Core Viewpoint - Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) is gaining renewed analyst attention despite valuation pressures on software stocks, with a recent price target adjustment from BTIG analyst Gray Powell to $200.00 from $248.00 while maintaining a "Buy" rating [1][4]. Group 1: Analyst Insights - BTIG conducted discussions with eleven contacts regarding broader cybersecurity trends, gathering insights from five large channel partners that collectively represent $1.3 billion in annual sales for Palo Alto Networks [2]. - The tone of BTIG's checks indicates slight improvements compared to the previous quarter, with increased activity noted among Palo Alto Networks partners in December and January, particularly regarding products like Prisma SASE, software firewalls, XSIAM, and Prisma AIRS [3]. - There is growing confidence in Palo Alto Networks' ability to exceed Street estimates for its fiscal second quarter of 2026, with expectations to reach the high end of NGA ARR targets for FY26, excluding M&A [3][4]. Group 2: Market Position - Palo Alto Networks is recognized as a leader in AI-powered cybersecurity, which positions the company favorably within the industry [4].

CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:CRWD) is one of the AI Stocks to Watch. On February 12, leading privacy and security-focused VPN service NordVPN announced that it has selected CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:CRWD) to power its Threat Protection Pro feature. This will allow the company to integrate enterprise-grade business intelligence into consumer security. The collaboration will enable CrowdStrike Threat Intelligence to enhance NordVPN’s ability to protect users against modern cyber threats while maintaining a privacy-first ...

Castellum, Inc. Pays Off All Debt Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) has retired in full the $400,000 principal balance on its sole remaining note payable - https://castellumus.com VIENNA, Va., Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) ("Castellum" or "CTM"), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government, announces that it has retired in full the $400,000 principal balance on its sole remaining note payable ...

Market Overview - U.S. equity markets are reopening with a focus on the technology sector and artificial intelligence (AI) narrative, showing cautious optimism in premarket trading with S&P 500 futures up approximately 0.25% and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.38% [1] - The S&P 500 is in a critical consolidation range between 6,500 and 7,000, with technical analysts monitoring the 50-day moving average, which the index recently slipped below, indicating a potential shift in short-term momentum [2] Economic Events - The economic calendar includes the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes, which may clarify the Federal Reserve's interest rate path, with current sentiment suggesting no immediate rate adjustments due to "sticky" inflation data [3] - Key earnings reports are expected from Medtronic, Constellation Energy, and Palo Alto Networks, with Palo Alto Networks being a significant indicator for the cybersecurity sector amid rising AI-driven threats [4] Corporate Developments - The AI landscape is shifting as investors, including Peter Thiel's hedge fund, move away from "picks and shovels" companies like Nvidia and Palantir towards established firms such as Apple and Meta Platforms [5] - Apple is facing scrutiny due to delays in its Siri AI upgrade and an FTC investigation into its news promotion practices, while Tesla's focus on autonomous driving and robotics is highlighted despite recent lagging shares [6] - Rivian Automotive is gaining interest with projections of robust delivery growth for the 2026 fiscal year, and Coinbase is trending higher due to solid trading volumes and improved subscription revenue in the digital asset space [7] - Applied Materials is performing well in the semiconductor equipment sector, receiving several analyst upgrades following a strong earnings beat [7]

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #AIinSecurity--PurpleRidge (powered by RidgeBot® from Ridge Security) today announced the launch of its Automated AWS Account Audit, a direct response to recent security research showing attackers can compromise a cloud environment in as little as eight minutes. As hackers increasingly use LLMs to scan for exposed credentials in public S3 buckets, PurpleRidge moves beyond basic checklists to identify "Combined Risk Stories." The platform reveals how isolated weaknesses ...

Palo Alto Networks Introduces MSIAM 2.0 with the Industry's Most Comprehensive Breach Response Guarantee [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationCloses the gap between attack speed and cyber resilience by combining24/7 elite experts with a market-leading AI-driven SOC platformSANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI accelerates the speed of business, adversaries have followed, compressing attacks that once took [weeks into minutes]. Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), the global leader in cy ...

