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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with Ordr

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence (CMMC COE), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with Ordr, an industry leader in continuous discovery, device asset inventory visibility and security of all connected devices, including unmanaged IoT, IoMT, and OT devices. This unique partnership will extend efforts by providing complete device asset inventory discovery for compliance within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. “We are excited to embark on this journey with Ordr”, said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “The foundation of CMMC starts with visibility into devices in the network and the risks they bring. This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience for the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Ord provides a purpose-built platform for asset inventory and security. It discovers and secures all connected devices -- from traditional servers, workstations and PCs to IoT, IoMT and OT devices. Using agentless and passive methods of data collection, connected devices can be automatically discovered and classified. Devices with vulnerabilities, weak ciphers/certificates or are subject to recall are identified. Ordr’s machine learning engine also maps and baselines device communication patterns to establish “Flow Genomes”. Ordr can then alert on anomalous behavior and dynamically generate micro-segmentation policies to allow devices only appropriate access. “The Ordr team is thrilled to be joining the pioneering organizations and innovators that make up the CMMC COE,” said Greg Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at Ordr. “We are working with DIB contractors, vendors, and the supplier community to enable them to meet CMMC regulations quickly and efficiently. Being a part of the CMMC COE accelerates that effort.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Ordr and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and Ordr partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766. For more information on Ordr, please visit https://ordr.net/solutions/cmmc/, email info@ordr.net or call 833.673.7999 #### Contact Details John Weiler Executive Director, IT-AAC Chairman, CMMC COE john.weiler@it-aac.org 703-863-3766 Monica Wallace for Ordr Monica.Wallace@ruderfinn.com 650-346-8994 About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. About Ordr ------------ Digital transformation has led to the inevitable explosive increase of connected devices. The scale and diversity of these devices, and the capacity for network connectivity introduces risks. Every single device is a potential attack vector and must be secured. Ordr delivers visibility and security of all connected devices -- from traditional servers, workstations and PCs to IoT, IoMT and OT devices. Ordr discovers what devices are in the network, profiles device behavior and risks, and then automates appropriate action. Contact Details CMMC Center of Excellence Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 30, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Osmo For Schools Celebrates Five Years and Upgrades to Plastic Manipulatives in School Bundles for Classroom Hygiene & Safety

