BlackCloak desktop screen showing Blackcloak platform

BlackCloak Secures Funding from DataTribe to Fuel Growth Protecting the Homes and Personal Lives of Executives and High-Net-Worth Families from Cybercriminals

Foundry Invests in Provider of Holistic Solution to Solve Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection for High-Profile Individuals and Corporate Executives

FULTON, Md.May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — DataTribe, a global cyber foundry that invests in and co-builds next-generation cybersecurity and data science companies with nation-state experienced teams from the intelligence community, research labs, and industry-leading experts, announced today a $1.9 million investment in BlackCloak, creators of a Concierge Cybersecurity™ & Privacy Protection Platform that protects high-net-worth families and C-Suite executives in their personal lives.

Building on an already robust portfolio, DataTribe is well-positioned to further invest in capabilities and initiatives that develop startups poised to disrupt cybersecurity and data science. BlackCloak will use the $1.9 million investment from DataTribe to strengthen its concierge cybersecurity platform and expand its presence within key sectors where cybercrime losses and intellectual theft continue to be on the rise.

“It’s no secret that cybercriminals increasingly attack the homes and personal lives of executives to exploit, blackmail, and hold hostage corporations and governments. The executive is the easiest pathway past the billions of dollars spent each year on corporate security. We defend this threat vector,” said Dr. Chris Pierson, Founder and CEO of BlackCloak. “We also anticipate continued growth protecting high-profile persons and wealthy families and intend to use this investment to deepen our current client relationships, attracting new customers and further product development to continuously address threats posed by cybercriminals in our homes and personal lives.”

“As a company that has proved it is able to thrive in a continuously changing market, we are thrilled to welcome BlackCloak into the DataTribe family,” said Mike Janke, co-founder of DataTribe. “We are excited to partner with Dr. Pierson who has excelled as a Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Privacy Officer for RBS, and in national security roles. We’re confident he and his team will use the added resources to hit their growth potential and provide the utmost protection to high-net-worth individuals and executives.”

“BlackCloak is at the forefront of a rapidly emerging need to protect the digital life of high-value cybercriminal targets. As recent events have exposed, the home is the new attack beachhead for the enterprise, and BlackCloak is ready to defend it,” said John Funge, Chief Product Officer at DataTribe who will join the company’s board of Directors. “Unless you’re a cybersecurity professional, the ever-changing world of cybersecurity products and technologies are challenging to understand and frustrating to implement, while still providing inadequate protection that does not adapt as threats evolve. BlackCloak’s Concierge Cybersecurity™ protects individuals, families, corporate executives, and investors using a unique combination of technologies, services, and education to provide privacy, cybersecurity, and assurance in a personal digital world.”

DataTribe’s mission is to advance emerging firms that are rapidly evolving with the cybersecurity and data science landscape today. As part of the investment, BlackCloak will have access to DataTribe resources and fulfill its mission of protecting high-profile individuals and their companies.

About BlackCloak
BlackCloak provides Concierge Cybersecurity™ services to high-net-worth individuals, high-profile persons, and corporate executives to mitigate their hacking, financial, and reputational risks. Learn more at BlackCloak.io and @BLACKCLOAKCYBER.

About DataTribe
DataTribe was launched in 2015 with the vision of empowering technologists in the Washington, D.C. region to build and grow successful cybersecurity companies.

Founded by leading investors, startup veterans and alumni of the U.S. intelligence community, DataTribe commits capital, in-kind business services and decades of professional expertise to co-build the next generation of cybersecurity, big data and analytics companies. DataTribe is headquartered in Fulton, MD, with offices in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit https://datatribe.com.

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SBA loan form held by a businessman.

SBA May Have Exposed Data on 8,000 Loan Applicants

BankInfoSecurity.com interviews our CEO on the SBA’s recent data exposure.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says a flaw in an online application portal may have exposed the personal data of approximately 8,000 loan applicants seeking help coping with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Washington Post and other media outlets.

— See full story at https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/sba-may-have-exposed-data-on-8000-loan-applicants-a-14160

A work tablet.

Safeguards for Proper Disposal of Hardware: Effective Inventories, Policies and Due Diligence (Part Two of Two) (HFLR)

The Hedge Fund Law Report interview our CEO on safeguards for proper disposal of hardware.

It is no secret that the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has been focused on cybersecurity the last few years. Now, as highlighted in two of its recent reports, it has a new focus: the proper disposal of hardware. This second article in a two-part series explores creating an inventory to track a firm’s hardware; drafting and implementing policies and procedures on the disposal of hardware; and performing due diligence on third-party disposal vendors.

— See full story at https://www.hflawreport.com/6530451/safeguards-for-proper-disposal-of-hardware-effective-inventories-policies-and-due-diligence-parttwo-oftwo.thtml

A work laptop in a home office.

Safeguards for Proper Disposal of Hardware: Risks and Examiner Expectations (Part One of Two) (HFLR)

The Hedge Fund Law Report interview our CEO on safeguards for proper disposal of hardware.

Are firms disposing of hardware with cyber risks in mind? The SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations’ recent report (OCIE Report) related to cybersecurity and operational resiliency practices includes a new focus on the proper disposal of hardware, a topic also included in its 2020 exam priorities. If laptops, servers and other types of computer hardware are not handled properly before and during disposal, criminals could access personal or network information contained on those devices. This article, the first in a two-part series, discusses what is behind the focus on hardware disposal; the types of hardware that should be considered; applicable laws and guidelines; and what safeguards regulators expect firms to have in place.

— See full story at https://www.hflawreport.com/6423906/safeguards-for-proper-disposal-of-hardware-risks-and-examiner-expectations-partone-oftwo.thtml

A man works on a computer in an office.