Core Insights - The Unit 42 2026 Global Incident Response Report highlights that AI, attack surface complexity, and identity weaknesses are primary drivers of cyber breaches, with adversaries leveraging AI to accelerate attack speeds by 4x over the past year [1] Group 1: Attack Trends - Attacks involving third-party SaaS applications have surged 3.8x since 2022, now accounting for 23% of all attacks as threat actors exploit OAuth tokens and API keys for lateral movement [1] - 48% of attacks involve the browser, indicating that routine web sessions are weaponized to harvest credentials and bypass local controls [1] - 65% of initial access is driven by identity-based techniques, such as social engineering and credential misuse, while vulnerabilities account for initial access in 22% of all attacks [1] Group 2: Attack Complexity - 87% of attacks span two or more attack surfaces, blending activities across endpoints, cloud, SaaS platforms, and identity systems, with Unit 42 tracking activity across as many as 10 different fronts simultaneously [1] - The time from initial access to data exfiltration has plummeted to just 72 minutes in the fastest attacks, representing a 4x increase in speed over the past year [1] Group 3: Recommendations for Defense - To counter the increasing complexity of attacks, organizations are advised to adopt a unified platform approach that eliminates implicit trust and continuously verifies every interaction [1] - It is recommended to use secure browser technology and active exposure management to protect the modern workspace and unmanaged devices [1] - Centralizing the management of human, machine, and agentic identities is crucial to close governance gaps and stop credential-based exploits [1]

Core Insights - Rapid7, Inc. (NASDAQ:RPD) is recognized as one of the 15 Best Small Cap Stocks to Buy according to Wall Street [1] - Analysts have lowered their price targets for Rapid7 following mixed fourth-quarter results and cautious guidance for 2026 [2][3] Financial Performance - Rapid7 reported fourth-quarter revenue of $217 million, slightly exceeding the consensus estimate of $215.17 million [4] - The company guided fiscal 2026 revenue to a range of $835 million to $843 million, which is below the consensus estimate of $869.95 million [4] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Scotiabank analyst Patrick Colville reduced the price target for Rapid7 to $9 from $18 while maintaining a Sector Perform rating [2] - Truist lowered its price target to $8 from $14 and kept a Hold rating, describing the fourth-quarter results as mixed [3] - UBS downgraded Rapid7 to Neutral from Buy and cut its price target to $9 from $25, citing a "disappointing" fourth-quarter report and a projected 2% year-over-year revenue decline for 2026 [3] Strategic Focus - CEO Corey Thomas indicated that the company plans to focus on innovation and execution in 2026, leveraging its AI security operations approach [4] - Organizational changes and strategic shifts are intended to re-accelerate growth [3]

Core Insights - Collective Defence is formed through the merger of ITC Secure and IronNet, focusing on cybersecurity and AI to protect critical infrastructure from hybrid warfare threats [1][2] - The company aims to address the increasing sophistication of state-sponsored cyber threats targeting essential services like energy, telecommunications, and healthcare [1] Group 1: Company Formation and Structure - Collective Defence is headquartered in Luxembourg, with operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore, leveraging local and global threat intelligence [1] - The merger combines ITC Secure's 30 years of experience in managed security services with IronNet's innovative collective defence technology [1] Group 2: Strategic Partnerships and Technology - In partnership with Microsoft, Collective Defence integrates advanced AI capabilities into its cybersecurity operations, enhancing threat detection and response [1] - The company utilizes Microsoft Security Copilot to improve analyst productivity and accelerate incident response times [1] Group 3: Addressing Hybrid Warfare - Collective Defence employs a collective defence model that allows for anonymized threat data sharing among participants, enhancing overall security [1] - The approach aims to mirror traditional military alliances, applying similar principles to the cybersecurity domain [2] Group 4: Capabilities and Services - The company offers a suite of services including managed detection and response, advisory services for critical infrastructure, and hybrid threat intelligence focused on state-sponsored activities [1] - Collective Defence aims to create a network effect where insights from one environment can strengthen the protection of others [1]

1,538,891+$8.64+6.82%$135.35## Top Losing Stocks[Constellation Brands][STZ]• Vol: 6,064,575-$13.068.04%$149.30[Norwegian Cruise Line][NCLH]• Vol: The AI-Fueled Cyber Threat Boom Means These Two Stocks Will Win Big - 24/7 Wall St.[S&P 5006,844.80 +0.13%][Dow Jones49,552.60 +0.16%][Nasdaq 10024,693.00 -0.11%][Russell 20002,640.50 -0.25%][FTSE 10010,488.40 +0.33%][Nikkei 22556,813.00 -1.26%][Investing]# The AI-Fueled Cyber Threat Boom Means These Two Stocks Will Win Big### Quick ReadZscaler ([ZS]) tracked 989. ...