Data

Tellus delivers key component for collaborative data economy

It has been revealed that the Gaia-X development project, Tellus, has successfully completed its implementation phase. Led by the Internet Exchange operator, DE-CIX, the consortium has developed a prototype interconnection infrastructure that provides fully automatic and virtual access to networks for sensitive, real-time applications across distributed cloud environments. Tellus covers the entire supply chain of interconnection services and integrates offerings from various providers based on the decentralised and distributed data infrastructure of Gaia-X. This makes Tellus a key component for the comprehensive connectivity required by intelligent business models in a collaborative data economy. Delivering networks and services according to application demands In the past, implementing business-critical applications in distributed IT systems required purchasing all necessary components, services, and functions separately from different providers and manually combining them in a time-consuming and costly process - without end-to-end guarantees. Tellus’ open-source software not only automates these processes but also ensures specific connectivity requirements. During the final phase, the project team implemented a controller and service registry which function as central elements of a super-node architecture. The controller coordinates and provisions service offers and orders via application programming interfaces (APIs). The service registry stores and lists all services that the controller can search through, address, and combine. The search process runs via the controller into the registry and the associated graph database, which then delivers suitable solutions. Finally, the controller commissions the interconnection infrastructure to provision network and cloud services to meet the requirements of the respective application, including guaranteed performance and Gaia-X compliance. Deployable prototype: Reliable and dynamic connectivity for data exchange In the implemented proof of concept (PoC) demo, virtual networks and services can be provided via a user-friendly interface to meet the requirements of industrial applications; for example, transmitting hand movements to a robot in real time via a smart glove. The same applies to delivering connectivity for a digital twin from IONOS in a manner required by production plants, to simulate, monitor in real-time, and optimise manufacturing steps. Equally, TRUMPF’s fully automatic laser cutting tools, where reliable and dynamic networks keep systems available and pay-per-part business models productive. Milestone for a secure, sovereign, and collaborative data economy “Since Tellus registers the products of all participants in a standardised way and stores the network nodes in a structured manner in a graph database, interconnection services can be composed end-to-end via a weighted path search,” says Christoph Dietzel, Head of Product & Research at DE-CIX. “With the successful completion of the implementation phase and the proof-of-concept demo, we have not only demonstrated the technical feasibility of our Gaia-X compliant interconnection infrastructure, but have also set an important milestone for the future of secure, sovereign, and collaborative data processing.” For more from DE-CIX, click here.

