Google announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wiz, a leading cloud security platform, for $32 billion in an all-cash transaction. The deal, subject to regulatory approval, will see Wiz join Google Cloud once the acquisition closes.

Founded just five years ago, Wiz has rapidly established itself as an innovative leader in cloud security, helping organizations secure workloads across multiple cloud environments. The company's platform connects to all major cloud providers and code environments to help prevent cybersecurity incidents.

"Together, Google Cloud and Wiz will turbocharge improved cloud security and the ability to use multiple clouds," said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, highlighting the strategic importance of the acquisition in the AI era.

The acquisition aims to address two significant trends: improving cloud security and enhancing multicloud capabilities. With cybersecurity threats accelerating and the increased adoption of AI, organizations face an evolving security landscape that requires more sophisticated protection.

Wiz's technology scans customer environments and constructs a comprehensive graph of code, cloud resources, services, and applications to identify potential attack paths. It prioritizes critical risks based on impact and helps security teams collaborate with developers to remediate vulnerabilities.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, emphasized their shared vision "to make cybersecurity more accessible and simpler to use for organizations of any size and industry," noting that this will help minimize disruption caused by cybersecurity incidents.

Assaf Rappaport, Co-Founder and CEO of Wiz, reassured customers and partners that "Wiz and Google Cloud are fully committed to continue supporting and protecting customers across all major clouds." This includes Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud platforms.

The combined offering promises to deliver an end-to-end security platform that will:

• Improve how security is designed, operated, and automated
• Scale cybersecurity teams through automation
• Lower the cost of implementing security controls
• Protect against emerging AI-related threats
• Boost adoption of multicloud security solutions

For Wiz, joining Google represents a significant acceleration of their mission. As Rappaport noted in his blog post, "Becoming part of Google Cloud is effectively strapping a rocket to our backs: it will accelerate our rate of innovation faster than what we could achieve as a standalone company."

The transaction is expected to close following customary regulatory approvals.

Pugsley Addams, a Maine coon cat from Mound, Minnesota drags around a feather duster that can't be topped! Pugsley belongs to the Cameron family, who has four Maine coon cats: Pugsley, Gomez, Winnie, and Duchess. They knew Pugsley had an exceptional tail, but only when his veterinarian expressed amazement did they think about a world record. The existing record for a tail on a living domestic cat was 16 inches, and Pugsley's was longer. Guinness World Record officials determined Pugsley's tail is 18.5 inches (46.99 centimeters) long!

But he may beat his own record in time. Pugsley is only two years old, and Maine coon cats often don't reach their full size until they are four or five years old. Read more about this long-tailed cat and how he and his brother Gomez resemble their Addams Family namesakes at the Guinness site. (via Boing Boing) 

Jon Stewart spoke with NYT columnist Ezra Klein on his podcast this week about the Biden Administration's ambitious rural broadband effort, and why they spent $42 billion and could not connect a single home to the internet.

Cigar smokers in Louisville used to have to cross the border to Indiana if they wanted a drink with their cigar. Now, they'll be able to light up in cigar bars in the city.

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