CXO INSIGHT workloads such as administrative tasks , so security professionals can focus on more strategic work as well as hone their own skills .
Companies looking to leverage automation should start by conducting an organisational audit to identify areas in need of efficiency and cost benefits . While I don ’ t think we ’ ll see a fully automated SOC , I do think we ’ ll continue to see more and more automation incorporated .
What is your approach to AI in terms of cybersecurity ?
I encourage my team to have a forward-thinking mindset and revisit old paradigms in light of changing technology and access to new data . I also value diversity in teams . We ’ ve expanded our global development teams worldwide to create and build products with participation from each of our major theatres around the globe . This expanded talent pool encourages us to look at old problems
through a new lens .
Which current product innovation are you most excited about ?
One innovation we ’ re particularly proud of is our Federated Analytics feature . In our State of Observability 2024 report , we found that nearly three-quarters of leaders improved mean time to resolution ( MTTR ) after combining security and observability workflows . Federated Analytics does just that ; it enables customers to analyse data sources across Splunk and certain external data lakes . In the past , if a user wanted to start an investigation for a vulnerability , they would need to call someone to give them access to the data log . With Federated Analytics , users can immediately extend analytics to their data lake without ever leaving Splunk Enterprise Security or the platform . This helps balance the cost of storage and access to data on demand in ways they never could before , without losing the benefits of tools consolidation and the productivity that comes from staying in tools primary to your everyday job .
Looking to the future , we will continue to integrate Splunk and Cisco products . Early into the acquisition , we delivered a unified observability experience between Cisco AppDynamics and Splunk to provide customers with unified visibility across any environment . This was only the first step in our Better Together vision , with many more great updates to come .
How can companies identify which areas to automate ?
One of the biggest areas where automation can improve is in closing the cybersecurity skills gap . IT job vacancies in the US
reached as high as 750,000 in 2023 , according to a report from Cybersecurity Ventures , and it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill these roles . Automation can help expedite more repetitive
Navigating AI in cybersecurity is complex , and the landscape is constantly evolving . That said , there are a couple of things I always consider when approaching this area in security . First and foremost is understanding the risks associated with AI to know where the organisation is most vulnerable . This , along with keeping up with industry standards and regulatory requirements , helps set a strong foundation for building digitally resilient cybersecurity systems . After building that foundation , it ’ s also important to consider what tactics will help secure the organisation . Developing clear policies and technical controls within organisations helps create a secure environment and prevents attacks before they happen . Feedback loops and continuous monitoring are also critically important to maintaining the security and effectiveness of security systems . Similarly , organisations should consistently reassess and update training models based on new inputs and data .
Can you share more about your career journey so far ?
I ’ ve been working in technology for over 25 years , with a focus on helping scale cloud and enterprise software companies into multi-product platforms . Following the acquisition , my role at Splunk has shifted to include a key role in leading Cisco and Splunk product integrations , with a focus on the net new value that Splunk and Cisco create together . Before I joined Splunk , I served as SVP and GM at DocuSign to lead the products and technology team responsible for the development and operations of the company ’ s eSignature and Contract Lifecycle Management applications , along with its Agreement Cloud Platform . Prior to that , I spent 16 years at Microsoft in various product and engineering leadership roles .
What trends do you see emerging in your industry ?
AI development within organisations is moving toward a more strategic posture rather than a reactive approach . There ’ s a clear interest in more specific descriptions of what AI can do for organisations , whereas a year ago customers wanted to know about all the different possibilities . Customers are no longer interested in what a tool or platform can do , but rather what it should do .
Outside of AI , I ’ m noticing a continued focus on data management . More and more , I hear from customers who are overwhelmed with the sheer volume of their data and are looking for solutions to navigate this . I expect more people will begin shifting their posture through a better data management strategy to get more value at less cost . We are squarely focused on helping customers address these challenges and helping them modernise their security and observability practices with Splunk . x
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