Industry experts comment on Data Privacy Day

With today (28 January) marking Data Privacy Day - an annual event seeking to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices - industry experts have marked the occasion by presenting a range of views on the latest trends and challenges that have arisen since last year's occasion. - Dr Ellison Anne Williams, Founder and CEO of Enveil, comments, “Data Privacy Day serves as a crucial reminder to safeguard sensitive information in an era where data dominates. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world and transformative technologies such as AI grow their foothold in the digital economy, finding ways to protect data privacy and mitigate risk will be essential. “Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) enable, enhance, and preserve data privacy throughout its lifecycle, securing data usage and allowing users to capitalise on the power of AI without sacrificing privacy or security. Organisations that truly prioritise data will incorporate PETs as a foundational, business-enabling tool that will fortify data-driven capabilities and enable data to be leveraged securely across silos and boundaries. “This year’s Data Privacy Day theme is ‘Take control of your data’, but that sentiment should not be limited to our personal data footprint. Businesses need to be proactive in their approach to data protection and commit to a future where PETs are woven into the very fabric of digital strategy. This will empower users to responsibly and securely harness innovative tools, such as AI and Machine Learning, in line with global regulations and compliance requirements.” - Edwin Weijdema, Field CTO EMEA & Cybersecurity Lead at Veeam, adds, “This year, Data Privacy Day seems a little different. With significant cyber security regulations coming into force around the world, most notably NIS2 and DORA, it feels like a lot has changed since we marked this day just 12 months ago. “And it has. We’ve seen corporate accountability given increasing weight when it comes to data resilience thanks to NIS2. It’s no longer a case of passing the buck – responsibility ultimately sits with the C-suite. Simultaneously, data resilience is shifting from a ‘cyber security requirement’ to a tangible business differentiator. At the moment, breaches and ransomware are still a ‘when’, not an ‘if’ - and I don’t see this changing. As C-suites become ever more aware, they’ll be demanding to see evidence of their organisation's data resilience, from their internal teams and any third-party partners. “Data Privacy Day is a good chance to reflect on how much can change in a year. After all, organisations can’t rely on markers like this to nudge them on the importance of data resilience - it needs to be a priority 365 days a year.” - James Blake, VP Global Cyber Resiliency Strategy at Cohesity, comments, "On Data Privacy Day, it's crucial to recognise that focusing solely on compliance will only lead to companies tying themselves in knots reacting to the swarm of active or planned regulatory requirements, as well as data legislation coming into force across multiple national and state jurisdictions. If we look at Germany alone as an example, there are 17 state laws on top of national and EU requirements. The most effective way to ensure data privacy compliance is by building robust and repeatable operational capabilities. This involves programmatically conducting comprehensive data audits to identify, categorise, and secure sensitive information. Implementing robust encryption protocols, including migrating to encryption methods resilient to emerging quantum computing attacks, is essential. Additionally, consider working with technology companies who can offer immutable data that can provide an extra layer of security, ensuring data cannot be altered or deleted, thus protecting against ransomware attacks, data breaches and the unnecessary financial loss accrued because of downtime. Appointing security champions in each business unit to educate their peers on tailored data privacy processes based on data classification levels is an important step. By embedding these practices, compliance with varying regulatory requirements will naturally follow." - Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cyber security expert at NordVPN, comments: “As debates continue over whether data, oil, or land holds the greatest value, in cyber security, the answer is unequivocal: data. Personal data, unlike physical assets, can be copied, stolen, or sold without leaving visible traces, creating significant financial and reputational risks. “Apps are a major culprit, often exposing sensitive information through excessive permissions, missed updates, or unauthorised data sharing. Keeping software current is not just a personal safeguard; it also helps protect your network of contacts from phishing attacks through outdated systems. The good news is that while it may seem like an uphill battle to get on top of your data privacy, it’s never been easier to manage how much you share.” To protect people’s privacy on apps, Adrianus offers these preventive measures: Always download apps from official stores - Unofficial apps may not check how safe it is before it is available to download, increasing the risk of modifications by criminals. Familiarise yourself with the data permissions required by apps - Head to your settings and review and adjust these permissions as necessary, particularly sensitive ones like access to your camera, microphone, storage, location, and contact list. Before downloading any app, read its privacy policy - Understand what information it will track and share with third parties. If the privacy level is unsatisfactory, consider an alternative. You can usually find this in the description on your mobile device’s app store. Limit location access only when using the app - It is difficult to justify why some apps need to know your location at all times, so do not give it to them. Avoid using social media accounts to log in, because doing so can allow unnecessary data exchange. Delete any apps you no longer use - This helps to prevent them from collecting data in the background. For more on data privacy, click here.

