Two Shields Investments PLC BrandShield Update

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Two Shields Investments PLC

11 August 2020

Two Shields Investments plc

("TSI", or the "Company")

BrandShield Update

Two Shields Investments plc, the AIM quoted investment company with a strategy to build a high-quality portfolio of investments in fast growing and scalable digital and technology enabled businesses, is pleased to reproduce the following announcement issued by BrandShield, in which it currently has an 11.34% shareholding and a Convertible Loan Note subscription of $1.8m.

"BrandShield CEO: "Coronavirus has been a coming of age for online scammers and con artists".

The crisis has seen an increase in new business signed by BrandShield in the first half of 2020, almost equivalent to the whole of 2019

10 August 2020: The coronavirus crisis has been a coming of age for online scammers and con artists, according to BrandShield CEO, Yoav Keren.

The growing threat of online fraud accelerated by COVID-19 has meant BrandShield, a leading provider of cyber solutions from brand protection to online threat hunting, has seen a significant increase in new business signed. BrandShield's annual recurring revenue from new business signed in the first six months of 2020 was almost equivalent to that in the whole of 2019.

Approximately 10% of the client base are now multi-brand companies with medium to large companies representing around 30%, up from 15% at the end of 2017 as they look to protect themselves from online threats.

Since the crisis began, BrandShield's online threat detection system has revealed a surge in fraudulent online activity, with key sectors targeted including pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, banking, foreign exchange, loan providers, entertainment, online gaming and delivery companies. Some existing clients in financially impacted sectors such as travel have reduced spend with BrandShield, but these are expected to return post-pandemic.

Some of the biggest threats are from cybercriminals who are trying to capitalise on fears around the pandemic, and in many cases using the identities of known companies or brands to trick worried consumers. Attacks have included phishing sites, social phishing, fraudulent e-commerce sites, and fake medicine.

Cybercriminals have also targeted changing consumer and work habits such as the increase in online shopping and greater use of video conferencing. Earlier this year, BrandShield announced it had neutralised over 150 phishing websites targeting the Levi Strauss & Co's brand as part of scams. The number of sites taken down has doubled compared with previous months. From the beginning of the pandemic, BrandShield detected 429 new fraudulent domain names containing the name "Levis," a 40 percent increase since the pandemic began.

Yoav Keren, CEO, BrandShield, said: "The coronavirus crisis has been a coming of age for online scammers and con artists. We are witnessing lots of ways that cybercriminals across the world have sought to capitalise on the crisis from fake medicines to phishing scams.

"One of the impacts of the crisis is more people regularly working from home or an increase in online grocery shopping. In that case, businesses must improve the steps to protect staff and customers from online threats. Based on the huge number of calls we have received, one of the positives is that more and more companies are waking up to the danger to their businesses, customers and staff from online scams and threats."

For further information please visit https://twoshields.co.uk/ or contact:

 
 Andrew Lawley     Two Shields Investments    Tel: [phone] 
                    plc                        8300 
                   Spark Advisory Partners 
 Neil Baldwin /     Limited                   [phone] 
  Andrew Emmott     (Nominated Adviser)        3554 
                   Turner Pope Investments 
                    (TPI) Ltd                 [phone] 
 Andy Thacker       (Brokers)                  4120 
 

Notes to Editors:

Two Shields Investments plc, the AIM quoted investment company with a strategy to build a portfolio of high-quality investments in fast growing, scalable digital and technology enabled businesses, including those in the cyber security, e-commerce services and consumer sectors. The Company has appointed an experienced Board of Directors with a proven pedigree in the origination, acquisition, development & sale of projects and creating value for shareholders. The investment mandate covers unquoted and quoted businesses, as well as direct project investment. Where appropriate the Board will apply its extensive combined experience to directly support investee businesses achieve their growth potential.

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August 11, 2020 02:15 ET (06:15 GMT)