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New Economist Intelligence Unit report looks at the intersection of technology, crime and illicit trade

Media Outreach

The report focuses on three technologies—encryption, blockchain and 3D printing—and how they benefit criminals and law enforcement The tension this creates can be resolved on the enforcement side with cooperation and trust-building HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 17 March 2021 - Advances in technology bring many benefits, as the speed of development of the covid-19 vaccines demonstrates. But they also create new tensions across a host of areas. Unintended consequences, unexpected benefits: Technology, crime and illicit trade, a report from The Economist Intelligence Unit, supported by Philip Morris International, explores those tensions across three technologies: encryption, blockchain and 3D printing. Encryption Encryption is both a technology that protects legitimate interests and one that is open to abuse by malicious actors. Law-abiding citizens value the protection offered by encryption to safeguard privacy in their daily lives; criminals also value it for safeguarding their illegal activities and identities. The private sector has so far remained steadfast in their refusal to share encryption keys with governments and law enforcement. There's little to suggest that stance is going to change soon, if ever, since any relaxation is likely to quickly result in users migrating to other platforms. Blockchain Despite its libertarian origins, blockchain may emerge as a leading enforcement technology for combating illicit trade. Distributed ledgers can enhance authenticity through a verifiable digital footprint for barcodes, serial numbers or cryptographic seals, making it far easier to identify fakes and counterfeits at every step of the supply chain. There were concerns in the early stages of adoption that the anonymity granted by blockchain would facilitate greater criminal activity, especially in the area of money laundering. The evidence that existed at the time supported those concerns. Since then, however, studies have found that only 2% of bitcoin transactions can be tied to illicit activity and a 2020 survey of anti-laundering specialists predicted a decrease in use of cryptocurrencies for the same purpose. 3D printing Much has been made of the criminal potential of 3D printing. Conventional wisdom says 3D printing is a problem for law enforcement to manage, rather than a tool to be leveraged, particularly given its can be used to print weapons. Private sector firms and customs agencies around the world are developing 3D printing tools to turn the tables, such as tracking the distinct "digital fingerprints" left by individual printers and creating replicas of legitimate goods to spot counterfeits. Chris Clague, the editor of the report, says: "For all the benefits technology can bring to legitimate society, each new advance creates new opportunities for criminals to exploit and that of course include the international terrorist organisations and transnational organised crime networks that engage in illicit trade. As always when it comes to illicit trade, there are examples of cooperation and trust-building between the private sector, governments and international enforcement agencies, but there is still a lot of work left to be done." Download full report here. About The Economist Intelligence Unit The EIU is the thought leadership, research and analysis division of The Economist Group and the world leader in global business intelligence for executives. We uncover novel and forward-looking perspectives with access to over 650 expert analysts and editors across 200 countries worldwide. More information can be found on www.eiuperspectives.economist.com. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About Philip Morris International Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products, while not risk-free, meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com. Contact Details The Economist Intelligence Unit Christopher Clague, Managing editor and Global editorial lead, Trade and globalisation +81 80-5677-8413 christopherclague@economist.com The Economist Intelligence Unit Briony Lin, Assistant marketing manager, Asia +852 2585 3843 brionylin@economist.com

