Telecom
Cybersecurity: Sophos launches “Xstream” version of XG Firewall
Sophos , a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity, has introduced a new “Xstream” architecture for Sophos XG Firewall with high performance Transport Layer Security (TLS) traffic decryption capabilities that eliminate significant security risk associated with encrypted network traffic, which is often overlooked by security teams due to performance and complexity concerns.
XG Firewall now also features AI-enhanced threat analysis from SophosLabs and accelerated application performance.
Sophos also published the SophosLabs Uncut article, “Nearly a Quarter of Malware now Communicates Using TLS,” which explains how 23% of malware families use encrypted communication for Command and Control (C2) or installation.
The article details, for example, three common and ever-present Trojans – Trickbot, IcedID and Dridex – that leverage TLS during the course of their attacks.
Cybercriminals also use TLS to hide their exploits, payloads and stolen content and to avoid detection. In fact, 44% of prevalent information stealers use encryption to sneak hijacked data, including bank and financial account passwords and other sensitive credentials, out from under organizations.
Dan Schiappa, chief product officer at Sophos, said “As SophosLabs’ research demonstrates, cybercriminals are boldly embracing encryption in an attempt to bypass security products.
“Unfortunately, most firewalls lack scalable TLS crypto capabilities and are unable to inspect encrypted traffic without causing applications to break or degrade network performance.
“With the new Xstream architecture in XG Firewall, Sophos is providing critical visibility into an enormous blind spot while eliminating frustrating latency and compatibility issues with full support for the latest TLS 1.3 standard.
“Sophos’ internal benchmark tests have clocked a two-fold performance boost in the new XG TLS inspection engine as compared to previous XG versions. This is a game changer.”
Latency too often deters IT admins from using decryption, as seen in an independent Sophos survey of 3,100 IT managers in 12 countries. The survey white paper, The Achilles Heel of Next-Gen Firewalls, reports that while 82% of respondents agreed TLS inspection is necessary, only 3.5% of organizations are decrypting their traffic to properly inspect it.
Sophos listed Key new features of XG Firewall to include:
• Inspection of TLS 1.3 to detect cloaked malware: New port-agnostic TLS engine doubles crypto operation performance over previous XG versions
• Optimized critical application performance: New FastPath policy controls accelerate performance of SD-WAN applications and traffic, including Voice over IP, SaaS and others, to up to wire speed
• Adaptive traffic scanning: The newly enhanced Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine dynamically risk-assesses traffic streams and matches them to the appropriate threat scanning level, enhancing throughput by up to 33% across most network environments
• Threat analysis with SophosLabs intelligence: Provides network administrators with the SophosLabs AI-enhanced threat analysis needed to understand and adjust defenses to protect against a constantly changing threat landscape
• Comprehensive cloud management and reporting in Sophos Central: Centralized management and reporting capabilities in Sophos Central provide customers with group firewall management and flexible cloud reporting across an entire estate without additional charge
• Integration with Sophos Managed Threat Response (MTR) service: Customers of XG Firewall who also subscribe to the Sophos MTR Advanced service will have deeper actionable intelligence to prevent, detect and respond to threats, as a result of the integration
“Sophos’ new XG Firewall offers a wide array of enterprise-caliber features, with a growing installed base that is now one of the industry’s most widely deployed next-generation firewalls,” Eric Parizo, senior analyst for enterprise IT strategy, (according to Omdia, Enterprise Decision Maker, January 2020. Results are not an endorsement of Sophos or SophosLabs. Any reliance on these results is at the third-party’s own risk).
“XG Firewall can win against industry competitors in large part because of Sophos Central, its SaaS-based, single-pane-of-glass management system for overseeing deployment, management, policy, updates, and response, with optional log management and analytics. This cloud management platform with the Firewall Management and Reporting feature, plus the TLS inspection, position Sophos XG Firewall as a compelling option for a wide variety of organizations.
