. They're redesigning the table itself. As the continent embraces a digital future, from mobile banking to smart cities, cybersecurity has become the backbone of modern life. And in this high-stakes environment, diversity isn't a nice-to-have. It's a necessity. Women bring a distinct lens to cybersecurity: one grounded in systems thinking, empathy, collaboration, and human-centric design. These aren't soft skills. In today's threat landscape, they're survival skills. Reimagining the role of the cyber defender Globally, women now make up 24% of the cybersecurity workforce, up from just 11% in 2013. According to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), the numbers in Africa are lower, between 9% and 11%, but rising steadily. And behind each percentage point is a story of leadership, innovation, and impact. Take Confidence Staveley, founder of Nigeria's CyberSafe Foundation. Her organisation has trained thousands of women and girls in digital hygiene and cyber resilience. Or Dr Bright Gameli Mawudor in Kenya, whose inclusive training programmes are helping build an ecosystem where women thrive. These are not isolated efforts, they are part of a growing movement. At Trend Micro, we've seen this transformation firsthand. Our female engineers, analysts, and policy advisors across Africa are helping governments, enterprises, and NGOs build stronger cyber defences. They're not just protecting systems, they're protecting societies. Women are also expanding the definition of what it means to be a cyber defender. In communities vulnerable to mobile-based threats and social engineering scams, they're translating complex security concepts into practical, relatable messages for schools, small businesses, and families. They're building trust, not just firewalls. As co-founder and CEO Eva Chen puts it: 'If we want to build a safer digital world, we need to build a more inclusive one. Diverse minds protect diverse communities.' Extending the focus beyond recruitment The numbers above are a clear sign that more inclusive recruitment efforts in cybersecurity are gaining traction. Leading cybersecurity companies are actively partnering with universities and technical institutions to position cybersecurity as a viable and exciting career path for women—and the momentum is encouraging. But progress doesn't stop at recruitment. Retention is just as critical. Women aren't leaving cybersecurity because they lack capability, they're leaving because they lack support. Flexible work models, mentorship, and leadership development aren't perks; they're essential infrastructure. When that infrastructure is in place, women don't just stay, they lead. True inclusion lives beyond hiring. It's embedded in how we develop leaders, plan for succession, and create environments where women are seen, heard, and elevated. Industry leaders have found that flexibility isn't a benefit for women, it's a business enabler. Whether through hybrid roles, career re-entry programmes, or personalised development journeys, we aim to help women build careers that align with life, not compete with it. Internally, we ensure women have access to leadership pathways, flexible career options, and strong support networks. We're proud of the growing number of women in our engineering, research, and customer success teams across the region; many of whom are now mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace. Through global and regional initiatives, we support women-led innovation, mentorship, and skills development. Programmes like Cybersecurity Education for Kids and Families, launched in several African countries, equip young girls with the tools to navigate technology safely and confidently. This Women's Month, we're not just celebrating the past. We're declaring what's possible when inclusion becomes action. The question is no longer whether women belong in cybersecurity. They do. The real question is whether our systems are ready to keep up with their ambition. Because the future of cybersecurity won't be written by a single voice. It will be shaped by those who lead with empathy, who value difference, and who build cultures where everyone can rise. *Khatri is HR Director at Trend Micro MMEA
Channel Post MEA
13-06-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Commvault Introduces New Post-Quantum Cryptography Capabilities
Commvault has announced enhancements to its post-quantum cryptography (PQC) capabilities. These advancements are designed to help customers protect their highly sensitive, long-term data from a new generation of imminent but unknown cyber threats, creating an additional layer of support, when needed. Quantum computing uses quantum mechanics to process data and solve complex problems that could take decades with classical computers. However, these advancements bring unprecedented security challenges, along with the potential for threat actors to use quantum computing to decipher and unlock traditional encryption methods. According to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association's (ISACA) Quantum Computing Pulse Poll, 63% of technology and cybersecurity professionals say quantum will increase or shift cybersecurity risks and 