Singapore to Leverage the Global Cyber Alliance’s IoT Threat Analytics Platform

GCA’s Automated IoT Defence Ecosystem provides early warnings on IoT cyberattacks

SINGAPORE and NEW YORK, Oct. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) has announced that it will partner with the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) to leverage the capabilities of GCA’s Automated IoT Defence Ecosystem (AIDE) platform to monitor and address IoT threats and safeguard the cybersecurity of the IoT space. The project will be the first large-scale application of the AIDE platform.

The global number of IoT devices is expected to rise to more than 50 billion by 2030. This presents a huge attack surface for malicious actors, which may lead to consequences like the theft of personal data and the disruption of services using IoT devices as botnet nodes to conduct distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. There is a need to proactively watch for global IoT threats and attack data, so that nations can be better prepared before the next wave of botnet attacks hit their shores.

The IoT threat analytics platform can provide CSA visibility on the types of IoT-related cyber threats that may affect the country’s cyberspace. The insights from the platform allow partners to put in place policies and technical measures to safeguard against threat vectors through the conduit of IoT devices. The result is a better prepared and safer IoT cyberspace.

“The use of IoT devices is growing exponentially. CSA has introduced several initiatives to improve IoT security, including the world’s first multi-level labelling scheme for consumer IoT devices— the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme. This latest initiative —our partnership with GCA on AIDE— will help us be better prepared against potential IoT attacks. Cybersecurity is a team sport where everyone has a part to play. CSA will continue to work with stakeholders to look for ways in building a more resilient and secure IoT space,” said Mr. David Koh, Commissioner of Cybersecurity and Chief Executive of CSA.

GCA’s AIDE ecosystem is a central component of the project. This large repository of IoT threat intelligence relies on a globally distributed honeyfarm and on data feeds from partners.

According to Mr. Philip Reitinger, President and CEO of GCA, “This is a unique opportunity to increase GCA’s international collaboration and expand our network of partners, from cybersecurity agencies and large internet players to academia and research institutions. This project —and CSA’s support as a whole— is a crucial milestone in our roadmap for the AIDE ecosystem and in our long-term vision on IoT cybersecurity. The fact that this effort is happening in Singapore, a global flagship for technology, will pave the way to expand the initial scope of the project to other international smart cities.”

To learn more about AIDE visit: https://www.globalcyberalliance.org/aide/.

About the Global Cyber Alliance
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international, cross-sector effort dedicated to reducing cyber risk and improving our connected world. We achieve our mission by uniting global communities, implementing concrete solutions, and measuring the effect. GCA, a 501(c)(3) in the US and a non-profit in the UK and Belgium, was founded in September 2015 by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the City of London Police, and the Center for Internet Security. Learn more at www.globalcyberalliance.org.

Contact at GCA:
Alejandro Fernández-Cernuda Díaz
Director of Engagement, Internet Integrity Program
afcernuda@globalcyberalliance.org

Atos becomes 01Talent’s technology partner in Africa to identify, train and connect the digital talent of tomorrow to jobs

Press Release

Atos becomes 01Talent‘s technology partner in Africa to identify, train and connect the digital talent of tomorrow to jobs

Praia (Cape Verde) and Paris (France) – October 6, 2021 – Atos and 01Talent announce the launch of a strategic partnership to support the acceleration of the digital transformation in Africa, by enabling the dissemination of a high-quality, innovative and inclusive training program on the continent.

01Talent’s ambition is to identify, train and connect one million high-level developers to the professional world by 2035. Through this partnership, 01Talent will be able to draw on Atos’ technological resources to support the many projects underway.

In order to complete the pan-African campaign designed to identify future digital talent, 01Talent, in partnership with the Didier Drogba Foundation and UCLG Africa (United Cities and Local Governments Africa), will rely on a technological platform developed by Atos to host cognitive tests.

These online tests will be mini-games accessible to all, requiring no prior coding experience. They will provide a measure of the cognitive skills, creativity and motivation of candidates, and to identify high-potential profiles who could not have been spotted by traditional education systems.