March 17, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

TeamSnap Announces New Technology Partnership with NFL FLAG

TeamSnap

TeamSnap, the industry-leading sports management platform provider for youth sports, today announced a new technology partnership with NFL FLAG, the official flag football league of the National Football League (NFL) and the largest youth flag football organization in the United States. With a multi-year agreement, TeamSnap Tournaments will serve as the official tournament app of NFL FLAG. NFL FLAG organizes and operates 12 marquee tournaments in partnership with NFL clubs and eight expanded tournaments, NFL FLAG Opens, each year. This includes the NFL FLAG Bowl and NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl which attract hundreds of teams from across the country. NFL FLAG is operated by Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX). TeamSnap is a long-time partner of Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), sister company to RCX. Both businesses are owned by Reigning Champs. “As the NFL FLAG Tournament Series continues to expand, we need the best technology partners to support our growing event infrastructure,” said Garland Cooper, Vice President of Event Operations for Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX). “TeamSnap’s customizable platform allows us the flexibility to create exactly what we need to help NFL FLAG provide a world class flag football experience.” “NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible way to get kids across the country involved in football. TeamSnap is thrilled to provide a comprehensive management solution to support NFL FLAG’s tournaments and scheduling needs,” said Dave DuPont, TeamSnap co-founder and CEO. “Reigning Champs has been a leader in the youth sports industry. We look forward to expanding our relationship by working with RCX and supporting the iconic NFL FLAG brand.” NFL FLAG is a NFL-licensed property of more than 1,600 leagues and 500,000 youth athletes across 50 states. TeamSnap supports more than 24 million users, 3 million unique teams and 19,000 clubs across 100 different sports. ABOUT TEAMSNAP Since its formation in 2009, TeamSnap has been single-mindedly focused on taking the work out of play. 24 million coaches, administrators, players and parents rely on TeamSnap’s powerful and easy-to-use tools for communication, scheduling, payment collection and registration, organizing every sport and group activity in the world. For more information, visit https://www.teamsnap.com/. About NFL FLAG NFL FLAG is an NFL-licensed property of more than 1,600 locally operated leagues and over 500,000 youth athletes across all 50 states. NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the official operator of NFL FLAG. About Reigning Champs Experiences Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the premier youth-sports experiences business, running and operating leagues, camps, combines, tournaments and events. Part of Reigning Champs LLC, RCX works with professional leagues, national governing bodies, sports-centric businesses and brands to reimagine youth sports experiences. RCX produces events with world-class partners including the NFL, Jr. NBA, NAIA, Rivals.com and the 2022 World Games. RCX is committed to improving the accessibility and inclusivity of sports by enhancing the youth sports experience and creating opportunities for all athletes to play. We believe sports have the power to transform lives and that every athlete should have the opportunity to experience the value of sports. For more information, visit www.rcxexperiences.com. Contact Details TeamSnap Greg McIsaac +1 416-458-3591 greg.mcisaac@teamsnap.com Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) Lauren Pulte 248-885-2607 lpulte@reigningchamps.com Company Website https://www.teamsnap.com/

March 16, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

News Release

Location-Based Services Innovator GeoSolutions Alleges RICO Violations and Unfair Competition by Weibo Corporation, Sina Corporation, and Others