50% believe it will present regulatory and compliance challenges. Now is the time to prepare and take action. Commvault has provided support for quantum-resistant encryption standards, like CRYSTALS-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium, SPHINCS+, and FALCON, as recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since August 2024. It was then that Commvault introduced a cryptographic agility (crypto-agility) framework, enabling its customers, via the Commvault Cloud platform, to address rapidly evolving threats without overhauling their systems. With today's announcement, Commvault has built on that framework by adding support for Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC), a new error correcting code-based algorithm designed to defend against threats like 'harvest now, decrypt later' where adversaries are intercepting encrypted network traffic and storing it for a later time when quantum computers are powerful enough to decrypt it. 'The quantum threat isn't theoretical,' said Bill O'Connell, Chief Security Officer at Commvault. 'We were among the first cyber resilience vendors to address post-quantum computing, and by integrating new algorithms like HQC and advancing our crypto-agility framework, we are providing our customers with the tools to navigate this complex landscape with confidence. Our goal is simple and clear: as quantum computing threats emerge, we intend to help our customers keep their data protected.' For industries where long-term data storage is required, like finance and healthcare, Commvault's expanded post-quantum cryptography capabilities provide access to a variety of safeguards that can help fortify network tunnels against quantum-based attacks. With Commvault's Risk Analysis capabilities, customers can discover and classify data to determine where these cryptographic capabilities may be helpful. In addition, Commvault's capabilities are simple to implement, often using a checkbox configuration, making it easy for customers to utilize when needed. The evolving quantum landscape – the need for speed As investments pour into the quantum field, the time to address emerging threats is shrinking. This makes proactive adoption of post-quantum cryptography critical. 'Quantum readiness has become a business imperative, particularly for industries which handle data that remains sensitive for decades. The time when currently encrypted data can be decrypted using quantum technology is closer than many people think,' said Phil Goodwin, Research VP, IDC. 'Commvault's early adoption of quantum-resistant cryptography and commitment to crypto-agility positions it at the forefront among data protection software vendors in proactively addressing quantum threats. Organizations with sensitive, long-term data need to prepare now for a quantum world.' 'Commvault has been an invaluable partner in our journey to enhance cyber resilience. Their leadership in adopting post-quantum cryptography, combined with their crypto-agility framework, is exactly what we need to meet stringent government security mandates and protect highly sensitive information from emerging quantum threats,' said Jeff Day, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Nevada Department of Transportation. 'Safeguarding sensitive data is paramount, and the long-term threat of quantum decryption is a significant concern. Commvault's rapid integration of NIST's quantum-resistant standards, particularly HQC, gives us great confidence that our critical information is protected now and well into the future,' said Peter Hands, Chief Information Security Officer, British Medical Association. 'Their commitment to crypto-agility is important for healthcare organizations like ours.' Availability Commvault's post-quantum cryptography capabilities, including support for NIST's HQC algorithm, are immediately available to all Commvault Cloud customers running software version CPR 2024 (11.36) and later, enabling seamless adoption of quantum-resistant protection.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commvault Unveils New Post-Quantum Cryptography Capabilities to Help Customers Protect Data from a New Generation of Security Threats
Expanded support for new encryption standards empowers customers to proactively safeguard long-term sensitive data against 'harvest now, decrypt later' quantum threats TINTON FALLS, N.J., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when quantum computing is rapidly emerging as an entirely new security challenge for organizations and governments around the world, Commvault, a leading provider of cyber resilience and data protection solutions for the hybrid cloud and one of the first cyber resilience vendors to support post-quantum cryptography (PQC), today announced enhancements to its PQC capabilities. These advancements are designed to help customers protect their highly sensitive, long-term data from a new generation of imminent but unknown cyber threats, creating an additional layer of support, when needed. Quantum computing uses quantum mechanics to process data and solve complex problems that could take decades with classical computers. However, these advancements bring unprecedented security