The students of the future “Zone01”, selected this way by the tests, will be trained for 2 years to become high-level creative “Full Stack” developers, with a job at stake.

Zone01 Cabo-Verde, will be the first “Zone01” collective intelligence zone on the African continent, and is scheduled to open at Praia Techno Park in Cape Verde, early 2022. 200 young talent from Cape Verde and from 26 other African partner countries will be welcomed in this “Zone01”and will be supplied with laptops by Atos. This first “Zone01” will be the foundation for the deployment of the education program which aims to create more than 200 “Zone01” on the African continent.

Atos will also mobilize its employees around the world through a mentoring program to share expertise and give personal guidance to the students. This will give Atos an opportunity to create ties with Zone01 talent, and to hire many students during and after their training.

It has also been agreed that Atos will develop within the educational platform, a curriculum to improve and develop the skills of its employees, in immersion with the students of the future “Zone01”.

With this partnership, we reaffirm Atos’ ambition to support the dynamics of the economic, social and environmental transformation of the African continent through training in digital skills. 01Talent’s particularly inclusive and innovative educational offer is a concrete expression of this ambition, and we are proud to be able to support its deployment. This is an important step in the development of a digital sector in Africa” commented Nourdine Bihmane, EVP and Director of Growing Markets at Atos.

We are very happy to give life to a partnership that will allow us to support and integrate the most promising digital talents into Atos’ teams. Atos and 01Talent share the same values and the same goal: to develop human capital through an inclusive and sustainable approach in order to facilitate the digital and social transition of the African continent,” adds David Sultan, Vice President of 01Talent in charge of Global Operations.

Atos in Africa is fully mobilized to ensure the success of the student selection campaign and to continue this collaboration over the long term. At a time when the continent is going digital, attracting talent is becoming a major strategic focus for our development,” adds Alpha Barry, Director of Atos in Africa.

After Cape Verde, Atos and 01Talent will develop their partnership with the opening of new “Zone01” on the African continent, in particular in Senegal.

Photo: left to right: David Sultan, Global COO (01Talent); Nourdine Bihmane, EVP and Director of Growing Markets (Atos); Deror Sultan, Co-founder & CEO (01Talent)

About Atos
Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 105,000 employees and annual revenue of over € 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos operates under the brands Atos and Atos|Syntel. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the Next 20 Paris stock index.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. www.atos.net

Press contact:
Laura Fau | laura.fau@atos.net | +33 6 73 64 04 18 | @laurajanefau

About 01Talent
01Talent is both a Talent factory and a Talent agency which aims to identify, develop and connect to the professional world 1 million high-level developers in the world by 2035 through the combination of a proven pedagogical model and a sustainable and exponential business model.

01Talent deploys globally some Centers of Collective Intelligence named Zone01 which include teacherless coding schools, IT Talent Agencies and Digital Reskilling services.
Its curriculum is based on 01Edu, the ultimate upgrade of the “peer-to-peer” (teacherless) and gamified pedagogical approach developed by Nicolas Sadirac and his team, a learning platform designed to address the growing global shortage of IT developers.

This pedagogical model which develops entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and collective intelligence has already been deployed by our co-founder Nicolas Sadirac and his Alumni in more than 40 countries around the world, training more than 100,000 digital Talents in the last 10 years.https://01-edu.org

Contact presse :
Valerie Gagliano | valerie@zone-01.com | +33 6 33 73 24 89 | @valeriegagliano

Attachment

Atos devient le partenaire technologique de 01Talent en Afrique pour l’identification, la formation et l’emploi des talents digitaux de demain

Communiqué de Presse

Atos devient le partenaire technologique de 01Talent en Afrique pour l’identification, la formation et l’emploi des talents digitaux de demain

Praia (Cap-Vert) et Paris (France)6 Octobre 2021 – Atos et 01Talent annoncent le lancement d’un partenariat stratégique dans le but d’accompagner l’accélération de la transformation digitale en Afrique, en permettant la diffusion d’une offre de formation d’excellence, innovante et inclusive sur le continent.