Progress Data Cloud platform launched

Progress, a provider of AI-powered digital experiences and infrastructure software, has announced the launch of Progress Data Cloud, a managed Data Platform as a Service designed to simplify enterprise data and artificial intelligence (AI) operations in the cloud. With Progress Data Cloud, customers can accelerate their digital transformation and AI initiatives while reducing operational complexity and IT overhead. As global businesses scale their data operations and embrace AI, a robust cloud data strategy has become the cornerstone of success, enabling organisations to harness the full potential of their data for innovation and growth. Progress Data Cloud meets this critical need by providing a unified, secure and scalable platform to build, manage and deploy data architectures and AI projects without the burden of managing IT infrastructure. “Organisations increasingly recognise that cloud and AI are pivotal to unlocking business value at scale,” says John Ainsworth, GM and EVP, Application and Data Platform, Progress. “Progress Data Cloud empowers companies to achieve this by offering a seamless, end-to-end experience for data and AI operations, removing the barriers of infrastructure complexity while delivering exceptional performance, security and predictability.” Key features and benefits Progress Data Cloud is a Data Platform as a Service that enables managed hosting of feature-complete instances of Progress Semaphore and Progress MarkLogic, with plans to support additional Progress products in the future. Core benefits include: • Simplified operations: Eliminates infrastructure complexity with always-on infrastructure management, monitoring service, continuous security scanning and automated product upgrades.• Cost efficiency: Reduces IT costs and bottlenecks with predictable pricing, resource usage transparency and no egress fees.• Enhanced security: Helps harden security posture with an enterprise-grade security model that is SOC 2 Type 1 compliant.• Scalability and performance: Offers superior availability and reliability, supporting mission-critical business operations, GenAI demands and large-scale analytics.• Streamlined user management: Self-service access controls and tenancy management provide better visibility and customisation. Progress Data Cloud accelerates time to production by offering managed hosting for the Progress MarkLogic Server database and the Progress MarkLogic Data Hub solution with full-feature parity. Customers can benefit from enhanced scalability, security and seamless deployment options. Replacing Semaphore Cloud, Progress Data Cloud provides a next-generation cloud platform with all existing Semaphore functionality plus new features for improved performance, security, reliability, user management and SharePoint Online integration. “As enterprises continue to invest in digital transformation and AI strategies, the need for robust, scalable and secure data platforms becomes increasingly evident,” says Stewart Bond, Vice President, Data Intelligence and Integration Software, IDC. “Progress Data Cloud addresses a critical market need by simplifying data operations and accelerating the development of AI-powered solutions. Its capabilities, from seamless infrastructure management to enterprise-grade security, position it as a compelling choice for organisations looking to unlock the full potential of their data to drive innovation and business value.” Progress Data Cloud is a cloud-based hosting of foundational products that make up the Progress Data Platform portfolio. Progress Data Cloud is now available for existing and new customers of the MarkLogic and Semaphore platforms.

Healthcare organisation reduces storage costs with DS3 platform

Cubbit, a geo-distributed cloud storage expert, has announced that ASL CN1 Cuneo, a North Italian healthcare public service organisation, has reduced its storage costs by 50% thanks to Cubbit’s fully-managed S3 cloud object storage, DS3. ASL CN1 Cuneo now stores all of its 110 TB of backup data on Cubbit as part of its 3-2-1-1-0 backup strategy orchestrated via Veeam. DS3 delivers exceptional resilience against client-and server-side ransomware attacks and disasters, ensuring top-tier security (NIS2 standard), GDPR compliance, and adherence to regional public sector regulations while allowing the company to choose the exact geographical perimeter of data storage. By adopting Cubbit, ASL CN1 Cuneo has avoided the hidden costs typically associated with S3 - such as egress fees, API calls, deletion, and bucket replication fees. ASL CN1 Cuneo manages healthcare services across 173 municipalities and employs over 3,500 staff members. As most of its data is health-related (80%), it is therefore classified as “critical” by the Italian National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN). Thus, compliance with stringent GDPR and NIS2 data sovereignty and security guidelines and ACN certification (Italian public sector requirement) was non-negotiable. Prior to selecting Cubbit, ASL CN1 Cuneo had considered various other storage platforms. The healthcare company previously relied on hyperscaler services, but found that egress costs and API call fees were inflating expenses. On-premises solutions offered control and compliance but carried high upfront costs, demanded heavy IT resources, and proved challenging to maintain - difficulties especially significant for a public healthcare entity with limited IT resources regarding employees and budget. Since the adoption of Cubbit’s technology, ASL CN1 Cuneo has reaped the benefits of an S3 cloud object storage that meets national and European sovereign requirements, keeps data within Italian borders, and ensures full regulatory compliance. With Cubbit fully-managed object storage, fixed storage costs include all the main S3 APIs, together with the geo-distribution capacity, enabling ASL CN1 Cuneo to save 50% on its previous storage costs for equivalent configurations, while enhancing data resilience and security. Additionally, achieving the comprehensive security and compliance standards enabled by Cubbit’s DS3 solution aids in mitigating the risk of non-compliance fines to GDPR and NIS2, which can reach up to €10m (£8.5m) or 2% of the global annual revenue, whichever is higher. The cost efficiencies enabled by Cubbit allow ASL CN1 Cuneo to reinvest savings into its core mission of delivering quality healthcare services. “Finding a storage solution that met our strict compliance needs, elevated our security to NIS2 standards, and cut costs was no easy task,” says Andrea Saglietti, Head of Innovation and Information Security at ASL CN1 Cuneo. “We’ve used US-based cloud storage providers for a long time, but they didn’t offer the sovereignty, resilience, or economic advantages that can be achieved with Cubbit. This has enabled us to generate 50% savings on previous costs for the equivalent configuration. The speed of deployment and ease of use make Cubbit’s DS3 far more manageable than complex on-prem systems, while maintaining sovereignty and giving us full control over our data. Today, we have greater peace of mind knowing our data is stored securely, compliantly, and cost-effectively.” Alessandro Cillario, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Cubbit, adds, “Healthcare organisations in Europe must navigate a dense framework of regulatory requirements while grappling with surging data volumes and sophisticated cyber-threats. With Cubbit, ASL CN1 Cuneo can ensure that its critical healthcare data is safeguarded, compliant, and cost-efficient - without the unpredictability of hidden fees or the burdens of on-prem infrastructure. We’re proud to support ASL CN1 Cuneo and European healthcare and public sector organisations in evolving their storage strategy.” For more from Cubbit, click here.