challenges, along with the potential for threat actors to use quantum computing to decipher and unlock traditional encryption methods. According to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association's (ISACA) Quantum Computing Pulse Poll, 63% of technology and cybersecurity professionals say quantum will increase or shift cybersecurity risks and 50% believe it will present regulatory and compliance challenges1. Now is the time to prepare and take action. Commvault has provided support for quantum-resistant encryption standards, like CRYSTALS-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium, SPHINCS+, and FALCON, as recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since August 2024. It was then that Commvault introduced a cryptographic agility (crypto-agility) framework, enabling its customers, via the Commvault Cloud platform, to address rapidly evolving threats without overhauling their systems. With today's announcement, Commvault has built on that framework by adding support for Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC), a new error correcting code-based algorithm designed to defend against threats like 'harvest now, decrypt later' where adversaries are intercepting encrypted network traffic and storing it for a later time when quantum computers are powerful enough to decrypt it. "The quantum threat isn't theoretical," said Bill O'Connell, Chief Security Officer at Commvault. "We were among the first cyber resilience vendors to address post-quantum computing, and by integrating new algorithms like HQC and advancing our crypto-agility framework, we are providing our customers with the tools to navigate this complex landscape with confidence. Our goal is simple and clear: as quantum computing threats emerge, we intend to help our customers keep their data protected." For industries where long-term data storage is required, like finance and healthcare, Commvault's expanded post-quantum cryptography capabilities provide access to a variety of safeguards that can help fortify network tunnels against quantum-based attacks. With Commvault's Risk Analysis capabilities, customers can discover and classify data to determine where these cryptographic capabilities may be helpful. In addition, Commvault's capabilities are simple to implement, often using a checkbox configuration, making it easy for customers to utilize when needed. The evolving quantum landscape – the need for speedAs investments pour into the quantum field, the time to address emerging threats is shrinking. This makes proactive adoption of post-quantum cryptography critical. "Quantum readiness has become a business imperative, particularly for industries which handle data that remains sensitive for decades. The time when currently encrypted data can be decrypted using quantum technology is closer than many people think," said Phil Goodwin, Research VP, IDC. "Commvault's early adoption of quantum-resistant cryptography and commitment to crypto-agility positions it at the forefront among data protection software vendors in proactively addressing quantum threats. Organizations with sensitive, long-term data need to prepare now for a quantum world." "Commvault has been an invaluable partner in our journey to enhance cyber resilience. Their leadership in adopting post-quantum cryptography, combined with their crypto-agility framework, is exactly what we need to meet stringent government security mandates and protect highly sensitive information from emerging quantum threats," said Jeff Day, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Nevada Department of Transportation. "Safeguarding sensitive data is paramount, and the long-term threat of quantum decryption is a significant concern. Commvault's rapid integration of NIST's quantum-resistant standards, particularly HQC, gives us great confidence that our critical information is protected now and well into the future," said Peter Hands, Chief Information Security Officer, British Medical Association. "Their commitment to crypto-agility is important for healthcare organizations like ours." Availability Commvault's post-quantum cryptography capabilities, including support for NIST's HQC algorithm, are immediately available to all Commvault Cloud customers running software version CPR 2024 (11.36) and later, enabling seamless adoption of quantum-resistant protection. To learn more about Commvault's quantum-resistant encryption solutions and how to future-proof your data security strategy, read today's blog, watch our executive videos here and here, and check out the executive brief. About CommvaultCommvault (NASDAQ: CVLT) is the gold standard in cyber resilience, helping more than 100,000 organizations keep data safe and businesses resilient and moving forward. Today, Commvault offers the only cyber resilience platform that combines the best data security and rapid recovery at enterprise scale across any workload, anywhere—at the lowest TCO. 1 ISAC. (2025, April 28). Despite Rising Concerns, 95% of Organizations Lack a Quantum Computing Roadmap, ISACA Finds [press release]. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE COMMVAULT Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