GeoSolutions

This is a statement issued by GeoSolutions: "Chinese media conglomerate Sina Corporation (NASDAQ: SINA) and its subsidiary Weibo Corporation (NASDAQ: WB) used their unusually complex corporate structure to steal technology to enhance and monetize their leading “Weibo” social network—a Chinese-based hybrid of Twitter and Facebook. This is according to a new lawsuit filed on March 15, 2021 in a California court. The scheme enabled the Chinese companies to avoid paying rightful revenues to the creators of the software, GeoSolutions B.V. and GeoSolutions Holdings N.V. ( GeoSolutions ), the companies who filed the lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California in Santa Clara County. GeoSolutions’ location-based services (LBS) technology is the driving force behind Weibo’s nearly $12 billion market cap. The lawsuit alleges that Sina Corporation (Sina), Weibo Corporation (Weibo), and at least 10 other related entities and two individuals at the top of the organization, carried out an elaborate scheme over several years to pilfer the technology and know-how of GeoSolutions, particularly its effective integration of LBS into social networking. This was done through a series of misrepresentations using subsidiaries and Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) to conceal Sina’s agenda and play a corporate shell game to hide the generated revenue. “As numerous market observers and scholars have maintained, Sina’s complex corporate structure is neither honest nor transparent,” said Adam Fox, lead counsel for GeoSolutions. “Its peculiar corporate structure circumvents the law and hides the truth by design.” Central to the claims in the case is the fact that GeoSolutions entered into a series of agreements with various members of the larger Sina group of companies to allow access to GeoSolutions’ LBS technology and the know-how of its effective use in social networking. Sina then deployed this software on its Weibo platform without paying any remuneration. GeoSolutions has never been paid any compensation from Weibo and alleges that various other Sina companies are also using the LBS technology and claiming it as their own. LBS technology has become essential to most mobile device users. It powers user queries for restaurants or other businesses “near me,” enables “check ins” at a location, tracks packages ordered online, locates your ride-share driver, and much more. This makes it valuable to many companies who want to advertise or offer additional services to consumers. In a prospectus for investors ahead of the Weibo initial public offering (IPO) in April 2014, Sina credited the LBS platform as a substantial means to generate revenue from its Weibo app. Sina now claims it created the platform when in fact it is really GeoSolutions’ technology. Weibo’s market value has grown dramatically since its joint venture with GeoSolutions. At the time of its IPO, Weibo was valued at $3.6 billion. Today its market cap is nearly $12 billion. However, GeoSolutions has never received any compensation from Weibo. “Our experience and engineering know-how allowed us to identify the early market opportunity in mobile location and to invest in developing the GeoSolutions LBS platform. We had a growing client base, operational experience, and the ability to utilize our GyPSii subsidiary. We were extremely well positioned. It made sense that Sina and Weibo saw us as a target," said Jay Cahill, co-founder and general partner at Bluefin Technology Partners and former Vice President of Operations for GeoSolutions. “In the end, deception by Sina and Weibo and the harm it did to GyPSii, GeoSolutions, and our team was devastating. We lost jobs and severances. To see something into which so many of us put years of effort, know-how, and our hearts be so diminished is deeply saddening.” The “sham” corporate structure GeoSolutions alleges in the complaint reflects a series of Chinese VIEs. This case is the first time a United States court has been asked to rule on the legality of this structure, which numerous legal and financial commentators say is used to evade Chinese law that prevents foreign ownership of domestic businesses in certain industries. Some of these commentators also say the VIE structure overstates company assets and exposes investors to underappreciated risks. GeoSolutions claims that Sina used its network of VIEs to steal its technology and hide revenue from GeoSolutions. “Sina used a series of shell companies to hide GeoSolutions’ technology and keep the company from knowing how widely its software was being shared – and monetized – across the labyrinth of Sina entities,” added Fox. “GeoSolutions entered the agreements in good faith. Now the company has lost its intellectual property and its expected stream of income. Most of its employees had to be laid off due to Sina’s greed.” Sina Corporation reports ownership of more than 20 “significant subsidiaries and VIEs,” including Palo Alto-based SINA.COM Online, one of the other defendants. In its own 2019 annual report, Sina admits that its use of VIEs is intended to circumvent Chinese law while exercising (in theory) operational control over the business. In the same report, Sina states that it “cannot be sure that the PRC government would view our contractual arrangements to be in compliance with PRC licensing, registration, or other regulatory requirements.” It is this questionable, and some commentators argue illegal, corporate structure that allowed Sina and Weibo to misrepresent their intentions to GeoSolutions. Impartial third-party experts agree that GeoSolutions’ LBS technology was stolen. In December 2019, a distinguished international arbitration tribunal unanimously ruled in favor of GeoSolutions. Among other things, the award held that Sina Hong Kong Limited, one of many subsidiaries of Sina and also a defendant in this new lawsuit, facilitated the unlawful use of GeoSolutions’ technology. Sina Hong Kong was ordered to pay GeoSolutions damages of more than $115 million, plus interest. The award was limited to damages incurred by GeoSolutions from August 11, 2014 through August 10, 2017, the time period defined in the terms of a 2014 software license agreement. More than a year later, Sina Hong Kong has still not paid the award. This is despite the fact that Sina publicly announced shortly after the ruling that it had set the money aside. The tribunal’s ruling also concluded that “evidence shows that other Sina entities made use of the Licensed Software, had possession of servers on which the software was based, and controlled usage data.” These facts had been hidden from GeoSolutions until December 2018 when they were revealed in testimony compelled from Sina witnesses during the arbitration. The complaint filed by GeoSolutions on March 15 lists six causes of action against Weibo and Sina: 1) Declaratory Relief, 2) Violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 1961, et seq.); 3) Violation of the Defend Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1836 et seq.); 4) Intentional Misrepresentation; 5) Negligent Misrepresentation; and 6) Unfair Competition (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200, et seq.). The other entities named as defendants in the suit are part of the web of VIE entities and include SINA.COM Online, Weibo R&D Limited, New Wave MMXV Ltd., Sina Hong Kong Limited, GyPSii (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Beijing Sina Internet Information Service Company Ltd., Beijing New Media Technology Information Company, Beijing Weimeng Technology Co., Ltd., Sina (Beijing) Information Technology Co. Ltd., SINA.COM Technology (China) Co., Ltd., and individuals Cao Guowei (aka Chao Guowei aka Charles Chao) and Wang Gaofei, respectively the CEOs of Sina Corporation and Weibo Corporation. Among the relief GeoSolutions is seeking are damages for all injuries suffered as a result of the defendants’ conduct, treble damages pursuant to RICO claims, disgorgement of wrongfully obtained profits, and injunctive relief prohibiting the defendants from engaging in the conduct described herein." To view the full complaint, visit www.GeoSolutionsTech.com. About GeoSolutions GeoSolutions Holdings N.V. and its subsidiary GeoSolutions B.V. (GeoSolutions) are the creators of location-based services (LBS) and social networking services (SNS) software, primarily for use on cell phones, laptops, notebooks, and other portable devices. LBS technology allows device users to search for and identify their contacts by location in real time. This functionality pioneered a significant, new functionality to SNS and created a way to monetize social media that is used extensively today across the world’s most popular platforms. For more information, go to www.GeoSolutionsTech.com. Contact Details GeoSolutions Melissa Arnoff kglobal for GeoSolutions +1 301-785-3329 GeoSolutions@kglobal.com Company Website https://geosolutionstech.com/