Poor data quality the top obstacle to AI success, report says

The Ataccama Data Trust Report 2025 has identified poor data quality as a critical obstacle to AI adoption. The report states that despite AI's transformative potential, its success depends on trusted, reliable data. A lofty 68% of Chief Data Officers (CDOs) cite data quality as their top challenge, with only 33% of organisations making meaningful progress in AI adoption. Conducted by Hanover Research with insights from 300 senior data leaders, the report underscores the urgency of addressing systemic issues like fragmented systems and governance gaps. Without resolution, businesses risk stalled innovation, wasted resources, and diminished returns on AI investments. Other key findings • 41% of organisations struggle to maintain consistent data quality, directly hindering AI outcomes.• Knowledge gaps around data trust and governance slow progress; education is critical to closing these gaps.• Trusted data drives AI success: High-quality data accelerates decision-making, enhances customer experiences, and delivers competitive advantages. Policy implications As the UK accelerates its AI strategy with the newly unveiled AI Opportunities Action Plan, the report highlights a foundational gap organisations must address: data trust. When data is accurate, reliable, and trustworthy, users can be confident in making informed decisions that drive improved outcomes and reduce risk. • National standards for data quality: The report emphasises the need for unified benchmarks to guide businesses in building AI-ready ecosystems. Creating a National Data Library is a core goal within the UK plan for homegrown AI and regulatory principles - safety, transparency, and fairness - could be operationalised through national data governance benchmarks. These standards would ensure clear compliance guidelines while supporting the UK’s pro-innovation regulatory goals.• Infrastructure modernisation: Legacy systems remain a bottleneck to AI scalability, unable to handle real-time, high-volume data demands. With the commitment to sufficient, secure, and sustainable infrastructure, the UK’s investment in supercomputing and AI growth zones enables continuous data quality monitoring and governance. These advancements create scalable, efficient systems tailored to advanced AI technologies.• Data trust in AI regulation: Embedding governance and automated validation practices into data workflows is crucial for compliance, reliability, and long-term growth. Aligning the UK’s ethical AI initiatives with data trust requirements would ensure AI systems both operate reliably and adhere to safety and transparency principles. “The report makes one thing clear: enterprise AI initiatives rely on a foundation of trusted data,” says Jay Limburn, Chief Product Officer at Ataccama. “Without addressing systemic data quality challenges, organisations risk stalling progress. The UK’s approach to AI regulation shows how aligning data trust principles with national standards and infrastructure modernisation can deliver tangible results.” Data trust as the foundation of global AI leadership The UK’s regulatory progress presents an opportunity to lead in AI innovation. However, even the most ambitious policies risk falling short without prioritising data trust. The Ataccama Data Trust Report 2025 offers a roadmap to embed data trust into the UK’s AI agenda, ensuring ethical, effective initiatives that drive measurable outcomes, including increased AI adoption, enhanced compliance, and competitive advantages. To download the report in full, click here.