01Talent a l’ambition d’identifier, de former et de connecter au monde professionnel un million de développeurs de haut niveau d’ici 2035. Grâce à ce partenariat, 01Talent pourra s’appuyer sur les ressources technologiques du groupe Atos pour accompagner les nombreux projets en cours de réalisation.

Pour mener à bien la campagne panafricaine d’identification des futurs talents du numérique, 01Talent, en partenariat avec la Fondation Didier Drogba et CGLU Afrique (Cités et Gouvernement Locaux Unis Afrique), s´appuiera sur une plateforme technologique développée par Atos pour abriter des tests cognitifs.

Ces tests en ligne seront des mini-jeux accessibles à tous, ne nécessitant aucune connaissance préalable en informatique. Ils permettent de mesurer les aptitudes cognitives, la créativité et la motivation des candidats, et d’identifier des profils à fort potentiel qui n’auraient pu être repérés par les systèmes éducatifs classiques.

Les étudiants des futures « Zone01 », ainsi sélectionnés par les tests, seront formés pendant 2 ans pour devenir des développeurs « Full Stack » créatifs de haut niveau, avec un emploi à la clé.

Zone01 Cabo-Verde sera la première zone d’intelligence collective « Zone01 » du continent africain, dont l´inauguration est prévue au Techno Park de Praia au Cap-Vert début 2022. Elle accueillera 200 jeunes talents originaires du Cap-Vert et de 26 autres pays africains partenaires qui seront équipés par Atos en ordinateurs portables. Cette première « Zone01 » servira de base au déploiement de l’offre de formation qui vise à créer plus de 200 « Zone01 » sur le continent africain.

Atos mobilisera également ses collaborateurs à travers le monde dans le cadre d’un programme de mentorat afin de permettre le partage de compétences, et l’accompagnement personnel des étudiants. Le groupe aura ainsi l’opportunité de créer des liens privilégiés avec les talents de la Zone01, et de recruter de nombreux étudiants en cours et au terme de leur formation.

Il est également convenu qu’Atos développe au sein de la plateforme pédagogique un cursus de perfectionnement et d’évolution des compétences de ses salariés, en immersion avec les étudiants des futures « Zone01 ».

« Avec ce partenariat, nous réaffirmons l’ambition d’Atos de soutenir la dynamique de transformation économique, sociale et environnementale du continent africain par la formation aux métiers du digital. L’offre pédagogique de 01Talent, particulièrement inclusive et innovante, en est la traduction concrète, et nous sommes fiers de pouvoir accompagner son déploiement. C’est une étape importante pour le développement d’une filière numérique en Afrique » commente Nourdine Bihmane, Vice-Président Exécutif d’Atos en charge des Marchés de Croissance.

« Nous sommes très heureux de donner vie à un partenariat qui nous permettra à terme d’accompagner et d’intégrer les talents digitaux les plus prometteurs au sein des équipes d’Atos. Atos et 01Talent partagent les mêmes valeurs et le même objectif : développer le capital humain par une approche inclusive et durable afin de faciliter la transition digitale et sociale du continent africain » précise David Sultan, Vice-Président de 01Talent en charge des Opérations mondiales.

« Atos en Afrique est pleinement mobilisé pour assurer la pleine réussite de la campagne de sélection des étudiants, et poursuivre cette collaboration sur le long-terme. A l’heure où le continent se digitalise, l’attraction des talents devient un axe stratégique majeur pour notre développement » ajoute Alpha Barry, Directeur Afrique d’Atos.

Après le Cap-Vert, Atos et 01Talent développeront leur partenariat avec l’ouverture de nouvelles « Zone01 » sur le continent Africain, notamment au Sénégal.

Photo : De gauche à droite : David Sultan, Vice-Président de 01Talent en charge des Opérations mondiales ; Nourdine Bihmane, Vice-Président Exécutif d’Atos en charge des Marchés de Croissance ; Deror Sultan, Co-fondateur et Présidént-Directeur Général de 01Talent.