Osmo for Schools

Osmo for Schools, the educational division of Tangible Play that promotes in-classroom usage of Osmo’s award-winning educational systems, celebrates its fifth anniversary March 30, 2021 and highlights recent achievements. These include upgrading to plastic pieces in all its school bundles to maintain the highest standards of classroom hygiene, along with reaching 100,000 downloads of the Osmo Projector App intended for teachers, which helped grow Osmo’s community of active users. “Osmo for Schools began thanks to all the incredibly enthusiastic teachers across the U.S. and Canada who adopted Osmo as an educational device for classroom settings, promoting its usage, so that schools and districts started to purchase it,” explains Jan Richards, head of education sales and marketing at Osmo for Schools. “In early 2016, Osmo began our division by forming a sales team, a conference strategy, plus a Classroom Kit for schools, which really took off. It’s come a long way since!” The division now has 15 sales and consulting executives who work under Richards, offers nine different learning system bundles, and works with thousands of school districts. All Learning System Bundles Upgraded To Plastic Manipulatives for Effective Sanitization In January 2021, Osmo for Schools upgraded all nine school bundles to include plastic pieces across the board, replacing ones made of cardboard. This makes it easier for schools to disinfect and clean Osmo’s manipulatives, which are used in conjunction with Osmo’s technology inside classrooms, and allows schools to maintain the highest standards of classroom hygiene. Osmo for Schools’ plastic pieces are long-lasting, easy to sanitize when using EPA-registered disinfectant spray, and dishwasher-safe. “The entire world holds a mirror to each school’s hygiene standard and methods of cleaning and disinfection--this is especially true in classrooms where several hands are touching different items every day,” says Richards. “Our plastic pieces are an excellent educational tool, now made even safer for classrooms, and only teachers have access to them. Teachers are so excited to have all-plastic pieces in their sets!” “In all my years teaching, I’ve always sanitized my teaching tools as a STEAM teacher; from robots, to iPads and now my Osmo for Schools kits--this is a life saver for my students and myself,” says Frances Amato Dominguez, Ed Tech Model and STEAM Teacher in New York. Adds South Carolina kindergarten teacher Keri Lewis, “I love how durable these pieces are. Being plastic, they are able to be cleaned thoroughly between uses without fear of damaging the pieces.” These bundles featuring all-plastic pieces are exclusive to Osmo for Schools, and educators who previously purchased bundles with cardboard manipulatives can now buy the plastic piece sets separately, with a 25-percent discount. Projector App Reaches 100,000 Downloads Due to the sudden transition to virtual learning one year ago, Osmo reacted to teachers’ cries for a more effective means of engaging students in a virtual classroom, by offering Projector App. The app began as a free download to all thanks to Osmo Cares, the charitable arm of Osmo. Launched in late March, the app is now being used by teachers of all levels (pre-K to university) across the country to make the virtual learning environment more fun, appealing, and similar to an actual classroom; it recently reached 100,000 downloads, and helped to grow Osmo’s community of active users. Projector App employs a powerful reflective AI technology that allows the camera to “see” the desktop in front of the screen and project a teacher’s real world text, notes and drawings onto the screen, even 3-D models they hold in their hand, while being compatible with Zoom and other video conferencing technologies ( video ). Projector App is the 2020 recipient of EdTech Breakthrough Awards’ “eLearning Innovation of the Year.” “It’s wonderful that the free download of Projector App introduced many teachers to Osmo for the very first time, who were previously unaware of the great variety of educational products we offer,” says Richards. Carol Argumaniz, Assistant Principal at Lillie Jackson Early Childhood Center in Lewisville, Texas, speaks about the success her teachers are having with virtual learning, thanks to Osmo Projector App. “It allows teachers to deliver the same quality lesson through virtual learning, as they would deliver through in-person learning at school,” says Argumaniz. “And it allows them to conduct small group lessons with very high quality pictures so students feel like they are actually next to the teacher.” About Osmo for Schools Osmo for Schools, a division of Tangible Play, Inc., focuses on building in-classroom usage of Osmo’s award-winning educational systems. Using proprietary AI technology, these systems help teachers foster collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and increased engagement in learning, in students. Osmo is used in more than 30,000 schools in North America. Tangible Play is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. For more information about Osmo for Schools and its products, visit schools.playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii +1 310-251-0550 carolynkpr@gmail.com Company Website http://schools.playosmo.com

March 30, 2021 04:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Lutz, FL Focuses on Relationships and High-Demand Products to Spark Record Monthly Sales During COVID-19 Pandemic