Tech leaders gather to discuss AI Opportunities Action Plan

Technology industry leaders gathered in London this week to discuss the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, launched by Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, earlier this week. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday at The Savoy Hotel in central London, saw digital experts discuss the implementation and practicalities of adopting the much-hyped initiative, which is backed by a £14bn investment and set to create over 13,000 jobs. Key attendees included Feryal Clark MP, Minister for AI and Digital Government, who summarised the government’s AI roadmap, and Steven George-Hilley, Founder of Centropy PR. Speaking at the event, John Lucey, VP EMEA North for Cellebrite, commented, “We’ve seen the importance of AI and digital policy this week with the launch of the AI Opportunities Actions Plan poised to position the UK as a global AI leader. Data will play a central role in Britain’s AI future, requiring comprehensive data management systems and data privacy protocols to ensure that AI is trained on trustworthy data and that data inputs don’t breach privacy laws. “In key sectors such as policing and defence, for example, organisations need to be able to trust AI systems to deliver accurate results in a safe manner, maintaining client confidentiality while automating manual processes to drive efficiencies. For AI to be truly successful, it will require investment in data practices and training.” Meanwhile, cyber expert, Andy Ward, SVP International for Absolute Security, stated, “As the UK positions itself as a global AI leader, it’s important that a security-first approach is taken to AI innovation and development to mitigate cyber risks. AI-powered threats are growing increasingly sophisticated, targeting sensitive data from public sector bodies and high-profile individuals, right the way down to small businesses. “Recognising these threats and building cyber resilience frameworks to protect critical IT systems can help organisations to remain operational in the face of threats, allowing them to push forward with innovative AI solutions while limiting potential risks.” Ben Green, Chief Revenue Officer at adCAPTCHA, observed, “The evolution and widespread adoption of AI is showing no signs of slowing down, requiring collaboration between the public sector and industry to shape the UK’s AI future. There’s no question of the benefits that AI can bring, but we must also be mindful of the risks, with trends such as AI-enabled bot attacks continuing to threaten businesses and drain marketing revenues through manipulating ad auctions. “Understanding the threats that AI could pose, as well as where it can be a vital solution, is crucial to the UK’s ambitious AI leadership.”

Arctera named a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant

Arctera (Veritas Technologies), a data management expert and formerly part of Veritas, has been positioned as a Leader in the inaugural Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Communications Governance and Archiving Solutions (DCGA). The report’s publication comes shortly after Arctera announced it will put renewed focus on its Data Compliance InfoScale and Backup Exec businesses, following its split from Veritas. The new Gartner report covers a landscape that Arctera believes is marked by growing multichannel and AI-powered communications, which are subjecting organisations to greater regulatory scrutiny and steep penalties for violations. To mitigate data compliance risks in this evolving landscape, organisations from the most heavily regulated industries around the world rely on information governance, eDiscovery and surveillance products from Arctera. This includes more than 70% of the world’s top financial firms. Lawrence Wong, now Chief Executive Officer at Arctera, says, “The issue of data compliance is a board-level conversation, driven by the enormous growth in data, digital and off-channel communications and the rise of generative AI. The complexity of compliance challenges is increasing and so are the stakes. Arctera understands this well. We view Arctera’s (Veritas Technologies’) position in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for DCGA as a testament to the strength of our portfolio and proven expertise in helping organisations simplify compliance. “Our data compliance business has consistently been an industry leader. With the opportunity to put the spotlight even more on compliance within Arctera, we intend to extend our position and bring even greater value to our customers.” Tom Lounsbury, Director of Business Development at Bluesource, notes, “When our customers are evaluating compliance solutions, they want the confidence that comes from working with a specialist like Bluesource, deploying a solution from an industry leader like Arctera. When it comes to compliance, organisations want to trust that technology is at the forefront of innovation, using the most advanced tools to ensure that they meet even the strictest of regulatory standards.” Arctera Data Compliance offerings are available across all operational models, including on-premises, self-managed and SaaS. Visit arctera.io on 13 January 2025 to download a complimentary copy of the full Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Communications Governance and Archiving Solutions.

