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Liquid Intelligent Technologies expands its cybersecurity solutions, adding asset management, risk remediation, and compliance support for East Africa. (Image source: Liquid Intelligent Technologies)

Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies and a prominent African tech company, has unveiled an exciting new addition to its range of cybersecurity solutions offered through its Cyber Security Fusion Centres (CSFC)

This latest solution aims to provide customers with a more comprehensive cybersecurity offering, incorporating features such as asset management, risk remediation, patch management, and compliance support into Liquid’s existing cloud security services.

“With the rapid pace of digital transformation, businesses must continuously enhance their cybersecurity strategies. Cybercriminals are growing more sophisticated, and Liquid is committed to investing in cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of these evolving threats, ensuring our customers’ systems remain secure. Our Cyber Security Fusion Centres offer the ideal platform to manage these risks for our clients,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies: Rest of Africa.

Compliance support is a critical component of any cybersecurity strategy, and this new solution allows Liquid to assist businesses in adhering to both local and international regulations. The solution can be customised to align with any compliance framework and regional data protection laws.

Leveraging its robust local infrastructure and cloud expertise, Liquid is well-positioned to deliver these services throughout East Africa. Its Azure stacks in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda ensure businesses can maintain compliance with local regulations while accessing top-tier cloud and security services. Complementing this, its CSFCs offer tailored support across cybersecurity, cloud, and networks, providing end-to-end security for both enterprise and SME clients.

With the addition of these new features to its existing portfolio, which includes L3-L7 DDoS mitigation, Virtual CISO, and Managed Security Services, Liquid enables its customers to more effectively manage and protect their cyber assets while offering proactive threat detection and prevention against cyberattacks.

Kaspersky study reveals AI's expanding role in society, from work and education to personal life, highlighting both opportunities and risks. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

According to a new survey by Kaspersky, titled ‘Excitement, Superstition and great Insecurity – How global Consumers engage with the Digital World,’ AI is increasingly becoming integrated into society

The study indicates that AI is now playing more roles in various fields where it can be effective and trusted by humans.

Statistics from Similarweb highlight that ChatGPT, a leading chatbot, received 153 million visits in its first month following its November 2022 launch, and visits peaked at 2 billion in April 2024. In response to the rapid growth of AI, Kaspersky's comprehensive study examines current confidence levels in AI, exploring its use in management roles and in making important life decisions.

The survey found that many respondents view AI as a team member and even a manager, with 34% globally believing AI could be a fairer boss than a human due to its impartiality. This belief is even stronger in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region, with 40% agreement, and 42% in South Africa.

In education, 47% of global respondents, 60% in the META region, and 68% in South Africa anticipate children learning through virtual experiences and Metaverses in the near future.

Half of the respondents globally (50%), 53% in the META region, and 64% in South Africa acknowledge that AI is now an integral part of their lives. Additionally, 43% globally, 46% in the META region, and 52% in South Africa have a positive outlook on AI’s potential to create opportunities and improve the future. Furthermore, a significant number of respondents believe AI has creative capabilities, with 62% globally, 59% in the META region, and 53% in South Africa viewing AI as a credible creator of artistic works.

AI is also seen as a valuable companion and everyday assistant, with 57% of respondents globally, 67% in the META region, and 60% in South Africa expressing a desire to use AI to enhance daily efficiency.

Globally, 48% of survey participants, 60% in the META region, and 56% in South Africa are willing to use AI chatbots for online conversations. Additionally, 31% globally, 38% in the META region, and 33% in South Africa would use AI to find a partner on dating apps. A notable proportion believes that AI could significantly impact human relationships, with 48% globally, 58% in the META region, and 63% in South Africa anticipating changes if virtual characters begin to replace real-life partners.

Vladislav Tushkanov, machine learning technology research group manager at Kaspersky, commented, “We are witnessing the growing adoption of AI as a valuable tool, assisting people in diverse areas. Beyond traditional applications, such as processing and analysing data, AI is being entrusted with more intriguing personal roles, including romance, education, and work. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their potential to drive innovation and improve human experiences becomes even more profound. However, this advancement also brings unexpected risks and sophisticated threats, ranging from overreliance — putting too much trust in AI advice — to AI-generated phishing, deepfakes, and identity theft. These are the challenges that we need to address across multiple levels.”