Minuteman Press International Inc

Ed Casagrande and his family moved to the US from Brazil in 2017 to pursue the American Dream of owning a business. He has not let the COVID-19 pandemic slow him down and Ed shares his insights on growing his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL. For four years, Minuteman Press franchise owner Ed Casagrande has been building relationships and helping local businesses with their printing and marketing needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minuteman Press in Lutz, FL was designated as an essential business. Ed and his team have continued to reach out to their clients and community with one simple yet powerful message: “We are all in this together.” The results of Ed’s genuine outreach efforts are a satisfied client base and increased sales. He says, “We are posting record monthly sales in March 2021, and I am thankful for that. Our sales for the month are more than the annual revenue of the previous owner of the business in 2016. To do this during the pandemic makes me even more excited for the future as we continue to work hard on behalf of our community and our customers.” Supporting Local Businesses Ed elaborates, “Since the beginning, we have focused on developing strong relationships with many businesses and organizations within our local community. The pandemic has, in many ways, brought us closer together with our customers. There has been an overwhelming sense that we are all in this together, and by helping to support each other through the struggle, we have been able to keep growing.” Just by reaching out to local businesses, Ed has found a renewed sense of camaraderie with his fellow business owners. “The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. If there has been one thing that has been highlighted during this difficult time, it would be the resilience of the community. Many of our customers print with us on a regular basis, and we have gotten the opportunity to know them and their businesses. When they come into our shop, they share their stories of struggle and success, and we are there to support them through all of it.” He adds, “We know the challenges of trying to grow a business even without the added stress of a worldwide pandemic, and we want to offer solutions that can help businesses take that growth to another level. With that in mind, we take the approach of thinking like the general consumer, and finding print solutions that will help reach the desired audience.” Print Is Essential The best businesses are the ones who quickly identify the needs of their clients and do everything they can to meet those demands. That is exactly what Minuteman Press has done over the past year. Ed recalls, “Early on during the pandemic, we identified the businesses that most needed our services and made the effort to help with their printing needs. The food industry saw a massive increase in demand so we targeted that market – printing labels for food distributors, to-go menus for restaurants, and yard signs and banners promoting social distancing. The need for marketing materials promoting social distancing applied to other industries as well, and we were able to meet those needs with signs, banners, window clings, and floor stickers.” Another challenge for local businesses came in the form of adapting their marketing methods. With trade shows and other events cancelled or postponed, businesses turned to Minuteman Press for help in adapting and diversifying their marketing strategies. Ed explains, “We focused our efforts on areas of the business with the widest margin of return. We had to get creative in finding ways to best serve the needs of our customers, many of whom have also had to completely transform their approach to marketing in a world without trade shows and other traditional marketing methods. This has allowed us the opportunity to continue to grow, despite the challenges facing our local economy. At the core of this growth is the relationships we have built with our customers. The importance of developing strong relationships with local businesses and taking care to provide a quality customer experience with every interaction cannot be stressed enough. It is the key to our success.” By strengthening those relationships, Ed is now poised to help his clients with the anticipated local economic recovery. “We have already begun to see an increase in sales which indicates that the local economy is starting to fire back up. We have taken great care to listen to the needs of our customers and provide options for them that will best help them recover from the pandemic. We have also begun the process of restructuring our team to identify and capitalize on the strengths of each individual team member. We are investing in new equipment so that we can increase our production and profit margins, offer better and faster print solutions to our customers, and stay competitive in the marketplace.” He continues, “We are in the process of expanding to a new larger location which will allow us to grow even more. We have also implemented a marketing outreach project to touch base with customers who haven’t been printing as much since the pandemic started, in an effort to see if we can be of any help to them. This effort has translated into an increase of sales and is helping us get back on track to our pre-pandemic rate of growth.” “For years, the printing industry has been the backbone of marketing for organizations across the world. As technology has advanced and as the world has moved online, the ways that businesses and organizations have been able to reach out and market to their customers has evolved. But the foundation of marketing has always been in print media. In many ways, the pandemic brought things back-to-the-basics for many of our customers. We have seen many of our customers go back to the tried-and-true methods of marketing, including postcard printing for direct mail and EDDM mailing campaigns, flyer/brochure printing, and yard and car sign/banner printing. From what we have seen, the market trends indicate that the printing industry will continue to thrive and we are looking forward to continuing our growth as the economy recovers from the pandemic.” -Ed Casagrande, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Lutz, FL From Being Laid Off in Brazil to US Business Ownership in Lutz, FL One of the reasons Ed has been able to adapt and grow his business during this unprecedented time is because of his ability to adapt and refocus. In fact, he has pivoted before. “I was born in Brazil and my professional background is in Engineering. Before moving to the US, I was involved in a large organization and was responsible for the entire South American region, with a team of 3,000 employees under my supervision. In 2015, the economy in Brazil went through a dramatic downturn, and I was laid off. My wife and I made the decision to move to the United States with our two children, and we began looking to purchase a business.” Ed continues, “At first, we looked at many options – from gas stations to dry cleaners and everything in between. I found an opportunity to purchase an existing franchise of Minuteman Press, and although I had no previous experience in the printing industry, I was drawn to the Business-to-Business concept that Minuteman Press offered. I am passionate about business and through my experience, I have a deep understanding of the inner workings of growing a business. Minuteman Press allowed me to turn that passion into an opportunity to help other businesses grow through various marketing concepts that we are able to help them achieve, which in turn has helped me grow my own business as well.” Ed credits the ongoing support of Minuteman Press both before and during the pandemic for helping him build his business. He says, “Minuteman Press International has always been a huge support to us, and they took great care to help provide the support we needed during the pandemic. We are so appreciative of the efforts they have made to ensure that the safety of our employees and customers is a top priority, and for providing us with the resources necessary to remain successful despite the challenges facing us.” “Ed Casagrande has done a tremendous job putting in the work to build his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz. I am proud of the way he has reached out to others, promoted his relevant products and services, and provided an uplifting message as well as a positive customer experience for his clients at this critical time. I look forward to supporting Ed as he continues to build his business.” -Larry Trimble, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Florida Rewards & Advice for Others As a business owner, Ed sees many rewards to being his own boss. He says, “The biggest benefit to owning my own business is that there is virtually no limit to the amount of success that I can achieve, except if I limit myself. When I worked for someone else, there was always a limit to the compensation I received or to the growth that I was able to experience, regardless of the effort I put into it. Owning my own business removes that glass ceiling and allows me to pursue limitless success.” When asked what advice he would give to other local business owners right now, Ed answers, “The best advice that I can give other local businesses is that networking and customer care is vital to the success of a business. A large part of the effort that I have made since becoming a franchise owner of Minuteman Press is through networking with other small business owners in the local community. Through these efforts, I have developed some incredible working relationships with members of the community and I have learned so much along the way.” Ed concludes, “We have all heard it said that there is strength in numbers. The pandemic has demonstrated this to be true, because we have all relied on each other to get through it.” For more information on Ed Casagrande’s Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL, visit https://www.lutz-fl.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 29, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Vinfuture has had more than 500 official nominators from 36 countries

