The Cyber Why: What We Read This Week...
The Cyber Why: What We Read This Week...
... and why you should too! (11/16/2022)
The last couple of weeks have been crazy hectic for me. I didn’t read nearly as much as I would have liked to, but at least I’m able to bring you the few cool stories I managed to find. In this week’s Cyber Why we dig into the history of console games, analyze valuations over the course of 25+ years, attempt to understand what “context” really means, and of course read yet another story about OpenAI and ChatGPT.
On another note, this is going to be the last Cyber Why of 2022. The next couple of weeks are holiday weeks and I’m going to be spending some much needed time with my family and friends. It’s important this time of year to rest, relax, and reflect on what we’ve achieved. Thank you for being on this ride with me and I hope you enjoy the latest edition of The Cyber Why!
Context is Everything: CNAPP Revolution to Secure AWS Deployments (AWS Events)
They say that “Content is King”. In cyber security I would argue that “Context” is king. I’ve been using the term context for over a year now. It’s rare to have an absolute black and white answer when cyber security decisions are being made. Incomplete information is the reason why human analysts are required to take action and fix problems. Humans are required because of their ability to comprehend the context that surrounds the problem. If you can solve the context problem in cyber security you can create a security technology that actually fixes issues in the most efficient way possible.
Side note: Maybe some day soon AI solves the “context” problem in cyber security. Time will tell!
Visualizing Multi Cloud IAM Concepts (Julian Wigmann)
Ho-le-she-it! If you thought IAM in the on-premise world was difficult to understand. Take a look at the amazing research done by Julian Wigmann on visualizing the IAM universe in a multi-cloud environment. It is no longer only about accounts and passwords. The simplicity of moving to the cloud really isn’t that simple if we care about the security of the system. Amazing work Julian!
Top 2022 Cybersecurity Trends: Truths and Tall Tales (Katie Teitler)
It’s that time of year where everyone breaks out the crystal ball and tells fanciful stories about what they think the next 12 months will bring to cyber security. Just like a market analyst, most never really look back and see if they were right when it comes to their prognostications (yep that’s an SAT word!). This article by Katie Teitler takes a look back at the most common 2022 predictions and where we where wrong (or right). She then has some of the best analysts in the industry give their 2023 predictions. I love the look back style KT!
ChatGPT Is a Tipping Point for AI (Harvard Business Review)
You know something is hitting the mainstream when HBR writes an article about it. There isn’t anything specifically new in this piece, however it does a good job of summarizing “why” AI is important and how it will have a major impact on the world. After some time passes it’s my prediction that we will look back at this moment as a watershed moment where AI became truly useful.
Consoles and Competition (Stratechery)
The history of the console from a business competition lens is absolutely riveting. The article draws out very important business dynamics regarding commoditization, where value is derived from, and tactics to capture a value chain. Even if you don’t get to the FTC Vs. Microsoft section of this long article, the history alone is a phenomenal business case study. (Hat Tip tl;dr newsletter for first covering the piece)
Should You Quit a Chaotic Job Right Now, or Stick It Out? (WSJ)
Sometimes the timing of an article is serendipitous. I recently resigned from my full time role at JupiterOne to take the rest of the year off and focus on my family. It’s a difficult leap of faith especially in a time when technology workers are being laid off in droves. Since leaving, I have already been successful in hanging my own shingle and signing up a number of companies to help them build their businesses. Often times leaving is the kick in the pants you need to do something fresh that brings you a whole new level of energy.
Praying to the God of Valuation (Mark Suster)
In this post Mark weaves a tale of experience about market valuations. From the heady days of the dot bomb through to the financial crisis, the unicorn valuations era, and on to today’s reversion to the mean, Mark tells a tale of experience as seen through an investor’s lens. Mark is excited about the future as companies get back to being healthy and no longer living high on the hog and you should be too!
I hope you enjoyed this edition of The Cyber Why. If you did, please take a moment and share it with your friends. Our newsletter is growing SUPER quickly and it’s all because you took a minute and told someone about it. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and remember not to eat too many Christmas cookies!