À propos d’Atos

Atos est un leader international de la transformation digitale avec 105 000 collaborateurs et un chiffre d’affaires annuel de 11 milliards d’euros. Numéro un européen du cloud, de la cybersécurité et des supercalculateurs, le Groupe fournit des solutions intégrées pour tous les secteurs, dans 71 pays. Pionnier des services et produits de décarbonation, Atos s’engage à fournir des solutions numériques sécurisées et décarbonées à ses clients. Atos opère sous les marques Atos et Atos|Syntel. Atos est une SE (Société Européenne) cotée sur Euronext Paris et fait partie de l’indice Next 20.

La raison d’être d’Atos est de contribuer à façonner l’espace informationnel. Avec ses compétences et ses services, le Groupe supporte le développement de la connaissance, de l’éducation et de la recherche dans une approche pluriculturelle et contribue au développement de l’excellence scientifique et technologique. Partout dans le monde, Atos permet à ses clients et à ses collaborateurs, et plus généralement au plus grand nombre, de vivre, travailler et progresser durablement et en toute confiance dans l’espace informationnel.

Contact presse :
Laura Fau | laura.fau@atos.net | +33 6 73 64 04 18 | @laurajanefau

01Talent déploie dans le monde des centres d’intelligence collective, les Zone01, qui regroupent des centres de formation “peer-to-peer” (sans professeur), une agence de talent et des services de re-training et de re-skilling.

Ce modèle pédagogique développe l’esprit entrepreneurial, la créativité et l’intelligence collective et a déjà été déployé par notre co-fondateur Nicolas Sadirac et ses Alumni dans plus de 40 pays dans le monde, formant ainsi plus de 100 000 Talents du numérique ces 10 dernières années.
https://01-edu.org

Contact presse :
Valerie Gagliano | valerie@zone-01.com | +33 6 33 73 24 89 | @valeriegagliano

Note : “01Talent” se prononce “Zéro un talent” et non “Un talent”

Pièce jointe

WHO Backs Malaria Vaccinations for African Children

The World Health Organization recommended Wednesday that children in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions on the continent with moderate-to-high malaria transmission receive a malaria vaccine.

The vaccine, known as Mosquirix, proved effective in a pilot program in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800,000 children since 2019.

The WHO said malaria is a top killer of children in sub-Saharan Africa, causing the deaths of more than 260,000 children under age 5 every year.

The vaccine, which requires four doses, counters P. falciparum, “the most deadly malaria parasite globally, and the most prevalent in Africa,” WHO said in a press release.

“For centuries, malaria has stalked sub-Saharan Africa, causing immense personal suffering,” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said in a statement. “We have long hoped for an effective malaria vaccine and now for the first time ever, we have such a vaccine recommended for widespread use. Today’s recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease and we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults.”

Substantial benefit

According to WHO, pilot program data showed that more than two-thirds of children who were not sleeping under bed nets were benefiting from the vaccine, and that there was a 30% reduction in “deadly severe malaria, even when introduced in areas where insecticide-treated nets are widely used and there is good access to diagnosis and treatment.”

The pilot program also found that the vaccine had a “favorable safety profile” and was “cost effective.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, it could still be years until the vaccine is widely available.

The vaccine has been under development for 30 years by GlaxoSmithKline, a global pharmaceutical company; PATH, a global nonprofit focused on health issues; and some African research organizations, WHO said.

The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation provided late-stage development funding for the vaccine, WHO said.

Source: Voice of America

Hundreds in Burkina Faso, Including Minors, Await Trial on Terrorism Charges

In Burkina Faso, at least 400 people have been awaiting trial on terrorism charges for years, including several minors.

Houretou Sidibé says three relatives, including her son, have been held in a Burkina Faso maximum security prison for three years.

Sidibé, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, says she does not know why they’re being held.

Since Burkina Faso began its war against armed groups linked to Islamic State, al-Qaida and local bandits seven years ago, at least 400 citizens have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses and are being held in custody. Some are children under the age of sixteen.

“It has been more than a year since I’ve been able to visit them, because I have no means to do it,” Sidibé said. “Two weeks ago, my brother was able to visit them and gave me some of their news.”