Media Outreach

HANOI, VIETNAM - 29 March 2021 – The VinFuture Foundation announces that over 500 prominent scientists, universities, and recognized organizations from 36 countries, representing six continents have registered to become the Official Nominators for the VinFuture Prize over one month after the Foundation launched its Call for Nominations. Such impressive figure demonstrates the enthusiastic response from the world's scientific community to this newly established sci-tech prize as well as VinFuture’s mission of serving humanity. The VinFuture Prize officially launched its call for nominations on February 3rd, 2021, and has so far attracted more than 500 recognized scientists, universities and organizations around the world to serve as Official Nominators for the Prize. The majority of nominators are from Asia (35,6%), North America (32%), and followed by those in Europe (21.7%), Oceania (7.2%), and Latin America and Africa (3.5%). Regarding the areas of expertise of the organizational/individual nominators, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent demand in healthcare, nominators in the field of biomedical research constitute a large proportion of 29.2%, followed by chemistry-physics (23.6%), computer science, data, artificial intelligence, and robotics (16.3%), and environment, renewable energy and new materials (18.3%). The remaining are individual/organizational nominators in the interdisciplinary fields. The nominators are globally influential experts, reputable researchers, and scientists, laureates of international prestigious science and technology prizes, as well as renowned universities, academies, research institutes, technology corporations and innovation incubators from 36 different countries. Notably, there have been favorable responses from scientists at leading universities and research institutes in the world, such as the Harvard University (USA), where many prominent scientists converge; the National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA) - the lead agency of the U.S. government in public health; the Max Planck Society (Germany)- the world's leading research organization in science and technology; the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, which are well-known for natural science and engineering, being home to many Nobel Laureates; the University of Tokyo- the leading higher education organization in Japan and the Chinese Academy of Science, the world's largest research organization. Dr. Le Mai Lan – Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup cum Designated Representative of the VinFuture Foundation remarked: “VinFuture Prize is a new initiative and is also the first science and technology prize originating from Vietnam. Hence, we are delighted to have more than 500 recognized organizations and individuals and from all over the world register to make nominations in just over one month after we launched the Call for Nominations. This is an impressive figure boosting our confidence in VinFuture’s mission to serve humanity and in its introduction at the right time meeting the right demand, as well as confirming the endorsement and support from the sci-tech community, academies and societies, universities, and incubators around the world. The fact that the Prize is introduced whilst we are facing global challenges has been a motivation for VinFuture to continue looking for well-deserved and impactful scientific innovations and solutions that may bring about meaningful change to the humanity.” The VinFuture Prize is a global science and technology prize founded by Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong, Chairman of Vingroup, and his wife, Madam Pham Thu Huong, to recognize groundbreaking scientific discovery and technological inventions proven to create or have the potential to create better change in the everyday lives of millions of people and foster a sustainable living environment for future generations. Apart from the VinFuture Grand Prize of VND 70 billion (equivalent to US$3 million – one of the largest global prizes), three Special Prizes of VND 11.5 billion each (equivalent to US$500,000) will be awarded annually to innovators from developing countries, female innovators and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields. The Call for Nominations for the 2021 VinFuture Prize is available at www.vinfutureprize.org until June 7th, 2021. The laureates will be announced in December 2021 and the official award ceremony will be held in Vietnam in January 2022./. Contact Details Vingroup +84 24 3974 9999 v.chidqd@vingroup.net

