Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Startup Targets Incumbents Doing Directories, Authentication, Federation and SSONewCore, founded by Dome9 creator Zohar Alon, emerged from stealth with $66 million to build security-first identity infrastructure designed to manage the explosion of autonomous AI agents, machine identities and cryptographic credentials expected across modern enterprises.

Deal Would Help Cisco Expand Footprint Beyond Authentication, ITDR and ISPMCisco's cyber M&A dry spell could soon come to an end, with the company reportedly in talks to acquire New York-based non-human identity startup Astrix Security for between $250 million and $350 million. That would represent at least a 25% premium to the startup’s last valuation of around $200 million.

Owner reverse-engineered his ride, revealing authentication was never properly individualized An Estonian e-scooter owner locked out of his own ride after the manufacturer went bust did what any determined engineer might do. He reverse-engineered it, and claims he ended up discovering the master key that unlocks every scooter the company ever sold.…

Authentication is basically solved. Authorization is another thing entirely... CrowdStrike has signed a $740 million deal to buy identity security startup SGNL. The move underscores the growing threat of identity-based attacks as companies struggle to secure skyrocketing numbers of non-human identities, including AI agents.…

Passkeys to Strengthen Low-Friction Verification, Integrate With Facial RecognitionUnico has acquired San Francisco-based OwnID to enhance its identity offerings and grow its U.S. customer base. The passkey startup's low-friction login solution complements Unico's facial recognition tools and supports broader use cases with streamlined user experiences.

Google Says Platforms Shouldn't Use Emails as Unique IdentifiersA security researcher purchased abandoned online domains belonging to failed startups and found he could recreate email addresses and access third party services containing sensitive information collected by the shuttered companies by signing onto the platforms using "Sign in with Google."

Acquisition Boosts Standardized Consent Frameworks, Identity Data InteroperabilityProve’s acquisition of Philadelphia-based startup Portabl focuses on enhancing interoperability and reusable identity solutions. The move supports emerging industry standards, bridging gaps between identity verification, authentication, and payments for seamless customer experiences.

A weakness in Google's OAuth "Sign in with Google" feature could enable attackers that register domains of defunct startups to access sensitive data of former employee accounts linked to various software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms. [...]

New research has pulled back the curtain on a "deficiency" in Google's "Sign in with Google" authentication flow that exploits a quirk in domain ownership to gain access to sensitive data

LexisNexis Combines AI-Driven Document Authentication With Its Fraud SolutionsTo counter AI-driven fraud, LexisNexis acquired IDVerse, a London-based startup focused on document authentication and regulatory compliance. This acquisition aims to seamlessly integrate advanced tools into LexisNexis' fraud and identity platforms, enhancing global operations.

Early-stage startup Footprint's goal is to provide tools that change how enterprises verify, authentication, authorize, and secure identity.