14 Mar Digital Defense Shows Off Its Human Element At RSA Conference USA 2020
Frontline.Cloud addresses the lack of trained cybersecurity professionals
– Steve Morgan, Editor-in-Chief
Sausalito, Calif. – Mar. 14, 2020
When it comes to cyber threats and vulnerabilities, seeing is believing, and understanding. Digital Defense, Inc. drove that point home in a discussion with Cybercrime Magazine’s host and CSO, Scott Schober, at the RSA Conference USA 2020 in San Francisco at the end of last month.
“This year we’re really excited to launch two new features in our Frontline.Cloud platform,” explained Mieng Lim, vice president of product management.
Frontline Network Map visualizes an organization’s security posture with a clear, easy-to-understand picture of networks and connected assets so that IT staff can quickly prioritize remediation.
Frontline Threat Landscape aggregates global cyberattack incidents, and feeds and applies machine learning to determine the vulnerabilities that threat actors are exploiting, putting a network most at risk.
“Our Network Map feature is a powerful tool for information security blue team members to quickly visualize the security of the networks and connected assets for which they defend from cybercriminal attacks,” states Mike Cotton, senior vice president of engineering, on the Digital Defense website. “Frontline.Cloud users receive an accurate graphic depiction of their risk that enables rapid response to those assets or network clusters that present the greatest exposure.”
Larry Hurtado, president and CEO at Digital Defense, told Schober that one of the biggest issues our industry faces is a lack of trained security professionals. In response to the labor gap, organizations of all sizes are turning to channel partners, namely MSPs (managed services providers) and MSSPs (managed security services providers), for help. A big part of the Frontline.Cloud strategy is to integrate with security operations platforms that are in widespread use by the channel community.
Digital Defense has been acknowledged for its success with partners by numerous industry watchers. CRN recently named Rosanna Pellegrino, senior vice president of sales and business development, to its 2020 list of Channel Chiefs. Pellegrino has been instrumental in bringing the Frontline.Cloud platform to a growing base of managed services and security providers.
This year’s theme at the RSA Conference is the Human Element. For Digital Defense, it’s not just about their own people. The company recently received the Platinum Medallion Award by the U.S. Department of Labor for the hiring and retaining of veterans.
“As an Air Force veteran who previously transitioned from the military into a civilian role, I know first-hand how difficult that transition can be,” said Mark Bell, executive vice president of operations at Digital Defense, Inc. “Being in a position to now help my fellow veterans transition into and succeed within the civilian workforce is a great honor for me.”
Brian Lowe, who recently retired after over 22 years of service in the Air Force and is now a member of the Managed Security Operations team, stated, “Digital Defense allowed me to gain invaluable job experience across multiple functions while I was an intern as part of the Air Force’s Career Skills Program (CSP). Upon completing the CSP, Digital Defense offered me a full-time job as an IT security specialist. The company and other veterans on the staff made the transition to the civilian workforce a breeze.”
Digital Defense is also a major supporter in its local community. Meg Grant, senior vice president of marketing, is an active member of the San Antonio cybersecurity community serving as the company’s community relations representative for their work with CyberSecurity San Antonio, CyberTexas, Alamo ISSA, North San Antonio Chamber Technology Committee and San Antonio Women in Technology.
Grant recently visited Cybercrime Magazine’s offices and spoke to us about the importance of working with high schools in order to get students exposed to cybersecurity at an earlier age. Digital Defense provides two local high schools with technology to use in their curriculum. Part of the idea is to build a pipeline of future cyber fighters, which is sorely needed by local organizations.
While Digital Defense’s technology platform is impressive, it’s the human element that grabs Cybercrime Magazine’s attention, and has been since we’ve been tracking this company over the past five years.
It all starts with Hurtado, who has been with Digital Defense since 2002 when he joined as vice president of research and development. As president and CEO for the past 14 years, he’s built the company into a global cybersecurity firm and vulnerability management market leader with more than 100 employees.
Upon returning from the RSA Conference, Digital Defense was named to the Hot 150 Cybersecurity Companies to Watch in 2020 by Cybercrime Magazine.
– Steve Morgan is founder and Editor-in-Chief at Cybersecurity Ventures.
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