March 29, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Boca Raton Christian School Selects Comodo's Advanced EndPoint Protection and Comprehensive Cybersecurity Platform for Complete Protection

Comodo

Boca Raton Christian School (BRCS) chose to implement the Comodo Dragon Platform and Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) to gain the benefits of comprehensive security and network management platform, which they were not seeing with their previous provider, Symantec. “We needed a company who would work with us to stay within our budget, and Symantec was already one of the lowest-priced options, but Symantec lacked advanced features and company support. Our end-users, I'm afraid to say, even though I love them very much, have a very low level of cybersecurity awareness or commitment to online safety, I, therefore, needed a solution that would be able to help offset my users' errors and dangerous activities,“ said Ken Fry, Director of Technology. Using Comodo’s solutions, BRCS is now able to completely protect all its teachers, staff and students, without slowing down their computers. This includes system patches, anti-virus file signature scanning, heuristic behavior analysis, sandboxing containment of unknown software, automatic file submission for human checks of unrecognized files, firewall protection, data loss prevention, and device control if needed. With Comodo’s patented Auto-Containment™ technology, even threats that cannot be detected by any cybersecurity platform are still contained within a virtual container to protect the IT systems against damage. “We dropped Symantec due to lack of support, lack of features, and lack of confidence in the new owner of the platform. We were working with a Symantec Vendor who completely lacked initiative in providing support or guidance for renewal and upgrade options,” Ken continues. The outstanding overall customer experience that Comodo provides is one of the key reasons BRCS chose Comodo. “Our IT specialist had experience working with Comodo at a different school following a devastating ransomware attack, the Comodo experience was very positive, and that previous testimonial gave strength to the decision to roll with Comodo.” He continues. “the additional network management tools offered with Comodo are game-changing,” said Ken. The Dragon platform with Advanced Endpoint Protection, is a complete cloud-native framework that delivers a zero-trust architecture to protect and defend endpoints. Its patent-pending auto containment technology has active breach protection that neutralizes ransomware, malware, and cyber-attacks. The auto containment runs an unknown executable in a kernel API virtualized mode, thereby offering attack surface reduction (ASR) which neutralizes ransomware attacks. The Dragon Platform also utilizes a Default Deny security posture with Default Allow usability to provide the most comprehensive protection against zero-day threats while having no impact on end-user experience or workflows. About Boca Christian School Boca Raton Christian School, www.bocachristian.org, is a Private K3-12 School that has been partnering with parents to Equip Future Christian Leaders through Academic, Artistic, Athletic, and Spiritual Excellence since 1973. BRCS enrolls 650 students from Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Boca Christian promotes academic excellence in the context of a Christian worldview, starting from 3 years old, all the way through the 12th grade. Boca Christian prepares students to meet the world and to lead their generation in wisdom and truth. Boca Raton Christian School is a ministry of Boca Raton Community Church. BRCS is accredited with FCIS and ACSI, has 100% college acceptance, small classes with loving Christian teachers, 1:1 student computing K-12, and is situated on a beautiful well-equipped campus near the Atlantic Ocean on a hill in Boca Raton, SE Florida. About Comodo Comodo is the world’s leader of next-generation open source cybersecurity, with the industry’s most disruptive innovations. We help customers stop breaches with groundbreaking auto containment technology that neutralizes ransomware, malware and cyber-attacks. Our complete cloud-native framework delivers a zero-trust architecture with active breach protection for the most comprehensive defense against zero-day threats. Comodo’s cybersecurity products maximize intelligent sharing between every component of the platform, therefore providing superior security. We are the only company that analyzes and gives a trusted verdict for 100% of files on a network. Comodo leverages innovation to celebrate and support the cybersecurity community by offering the very first open source endpoint detection and response (EDR). We believe that an open source model using community-powered collaboration will ensure that every organization has access to the industry’s most sophisticated EDR. Headquartered in Clifton NJ, Comodo’s global development team and threat intelligence laboratories deliver innovative, category leading, security solutions for thousands of companies’ endpoints, network boundaries, and internal networks. For more information visit https://www.comodo.com/ Contact Details Carolyn Muzyka +1 973-859-4000 carolyn.muzyka@comodo.com Company Website http://www.comodo.com