Bruce Kneece, CTO of Columbia, S.C.-based Convergent Information Security Solutions said, “At Convergent Information Security Solutions, we are engaged in the management and monitoring of both perimeter and internal cybersecurity for our customers, and until now we were somewhat limited in our ability to monitor SSL/TLS encrypted data streams.
“Sophos XG Firewall helps us solve this problem efficiently and affordably with the new accelerated DPI engine in the latest version.
“This, combined with new automatically-managed custom IPS rule sets, gives us much more visibility into encrypted traffic going through the network than we ever had before.
“This feature will immensely improve our customers’ security and we consider this to be critical, based how broadly cybercriminals are capitalizing on TLS encryption to cover-up and carry out their attacks.
“We’re also aware of how fast cyberattacks are morphing. With the ability to scan for potentially dangerous files transported inside of SSL/TLS tunnels, in addition to the zero-day detection engine of Sandstorm, we can provide better, faster customer protection, detection and service.”
Sophos XG Firewall is available in the cloud-based Sophos Central platform alongside Sophos’ entire portfolio of next-generation cybersecurity solutions.
Sophos’ unique Synchronized Security approach empowers these solutions to work together for real-time information sharing and threat response.
Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has commenced the process of divesting its interest in NTEL/NATCOM, saying the telecommunications company has undergone a major transformation that positions it as one of its most promising asset recovery success stories.
NatCom Development and Investment Limited, trading as ntel, is a Nigerian telecommunications company that acquired the core legacy assets of the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its mobile arm (MTel) in 2015.
Mr. Gbenga Alade, managing director and chief executive officer, AMCON, disclosed this during an interactive session with senior media executives in Lagos at the weekend, where he also revealed that the Corporation recovered about N165 billion in the first half of 2026, representing a 64 per cent increase over the N107 billion recovered during the corresponding period of 2025.
Alade said the planned sale of NTEL follows the successful divestment of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and forms part of AMCON’s strategy to unlock value from distressed assets while attracting credible investors into key sectors of the economy.
According to him, the divestment programme is being conducted through a transparent and structured process designed to attract strategic investors capable of repositioning the telecoms company for sustainable growth.
He explained that NTEL, the successor to the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), has embarked on a comprehensive three-pronged transformation strategy aimed at restoring its competitiveness and enhancing its investment appeal.
“The repositioning effort is designed to maximise value, strengthen operational competitiveness and prepare the business for long-term sustainability under new investment,” Alade said.
He described the transformation of NTEL as a significant milestone in the revitalisation of Nigeria’s legacy telecommunications assets, noting that the company remains an important part of the country’s telecom infrastructure and history.
Alade expressed confidence in the Board and Management of NTEL/NATCOM, saying their leadership has laid a solid foundation for the company’s next phase of growth.
“The remarkable transformation of NTEL is poised to become one of AMCON’s most notable success stories in the telecommunications sector. We have full confidence in the Board and Management of NTEL/NATCOM as they continue to demonstrate experience, innovation, diligence and commitment towards positioning this Nigerian-owned company to compete favourably with its peers both locally and internationally,” he stated.
He assured stakeholders that further updates on the divestment exercise would be communicated as major milestones are achieved, stressing AMCON’s commitment to transparency throughout the process.
Alade said the telecommunications divestment aligns with AMCON’s statutory mandate of maximising value from distressed assets, supporting economic growth and strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.
Beyond the planned sale of NTEL, the AMCON boss highlighted the Corporation’s improved operational performance, revealing that recoveries rose sharply in the first six months of the year.
According to him, the Corporation recovered approximately N165 billion between January and June 2026, compared to N107 billion recorded in the same period last year, while maintaining a cost-to-recovery ratio of just 2.3 per cent, reflecting greater operational efficiency.
Alade also announced what he described as a landmark Supreme Court judgment that strengthens AMCON’s debt recovery powers and clarifies key provisions of its enabling law.