March 16, 2021 09:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SharpLink and RealTime Fantasy Sports Announce Strategic Technology Partnership

SharpLink

SharpLink, a middleware technology company that connects sports enthusiasts, leagues, and publishers to the most relevant and timely sports betting content in the industry, announced today a strategic technology partnership with RealTime Fantasy Sports (RTFS). RTFS has utilized SharpLink technology to upgrade and enhance the overall user experience for RTFS customers while providing them with direct access to legal sportsbooks in their area for the 2020 NFL season. Currently, these services are only available for RTFS users in Colorado, New Jersey and West Virginia. “The natural overlap between fantasy sports users and sports bettors is nearly 90%, however fantasy sites are finding that they don’t have a strategy or solution to effectively convert and monetize their userbases for sportsbook revenues,” said Rob Phythian, CEO of SharpLink. “Our partnership with RTFS is a perfect example of how SharpLink can be the bridge between the platform and the sportsbook creating sustainable affiliate revenue all while staying engaged and providing a strong user experience for its audience.” SharpLink’s AI and machine learning-enabled sports betting conversion and engagement technology delivers and determines the best sportsbook betting offers and experience for each targeted user. SharpLink created a plug and play version of a contextualized betting experience for RTFS utilizing minimal internal RTFS resources. SharpLink deployed: JavaScript modules for clean and simple integration Backed by GraphQL API's and dynamically scaling cloud infrastructures Custom graphical modules and styling to complement the existing UI/UX “The future of fantasy sports will incorporate an element or connection to sports betting. We recognized quickly that as a leader and first mover in the market that we could help direct our engaged audience towards legal sports betting operators but needed help on how to efficiently develop that conversion,” said Mark Hanna, President of RTFS. “SharpLink’s technology integrated seamlessly into our platform providing our users unique information and access to legal sportsbooks in their area while allowing us to stay connected with our users rather than just passing them off to another site.” For more information on SharpLink’s products and services, please visit - www.sharplink.com About SharpLink Founded in 2019, SharpLink is a middleware technology company that connects sports enthusiasts, leagues, and publishers to the most relevant and timely sports betting content in the industry. SharpLink’s AI and machine learning-enabled sports betting conversion and engagement technology delivers and determines the best sportsbook betting offers and experience for each targeted user. SharpLink executives have founded, built, and sold sports-related companies for more than 120MM in enterprise value. Contact Details HPL Digital Sport Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com

March 16, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Tempered Combines Strengths with Nozomi Networks to Deliver Industry-Leading IoT/OT Security

