RSA Conference is an annual cybersecurity conference that covers a wide range of topics, providing an opportunity for attendees to expand their network and share and gain insights. In this video, Steve Winterfeld, Advisory CISO at Akamai, discusses the key themes and topics from this year’s RSA Conference, and the benefits of attending conferences. He says, “I learned so much at all these [conferences], part of it is reconnecting with peers that you don’t see all the time.”

Introduction to RSA Conference and Akamai’s announcements

• RSA is an annual cybersecurity conference covering a wide range of topics including management and industry trends, where lots of news announcements and research reports are released.
• This year’s RSA Conference was focused heavily on artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI and traditional machine learning. Other major themes included burnout and risk management, influenced by industry compliance and regulations.
• This year, Akamai made two key announcements: one on their efforts to reduce complexity by integrating their zero trust capabilities into a more cohesive platform and another on their acquisition of Noname Security, an API security company.

Key topics and trends at RSA Conference 2024 and the benefits of attending 

• RSA Conference sessions are organized into tracks tailored to different roles. Key topics for CISOs this year included materiality, how to protect the company and oneself, and integration with teams like legal and public relations.
• The most significant topic this year was AI but there were also discussions on quantum security and fraud, technical debt, sextortion, election security, and hackers’ use of AI.
• Winterfeld emphasizes the importance of public-private partnerships and information sharing in cybersecurity. He talks about the initial concerns about the government’s use of shared information but he feels that collaboration with Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) has improved.
• Winterfeld discusses the benefits of conferences for attendees: to share and gain insights, reconnect with peers, and expand their network. Larger conferences also offer continued education through recorded talks available on YouTube or for purchase.
• Winterfeld shares his key takeaways from the conference including staying informed about major issues like ransomware and business email compromise, understanding compliance requirements, and focusing on API security.
• AI discussions focused on its use as a cybersecurity tool and the threats it poses. Winterfeld tells us what he took away from these discussions and his aims to implement best practices and strategically invest in leveraging AI and machine learning in cybersecurity at Akamai.

Guest: Steve Winterfeld (LinkedIn)
Company: Akamai (Twitter)
Show: CISO Insights

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.