March 26, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Replicated Releases Open-Source Alert Tool to Support Compliance, Security in Kubernetes Clusters

Replicated, Inc.

Replicated today released its open source image version alert tool, called Outdated, to help cluster admins and operators actively determine if they’re running the latest versions of container images and ensure a higher level of security and compliance. While there are other tools on the market that support similar actions, Outdated is the first standardized tool that will automatically tell customers when there’s a container image update they need to install. “Instead of just deploying the latest version in a cluster, we determined the best solution is to always pin a specific version so you get reproducible deployments, and then you can decide what you want to do next,” said Marc Campbell, CTO at Replicated. The most compelling reason to use Outdated is increased security, but it was also created to give the user a straightforward way to understand if they’re running the latest container images, with output color-coded as green (latest version), yellow (new version pending), and red (need to update). While other apps like GitHub and Helm have similar alerts, Outdated looks specifically at the images and the state of the cluster and tells you if there are outdated versions. “At a high level, Outdated is a binary that runs on your workstation and interrogates the Kubernetes cluster, finds all the container images that are running with tags, and goes out to the associated container registries and finds the newer versions,” Campbell explained. “We created Outdated because an important step in keeping a Kubernetes or application cluster secure is to keep the latest version running at all times. This tool makes it really simple.” Similar to its work to develop and make available SchemaHero, now in the CNCF sandbox, and Troubleshoot, it is Replicated’s hope that releasing Outdated as a fully open sourced project will both introduce the purpose-built tool to a community that will appreciate its usefulness, as well as foster community by way of feedback, use cases and contributions. To access Outdated and start using it today, please visit https://outdated.sh. Replicated is the modern way to ship on-prem software. Replicated gives software vendors a container-based platform for easily deploying cloud native applications inside customers' environments to provide greater security and control. Learn more at Replicated.com. Contact Details Owen Media Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.replicated.com/