Tempered

Tempered Networks and Nozomi Networks today announced a new partnership and product integration to deliver a full-featured industrial security solution for network visibility, threat detection and remediation. The joint offering integrates Nozomi Networks’ leading network visibility, threat detection and incident response system with Tempered Network’s Zero Trust policy enforcement and centralized software-defined perimeter management console. Today’s sophisticated security threats are driving requirements for not only extreme visibility and intelligent threat detection, but also automated remediation that can lock-down vulnerable systems while ensuring continued availability for authorized access and continuity of business. “As the leader in OT and IoT security visibility and threat detection, Nozomi Networks gives us a powerful partner to deliver greater insight and remediation capabilities to our customers,” said Jeff Hussey, Founder and CEO of Tempered Networks. “The AI-powered network analysis and anomaly detection that they provide can drive more accurate micro-segmentation and security policy enforcement into our Airwall platform, providing a more secure, rapid response approach against industrial-grade network attacks.” “Tempered Airwall delivers the military-grade encryption and secure access policy enforcement that many of our joint customers rely upon to quickly remediate anomalies and threats in their networks,” said Chet Namboodri, Nozomi Networks Senior Vice President of Business Development and Alliances. “The combination of threat visibility and automated enforcement significantly improves security response. Ubiquitous threats like the SolarWinds attack continue to emerge and industrial connectivity for remote work and connected smart devices continue to accelerate. Our combined offerings provide strong detection and defense against the rapid proliferation of advanced persistent threats, actively buttoning down attack surfaces.” The product integration includes the ability of Tempered to mirror secure traffic to Nozomi Networks solutions through a fully encrypted overlay for greater analysis and insight. Armed with AI-driven insights from Nozomi Networks, Airwall customers can take remediation steps or refine Tempered security policies through the Airwall Conductor management console API. The Nozomi Networks solution and Tempered Networks Conductor work in concert to refine Airwall zero trust policies and address identified threats, going beyond the capabilities of traditional network security devices like firewalls or remote access solutions. "A two-way integration of network monitoring of IoT devices and secure, zero-trust, communications is brilliant," said Richard Stiennon, industry analyst with IT-Harvest and author of Security Yearbook 2020. "Ensuring that all communications is stealthed and encrypted while preserving visibility into traffic is a winning combination." The joint solution is available today with the release of Tempered Networks Airwall 2.2.11. Contact the respective vendors for platform pricing details. About Tempered Networks Tempered makes the industry’s only truly native Zero Trust Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) solution. Airwall is the modern air gap for all connected things. Airwall makes it easy to create and maintain hyper-secure networks across complex infrastructure anywhere, including IT/OT/ICS/SCADA, remote and in the cloud. Airwall networks are multi-factor authenticated, micro-segmented, encrypted end-to-end, and impervious to lateral movement. Ready to make your company’s critical assets and infrastructure invisible to threats? Visit https://tempered.io. About Nozomi Networks Nozomi Networks accelerates digital transformation by protecting the world’s critical infrastructure, industrial and government organizations from cyber threats. Our solution delivers exceptional network and asset visibility, threat detection, and insights for OT and IoT environments. Customers rely on us to minimize risk and complexity while maximizing operational resilience. www.nozominetworks.com Contact Details Merritt Group for Tempered Networks Katie Pesek +1 703-795-1928 pesek@merrittgrp.com Nozomi Networks Jil Backstrom 303-913-1650 Jil.backstrom@nozominetworks.com Company Website http://tempered.io

March 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SMALL BUSINESSES IN WASHINGTON HIT BY ECONOMIC CHALLENGES CAN NOW APPLY FOR RELIEF GRANTS FROM GSBA AND COMCAST

Comcast West Division

GSBA – Washington’s LGBTQ and allied chamber of commerce – and Comcast Washington are now accepting applications from small businesses throughout the state seeking financial assistance. Eligible BIPOC, LGBTQ, and women-owned small businesses may apply starting today, March 15 through Friday, April 9, 2021 at theGSBA.org/ready-for-business. Selected businesses will receive $2,500 grants from the Ready for Business Fund formed by GSBA and Comcast. The Ready for Business Fund has expanded to support small businesses statewide this year with a $50,000 investment from Comcast and GSBA continuing its role as the fund and program manager. The statewide expansion will also focus on providing support for qualifying small businesses located in rural areas of Washington who have been particularly impacted by the pandemic and lack of proximity to resources. The grant application is short and easy to complete. Submissions will be reviewed by a committee of volunteers from around the state representing diverse backgrounds and skill sets. All grant recipients will receive wrap-around services from GSBA that include membership and business consulting. All grant applicants will be notified the week of April 26. Grants from the fund are made possible by securing contributions from companies and individuals. In addition to contributions from Comcast, GSBA has received $61,000 in contributions from BECU, T-Mobile, Symetra, Microsoft, and Harborstone Credit Union and others. The Ready for Business Fund was originally established in the summer of 2020 with a $100,000 investment from Comcast and GSBA as the fund and program manager. The fund distributed $2,500 cash grants to more than 60 BIPOC, LGBTQ, and women-owned small businesses in the Seattle metro area last year. Within a month of the Ready for Business Fund application being open last summer, GSBA received nearly 500 applications from local businesses. Business owners who applied to the Ready for Business Fund last year reported a devastating impact from the economic downturn, including up to 85 percent annual revenue loss, laying-off employees, and significant loss of business. When asked how the grant money would support their businesses, the most common responses included necessities such as paying for rent, bills, payroll, and groceries. The GSBA survey information from previous applicants underscores the economic challenges of 2020 and how the small business community in Washington continues to struggle. About GSBA Established in 1981, GSBA is Washington State's LGBTQ and allied chamber of commerce and is the largest of its kind in North America. The chamber represents over 1,400 small business, corporate, and nonprofit members who share the values of promoting diversity, equity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace. GSBA proudly serves as a connector across the region, bringing communities together through business while advocating for civil rights and small business. GSBA also promotes LGBTQ tourism through Travel Out Seattle, advocates for small businesses in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Neighborhood through the Capitol Hill Business Alliance (CHBA) and invests in the next generation of LGBTQ and allied leaders through the GSBA Scholarship & Education Fund. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Andy Colley +1 425-248-5438 Andy_Colley@Comcast.com Company Website https://washington.comcast.com/

