Security Effectiveness Ranges from 0% to 99.95%

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CyberRatings.org (CyberRatings), the non-profit organization dedicated to providing confidence in cybersecurity products and services through independent testing, today announced the results of its latest Cloud Network Firewall (CNFW) evaluation. Tests were conducted by NSS Labs and are now available at no cost on the CyberRatings.org website.

Of the nine products tested, only four earned a Recommended rating and native cloud firewalls were far less consistent than dedicated third-party offerings. Each of the Recommended products achieved 99.7% or higher in Security Effectiveness:

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation FirewallHPE Juniper Networking vSRX Next Generation FirewallPalo Alto Networks VM-Series Next-Generation FirewallVersa Networks Next Generation Firewall

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security Next-Gen Firewall earned a Neutral rating despite the highest Security Effectiveness at 99.95% due to its above-average price per Mbps.

AWS Network Firewall and Microsoft Azure Firewall both received 0% for Security Effectiveness, resulting in their Caution ratings. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) NGFW Enterprise at 77.45% Security Effectiveness and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual at 66.10% Security Effectiveness also placed them in Caution.

Products from cloud service providers and third-party security vendors (the latter deployed on Amazon Web Services) were evaluated under identical conditions using the NSS Labs Cloud Network Firewall Test Methodology v4.1, with real-world exploits, evasion techniques, malware, false-positive samples, and sustained enterprise traffic loads.

Evasions were tested with 5,004 attacks spanning 43 techniques across OSI Layers 3, 4, and 7. Attackers use evasions to disguise malicious traffic and bypass inspection; one successful evasion can enable an entire class of exploits or malware, so strong evasion handling is essential.

“With attackers routinely using evasion techniques to slip past inspection, the products that earned a Recommended rating this year proved they can hold up under real conditions,” said Vikram Phatak, CEO of CyberRatings.org. “Buyers should weigh evasion resistance and TLS inspection as heavily as raw block rates.”

Recommendations for Buyers

Test regularly. Agile development and CI/CD pipelines let vendors ship improvements quickly, but rapid change can also introduce regressions that quietly erode protection.Treat native cloud firewalls as a baseline, not a finish line. Validate exploit blocking, malware blocking, and evasion resistance against organizational requirements before relying on a native offering as a primary control.Require TLS inspection and weigh evasion resistance heavily. A firewall that cannot inspect encrypted traffic leaves a substantial blind spot, and a single successful evasion can enable an entire class of attacks.Re-evaluate firewall requirements for AI and agentic workloads. Local AI models and agentic workflows will consume more network resources and drive larger, more complex policies, including east-west agent-to-agent traffic.Hold vendors accountable and demand transparency. No product is perfect; what matters is how a vendor responds when a gap is found. A lack of transparency should be treated as a red flag.

NSS Labs is the Official Testing Partner of CyberRatings, generating the test results and reports for CyberRatings publications. NSS Labs proprietary technologies and Keysight’s CyPerf tool were used to test the security, performance, TLS functionality, and stability of Cloud Network Firewalls.

The Cloud Network Firewall Test Reports, Comparative Report and Security Map are available at CyberRatings.org.

About CyberRatings.org

CyberRatings.org is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization dedicated to providing confidence in cybersecurity products and services through our research and testing programs. We provide enterprises with independent, objective ratings of security product efficacy to make informed decisions. To become a member, visit www.cyberratings.org and follow us on LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cyberratingsorg-and-nss-labs-announce-2026-cloud-network-firewall-test-results-302892181.html

SOURCE CyberRatings.org

ATLANTA, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pye-Barker Fire & Safety — the largest fully integrated and full-service fire protection, life safety and security services provider in the United States — has acquired Union AlarmTronic, LLC, a security alarm company based in Springfield, New Jersey. The acquisition adds to Pye-Barker’s growing presence in the state by deepening operational security capacity, expertise and local service.

Union AlarmTronic, LLC, established in 1989, has built over 20,000 security installations. The company provides a wide range of security systems and services, including access control and video surveillance, as well as intercom, integrated security, and alarm systems. Union AlarmTronic is led by industry veteran Fred Rosenfeld, who got his start in the business with his father, Len Rosenfeld.

“We have proudly protected people and property and provided high-caliber service to customers in New Jersey for decades,” said Fred Rosenfeld, owner of Union AlarmTronic. “With Pye-Barker, we will continue our commitment to install and maintain security systems that protect customers while being able to offer expanded full-service fire protection.”

“When we met with team members at Union AlarmTronic, their passion for customers and their community stood out,” said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker Fire & Safety. “Incorporating their expertise, service and team approach into the Pye-Barker family enables us to protect even more people in the state.” 

