VPN
Businesswire | July 18, 2023
The world’s efforts to secure digital communications from the threat posed by quantum computers took a significant leap forward today as a new standard for quantum-safe Virtual Private Networks (VPN) was ratified by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The new protocol has already been used by Banque de France and Deutsche Bundesbank to secure payments messages, paving the way for full adoption by the Bank for International Settlements to secure communications between the world’s central banks.
‘Harvest Now Decrypt Later’ (HNDL) attacks currently represent the greatest quantum cybersecurity threat. These attacks see hostile actors steal encrypted data now which can be decrypted once a sufficiently mature quantum computer comes online. The new US Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act states that the HNDL risk presents the highest threat to humankind and stipulates that quantum migration must start now. Deploying a VPN based on new post quantum cryptography is the easiest way to protect data-in-transit from such attacks.
The new IETF standard specifies how VPNs can exchange communications securely in the quantum age. The novel approach prioritises interoperability by making it possible for multiple post-quantum and classical encryption algorithms to be incorporated into VPNs. Combining both old and new encryption is essential to ensure no disruption to the functioning of existing IT systems, and to protect data from attack by both classical and quantum computers.
This is a particularly important milestone for internet connectivity and security as we are transitioning from an era where the world relied upon just one or two algorithms (RSA and Elliptic Curve), to a situation where different nation states are deploying a wide variety of different post-quantum algorithms. This new IETF standard is the glue that allows parties using different public key encryption algorithms to talk with one another.
The new IETF standard was proposed and designed by Post-Quantum, a British cyber security company that’s built a portfolio of market-ready quantum-safe cyber security products. Post-Quantum’s own Hybrid PQ VPN uses the new IETF standard and is already in use by NATO to secure its communications from quantum attack, supporting interoperable communications between NATO members.
CJ Tjhai, CTO, Post-Quantum and original author of the new IETF standard said: “I’d like to thank all the technologists that collaborated with us on this IETF standard. Much of the focus has been on NIST’s new post quantum encryption algorithms themselves, but this is insufficient unless you have a protocol that defines how the connectivity is done. The easiest way to prevent Harvest Now Decrypt Later attacks is to deploy a PQ VPN based on the new IETF standard. NIST’s new algorithms are only useful if we have agreed standards for their use and mature products that can accommodate them.”
Andersen Cheng, Executive Chairman, Post-Quantum added: “CJ and his collaborators have completed important work that makes it possible for tech companies to build quantum-safe VPNs that communicate to one another. We are entering a period where different countries are now recommending different encryption algorithms, so engineering our communications infrastructure to be interoperable and backward compatible is absolutely crucial. That’s the value our own VPN is bringing to organisations like NATO, a diverse member organisation with a variety of post-quantum algorithms in use.
“In the commercial sector, we are pleased that Banque de France and Deutsche Bundesbank have also recently completed their project in transmitting payment messages using our protocol, which will pave the way for the Bank for International Settlements to build a complete chain of trust for central bank applications to counter any HNDL risks they already face today.”
José María Lucía Moreno, Lead Partner, EY Wavespace and a Post-Quantum partner added: “Our agreement with Post-Quantum is an important step in helping EY and its clients to become quantum-safe. We’re increasingly consulting with our clients to identify where they use traditional encryption that will need to be upgraded, and to help them prepare for the quantum era. Post-Quantum’s approach is particularly interesting because they have modular software-based products like the VPN, which can be implemented together, or as standalones within existing environments, to offer protection today.”
The IETF is the non-profit organisation with responsibility for developing the standards that define how the internet is built and used. Now that the IETF has ratified this work, VPN providers will adapt their protocols to match it, making this a defining standard for the future of cybersecurity as the world transitions from classical to new post-quantum encryption. Ratification represents the culmination of work dating back to 2017 when Post-Quantum took the lead in creating the original proposal for this standard.
About Post-Quantum
Post-Quantum is upgrading the world to next-generation encryption. Our quantum-safe platform includes modular software for Identity, Transmission and Encryption that protect organisations across their entire digital footprint. Products are interoperable, backward compatible and crypto-agile - ensuring a smooth transition to the next generation of encryption.