March 15, 2021 09:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time

COMCAST LAUNCHING 35 COMMUNITY WIFI “LIFT ZONES” ACROSS UTAH

Comcast West Division

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today announced plans with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Ogden City Mayor Mike Caldwell to equip 35 locations throughout Utah with free WiFi-connected “Lift Zones,” or public WiFi hot spots, by the end of 2021. With an ongoing commitment to connect low-income families to the Internet, the partnership members are expanding WiFi hotspots in Utah’s most aggressive plan to date. “We are investing in this project because the pandemic has put countless low-income students at risk of being left behind,” said Deneiva Knight, director of external affairs at Comcast. “That has accelerated the need for comprehensive digital equity and Internet access and adoption programs, such as Lift Zones.” Lift Zones are designed to help those students who may be unable to connect to distance learning at home or who want or need another place in which to study. “The urgency of this service has never been greater,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “Kids can now have dependable Internet resources in a good learning environment. That reliable internet is key component of our YouthCity programming service, the Comcast partnership will help keep our students connected.” The partnership will expand Utah’s network of public WiFi hotspots with Comcast providing robust, free WiFi service in safe spaces, such as parks and recreation centers, and other non-profit and community centers – in low-income neighborhoods – where need to help connect students and families is greatest. “We expect to help tens of thousands of low-income students get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework when schools reopen and it's safe to gather in a socially distanced manner,” Knight said. Initially, Lift Zones will be activated at Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake, Youth Impact Center of Ogden, Suazo Business Center, YWCA Utah and Tracy Aviary Jordan River Nature Center. “Tech and innovation have always been critical and foundational parts of my vision for our capital city,” said Mendenhall. “There's an incredible value in these public-private partnerships that we simply can't afford to bring the level and the quality of internet that our residents need and deserve. “Through these public-private partnerships, we are able to leverage these foundational needs so much farther. We're grateful and we're thrilled.” “Our goal is to provide free Internet connectivity and access to hundreds of hours of educational and digital skills content to help families and site coordinators navigate online learning,” Knight said. “Lift Zones complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which, since 2011, has helped connect millions low-income people to the Internet at home.” In addition to the WiFi Lift Zones initiative, public, private and non-profit partners are working together to provide internet access to hundreds of Utahns in need, including seniors and families. Visit https://utah.comcast.com/lift-zones/ for more information and the latest updates. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Deneiva Knight +1 801-401-2636 deneiva_knight@cable.comcast.com Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake Machelle Lake 801-322-4415 mlake@gslclubs.org Salt Lake City Lindsey Nikola 801-535-6040 lindsey.nikola@slcgov.com Company Website https://utah.comcast.com/