He said the apex court affirmed that the AMCON Act constitutes a special legal regime that must be interpreted purposively because the Corporation was established to address the financial crisis triggered by the systemic banking challenges of 2008.
According to him, the Supreme Court further ruled that AMCON is exempt from paying stamp duties and confirmed that regardless of the size of an obligor’s indebtedness, the Corporation has the statutory authority to dispose of collateral assets in enforcing its rights and recovering outstanding debts.
“While we celebrate this landmark judgment and several other legal successes, we are not resting on our oars. We remain mindful of the various tactics employed by recalcitrant obligors to frustrate the Corporation’s operations,” Alade stated.
Responding to calls for the winding down of AMCON, the Managing Director alleged that many of those advocating the Corporation’s closure are debtors seeking to frustrate its recovery efforts.
He stressed that any decision on AMCON’s sunset remains the exclusive responsibility of its Board and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), adding that the Corporation remains focused on recovering debts owed on behalf of the Nigerian people.
Alade also said AMCON has intensified collaboration with debt recovery partners, solicitors and receiver managers to improve the effectiveness of its recovery strategies.
“We regularly engage and sensitise our debt recovery partners, solicitors and receiver managers on the unique provisions of the AMCON Act. This ensures that when they appear in court on matters concerning the Corporation, they are fully conversant with both the facts and the applicable legal framework.
“In recognition of their commitment, and in response to prevailing economic realities, the Corporation has reviewed the commission structure for debt recovery agents and partners across the board. Together, we remain confident that we will continue to achieve significant success in our recovery efforts,” he said.
Africa risks falling behind in the global artificial intelligence (AI) economy, unless governments and the private sector rapidly increase investment in digital infrastructure, data capabilities and home-grown innovation.
This is according to a research report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), titled: “Advancing Africa’s AI and digital economy”.
It focuses on how Africa can accelerate investment in digital infrastructure, AI capabilities and regional collaboration, to build a competitive AI-driven economy and avoid falling behind in the global AI race.
The report argues that while AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, Africa is capturing only a fraction of the opportunity because it lacks the infrastructure, skills and investment needed to compete in the emerging AI economy.
Although the continent has one of the world’s youngest populations and rapidly growing digital adoption, BCG warns that Africa remains primarily a consumer of digital technologies, rather than a producer of the infrastructure, platforms and intellectual property that will underpin future economic growth.
“Africa stands at a defining moment in the global AI revolution,” says Hamid Maher, MD and senior partner at BCG and one of the report’s authors.
“The continent has significant structural advantages, including a young population, growing digital adoption and the opportunity to build without legacy constraints.
“However, unless Africa invests in owning its digital infrastructure, data and AI capabilities, it risks becoming a consumer rather than a creator of the technologies that will shape future economic growth.
“The decisions taken today will determine whether Africa captures value from AI or simply imports it.”
Structural weaknesses
The report highlights the widening gap between Africa and the rest of the world. While digital activities account for about 15% of global GDP, Africa’s digital economy contributes only 5% of the continent’s GDP. At its current pace, this figure is projected to reach only 8.5% by 2050, it notes.
BCG says this slow progress comes despite encouraging developments, including Africa’s position as the world’s fastest-growing cloud market and strong adoption of mobile technology.
However, the continent accounts for 18% of the world’s population but less than 1% of global data centre capacity. At the same time, fewer than 2% of Africa’s approximately 2 000 languages are supported by large language models, limiting the relevance and accessibility of AI technologies for millions of people.
The report warns that these shortcomings are becoming increasingly significant as AI reshapes global industries. Traditional growth sectors − such as business process outsourcing, call centres and labour-intensive manufacturing − are likely to become increasingly automated, reducing opportunities that previously helped emerging economies industrialize.
“Without stronger participation in AI production, Africa risks exporting its data, while importing expensive AI services developed elsewhere, repeating historical patterns in which the continent supplied raw materials but captured little value from downstream industries,” it warns.