ThetaRay acquires Screena, enhancing its AI-powered financial crime detection platform to offer comprehensive screening and compliance solutions. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

ThetaRay, a leader in AI-powered financial crime detection technology, has announced its acquisition of the European screening company Screena

This acquisition highlights ThetaRay's ongoing investment in proprietary technology and underscores its commitment to helping banks, fintechs, and regulators detect financial crimes using cutting-edge AI solutions.

Screena provides financial institutions with tools to identify malicious actors without impacting legitimate parties. It screens individuals, companies, or other entities against various sanctioned party lists, ensuring compliance with international laws and regulations. This enhances global trade, safeguards reputations, and promotes financial security.

ThetaRay operates in over 40 countries across six continents and is transitioning from a leader in AI-powered Transaction Monitoring solutions to a cloud-based, comprehensive financial crime detection platform. This platform is utilized by over 100 financial institutions, including Santander, Payoneer, and Travelex. The acquisition of Screena integrates its advanced, cloud-based AI-driven screening capabilities into ThetaRay's product suite, offering financial institutions an unparalleled, holistic view of transactional and customer screening risks.

ThetaRay enables the detection of various financial crimes, including money laundering, terrorist financing, and drug trafficking. Recently, Santander UK collaborated with ThetaRay to implement advanced technology to identify human trafficking in financial transactions. This partnership was recognised at the Digital Transformation Awards in June 2024 for "Best Use of Data for Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Detection."

ThetaRay's product suite helps financial institutions comply swiftly and effectively with complex regulatory requirements. It also facilitates smooth customer onboarding and transaction processes, allowing companies to scale quickly and seize business opportunities while promoting growth across different business lines.

"The acquisition of Screena is a significant milestone for ThetaRay as we continue our mission to power the global fight against financial crime by enhancing our offerings with the most advanced AI capabilities. It furthers our commitment to delivering an end-to-end platform that enables banks, fintechs, and regulators to effectively identify financial crime – vital capabilities to grow and operate a financial institution today," stated Peter Reynolds, CEO of ThetaRay. "The recent launch of our Customer Risk Assessment (CRA) product this year and the mass adoption of our leading Transaction Monitoring offering demonstrates both a clear need in the market and our proven ability to build pioneering solutions. We are delighted to have closed our first acquisition, bringing key capabilities and further establishing our already rapidly growing presence in Europe."

Erel Margalit, chairman of ThetaRay and founder and chairman of JVP, commented, "The need for international, cross-border payments, and business corridors between Europe and Africa, South America and the US, and many locations around the world requires the use of AI and advanced technology to make sure that the transactions are trusted, and that the people behind them are trusted. ThetaRay’s AI also establishes a highway for the good actors that require an international payment network to do their business. The acquisition of Screena advances the ability to identify bad actors, whether it’s money laundering, drug trafficking, or terrorist financing in a much more pointed way. This move is a testament to ThetaRay’s mission of thwarting financial crime and continuously enhancing capabilities to win this critical fight on our journey to becoming a category leader."

Cédric Iggiotti, CEO of Screena, said, "Integrating with ThetaRay has been a game-changer for us at Screena, revealing the true potential of combining Transaction Monitoring, Screening, and Customer Risk Assessment. For too long, screening was siloed from other critical financial crime detection tools. Our partnership with ThetaRay not only meets stringent regulatory demands but also significantly enhances our crime detection capabilities, as evidenced by our recent successes with major financial institutions. Looking ahead, we are excited to push the boundaries of what’s possible in building a more trustworthy financial ecosystem."