Post-Quantum works with organisations in defence, critical national infrastructure and financial services, including a multi-year relationship with NATO to ensure its communications are secure against quantum attack.
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Virtual Desktop Strategies, Virtual Server Management
businesswire | August 01, 2023
Vecima Networks Inc. (TSX: VCM) announced today that Orion Cable, a California-based service provider that serves San Diego’s North County communities, has selected Vecima’s Entra® Remote MACPHY bundled solution, providing a cost-effective, and future-proof path to DOCSIS® 4.0 at any scale.
Vecima developed the Remote MACPHY bundle to enable smaller cable operators that require 10 or fewer nodes to access the broad advantages of Distributed Access Architecture (DAA). Also included in the bundle is the Entra DV-12 legacy QAM adapter, which enables existing MPEG video QAMs to seamlessly migrate to the DAA environment, and expert planning and deployment from Vecima’s Professional Services team. The solution is turnkey and scalable, based on each operator’s unique needs.
The Entra SC-2D is a Remote MACPHY node with high downstream and upstream bandwidth, resilient and flexible design, and increased capacity. The node enables higher service tiers, including gigabit services. It’s centrally managed and controlled by the Entra Access Controller (EAC), providing simple and intuitive configuration and management of both DOCSIS and Fiber Access nodes.
“In today’s competitive environment, Orion’s access network needs to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our broadband subscribers,” said John Santhoff, Orion’s Chief Executive Officer. “Vecima delivers a unique solution that not only paves the way to our future, but also helps us turn up our broadband services quickly. With Vecima, we’re putting our network in the hands of industry experts we can rely on.”
“For the smaller service provider, finding a solution that delivers on requirements and on budget can be challenging, so Vecima designed a solution to help,” said Hy Huynh, Vecima’s Vice President of Sales for North America. “Local service providers like Orion can count on us for the industry’s leading Remote MACPHY solution, and the services and support they need to deploy and manage their network evolution.”
Vecima’s DAA portfolio, recently recognized by the Dell’Oro Group as the global market share leader in Remote MACPHY and Remote OLT solutions, is deployed by operators around the world. With broad support for all next-generation cable access technologies, high-value legacy services, and proven industry-leading interoperability, the networks of tomorrow are deployable today without compromise. Learn more at vecima.com/network-access.
About Vecima Networks
Vecima Networks Inc. (TSX: VCM) is leading the global evolution to the multi-gigabit, content-rich networks of the future. Our talented people deliver future-ready software, services, and integrated platforms that power broadband and video streaming networks, monitor and manage transportation, and transform experiences in homes, businesses, and everywhere people connect. We help our customers evolve their networks with cloud-based solutions that deliver groundbreaking speed, superior video quality, and exciting new services to their subscribers. There is power in connectivity – it enables people, businesses, and communities to grow and thrive.
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Virtual Desktop Strategies, Virtual Server Management
businesswire | August 09, 2023
Workspot, the intelligent VDI platform built for the multi-cloud era, announced today that Workspot Trends™ is available to its customers. Through this new offering, the company enables organizations to make data-driven decisions that help deliver outstanding performance to end users.
Historically, virtual desktop adoption has been hindered by poor end-user satisfaction. Workspot’s cloud-native VDI platform solves performance problems associated with latency and takes performance monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimization to new levels.
Workspot Trends collects key performance metrics, including direct, in-product, end-user survey results for every session, and user. IT teams can view the summary performance ratings, and begin to drill down into virtual desktop pools that show weaker end-user satisfaction ratings and compare them with pools that have higher ratings. This comparison yields insights into the specific conditions, whether that is CPU or memory usage, network conditions, round-trip time, and more, so IT teams can resolve the issue at the individual or pool level quickly.
Building upon comprehensive observability features inherent in the platform, including continuous collection and real-time analysis of millions of data points across endpoints, gateways, virtual desktop agents, enterprise connectors, and multiple clouds, Workspot Trends adds current and historical end-user satisfaction feedback to its performance analysis algorithm. Through this new solution, IT teams obtain actionable insights into the end-user experience over time.