The Union AlarmTronic team of highly trained technicians will continue to serve customers in New Jersey. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP represented Pye-Barker. Mesirow Investment Banking was the exclusive advisor to Union AlarmTronic.

About Pye-Barker Fire & Safety

As the U.S. leader in fully integrated life safety systems, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety provides complete fire protection and security systems nationwide. With over 250 locations and 9,000 team members, Pye-Barker is Great Place to Work® Certified™ and is also listed on the Inc. 5000 and ranks No. 3 on the SDM 100.

Visit pyebarkerfs.com/acquisitions to learn why we’re the industry’s acquirer of choice.   

Contact:
Philip H Gardner
EVP, Business Development – M&A
philip.gardner@pyebarkerfs.com

Media Contact: 
James Taylor
jtaylor@fulltiltconsulting.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pye-barker-fire–safety-acquires-union-alarmtronic-llc-continuing-security-alarm-service-expansion-in-the-northeast-302892185.html

SOURCE Pye-Barker Fire & Safety

American Lung Association launches campaign to educate people living with lung disease and other risk factors about critical vaccines

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — September marks the unofficial start of the respiratory virus season and the potential for related spikes in influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), so the American Lung Association is urging everyone to talk to their healthcare provider now about recommended vaccines to protect themselves from severe illness, complications and hospitalization.

Each year, respiratory viruses cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, which significantly impact a person’s work, school and family time. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network:

There was an estimated 32 million illnesses, 390,000 hospitalizations and 24,000 deaths during the 2025-2026 influenza season. From October 1, 2025, through July 18, 2026, as many as 2.3 million COVID-19 outpatient visits and 240,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations.From October 1, 2025, through June 6, 2026, there have been an estimated 2.8 million RSV outpatient visits and as many as 340,000 RSV hospitalizations.

“Fortunately, vaccines are available and effective in keeping people healthy, active and out of the hospital. Vaccines are especially important for the 35 million individuals in the United States with lung disease, like asthma or COPD, because respiratory infections can worsen existing lung disease symptoms,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association. “As families look ahead to the winter and the holiday season, the best thing they can do to protect their health is to make sure everyone is up to date on their recommended vaccinations.”

The Lung Association encourages individuals to speak to a healthcare provider about receiving the following recommended vaccines to prevent severe illness this respiratory virus season, which typically peaks from October through March:

Flu: Everyone ages six months and older is recommended to get a flu shot annually.  COVID-19: Everyone six months and older or their caregiver should discuss COVID-19 vaccination with a healthcare provider.RSV: Adults ages 50 to 74 who are at an increased risk of developing severe RSV illness, like adults living with chronic lung or heart disease, and all adults ages 75 or older are recommended to get a single RSV vaccine if they have not received one previously. Additional doses are not recommended at this time.

For the millions of people in the U.S. living with asthma, respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19 and RSV can place added stress on the lungs even when asthma is mild or well controlled. Respiratory viruses are the leading cause of asthma flare-ups, or exacerbations, accounting for up to 80% of asthma attacks, according to the CDC. Adults with asthma are more likely to develop pneumonia after getting sick with the flu than people who do not have asthma.

In addition, respiratory illnesses pose a serious risk to individuals with lung cancer because their body, including their lungs, is already vulnerable from cancer and its treatments, such as radiation and surgery. Many people with lung cancer may have weakened immune systems, meaning that they may not be able to easily fight off viral infections which can quickly become severe and lead to complications like pneumonia or hospitalization.

People living with COPD are also at increased risk of serious complications from respiratory viruses. Respiratory infections are a leading cause of COPD flare-ups, or exacerbations, which can worsen symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing and excess mucus production. These flare-ups can take weeks or longer to recover from and increase the risk of hospitalization and other serious complications.

Educating adults about vaccine-preventable disease is essential to reducing severe illness and hospitalizations. The Lung Association is working to achieve this by: 

Sharing trusted, science-based information about vaccine safety, effectiveness and accessibility.Raising awareness about surveillance trends during the 2026-2027 fall and winter respiratory virus season.Educating people about factors that increase risk for severe symptoms and hospitalization from respiratory viruses, especially resources for people living with lung disease and lung cancer.Encouraging people to talk to their healthcare provider about risk factors for severe respiratory illness and recommended prevention strategies.

For more information on vaccines that protect against infectious respiratory diseases, visit Lung.org/vaccines.

Support for this campaign is provided by Moderna.

About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events or donate today at Lung.org/donate. 

CONTACT:
Jill Dale | American Lung Association
P: 312-940-7001 M: 720-438-8289E: Jill.Dale@Lung.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prepping-for-fall-it-is-time-for-everyone-to-get-their-annual-respiratory-virus-vaccines-302892188.html

SOURCE American Lung Association