VOX Solutions partners with Orange Burkina Faso to combat messaging fraud and artificial traffic inflation through secure A2P message transmission and the VOX-3. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

VOX Solutions, a leader in comprehensive A2P voice and messaging monetisation solutions, has announced partnership with Orange, the largest mobile operator in Burkina Faso to combat messaging fraud and artificial traffic inflation through secure A2P message transmission and the VOX-360 platform

This partnership between VOX Solutions and Orange Burkina Faso establishes an exclusive direct connectivity alliance, ensuring the secure and reliable transmission of A2P messages to clients in Burkina Faso and international enterprises. The shared goal is to protect mobile interactions from the rising threats of messaging fraud and artificial traffic inflation (AIT).

Artificial traffic inflation (AIT) is a growing issue in the digital landscape, artificially increasing traffic volumes, thus raising costs for enterprises and threatening revenues for mobile network operators. Likewise, messaging fraud, which involves the unauthorised or deceptive dissemination of messages, poses significant risks to user privacy and security.

Ehsan Ahmadi, CEO & founder of VOX Solutions, expressed, “Our fundamental mission is to support mobile operators such as Orange Burkina Faso in sustaining consistent revenue growth and fostering innovation. Addressing messaging fraud and AIT are central to the challenges we are eager to confront. We are privileged to commence this journey and remain steadfast in aiding our partners in achieving their business goals. This collaboration represents a significant step toward improved communication experiences and lasting success.”

The VOX-360 platform is distinguished as a comprehensive and unique solution in the market, incorporating anti-fraud functionalities, flash call authentication, A2P SMS monetization, and mobile identity capabilities. This platform enables mobile operators to detect and prevent spam and fraudulent traffic, proactively protecting end-users and enhancing the overall customer experience. Additionally, it equips operators with the tools to optimize their network monetization efforts.

As a result of this partnership, customers of Orange Burkina Faso and its global partners can expect secure and reliable A2P message delivery. Moreover, Orange will enhance its ability to monitor all A2P SMS traffic, including one-time passwords and customer notifications.

Successfully implementing VOX-360 in the networks of numerous prominent mobile operators globally, VOX Solutions remains committed to driving transformation and innovation in mobile communications. This collaboration reinforces VOX Solutions’ commitment to providing telecom operators and enterprises with high-quality strategies, advanced technology, essential data, educational resources, and skilled professionals. This significant development further strengthens their unwavering efforts in combating fraudulent traffic.

Kaspersky enhances incident response with digital forensics. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Kaspersky has introduced a crucial resource for cybersecurity professionals: the 'Windows Digital Forensics' course, aimed at enhancing incident response capabilities with essential skills in threat detection and digital forensics

In 2023, more than 20% of cyberattacks persisted for over a month, highlighting the urgency for businesses to reduce "detection-to-resolution" times. Addressing the challenge of a skills shortage, Kaspersky has introduced a training course focusing on a critical aspect of incident response.

The 'Windows Digital Forensics' course aims to equip professionals with essential skills in digital forensics, providing comprehensive understanding and practical experience. Detecting digital traces of attack development is crucial, especially when preventive measures fail.

Participants will learn methods for acquiring diverse digital evidence, identifying traces of malicious activity, and using timestamps from Windows artifacts to reconstruct incident scenarios. The course covers analysing browser and email histories, incident scoping, evidence acquisition, log file and network analysis, creation of Indicators of Compromise (IoCs), and memory forensics.

Developed by Ayman Shaaban, digital forensics and incident response group manager at Kaspersky, the training leverages his extensive cybersecurity expertise. Participants will apply their knowledge in a secure virtual lab designed to assess and enhance practical skills.

This course is part of a series focused on incident response, allowing professionals to customise their educational journey in this critical field. It benefits companies enhancing their incident response teams and individuals seeking to elevate their technical analysis skills in digital forensics.

“To achieve cyber-resilience, organisations must be prepared for incidents by managing logs centrally, retaining them for extended periods, and safeguarding them against tampering, malicious access, or accidental loss. They also need the ability to conduct forensic investigations promptly when necessary. During this training course, you will get acquainting with digital forensics as an important part of the incident response process and will be equipped with useful knowledge that help you to swiftly handle, contain, understand and recover from cyber-attacks and effectively minimise their impact in the quickest way possible”, commented Ayman Shaaban.

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