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Google is looking to purchase cloud security company Wiz in a deal that could be worth up to $23 billion. The acquisition would make Google highly competitive with leading cloud providers Amazon and Microsoft—providing enterprise clients protection against costly ransomware attacks.

Wiz launched in 2020 as the COVID pandemic moved many companies fully remote. Since then, they claim to have reached $12 billion in value, with annual organic revenue said to reach $1 billion by next year. If the deal goes through, it will be Google’s most expensive acquisition ever.

Kaspersky is closing its US offices in light of the Commerce Department’s announcement in June that Russian cybersecurity firms would not be allowed to do business in the US. The company will begin the process on July 20th.

The news marks the end of Kaspersky’s 20 years of operation in the US. In that time, they’ve managed multiple government contracts, but the Trump administration banned federal agencies from working with Kaspersky in 2017.

The Change Healthcare cyberattack grabbed headlines earlier this year, and the total cost now appears to be somewhere in the range of $2.3 to $2.45 billion. The massive impact far exceeds initial estimates of $1 billion. That newer, even more staggering number equates to about $1.30 of cost per share. Despite the bad news, the company still profited $4.2 billion in the second quarter.

The hack led to claims and payments being down for weeks across thousands of healthcare facilities. The data breach may have impacted as many as one in three Americans.

Interesting Read

What’s more interesting than cybersecurity? Cybersecurity in space. This write-up by Patrick Lin looks at the field of cybersecurity in space systems. While issues in these systems have been showing up since the 80s, Russia’s recent hacking of Viasat’s satellites to disrupt internet services in Ukraine has increased concerns.

Lin not only shows us just how much we rely on space-based systems, but he also goes through the many scenarios that hacks could create. It’s a stunning look at a field of cybersecurity we rarely consider.

Twitter Highlights

Employment Tip: Become a Ransomware Expert

As we live through a flood of ransomware attacks with no end in sight, cybersecurity professionals with expertise in preventing these threats are worth their weight in gold. Consider specializing in the field through labs, simulations, and study of malware analysis.

For the latest openings in cybersecurity careers, check CybersecurityHQ.

Stay Safe, Stay Secure.

The CybersecurityHQ Team