Synology enters enterprise market with ActiveProtect

Synology has announced the general availability of ActiveProtect - its new off-the-shelf product which integrates enterprise-scale data backup, recovery and management into one unified solution. Building from Synology's experience working with small to medium businesses, ActiveProtect is built on being fast, visible and available for businesses whether they’re scaling or existing large-scale enterprises, public sector organisations and education institutions. Designed to simplify complex data protection, ActiveProtect offers comprehensive platform support, advanced security and scalability. This is all included within a competitive, transparent pricing model, with businesses able to access full platform support and complete advanced protection features. “With our heritage in building products for time-poor, and often non-technical, small to medium businesses, ActiveProtect has been designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind,” says Chad Chiang, Managing Director for Synology UK. “With research showing that around 70% of businesses fail within three years of experiencing a cyber attack, ActiveProtect delivers advanced protection against cyber threats alongside real-time backup, with data accessible from any location and easily recoverable whenever the customer needs it.” The capabilities of the platform sit across backup, recovery and management. Cost-effective backup ActiveProtect has been designed to protect everything in a single platform from devices, to Software-as-a-Service programmes, file servers and virtual machines. It does this by using a high efficiency backup engine, complete with features such as optimised storage allocation, incremental backup and deduplication technology.   According to Gartner, cost remains a primary concern for CIOs, and as such within ActiveProtect’s storage allocation capability, the device allows the partitioning of storage into a performance tier and a capacity tier. The benefit of this approach is that it eliminates operational costs and reduces storage costs, all the while delivering enhanced data security. The solution is able to help enterprises achieve superior performance including a reduction of 99% in data transmission, up to seven times faster SaaS backup and over two times the capacity of backup copy. Recovery: A 3-2-1-1-0 strategy With the development of this product, Synology recognised the need to extend recovery assurance beyond the industry standard 3-2-1 rule. That is the rule that recommends having three copies of data, two different media and one off-site copy.   ActiveProtect’s recovery capabilities extend the 3-2-1 industry standard backup strategy to add a further one copy of data which is offline or immutable and ensure zero errors, giving the assurance to security teams that they can recover with confidence. Simplifying multi-site management ActiveProtect simplifies multi-site management with capabilities extending to 2,500 sites/backup servers and 150,000 devices and/or SaaS accounts, allowing for businesses to scale. With the ability to manage all components in the backup ecosystem in a single pane with the efficiency and ease that Synology’s traditional customer base of time-poor and non-technical small businesses need, large-scale organisations can scale with simplicity.   Fast, Visible, Available   One of the key features of ActiveProtect is its advanced security, with the product offering immutable backups, air-gap capabilities and regulatory compliance to help guard against cyber threats. With ActiveProtect, IT teams can be assured that when a back-up is taken, it’s always going to be accessible, however many years later, without the risk of any files being corrupted or inaccessible. This key feature also enables IT teams to conduct activities such as practice data restorations, a key exercise which allows IT teams to fully understand how to recover their data, should they ever need to, for example in the event of experiencing a cyber attack. This is particularly important for organisations in the current cyber threat environment. In April 2024, the Government released its annual Cyber Security Breaches Survey which showed that half of businesses (50%) and around a third of charities (32%) had experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the previous 12 months. Chad continues, “Against a backdrop of cyber threats that are rising in sophistication, scale and speed, preparedness is critical, but it does not need to be complex. The priority of this solution is to offer enterprise customers a trusted platform that is easy to set-up, use and manage. We’re excited to be entering this new market, bringing with us the learnings from our existing customer base, and look forward to playing a role in giving IT teams some peace of mind that they’ve invested in a simple security solution that just works”. An all-inclusive platform Combining backup, recovery and management in a single appliance, ActiveProtect eliminates the need for separate hardware and software, sizing, purchase and maintenance. It protects PCs, Macs, file and physical servers, virtual machines, databases, and Microsoft 365 services all through one, single intuitive interface. For enterprise customers, which may have multiple sites across geographies and locations, the ability to protect their data from one place is key. ActiveProtect’s scalable management supports users in viewing or monitoring up to 150,000 workloads or 2,500 sites, providing scalability, enterprise-grade data visibility and control. ActiveProtect is now available globally through Synology’s distributor and partner network.