“There is tremendous value in connecting performance data to the end-user experience,” said Richard Binning, Vice President, Technology at Nelson Worldwide. “With Trends, we’ll be able to have quicker insight into any issues people may be experiencing and resolve them faster. Additionally, our helpdesk and infrastructure teams can leverage these insights to proactively create ideal environments enabling the best possible performance for our teammates.”
“For too long, IT teams have been forced to trade off end-user satisfaction to achieve the security and flexibility benefits virtual desktops can deliver. We believe that understanding the end-user experience is critically important for delivering a working environment that supports maximum productivity and makes end users happy,” said Jimmy Chang, Chief Product Officer at Workspot. “With Workspot Trends, that tradeoff is no longer necessary. IT teams can gain deep visibility into how end users are experiencing their virtual desktops and apps, take action to fine-tune the overall virtual desktop estate, and deliver the best possible performance globally – while achieving the benefits of stronger security and greater business agility.”
About Workspot
Workspot is the only cloud-native, unified VDI platform that delivers enterprise-class virtual desktops and apps from multiple clouds and on-premises data centers to any device. This innovative service lets IT securely stream the right compute capabilities for each end user, to any device, anywhere they want to work. As the only cloud-native VDI solution that operates across all the major public clouds – Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud – as well as on-premises data centers, Workspot is uniquely positioned to address today’s remote work challenges by providing a highly-customizable approach to end-user computing. Enterprises can expect simplicity without compromises as they deploy, manage, and scale their virtual desktop and app estate globally. End users benefit from a seamless work experience - featuring outstanding performance for even the most graphics-intensive workloads - that boosts productivity and overall work satisfaction.
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Virtual Desktop Tools, Server Hypervisors
prnewswire | July 20, 2023
RISC Zero, developer of leading general purpose zero-knowledge (ZK) virtual machine technology, has raised a $40 million Series A. The round was led by Blockchain Capital and joined by seed round lead Bain Capital Crypto, with participation from other notable investors including Galaxy Digital, IOSG, RockawayX, Maven 11, Fenbushi Capital, Delphi Digital, Aglaé Ventures, IOBC, Tribute Labs' Zero Dao, Figment Capital, and Alchemy Ventures.
RISC Zero's mission is to equip developers and infrastructure providers with novel cryptographic tools to power the next generation of trustless, scalable, and decentralized computation; both on and off-chain — allowing them to build solutions that defy common assumptions about the capabilities of blockchains and other federated and cooperative computing systems. Our innovative system enables users to confidently take control of their digital world by ensuring computational integrity and producing indisputable receipts of accurate program execution.
"Imagine a world where data privacy, security, and trust are no longer concerns, where software supply chains are transparent and verifiable, and where a new generation of applications can harness the power of zero-knowledge computing to solve some of the most pressing challenges of the digital age. This is the promise of zero-knowledge computing and the reason we are investing in RISC Zero" - Bart Stephens, Founder and Managing Partner at Blockchain Capital
RISC Zero's ZK Virtual Machine (zkVM) enables developers to build ZK-powered applications with the convenience of conventional programming languages such as Rust and C++. Utilizing advanced features such as continuations, RISC Zero's zkVM can run programs of arbitrary complexity and scope while utilizing off-the-shelf computing platforms — a first in the blockchain industry.
"We're honored to be supported by all of our incredible capital partners and the visionary leaders and teams that have signed on to help us build this revolution in computing capability. We're excited to play our part in building a more open and trusted foundation for the future of the internet." - Brian Retford, CEO & Co-founder
This funding round will enable RISC Zero to bring its Bonsai computing platform to market, supporting rapid application development and deployment in both cloud and decentralized environments. With Bonsai, developers can focus on writing their application instead of worrying about the complexities of proof orchestration and server infrastructure.
AboutRISC Zero
The RISC Zero platform will drive the coming decentralized computing revolution. We are bringing general purpose computing to the zero-knowledge ecosystem – enabling users to trust programs run anywhere, while allowing developers to use the tools they already know and love. Public key cryptography ushered in the modern internet era by fundamentally altering digital trust dynamics. Similarly, zero-knowledge computing will radically alter the way we interact digitally and enable entirely new classes of applications.
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