As publicity-shy Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before both houses of Congress last week amid an avalanche of criticism about the dearth of user privacy on the world’s biggest social media network, it became crystal clear that the entire social media industry has entered a new and perilous phase. Trust in all social media … Continue reading “Facebook: Lip Service to Privacy Is Over”
Author: Robert R. Ackerman
Robert R. Ackerman Jr. is the founder and managing director of AllegisCyber, an early stage venture capital firm specializing in cybersecurity, and a co-founder and executive at DataTribe, a cybersecurity startup studio in metropolitan Washington D.C.
The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today
Cyber incidents are considered the No. 1 emerging risk for enterprises long-term. No surprise, then, that cybersecurity insurance policy premiums are approaching $2.75 billion a year. Some experts believe this figure will grow to roughly $20 billion by 2025. For scores of insurance companies cashing in on the booming corporate cybersecurity insurance market, it’s a … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today”
Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates
Cybersecurity is the penultimate existential risk to the United States—economically, militarily, socially, and as we have seen recently, politically. The nature of cyber is asymmetric, and given the size of the U.S. economy, our reliance on intellectual property, and the leadership role the U.S. plays in the Community of Nations, we have a lot more … Continue reading “Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates”
Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks
A silver lining has emerged in the wake of the massive and well-publicized denial-of-service attack launched less than two months ago by hackers using millions of IoT devices to cripple the websites of major companies like Amazon, Netflix and Twitter. This ambush has triggered a redoubling of efforts to focus on the need for industry-led … Continue reading “Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks”
The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption
It seems like an appealing move–give the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, as well as our spy organizations, a back door—a “golden key”—to unlock encrypted communications to help catch criminals and terrorists and to protect Americans from harm. This notion of heightened protection is particularly compelling in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks … Continue reading “The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption”
Note to Government: Mandate Cybersecurity, Then Get Out of the Way
The digital economy stands on uncertain ground. From Target to Adobe, cybercriminals have infiltrated the networks of some of the largest businesses in the United States, turning 2013 into a record-setting year for data breaches. Companies lost more than 800 million records in nearly 2,200 incidents, doubling the loss of the previous highest year, 2011, … Continue reading “Note to Government: Mandate Cybersecurity, Then Get Out of the Way”
The Inside Story: What CISOs Know About Cybersecurity
In the wake of aggressive press coverage of recent major breaches at companies from Target to Neiman Marcus, cybersecurity has finally moved out of the shadows to become a top-of-mind issue at major enterprises. The new focus is dramatically changing the landscape for security leaders and business executives, who no longer struggle to convince their … Continue reading “The Inside Story: What CISOs Know About Cybersecurity”
Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy
The cost of ubiquitous cyber attacks and cyber probes in the United States and the rest of the world is a staggering, ever-growing challenge. Antivirus firm Symantec estimated the 2011 global price tag of direct financial loss and the cost of remediating attacks at $338 billion, excluding the theft of intellectual property and damage from … Continue reading “Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy”
The iPhone Before the Apple iPhone
Ask most people to tell you the story of the iPhone, and you’ll likely hear about how an innovative computer company took the traditional telephone, combined it with the Internet, and came up with an attractive and low-cost device that pioneered a new category of touch screen hardware, appealing not just to the tech savvy, … Continue reading “The iPhone Before the Apple iPhone”
An Opportunity for Congress to Vote for Job Creation
Congressional leaders of both parties have a short-term opportunity to come together in rare bipartisan fashion and get on the right side of American economic growth and job creation. With the House expected to pass a bill this week that would temporarily ease regulatory requirements related to young, high growth companies filing for an initial … Continue reading “An Opportunity for Congress to Vote for Job Creation”
“Vulture” Capital? Far From It
They say the first casualty of war is the truth. Based upon recent events in the U.S. presidential elections, it looks like the truth is a casualty in politics as well. Whether out of desperation, ignorance, or political convenience, current and former contenders for the Republican presidential nomination have been questioning the long-term economic value … Continue reading ““Vulture” Capital? Far From It”
Benefits and Roadblocks of Corporate Partnering for Startups
Fifteen years ago, the expansion model of a startup was fairly linear: The first three years were dedicated to building the business domestically. Year four generally saw European expansion. And by year five, the company was starting to explore the Asian markets. The emergence of the Web as a viable commerce vehicle, though, brought about … Continue reading “Benefits and Roadblocks of Corporate Partnering for Startups”
SBIR Overhaul Stalls In the Senate, to the Detriment of VC-Backed Innovation
Venture capital-backed startups got a slap on the back this week, but that was followed by a slap in the face in the latest round of Washington political gamesmanship over how much lawmakers should or should not encourage venture capital-backed innovation. So far, the battle to enhance U.S. innovation is taking yet another hit. What … Continue reading “SBIR Overhaul Stalls In the Senate, to the Detriment of VC-Backed Innovation”
Dream of an IPO, but Plan for an Acquisition
It’s now very clear to me: a successful M&A exit is far more likely for entrepreneurs than the once vaunted IPO. Structural changes in the venture-IPO ecosystem over the past 15 years have made it increasingly difficult for young companies to successfully tap the public markets to fuel their continued growth. While this fact has … Continue reading “Dream of an IPO, but Plan for an Acquisition”