March 15, 2021 09:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

COMCAST LAUNCHING MORE THAN 30 WIFI-CONNECTED “LIFT ZONES” ACROSS NEW MEXICO

Comcast West Division

As part of its ongoing commitment to help connect low-income families to the Internet so they can fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital economy, Comcast today announced plans to equip more than 30 locations across New Mexico with WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” before the end of 2021. Working with its network of nonprofit, community, and city partners, Comcast is providing robust, free WiFi in safe spaces for students and adults to get online, participate in distance learning and workforce development trainings, and access critical resources. This initiative provides free connectivity inside partner centers for the next three years. Youth Development, Inc. (YDI) is one of the first Lift Zones installed in New Mexico. For nearly 50 years, YDI has been fighting poverty in New Mexico through a variety of youth and family services programs. “Transforming two of our YDI centers into Lift Zones has made a huge difference in the lives of the students we serve," said Robert Chavez, CFO/COO, Youth Development, Inc. “Many of the kids who come to YDI either don’t have internet at home or they can’t study at home and need somewhere safe to go. We’re so glad to be able to work with Comcast to give our students a safe, clean, and connected space where they can stay in school even when schools are closed.” “During the pandemic we stepped up to fill an urgent need, providing WiFi hotspots at nearly 60 community centers, libraries, and in neighborhoods for students who don't have access to the internet at home,” said Mayor Tim Keller, City of Albuquerque. “This partnership to add Comcast Lift Zones will build on that work to expand access to a basic need for both workers and students during this pandemic and into the future.” New Mexico organizations working with Comcast to establish Lift Zones in their respective facilities include: Albuquerque Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico City of Albuquerque Community & Senior Centers - multiple locations to be announced City of Albuquerque Childcare Centers- multiple locations to be announced Goodwill of New Mexico San Mateo Center GoodBuys Center New Day Youth & Family Services South Valley Economic Development Center Youth Development Inc Main location South Valley location Farmington Boys & Girls Clubs of Farmington Main Clubhouse Hilltop Clubhouse Bloomfield Clubhouse City of Farmington Recreation Centers multiple locations to be announced Goodwill of New Mexico – Farmington Center Las Cruces Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Cruces City of Las Cruces Community Centers multiple locations to be announced Santa Fe Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe Zona Clubhouse Camino De Jacobo Clubhouse Valle Vista Clubhouse City of Santa Fe Community Centers Girls Inc of Santa Fe Silver City Silver City Senior Center El Grito Early Learning Center Additional New Mexico Lift Zones sites are currently under consideration, with the goal to have all locations installed by the end of 2021. “Partnering with Comcast to provide Lift Zones at three Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe/Del Norte locations is crucial for the success of our students. These connectivity sites will help ensure our students can access critical resources and participate in their education online,” said Roman Abeyta, Chief Professional Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe. “Access to the Internet is a critical component of digital equity, and we’re proud to partner with so many key community organizations in making that possible through our Lift Zones,” said Chris Dunkeson, Area Vice President, Comcast. “There is no single answer to address the distance learning challenges of COVID-19, but we’re working hard to bridge the gap for as many students and families across New Mexico as possible.” In addition, the company is providing free access to all outdoor WiFi hotspots through June 30, 2021, plus hundreds of hours of digital skills content to help families and site coordinators navigate online learning. Lift Zone sites complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which has helped connect millions of low-income students and families to the Internet at home. New Internet Essentials customers who sign up by June 30, 2021 will also be eligible to receive 60-days of free Internet service. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Julianne Phares +1 505-218-0961 julianne_phares@cable.comcast.com Company Website https://newmexico.comcast.com/

March 15, 2021 09:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with DRAGOS

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 Dragos, Inc., the global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Far too often, the cybersecurity protection and resilience discussion fails to include any true focus on industrial control systems or operational technology. Dragos has a deep bench of expert ICS/OT cybersecurity practitioners committed to helping its customers detect, prevent, investigate and respond to attacks from threat actors. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “Dragos believes the adoption of the CMMC model for ICS / OT cybersecurity is a critical step in our mission to safeguard civilization,” said Steve Applegate, Chief Information Security Officer, Dragos, Inc. “We are excited to join the CMMC COE Global Cyber Policy & Governance Working Group and lend our expertise to this vital initiative.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Dragos 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: 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. Work across industry, government, and academia to build on CMMC requirements to include and focus on attention to security and resilience of industrial control systems and operational technology. The CMMC-COE and Dragos 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 About Dragos, Inc Dragos has a global mission: to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The practitioners who founded Dragos were drawn to this mission through decades of government and private sector experience. Dragos codifies the knowledge of our cybersecurity experts into an integrated software platform that provides customers critical visibility into ICS and OT networks so that threats are identified and can be addressed before they become significant events. Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including electric and water utilities, energy, and manufacturing, and are optimized for emerging applications like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, DC area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information on Dragos, please visit https://www.dragos.com/ 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. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 15, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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