March 25, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

MEOW WOLF’S HOUSE OF ETERNAL RETURN IS NOW OPEN

Meow Wolf

Book your interdimensional travel today with the reopening of Meow Wolf’s famed immersive experience, House of Eternal Return. Just in time for the exhibition’s five-year anniversary, the Santa-Fe-based arts and entertainment company has officially reopened its flagship location. Following Omega Mart ’s grand opening in Las Vegas last month, House of Eternal Return marks Meow Wolf’s second opening of 2021. Meow Wolf’s reopening and reduced capacity adheres to New Mexico’s most recent public health order, which was announced on March 24, 2021. Meow Wolf has put additional tickets on sale through May 25th and will be welcoming guests to the House of Eternal Return at limited capacity between Friday and Monday of every week. Fans of the exhibition will be able to return to a space with new surprises, as Meow Wolf has spent the past year installing a variety of upgrades to the exhibit with new installations from guest artists such as Corinne Loperfido, Paolo Puck, and Obsidiopoli s. Visitors can purchase tickets now. The installation has also revised its traffic flow and curtailed its interaction with immersive displays so that the interactive experience aligns with museum protocol. Beyond physical space, Meow Wolf has also redesigned and reimagined “touch” as some experiences were previously centered around tactile exploration, including: Digital Access to In-Exhibition Content. Meow Wolf has created more digital content to get into the storyline. Instead of flipping through a physical newspaper or book for clues, visitors can use their mobile phones for a non-touch experience. No Touch/Low Touch. Some art that was ‘high-touch’ has been modified into ‘no touch’ or ‘low touch.’ For example, the iconic dryer portal is temporarily closed to physically crawl through, but visitors will still be able to take the perfect Instagram shot. Implementing safety practices and protocols to protect employees, guests, and the community while combating the spread of coronavirus is Meow Wolf’s main priority. Here’s what to expect when visiting Meow Wolf: Face Masks: In keeping with New Mexico state guidelines, face masks are required at all times. Masks must cover both nose and mouth. Temperature Checks: All guests are required to have a non-invasive temperature check before being allowed in the exhibit. Social Distancing: All visitors must practice social distancing and keep a minimum of 6 feet away from other groups and employees during their visit. Docents are also available to help maintain protocol. Ventilation Upgrades: Meow Wolf has increased outside airflow and circulation, and upgraded its HVAC system by installing UV lights to clean air. Employee Covid Testing: Meow Wolf requires employees to be tested weekly for Covid-19 utilizing New Mexico's Department of Health recommended Vault Saliva Test. In addition to the above, Meow Wolf is also implementing safety measures for their staff and the exhibit. Every day, in preparation for guests, the House of Eternal Return undergoes rigorous sanitization. Employees receive daily temperature checks and have undergone comprehensive COVID-19 safety and sanitization training. When in the exhibit, you will also find hand sanitizer dispensers placed at guest and employee entrances and contact areas. Need more Meow Wolf? Their second exhibition, Omega Mart, is now open in Las Vegas and operating at 50% capacity. Deemed “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” this alluring experience combines mind-blowing interactive art elements with an in-depth narrative, inviting attendees to explore 4 vast themed areas and 60 additional unique environments, including installation-filled rooms, terrains, and portals to other worlds which is brought to life by over 325 creatives. World-renowned musical and visual artists such as Beach House, Brian Eno, Amon Tobin, Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Shrine, and Android Jones are among the 50+ collaborators working to create this mind-bending experience, which Los Angeles Times calls "Meow Wolf's Most Ambitious Risk-Taking Endeavor Yet." Tickets for Omega Mart are on sale at www.omegamart.com. To learn more about what Meow Wolf is doing to protect their visitors at both exhibitions, please visit the Meow Wolf website. Meow Wolf was recognized in Fast Company 's 2020 list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, and awarded the #1 spot for Live Events. The company is also building a third permanent installation in Denver, which is slated to open in late 2021. About Meow Wolf Response to COVID-19 We are closely monitoring state and federal government policy changes, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health advancements. We will continue to make changes as necessary. All decisions about implementing these plans will be made in collaboration with local health officials and other state and local authorities. About Meow Wolf Recognized in Fast Company's 2020 list of The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company's first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016 and showcases the THEA Award-winning, international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, where two million visitors have now discovered a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, maximalist and mesmerizing art exhibits. In 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world’s first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf recently opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas and their third permanent installation in Denver slated to open in late 2021. Meow Wolf is proud to be the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry, with a team dedicated to social impact and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Jive PR + Digital Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Maya Sarin +1 818-422-2248 maya@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://meowwolf.com/

March 25, 2021 08:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Agora Data Issues Lender Challenge To Compare Buy Here Pay Here Dealers’ Credit Lines

