Cloud, Assurance, Forensics, Engineering

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ZTA, Secure by Design, Platform, Best of Suite, what does all this mean???

Boom… A little over a month ago, I published a blog around best of breed vs. best integrated vs. best of luck. Other related topics that CISOs, CTOs, and other C-Suite executives often discuss include Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), Secure by Design, Best of Suite, and platform. Many CISOs and CIOs have strong opinions on these topics. Some feel ZTA is a bogus strategy and impossible to achieve, while others are committed to achieving it. Secure by Design is a dream many of us in the industry have had for decades. This blog will dive deeper into each of these topics, highlight companies in each area, and provide some talking points/benefits for each.

Defining Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)

On the surface, Zero Trust Architecture is exactly what it sounds like: trust nothing without verification. This means verifying explicitly and using the principle of least privilege, where entities only have access when needed. Another key aspect is the “assume breach” mentality. While I understand the rationale, I prefer explicit verification over assuming a breach. For example, I know my house is secure because the doors are locked, and my dogs would alert me to any intruders. Similarly, a well-architected and monitored network should achieve the same level of security. Zero Trust is a continuous journey rather than a final destination.

Understanding Secure by Design

Secure by Design emphasizes integrating security into every layer of a system from the outset. As a CTO or CISO, fostering a culture of security by design is crucial. This approach includes principles like least privilege, assume breach, and defense in depth. Think of it like a car equipped with safety features such as airbags, seatbelts, and sensors. Similarly, your network should be designed with multiple layers of security. Achieving Secure by Design involves threat modeling, secure coding practices, and regular security training. Companies helping companies with this are Microsoft, Google, AWS, Cisco, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, and Crowdstrike. Crowdstrike has an interesting take on this as they push for “resilient by design” which I prefer as a practitioner. Security is always evolving and adversaries have even more resources to use against us. It’s critical to be resilient to achieve any level of success. Secure by Design is good as well so consider options of both when researching this for your own organizations

Best Integrated vs. Best of Platform

In a previous post, I discussed “best integrated,” which aligns with the concept of “best of platform.” This approach involves selecting a broad set of tools within an extensible framework that supports your goals and security needs. Always choose tools with built-in integration capabilities to ensure seamless operation. Some of the same companies as above are considered highly focused on on “best integrated” and walk the line into platform if customers wish to do so. Technology companies that focus on “platform” are Trend Micro, Qualys, Zscaler, Lacework, and Tenable. Thes companies focus on cloud-native solutions, compliance, advanced threat protection, insurance, and management solutions which all taken together help customers build a “best platform”.

Best of Suite

The best of suite approach involves selecting a comprehensive suite of security tools from a single vendor. Having worked at an investment bank for the past three years, I’ve seen a trend towards security consolidation. The managed services space is also growing as more companies outsource their security needs. While the initial cost can be higher, this approach requires careful planning and architecture. It is important to understand there are small differences in each of these. While Microsoft is on many of these lists it is due to the fact you can choose some or all of their capabilities. Google is very similar where you can look at Gartner, 451, or Forrester1 and they will have both companies highly rated. This is important for “Best of Suite”. Other companies to consider would be Salesforce, Oracle, SAP, Adobe, Workday, and ServiceNow. They have “platforms” around Enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, IT Service Management, and Operations Management. They can integrate tools across marketing, sales, service, and commerce.

Conclusion

Over the past two blogs, we’ve explored best of breed, best integrated, best of suite, platform, and Secure by Design. Each approach has its complexities, costs, and challenges. It’s essential to consider the data and remember that “culture eats strategy” every day of the week. As a new CIO, CTO, or CISO, gaining buy-in from key stakeholders is crucial. My recommendation is to choose a framework, build your architecture based on existing capabilities, and develop a roadmap for gradual improvement. Change requires time and endurance, but with a strategic approach, you can shift the culture one tool at a time.

In conclusion, take a strategic approach rather than a tactical one to avoid constantly playing “whack-a-mole.” A well-developed architecture will align the C-Suite and help you create a robust security plan. Avoid making decisions based on personal preferences alone, and focus on building a cohesive and secure environment.

If I missed speaking with you at Blackhat, I along with the team at Boston Meridian Partners would be happy to jump on a call to chat about the state of the markets or help you navigate the M&A process. Please reach out to us via our webpage and LinkedIn below.

www.bostonmeridian.com

Boston Meridan LinkedIn Page <- Follow this company!

About the author

Shawn Anderson2 has an extensive background in cybersecurity, beginning his career while serving in the US Marine Corps. He played a significant role as one of the original agents in the cybercrime unit of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Throughout his career, Mr. Anderson has held various positions, including Security Analyst, Systems Engineer, Director of Security, Security Advisor, and twice as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). His CISO roles involved leading security initiatives for a large defense contractor’s intelligence business and an energy company specializing in transporting environmentally friendly materials.

