LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11, 2026 /CNW/ — The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today published updated guidance to help members of the global Internet community understand the potential impact of the Root Zone Key Signing Key (KSK) rollover scheduled for 11 October 2026. The guide, What to Expect During the Root KSK Rollover, describes the potential effects on Domain Name System Security Extensions-validating resolvers, what affected users may experience, and how resolver operators can identify and address failures.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/icann/9384251-en-icann-guidance-to-prepare-for-october-2026-root-ksk-rollover

The guide, available in all six United Nations languages and Portuguese, builds on experience from the 2018 rollover and explains what operators should expect before, during, and after the rollover. It includes recommendations for preparing systems, explains automated trust anchor updates, identifies when manual action may be required, and answers common operational questions.

The root KSK is the cryptographic key that secures the Domain Name System (DNS) root zone through DNSSEC. Periodically replacing this key is a standard security practice that helps maintain the long-term security and resilience of the Internet’s naming system.

On 11 October 2026, the new root KSK (KSK-2024) will become the active key used to sign the root zone.

The rollover is designed to minimize impact for Internet users and organizations that have properly configured DNSSEC validation. Organizations operating DNSSEC-validating recursive resolvers, DNS software vendors, and operators with manually configured trust anchors should confirm their systems are prepared before 11 October.

ICANN supports the technical community through updated documentation, FAQs, instructional videos, webinars, technical presentations, and direct engagement with network operators, Internet service providers, governments, and other stakeholders.

“The root KSK rollover is an important part of maintaining the security and resilience of the DNS,” said Kim Davies, Vice President, IANA Services, and President, PTI. “Helping organizations prepare, verify their systems, and take any necessary actions before the rollover is essential to ensuring its success. We hope that by providing clear guidance and engaging with the technical community will assist in readiness.”

Organizations operating DNSSEC-validating recursive resolvers should review the guidance, verify their systems configurations, and complete any necessary testing before 11 October 2026. The guide and additional technical resources are available on ICANN’s Root Zone KSK Rollover webpage and the IANA website.

About ICANN

ICANN’s mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

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SOURCE ICANN

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Handl Health, a platform empowering employers to reduce healthcare costs while improving patient outcomes, has added 20-year industry veteran Justin Cross in the newly created role of senior vice president, employer solutions. 

In the new role, Cross will focus on delivering independent, third-party analysis that helps employers and their benefits consultants negotiate smarter renewals, optimize plan design, and document their fiduciary due diligence.

Cross has nearly 20 years of benefits industry experience, building and leading consulting, account management, underwriting and analytics teams serving mid-market and large employers.

Facing double-digit healthcare price increases, CFOs and HR leaders are under pressure to optimize employee benefits. Handl Health gives employers, in partnership with their benefits consultants, enhanced visibility and plan-design options, fueled by plan and member intelligence that completely changes how benefits are evaluated, designed and monitored.

“We have more access to healthcare pricing data than I’ve ever seen during my entire career. If interpreted correctly, this information demystifies the true cost of healthcare,” Cross said. “I believe this data is the foundation for the next generation of employee benefits and will lead to better cost-effective plans for employers and more predictable pricing for employees.”

Built on the foundation of healthcare price transparency machine-readable files, Handl’s AI-enabled parallel intelligence platform ingests, normalizes and extracts critical healthcare intelligence. This information enables employers to identify in-network cost savings, tier providers based on cost, steer patients toward high-value care options, and continually monitor plan performance. All of this leads to better outcomes for employees while meeting employer fiduciary obligations.

With Handl, employers and their broker partners gain access to:

Renewal negotiation support: Actuarial-grade network diagnostics using current dataPlan design actuarial support: Identification of waste in existing plan designQuarterly plan analytics: Continuous claims monitoring and plan review

“We’re seeing a once-in-a-lifetime shift in how employers purchase healthcare,” said Ahmed Marmoush, Handl Health’s co-founder and CEO. “That’s why we’re helping employers take control of their healthcare spend by connecting data insight to action in partnership with their broker. I’m pleased to welcome Justin to lead this effort.” 

About Handl Health
Handl Health is a technology platform transforming how health plans are evaluated, designed and monitored. By unifying healthcare pricing, utilization, benefit and quality data into a single analytical and operational layer, Handl empowers employers, brokers and payers to build flexible, cost-effective health benefits that perform. Handl’s technology also delivers the infrastructure, analytics and insights needed to power the next generation of alternative health plans.

Jon Ross, jon@handlhealth.com

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SOURCE Handl Health

The relationship-first marketing platform extends its multi-year run on the prestigious list, supported by continued momentum in funding and company expansion

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Levitate, the relationship-first marketing platform combining powerful software with a dedicated team behind it, today announced it has been named to the Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for the fourth consecutive year. Levitate ranked 1,498th nationally, 127th in Software, 39th in North Carolina, and 9th in the Triangle, reflecting the company’s sustained growth and continued impact on businesses across the country.

The annual Inc. 5000 list celebrates the most successful entrepreneurial growth stories and has remained a key benchmark for American business success. Levitate’s repeated inclusion on the list following its inaugural 2023 ranking is a testament to the company’s continued expansion of its platform and investment in customer success, authentic connections, and AI capabilities that make personalized outreach even more effective and accessible for small businesses.

“Our team is thrilled that Levitate has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for the fourth year in a row. This accomplishment represents not only our growth as a company, but also reflects the success of the small businesses we serve, and the importance of building authentic relationships,” said Jesse Lipson, Founder and CEO of Levitate. “We’re excited about what’s ahead for the next chapter for Levitate, and continuing to help our customers grow by strengthening the relationships that matter most.”

This year’s recognition reflects both Levitate’s continued business momentum and the growing importance of relationship-driven marketing solutions that help businesses build personal connections in an increasingly digital world. Earlier this year, Levitate announced its $16 million funding round, bringing the company’s total capital raised to $71 million. This investment supported the evolution of Levitate’s AI roadmap and growth of the company’s customer success and sales teams across both the United States and Canada, with the expansion of the company’s Raleigh headquarters and opening of a new Canadian hub. This funding was preceded by Levitate’s vertical expansion, achieving HIPAA-readiness in late 2025 and bringing its services and platform to the dynamic healthcare industry.

Levitate’s placement among the nation’s fastest-growing private companies reinforces its role as more than just a marketing platform; it has become a trusted extension of small businesses across America. Levitate now serves nearly 9,000 businesses across a variety of relationship-driven industries.

To learn more, visit levitate.ai.

About Levitate
Levitate is the leading happiness platform built to help relationship-focused businesses grow. With a unique Service-as-Software model, Levitate combines intuitive marketing tools with an in-house content and strategy team to help small businesses build authentic connections with their clients or patients, donors, and volunteers. From email and social media to reviews, referrals, and beyond, Levitate delivers both the technology and human expertise needed to make marketing approachable and effective. Learn more at levitate.ai or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Inc.
Inc. is the premier media brand and playbook for entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

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SOURCE Levitate