Cybersecurity

TechCreate Group Ltd. reported a revenue increase of 10.4% to S$1.9 million in H1 2025, driven by a strategic shift to higher-margin professional services. The company achieved a significant improvement in gross profit margins to 70.5% and narrowed its net loss to S$20,000. TechCreate also successfully completed its IPO in October 2025, raising approximately $11.73 million.

The US economy surged in Q3, exceeding expectations with 4.3% growth driven by consumer spending, potentially delaying Fed rate cuts. Tech stocks led market gains, while student loan collections are set to resume in January with wage garnishment. The US delayed tariffs on Chinese semiconductors, and ServiceNow is acquiring Armis for $7.75B to boost cybersecurity with AI. Waymo is upgrading its fleet after a San Francisco blackout.

Britain’s railways are set for a billion additional journeys annually by mid-2030s. This growth hinges on AI transforming operations from predictive maintenance to traffic control and safety monitoring. AI will optimize energy use, enhance passenger flow, and improve journey planning, all while necessitating robust cybersecurity measures to protect increasingly interconnected systems. The industry faces a choice: lead AI integration or be overwhelmed by its complexity.

ServiceNow is acquiring cybersecurity firm Armis for $7.75 billion in an all-cash deal. This strategic move aims to significantly enhance ServiceNow’s security offerings, particularly in the AI era, and expand its addressable market for security and risk solutions. The acquisition, expected to close next year, follows ServiceNow’s recent purchases of Moveworks and Veza, contributing to a unified “AI control tower.” Armis brings over $340 million in annual recurring revenue and robust growth, solidifying ServiceNow’s position in the cybersecurity market.

Palo Alto Networks and Google Cloud have signed a multi-billion dollar deal to migrate workloads to Google Cloud, deepening their strategic partnership. This collaboration will integrate Google’s Gemini AI into Palo Alto Networks’ copilots and utilize Vertex AI for development. The agreement aims to help C-suites leverage AI securely and fortify businesses against cyber threats. Palo Alto Networks customers will benefit from enhanced security for AI workloads on Google Cloud, simplified migration, and a unified security approach. This move signifies a major step in secure cloud-native AI development.

words.ServiceNow is close to acquiring cybersecurity startup Armis in a deal valued at up to $7 billion, its largest ever. Armis, recently funded with $435 million and targeting an IPO by 2026‑27, boasts $300 million in annual recurring revenue and expertise in securing enterprise IoT devices. The acquisition would let ServiceNow embed device‑security into its Now Platform, creating cross‑sell opportunities, richer data analytics, and a stronger stance against rivals like Microsoft. Success hinges on integrating the two engineering cultures and retaining Armis talent amid a booming cyber‑spending market and a sluggish IPO environment.

Coupang CEO Park Dae‑jun resigned three weeks after a breach exposed personal data of nearly 34 million customers, citing responsibility for the incident. Harold Rogers, the chief administrative officer, was named interim CEO to restore confidence and stabilize operations. The leak raises concerns over brand trust, regulatory penalties under South Korea’s data‑protection law, and short‑term earnings pressure. Experts stress adopting zero‑trust architecture, comprehensive encryption, and continuous threat hunting. Coupang plans to partner with security firms, implement multi‑factor authentication, and launch a user dashboard for real‑time privacy monitoring.

U.S. stocks closed the week higher as the September core PCE index cooled to 2.6% YoY, nudging expectations of a Fed rate cut. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, the Nasdaq almost 1%, and the Dow 0.5%, marking back‑to‑back weekly gains. In tech, Meta trimmed metaverse spend, climbing 4%; Salesforce surged 13% after an earnings beat, emphasizing AI as a “commodity feature”; CrowdStrike posted record cash flow and earned a reaffirmed buy rating. Portfolio moves added Boeing and Procter & Gamble, while taking partial profits on Goldman Sachs. The upcoming Fed meeting will steer market direction, with a dovish stance likely sparking a rally in rate‑sensitive and AI‑driven sectors, while a hawkish tone may shift investors toward defensive, cash‑flow‑rich stocks.

.Taiwan has imposed a one‑year ban on Chinese social‑media app Xiaohongshu (Rednote) after linking it to around 1,700 fraud cases costing NT$247.7 million. The Interior Ministry ordered ISPs to block the platform, citing failure in all 15 cybersecurity criteria and difficulty obtaining investigative data. The move, criticized by opposition as a crackdown on internet freedom, follows previous restrictions and a demand for remediation that went unanswered. The ban highlights growing geopolitical and regulatory risks for Chinese tech firms, prompting brands to diversify digital strategies and urging Xiaohongshu to overhaul security and fraud‑prevention measures.

Okta beat Q3 expectations with adjusted EPS of 82 c (vs 76 c) and revenue of $742 M (vs $730 M), marking 12% YoY growth and a 169% rise in net income to $43 M. Subscription revenue rose 11% to $724 M and the backlog increased 17% to $4.29 B. The company skipped FY2027 guidance, citing seasonal uncertainty, and introduced AI‑powered agents aimed at expanding its addressable market. It forecasts Q4 revenue of $748‑$750 M and EPS of 84‑85 c. Despite the beat, the stock fell >3% after hours as investors await clearer guidance.