The West African country created a penal code for terrorism offenses in 2019. But so far, only two people have been to trial and convicted on terrorism charges.

Sidibé says her relatives are being held at a prison in the town of Ziniaré, which is housing double its official capacity.

“I really need some judicial assistance, a lawyer, to follow up their case and free them, because it really is a long time that they’ve been remanded in prison,” she said.

Koumbo Barry, whose name has also been changed to protect her identity, says her son has been held for almost two years without trial.

“I can’t stop crying, because I haven’t been given any reason for their arrest,” she said. “I want the government authorities to help me find the reason why my sons were arrested and dropped in that prison. Today, I am old and I can’t work. I am living with their wives and children. It’s difficult to feed them. My husband is old, everyone is suffering at home because of this situation.”

Daouda Dialo is a Burkinabe human rights activist who runs the rights group, The Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities. He says some detainees have been awaiting trial for as long as five years.

“As a human rights defender, we find that this pre-trial detention is excessive,” he said. “It is an abuse that must be corrected at the level of the law, because we cannot detain someone indefinitely to wait for his or her trial. The fact that justice isn’t working can contribute to further violence and worsening vigilantism.”

Attending a conference on the processing of terrorism offenses Friday, Burkina Faso President Roch Kabore said the country will continue to prosecute terrorism suspects despite funding concerns.

“We’re pleased we’ve been able to hold the first trial of a terrorist and I can tell you that I’ve noted all the concerns and we will ensure that the state can effectively meet these conditions,” he said. “It is true that we have to take into account the fact that we have financial difficulties, but I think that an effort can be made to reinforce what we already have.”

Although the trial of two men is a sign of progress, it remains to be seen how quickly more trials will follow.

Source: Voice of America

Experts: Rebuilding Lake Chad Basin Key to Staving Off Militant Resurgence

Officials from Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria have agreed to work together to reconstruct the Lake Chad Basin. The region has been a hotbed of insecurity due to attacks from Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram and its offshoots. The officials met in Cameroon’s capital this week and said the area is gradually returning to normalcy, but unemployment is pushing young people to join militant groups.

Close to 400 representatives of rights groups, funding agencies, United Nations agencies and the African Union met in Yaounde to map out ways of improving living conditions in the troubled Lake Chad Basin.

In a statement, governors from the region said member states and funding agencies will intensify rebuilding and stabilization efforts of the area.

Ahunna Eziakonwa is U.N. assistant secretary general and the regional director for Africa at the U.N. Development Program. She said many of the towns and villages in the Lake Chad Basin need to be rebuilt from the ground up.

“Houses have been destroyed, schools have become nonfunctional, markets, stores destroyed. The rule of law is completely erased with police stations completely destroyed, so a stabilization program tries to rebuild the livelihoods and lives of people who have been affected by first of all making sure we reconstruct those facilities that serve the police for instancem,” said Eziakonwa.

Since the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau earlier this year, thousands of the group’s fighters have defected or surrendered, according to regional governments and officials of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional military alliance fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.

The task force made up of troops from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria said attacks by its troops in Boko Haram-controlled areas have made Shekau’s militants weaker.

Richard Fonteh Akum is the executive director of the Institute for Security Studies based in Pretoria, South Africa. He said now is the time to launch sustainable development efforts, while Boko Haram is in apparent decline.

“What may seem as normalcy right now could actually be the silence before another storm of attacks. A few years ago, there was a fracturing within Boko Haram which saw the groups splinter and see the emergence of the Islamic State West Africa Province, but at the same time Boko Haram came out stronger. So, I think unless we have a framework which allows for multi-level peace and stabilization, it will remain extremely challenging to move towards normalcy and effective reconstruction,” he said.

Akum said to stop endemic poverty in the area, roads should be improved for fishers, herders and crop farmers to transport their produce to markets.

The amount of money needed to for rebuilding efforts of the Lake Chad Basin wasn’t disclosed during the meeting, but Cameroon said it will allocate $300 million to spend on infrastructure destroyed by Boko Haram.

Source: Voice of America