Agora

Agora Data, Inc. has issued a challenge to commercial lenders providing credit lines to Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) dealers. The challenge consists of a checklist for BHPH dealers and smaller finance companies to compare their current line of credit to AgoraCapital. If a dealer can get its lender to match all the terms of AgoraCapital, Agora will offer its congratulations and send the dealer a check for $1,000. Dealers can find the Agora Lender Challenge details and checklist at www.agoralenderchallenge.com. Specifics for the Agora Lender Challenge include lowering current interest rates, eliminating monthly borrowing base true-ups, removing burdensome financial restrictions, and obtaining a wealth of services (free of charge) to help support and plan for growth. After taking the Agora Lender Challenge, dealers are encouraged to contact Agora Data and explore all financing options that best align with their business and personal goals. Dealers in good standing with their current lender are automatically eligible to refinance their line of credit with AgoraCapital at a reduced interest rate and receive a commitment to triple their borrowing capacity. New dealers wanting to accelerate their portfolio can get started with various robust and low-cost financing options. “Agora Data is changing the dynamic between dealers and lenders and issuing a challenge that gives dealers the power to identify the best financing options that support business goals and needs,” said Steve Burke, CEO of Agora Data. “The market has known for some time that financing innovation for BHPH dealers is long overdue, and with our AgoraCapital program, we have successfully removed the obstacles that previously hampered growth and profitability. Agora Data is addressing barriers by providing BHPH dealers access to capital markets to help fuel their growth.” Burke went on to encourage “dealers to stop working for your lenders and start working for yourself”. The Agora Lender Challenge follows Agora Data’s successful execution of the auto industry’s first-ever crowdsourced auto loan securitization on December 29, 2020. This groundbreaking development in the world of structured finance provides BHPH auto dealers and small to mid-sized finance companies access to affordable capital markets funding. In addition, Agora Data recently announced its latest product offering – AgoraCredit. AgoraCredit is designed to transition dealers from their current senior lender into interim credit lines that work in harmony with the AgoraCapital securitization program. AgoraCredit was created with the specific goal of not locking dealers into expensive and risky lines of credit but instead initiating the freedom of providing a smooth glide path into the world of crowdsourced securitizations. In addition to access to AgoraCredit and AgoraCapital, Agora Data members connected to the platform receive free of charge additional insights and analytics to better understand their portfolio's performance enabling dealers to make more informed business decisions as well as numerous other tools and services to help ensure success. About Agora Data, Inc: Agora is re-inventing auto finance for Buy Here Pay Here dealers and finance companies with a crowdsourcing platform that bridges access to the capital market. Easy to use and analytically robust business tools empower the untapped and diverse portfolios of the BHPH auto market, connecting dealers, sub-prime finance companies, and capital market lenders with results-driven resources to enhance financial growth. Founded in 2017 by a best-in-class team of top professionals in auto finance and leading data scientists, the company has successfully combined billions in historical loan performance data to develop its AI-Infused predictive loan technology and machine learning models. agoradata.com. For more information, please contact Agora at (877) 592-4672 or contactus@agoradata.com. Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

March 25, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEST’s Founders Named Ambassadors of Philanthropic Division

NEST

NEST, the leading national integrated facilities management company, announced that the company’s founders Robert Almond, Sr. and Dee Almond will lead philanthropic efforts as Ambassadors of NEST Nurtures. NEST established NEST Nurtures last year with the goal of expanding on charitable endeavors that the company has conducted since they were founded in 1994. “My parents have always stressed the importance of philanthropy since they founded NEST over 25 years ago,” said Rob Almond, Jr, who was named CEO of NEST in 2015. “Despite the uncertainty in 2020, we were proud to continue that tradition throughout the pandemic on a national level. We look forward to spreading goodwill into the future with my parents in this important role.” Since last summer, more than 25 charities have benefited from over $100,000 in cash donations through NEST Nurtures. The recipients were selected by NEST’s retail partners as a way to support charities doing important work across the country. Beneficiaries of the initiative include Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (selected by Five Below), Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (selected by JOANN), Ticket to Dream Foundation (selected by Mattress Firm) and The Doe Fund (selected by Steve Madden). Additionally, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Ronald McDonald House Charities have been longtime beneficiaries of NEST. At the end of 2020, three notable donations were also made by NEST Nurtures on behalf of the employees, who were able to achieve company goals in the fourth quarter. As a result of their work, Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia, the Domenica Foundation in New Jersey, and the Taste of Immokalee in Florida received added assistance from NEST. Since the pandemic hit the U.S. and Canada, NEST has played an important role to keep retailers’ doors open and maintain consumer confidence. From implementing new janitorial procedures to decreasing facility management expenses through an integrated approach, NEST is developing industry leading facility management strategies for more than 40 retail clients. NEST manages approximately 60,000 individual retail locations in North America. NEST is the pioneer of the Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) industry in the United States and Canada since 1994. NEST’s Integrated Facilities Management solution pairs financial acumen and business analytics with a strategic consultative approach. Real-time data, reporting and analytics technology empowers business leaders and facility management teams with the informed insights that enable them to make smarter decisions. To learn more about NEST, visit enterNEST.com or follow NEST on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric PR & Marketing, LLC Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.enternest.com/

March 25, 2021 08:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time