Impressed by the phrases of Helen Keller: “Alone we will achieve this little; collectively we will achieve this a lot”, the theme of the RSA 2023 convention is “Stronger Collectively”.
Cybersecurity can usually pit malicious hackers in opposition to moral hackers, or us in opposition to them. With the explosive emergence of Generative AI sparking a way of “rise of the machines” with each announcement, cybersecurity now has the potential to rework into people versus machines. A related and compelling theme, “Stronger Collectively” is rather more than easy energy in numbers or the energy of people. It is about creating, combining and utilizing folks, instruments, machines, automation – something and all the pieces – to attain the absolute best outcomes with most effectivity.
That is mirrored within the huge RSA Convention (RSAC) with greater than 625 suppliers and 700 stakeholders. I count on final 12 months’s 26,000 attendees shall be dwarfed by the dimensions of the group that may collect this 12 months in San Francisco on the Moscone Middle and surrounding motels, eating places and bars – all to strengthen the group.
Taking part within the RSAC is, by way of cybersecurity, like discovering a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate manufacturing unit. Nonetheless, with so many alternatives and so little time, we must be considered in how we spend our consideration price range.
So listed below are my high 5 picks for the 2023 RSA convention.
Keynotes
RSAC 2023 options greater than 30 keynote speeches from trade and popular culture luminaries. Prime of the listing for me is “The Looming Id Disaster,” that includes Rohit Ghai, CEO of RSA Safety. I have been saying for years that id is the area of cybersecurity, whereas the id trade continues to be mired in IT operational challenges. I believe Ghai and I agree and it is time to get up the remainder of the trade.
Vasu Jakkal, vice chairman of safety at Microsoft, will ship a keynote deal with titled “Defending at Machine Pace: The New Frontier in Know-how.” Given the perpetual cybersecurity abilities hole, we can’t decide to stronger cybersecurity, which suggests changing into stronger collectively by combining automation and analytics with ingenuity to attain quicker outcomes and higher.
I am a marketer and analyst, and storytelling is essential to how I do my job. However it’s rather more than that. Storytelling is how we talk in nearly each facet of our lives. “How Your Mind Responds to Tales” seems to be a captivating presentation from Karen Eber, CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Management Group.
Honorable point out goes to the opening panel dialogue titled “Face the Music: Cybersecurity and the Music Business,” which featured Grammy-winning musician and songwriter Chris Stapleton. I often is the solely cybersecurity analyst in TechTarget’s enterprise technique group who is not a musician. I am certain the remainder of my musical teammates shall be tapping their toes in anticipation of this speech.
Innovation Sandbox and RSAC launch pad
Startups are near my coronary heart. I spent a big a part of my profession within the startup world. Innovation sandbox, one among two RSA startup competitions, is all the time a spotlight of the RSAC. My coronary heart goes out to all of the individuals who insisted till the final second to verify their pitch was excellent.
Of this 12 months’s 10 candidates, I wish to see if AnChain.AI – a self-described next-generation, AI-powered cybersecurity firm constructing belief round blockchain and cryptocurrencies – can overcome the destructive stigma related to Web3 Cryptocurrency current a compelling enterprise case. And might Zama clarify homomorphic encryption to a fifth grader? Can Astrix Safety convey the significance of safe machine identities?
Honorable point out goes to RSA’s different startup competitors, Shark Tank fashion. RSAC launch pad this offers early-stage startups the chance to current a five-minute pitch. One of many finalists, Guardrail, is one other Internet 3.0/crypto safety platform. However, like AnChain.AI, can it make a compelling enterprise case? And might competitor Stability Principle embrace the “Stronger Collectively” theme?
RSAC Expo for the early levels
I used to be closely influenced by Clayton Christensen’s e-book, The innovator’s dilemma. Startups are the birthplace of nice concepts and infrequently higher execution. I plan to research lots of the high 50 start-ups within the RSAC Expo for the early levels that provide new views on our challenges and options.
For too lengthy, relating to cybersecurity, the means have turn into the tip, and we now have overpassed the truth that attackers goal endpoints, networks, and infrastructure with one objective in thoughts: accessing information. I am notably excited in regards to the eight id safety corporations and the ten information safety corporations among the many most promising new members of the newcomer group.
AI and machine studying in periods
RSAC affords periods on over 25 totally different subjects and tracks. Whatever the matter or monitor, I anticipate some widespread themes, together with the human factor, the rise of identities, and privateness. And naturally, AI and machine studying. Actually, I count on AI and ML to dominate nearly each session, discuss monitor, and hallway dialogue. The periods ought to assist clear a few of the AI and ML fog and produce some readability and perspective to the dialog.
AI and ML within the exhibition corridor
As unusual as it could appear, I shall be scouring the exhibition halls in search of sellers who do that. not shout about AI and machine studying, generative AI or chat with AI. I’ve complained about AI washout earlier than, and I am going to say it once more: including AI to your product is not like sprinkling magic pixie mud, and it would not create the proper answer.
We have to use the fitting instruments in the fitting locations to do the fitting issues. Including AI and ML – particularly a chat interface – will not assist in the event that they hinder workflow. And even worse, it will possibly damage if the AI lies to you, like the present incarnations of ChatGPT I do it generally at this time.
Principally, AI is a statistic. The magic of AI lies in its capability to carry out statistical evaluation at a velocity and scale incomprehensible to people. Apply AI appropriately, and combining AI with human ingenuity, continues to be rather more artwork than science – and a third-grade artwork at that. I will be looking out for sellers who do extra than simply put lipstick on a pig, with these sellers speaking about how AI is without doubt one of the many instruments and strategies they make use of to attain higher outcomes.
Networking
One of the best a part of RSAC, as with most different conferences, is coming collectively to fulfill outdated buddies, make new buddies, and construct group. Whereas structured convention occasions are nice, I additionally love studying from random hallway conversations, coffees, drinks, and people five-minute breaks between conferences. Be happy to cease by and say good day anytime. Or come see us Broadcast aisle the place, as soon as once more, I am going to be part of my Enterprise Technique Group co-analysts to host reside @Summit interviews from the expo ground, discussing convention buzz and urgent cybersecurity points.