Keepit secures funding to accelerate product innovation

Keepit, an independent, cloud-native data protection and backup provider, has announced a $50 million (£40.3m) funding round, led by existing investor One Peak, and EIFO, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark. This funding round marks the company’s third equity investment in the past four years, bringing the total funds raised to approximately $90 million (£72.5m). Keepit states that this latest investment underscores the company's rapid growth and solidifies its position as a leader in SaaS data protection. The new investment will be directed towards expanding the company’s go-to-market efforts and fuelling continued product innovation. Keepit’s mission to provide a vendor-independent, dedicated infrastructure for SaaS data protection has resonated with a broad range of enterprise customers as its products already support 5 million users globally. With its latest funding, Keepit is poised to accelerate its global expansion strategy, prioritising key markets like the US, Europe, and other high-growth regions, while bolstering Keepit’s network of partners. Simultaneously, Keepit plans to intensify its focus on product innovation, advancing its cutting-edge, cloud native solutions to empower organisations in safeguarding their SaaS data effectively and reliably. This will include broader workload coverage and additional data management and intelligence capabilities for the enterprise. “Our commitment to innovation and solving our customers’ most pressing data protection challenges is what drives us forward,” says Morten Felsvang, Keepit Co-founder and CEO, and Frederik Schouboe, Keepit Co-founder and Chief Vision Officer. “This new funding will allow us to expand our reach and continue innovating the most advanced SaaS data protection solutions on the market. We’re thrilled to see such strong support from our investors, who understand our mission and share our vision for the future.” David Klein, Co-founder and Managing Partner at One Peak, comments, “We have been continually impressed by Keepit’s leadership and their unwavering ability to deliver on their vision. In a time when the need for secure, independent SaaS data protection is more critical than ever, Keepit stands out as a leader with its innovative platform. We are thrilled to continue supporting the Keepit team in this exciting next chapter of their growth journey.” Jacob Bratting Pedersen, Managing Director, Partner & Head of Tech & Industry at EIFO, adds, “Keepit’s focus on cloud-native, vendor-independent data protection is what sets them apart. This investment is not just a financial decision for us - it’s about supporting a company that is revolutionising the way organisations think about data security. We believe in their long-term vision and look forward to contributing to their continued success.” For more from Keepit, click here.