Uncertain Markets May Drive Cybersecurity Consolidation

BankInfoSecurity.com interviews our CEO on market uncertainty and what that may mean for technology and cybersecurity organizations.

After a week of ups and downs, Wall Street took another plunge on Monday, bringing technology companies and cybersecurity firms along for the ride for what turned out to be one of the worst U.S. stock market days in history.

— See full story at https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/uncertain-stock-markets-may-push-cybersecurity-consolidation-a-13952

Personal digital devices in an office.

Safeguards for Proper Disposal of Hardware: Effective Inventories, Policies and Due Diligence (CSLR)

The Cybersecurity Law Report interviews our CEO on safeguards for proper disposal of hardware along with inventory tracking, policy implementation, and third party due diligence.

The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations has made no secret of its emphasis on cybersecurity in the last few years. Now, as highlighted in two of its recent reports, there is a new focus: proper disposal of hardware. This article, the second in a two-part series, offers advice on practical disposal safeguards, including: creating inventories, drafting and implementing effective policies and performing due diligence on third-party disposal vendors.

— See full story at https://www.cslawreport.com/6177441/safeguards-for-proper-disposal-of-hardware-effective-inventories-policies-and-due-diligence.thtml

A businessman uses his laptop at work.

Safeguards for Proper Disposal of Hardware: Risks and Examiner Expectations (CSLR)

The Cybersecurity Law Report interviews our CEO on safeguards for proper disposal of hardware along with associated risks and examiner expectations.

If firms are not already disposing of hardware with cyber risks in mind, they should be. The SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations’ recent report related to cybersecurity and operational resiliency practices includes a new focus on the proper disposal of hardware, a topic also included in its 2020 exam priorities. This is a concern across all industries, and the SEC’s expectations echo those of other regulators.

— See full story at https://www.cslawreport.com/6164686/safeguards-for-proper-disposal-of-hardware-risks-and-examiner-expectations.thtml

BlackCloak Cybersecurity Platform & RSA 2020 Conference Speeches

BLACKCLOAK Announces Cybersecurity Platform for High-Net-Worth Clients/C-Suite Executives and Announces its RSA Speeches

ORLANDO, Fla.Feb. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BLACKCLOAK, providers of Concierge Cybersecurity™ & Privacy protection to high-net-worth individuals and C-Suite executives, today announced the release of its new Cybersecurity & Privacy Platform.  In addition, its CEO & founder Dr. Chris Pierson will be giving two speeches at the upcoming RSA Conference on cybersecurity, which will take place February 24-28th in San Francisco.

Cybersecurity & Privacy Platform:
Solving cybersecurity and privacy for certain groups of high-profile persons is complex and takes a concierge approach.  BLACKCLOAK is excited to launch its new Cybersecurity & Privacy Platform that brings together its centralized threat management capabilities, privacy hardening, and cybersecurity protection into one product suite.  “The release of the BLACKCLOAK Platform provides our clients insight into their digital lives and allows the team to provide the around-the-clock cybersecurity protection they need,” said Pierson.  Dave McKinley, its Chief Technology Officer stated, “When we think about our customers and the products we develop to protect them and their family, we want to ensure ease of use, communication, protection and above all delight.  The cybersecurity experience for these clients has traditionally been non-existent or mixed and we are changing that.”  As cybersecurity attacks migrate to persons of high-net-worth, family offices and executives, BLACKCLOAK is there to protect them in a seamless manner that continues to grow as the threats change.

RSA Conference Speeches:
In addition, Dr. Pierson will be giving several speeches at this year’s RSA Conference.  Each year, the RSA Conference brings together the best global cybersecurity minds to share their knowledge on emerging cybersecurity threats and solutions. Pierson’s expertise spans cybersecurity, privacy, law, and homeland security.  “It is always a great privilege to engage with other thought leaders, CEOs, CISOs, and those in the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the conference,” said Pierson. “If you want to find cutting-edge technology and solutions providers, this is the place to be.” Having given over twenty speeches at RSA in the past that push cybersecurity and privacy thought leadership to the next level, Pierson continues to be an RSA Conference “top-rated speaker.”

Pierson will be moderating a panel of experts as they delve into discussing how to protect against, respond to, and recover from ransomware threats. “Despite global awareness on this cybersecurity and business risk, companies of all sizes continue to be attacked and threatened each day,” said Pierson.  “Cybercriminals continue to look for ways to hold companies hostage as they know every hour they are down, business is being lost and reputational risks increase.  While best-in-class controls, education, and insurance are able to mitigate ransomware infections or their impacts, we still see a lot of low hanging controls that have still not been addressed.”

Separately, in a more immersive learning lab environment, Pierson and Michael Bruemmer from Experian and James Shreve from Thompson Coburn LLP will tackle how to respond to data breaches using external vendors.  “Too often we see companies of all sizes be unprepared when responding to a data breach and behind the curve when it comes to selecting outside vendors to ensure customers are as protected as they can be and the internal teams have the right expert advice and guidance,” Pierson said.  “Being prepared ahead of time is solvable in terms of the assistance companies will need and we are looking forward to helping the attendees make sure they are prepared.”

More than 50,000 cybersecurity professionals attend RSA globally each year, making it the largest and most respected cybersecurity event in the world.

About BLACKCLOAK
BLACKCLOAK provides Concierge Cybersecurity™ services to high-net-worth individuals, high-profile persons, and corporate executives to mitigate their hacking, financial, and reputational risks.

Learn more at blackcloak.io and @BLACKCLOAKCYBER.

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