Beyond his professional achievements, he is also recognized for his expertise in the field of cybersecurity. He is a sought-after speaker, writer, and industry expert, providing valuable insights to both C-Suite executives and boards of directors.

Currently, Mr. Anderson serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Boston Meridian Partners. In this role, he evaluates emerging technologies, collaborates with major security providers to devise cybersecurity strategies, and delivers technology insights to the private equity and venture capital community.

Overall, Shawn Anderson’s career journey showcases a wealth of experience in cybersecurity and leadership roles, making him a respected and influential figure in the industry.

  1. Gartner, 451 Research, Forrester ↩︎
  2. http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnanderson ↩︎

Cybersecurity Trends from a CTO/CISO perspective

It’s been a fast 15 months since I started on this journey working as the CTO for an investment bank. I’ve traveled all over the United States, held conversations with 100’s of Venture Capital, Private Equity, and exciting newer security startups. There have been a few trends which keep bubbling to the top that I wanted to share with all of you. As we all know cybersecurity isn’t anything new but something all companies, large and small, need to be doing. Cybersecurity has become an increasingly important area of focus for businesses and governments, with the rising frequency and severity of cyber-attacks as well as the renewed governance focus at the board level.

As a result, there has been a growing interest in investing in cybersecurity companies and technologies. Here are some of the investment trends in cybersecurity:

Cloud Security: With more businesses moving their operations to the cloud, cloud security has become a top priority. Investors are looking for companies that provide cloud security solutions, such as cloud access security brokers (CASBs), cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools, and cloud workload protection platforms (CWPPs). Using rough numbers from quarterly earnings of the top 3 cloud providers (GCP, AWS, and Microsoft) they are roughly $350b annual revenue which is a small percentage of the overall global IT spend of $4.2T. This area will continue to grow.

Identity and Access Management (IAM): IAM solutions have become essential for managing access to corporate networks, applications, and data. Investors are looking for companies that provide IAM solutions such as identity governance and administration (IGA), multi-factor authentication (MFA), privileged access management (PAM), and User access management.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML are being used to enhance cybersecurity by enabling faster threat detection and response. Investors are looking for companies that provide AI and ML-powered solutions such as security analytics, threat detection and response, and fraud prevention. This area spooks me a bit as it’s moving so quickly and from what I’ve seen without any guardrails to keep it 100% safe, ethical, and working in the best interests of it’s creators.

Internet of Things (IoT) Security: As more devices become connected to the internet, IoT security has become a critical concern. Investors are looking for companies that provide IoT security solutions such as device management, data encryption, and firmware security. Other areas are Operational Technology (OT) which is a term defining a specific category of hardware and software whose purpose is to monitor and control the performance of physical devices. The other is Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) designed to incorporate technologies such as machine learning, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, sensor data, Big Data, etc.

Cyber Insurance: Cyber insurance has become increasingly popular as a way for businesses to mitigate the financial risks associated with cyber attacks. Investors are looking for companies that provide cyber insurance policies and risk assessment services. This is a growing area with a lot of unknown variables. Unlike traditional insurance such as life and auto the data available on cyber is limited to the past 40 years and is always advancing. This area will continue to mature and be extremely important as companies try to defer and manage their risk.

Cybersecurity Consulting and Integration: With cybersecurity becoming more complex, businesses are seeking the expertise of cybersecurity consultants to help them develop and implement effective cybersecurity strategies. Investors are looking for companies that provide cybersecurity consulting services. An offshoot of this is Cloud System Integration or Cloud SI. Companies who can help other companies to deploy the cloud solutions they have acquired to get it deployed in the quickest way possible. These companies who are “born in the cloud” have an advantage today because they have the ability to move at “cloud speed”. The issue is training the talent to do the work.

Overall, the cybersecurity industry is expected to continue to grow, and investors are expected to continue to invest in companies that provide innovative and effective cybersecurity solutions.

About the author

Shawn Anderson has an extensive background in cybersecurity, beginning his career while serving in the US Marine Corps. He played a significant role as one of the original agents in the cybercrime unit of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Throughout his career, Anderson has held various positions, including Security Analyst, Systems Engineer, Director of Security, Security Advisor, and twice as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). His CISO roles involved leading security initiatives for a large defense contractor’s intelligence business and an energy company specializing in transporting environmentally friendly materials.

Beyond his professional achievements, Anderson is recognized for his expertise in the field of cybersecurity. He is a sought-after speaker, writer, and industry expert, providing valuable insights to both C-Suite executives and boards of directors.

Currently, Anderson serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Boston Meridian Partners. In this role, he evaluates emerging technologies, collaborates with major security providers to devise cybersecurity strategies, and delivers technology insights to the private equity and venture capital community.

Overall, Shawn Anderson’s career journey showcases a wealth of experience in cybersecurity and leadership roles, making him a respected and influential figure in the industry.