Zimperium predicts data privacy emphasis in 2025

Nico Chiaraviglio, Chief Scientist and Krishna Vishnubhotla, VP Product Strategy & Threat Intelligence at Zimperium, is predicting data privacy emphasis, more evasive phishing attacks and a rise of sideloading for 2025: Each year around this time, security leaders cast their predictions on how the industry will change in the new year. What new threats will arise? How will organisations shift their security priorities? Which cybercriminal tactics will increase and which will decrease? At Zimperium, our mission is to secure the mobile attack surface and to empower security teams to effectively manage and mitigate mobile threats. In light of the research data we’ve compiled across millions of mobile devices and mobile apps over this past year, we’ve sat down to think about what new mobile security trends and threats you can expect to see in 2025. Prediction 1: Mobile Security Platforms Will Increasingly Address Data Privacy Concerns, Not Just Security Mobile security plays a crucial role in addressing the needs of data privacy. However, we often see mobile security with the lens of threat defence and application security. But regulatory compliance is a key piece of the mobile security function and we predict that in 2025, we will see mobile security prioritising data privacy needs by implementing robust privacy-preserving technologies. According to Zimperium’s 2024 Global Mobile Threat Report, 82% of organisations allow bringing your own device (BYOD) to work. And a recent survey from Tableau found that 63% of Internet users believe most companies aren’t transparent about how their data is used, with 48% having stopped shopping with a company because of privacy concerns. We will likely see more regulatory compliance baked into mobile security solutions, particularly around data handling and encryption standards. We are already seeing regulatory shifts in the financial sector, holding app developers accountable for any harm towards their end users due to external attacks. Businesses are recognising that regulatory compliance features are a necessary piece of the mobile security stack, and they are seeking mobile security platforms that address both privacy and security needs. Prediction 2: Social Engineering Attacks Will Keep Becoming More Sophisticated and Evasive, Traditional Phishing Defenses Fall Short Social engineering has evolved considerably over the past year. In 2025, we predict that 'mishing' (mobile phishing) attacks will become so sophisticated and evasive that traditional tooling won’t be able to detect it. We will see the rise of AI-driven mobile malware capable of mimicking user behaviour, making it far harder to detect using traditional methods. Verizon’s 2024 Mobile Security Index revealed that AI technologies are expected to intensify the mobile threat landscape, with 77% of respondents anticipating AI-assisted attacks, such as deep fakes and SMS phishing. A notable example was identified by Zimperium’s zLabs researchers on an Android-targeted SMS stealer campaign, which to date, researchers have found over 107,000 malware samples directly tied to the campaign. In separate research, the zLabs team found a new variant of the FakeCall malware, revealing new traits present in this variant, including the ability to capture information displayed on a screen using the Android Accessibility Service. Similar to the above, we will continue to see the development of 'stealth mobile devices', or devices specifically designed to circumvent typical security measures.. This highlights a strategic evolution in mobile security – evasive cyberattacks are now the new normal as cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their mobile phishing attacks. Prediction 3: Non-Traditional Entry Points Will Escalate Enterprise Mobile Risk Threat actors will increasingly exploit iOS shortcuts, configuration profiles, and sideloaded applications to breach enterprise security. Recent research unveiled the dangers of sideloading applications, the practice of installing mobile apps on a device that are not from the official app stores. According to Zimperium’s 2024 Global Mobile Threat Report, financial services organisations saw 68% of its mobile threats attributed to sideloaded apps. In fact, zLabs researchers found that mobile users who engage in sideloading are 200% more likely to have malware running on their devices than those who do not. Riskware and trojans, applications that disguise themselves as legitimate apps, are the most common malware families found. APAC outpaced all regions in sideloading risk with 43% of Android devices sideloading apps. To protect against the risk that comes from sideloaded apps, enterprises must effectively protect their mobile endpoints by adopting a multi-layered security strategy including mobile threat defence and mobile app vetting. The prominence of trojans are highlighted in the report with the findings indicating that threats from sideloaded apps are primarily driven by riskware and trojans, which account for a staggering 80% of the malware observed. Additionally, Zimperium’s threat data shows that approximately one in four Android devices face this issue. While sideloading is much more prevalent on Android, the recent Digital Markets Act (DMA) is expected to increase its prevalence on iOS. Cybercriminals are constantly scouring for ways to break in and compromise corporate networks. In 2025, they will ramp up efforts on targeting non-traditional entry points. Prediction 4: Surge in Mobile-Specific Ransomware Mobile-specific ransomware is a rapidly evolving threat that should be top of mind for every CISO. Zimperium’s Mobile Banking Heist Report provides early evidence of this shift: in 2023, 29 malware families targeted 1,800 mobile banking apps with several showing early-stage ransomware capabilities. These tactics are tailored for mobile, signalling a move beyond data theft toward extortion and ransomware schemes designed specifically for mobile platforms. This trend is part of a larger increase in ransomware and extortion attacks across digital channels. According to the 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), ransomware or extortion was involved in nearly one-third of breaches, indicating a shift among traditional ransomware actors toward new methods, including mobile-focused extortion. This shift is further confirmed by the Thales 2024 Data Threat Report, which notes that ransomware and malware remain some of the fastest-growing threats, with 41% of enterprises facing malware-related breaches this year alone. With ransomware attacks growing by 21% in 2024, attackers are increasingly exploiting mobile platforms due to their unique vulnerabilities and often weaker security postures. For CISOs, this signals an urgent need to prioritise advanced app-level security, phishing defences, and proactive monitoring in mobile environments, as the connectivity and sensitive data handled by mobile devices make them prime targets for the next wave of ransomware. Zimperium’s zLabs research team is on a mission to identify emerging threats to mobile security, exposing malware groups and their variants before they have a chance to wreak havoc on businesses' mobile ecosystem. Our team will remain on the pulse of these developments, keeping a close eye on how these predictions play out in the new year.