Guest: John Amaral (LinkedIn)
Company: Slim.AI (Twitter)
Show: 2024 Prediction Series

Slim.AI, is a Series A startup focusing on software supply chain security. Its SaaS security product focuses on containerized workloads helping to analyze, evaluate, and remove vulnerabilities. It can also automate the process of vulnerability management for containerized workloads in a collaborative environment. John Amaral, Co-Founder and CEO at Slim.AI, shares his predictions for 2024.

Securing the software chain is expected to transform from a notion of something that would be nice to have to something that is crucial and needs to be figured out and put in place. A Slim.AI  survey of around 250 Senior Executives found that they have decided to implement programs around this area this year including building and consuming more safe and secure software.

This paradigm shift needs to be driven by governments in terms of taking a proactive stance on recommendations and regulations. We will start to see mandates that ensure companies are taking responsibility for the security and integrity of the software they put into production and that their customers rely on. Companies consuming software will be subject to scrutiny and they will have to ensure they are maintaining high integrity and are responsible and transparent.

2024 will solidify the idea of collaboration as a cornerstone of transparency and trust among stakeholders, which comprises open source and commercial vendors, in the software supply chain. Historically, the value of the software and its capability has been a higher priority than its security. Previously, there has not been an incentive to spend a lot of time on security, particularly for open-source software producers, but with government mandates coming into play this may change. Collaboration between producers and consumers is key in facilitating this change.

The role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is becoming increasingly difficult with the acceleration of bad actions and software supply chain security adds another facet to that complexity. How these changes are governed will be key and CISOs need to be empowered with tools and regulations to help them do their job well.

Slim.AI will continue to build and evolve its product to help companies remove vulnerabilities and make software supply chain security easier through collaboration. Slim.AI will be focusing on innovating and driving better solutions to solve some of these key problems.

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.