Three key barriers
BCG identifies the top challenges that continue to constrain Africa’s AI ambitions.
The first is economic fragmentation. “Africa’s 54 economies are individually too small to justify many of the large-scale investments required for AI infrastructure, while organisations within countries often lack sufficient capital to build digital platforms independently, “it says.
The second challenge is a shortage of AI talent. According to the report, Africa has about 62 000 AI specialists, representing only around 5% of the global AI workforce. Many of these professionals work remotely for overseas employers, limiting the development of domestic AI ecosystems.
“Africa has the ambition and, crucially, the talent it needs. With focus, coordination and political will, the continent can transition from disadvantaged digital consumer to empowered digital value creator and can secure its economic future.”
The third barrier is reliance on imported technology. African organisations often face higher software licensing costs than their international counterparts, while remaining dependent on foreign technology vendors, restricting innovation and limiting local value creation, the report asserts.
Patrick Dupoux, MD and senior partner at BCG, said these structural constraints are not unique to Africa, but require coordinated action.
“The challenge is not simply about adopting more digital technologies,” he points out.
“It is about ensuring African institutions increasingly build, govern and own the infrastructure, data and innovation ecosystems that power AI. Countries that produce AI capabilities rather than merely consume them will capture far greater economic value and create more sustainable jobs for future generations.”
Building Africa’s AI future
Rather than focusing solely on technology adoption, the report argues that Africa must establish the foundations needed to create its own AI economy.
BCG recommends building digital public infrastructure through public-private partnerships, with digital identity systems, payment platforms and secure data exchange networks serving as core building blocks.
The report also stresses the importance of stronger data governance to ensure information can be securely shared, while remaining under African ownership and control.
Ali Ziat, MD and partner at BCG, said collaboration will be essential if Africa is to compete globally.
“No single country or organisation can build Africa’s digital future alone,” he said.
“Pooling investment, creating shared infrastructure and embracing open systems will make projects financially viable, while encouraging innovation across borders. Combined with strong governance and coordinated leadership, these actions can help Africa become a global AI value creator instead of remaining on the side-lines.”
Young professionals have been urged to embrace continuous learning, resilience and personal responsibility as they prepare for leadership in an increasingly competitive world.
MTN Nigeria
The charge came from the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Karl Toriola, during his session at the ninth edition of the Redefinition Conference, held at the United Evangelical Church on July 25, 2026, themed “CTRL+S: Save. Deploy. Scale.”
The conference brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and emerging professionals to discuss leadership, innovation and personal development.
Speaking during an interactive session, Toriola encouraged participants not to be discouraged by failure, stressing that mistakes are part of every successful journey. “Make no mistake: I have made a million mistakes in my life. Probably what has gotten me to where I am is I don’t let them completely wipe me out, and I always learn something and try and make it a little bit better after that mistake, and try not to repeat it over again,” he said.
He also challenged young professionals to take ownership of their careers through deliberate self-development. “Your career, your future, your life is your responsibility and your responsibility only. And nobody is going to give you any leeway because you started from behind… It is up to you to close that gap,” he said.
Toriola added that throughout his career, he invested his own time, money and vacation periods in developing new skills, including finance and risk management.
On the future of work, Toriola called on organisations to create environments where younger employees are encouraged to contribute ideas. “The balance will come if you give the new people that you bring into your organization an excessively loud voice. The problem is you bring in these people, and then you put them in a corner… and you shut them down,” he said.
He added that businesses must remain open to new thinking if they want to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.
The session ended on a memorable note when a student studying Data Engineering and Analytics requested an internship opportunity at MTN Nigeria.
Impressed by the student’s confidence, Toriola directed the individual to a member of his team after the session to explore the opportunity.
The exchange drew applause from the audience and reinforced the day’s message on taking initiative and creating opportunities through confidence and boldness.
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