Explore Vladi Sandler's cybersecurity journey from military to LightSpin, emphasizing cloud defense, team culture, and balancing work, education, and transitioning. Discover the challenges of entrepreneurship, building a diverse team, and the importance of transparency in the cybersecurity industry.
Vladi excelled in diverse cybersecurity roles, from military to entrepreneurship, showcasing adaptability and leadership skills.
Transition from traditional security testing to comprehensive application security is essential in today's cybersecurity landscape.
Balancing work, education, and personal projects, Vladi emphasizes gender balance at LightSpin, nurturing a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Deep dives
Vladi Sandler's Security Journey from IDF to Cloud Defense
Vladi Sandler shares his transition from serving in the IDF's information security corps to launching LightSpin, a cloud defense mechanism. Starting as a soldier, he demonstrated his skills and rose in the ranks to lead critical security programs, attributing his success to structured decision-making in the military. Transitioning to the civilian sector posed language and cultural challenges, but his passion for security and adapting skills from the military helped him excel in the private sector.
Penetration Testing Glory Days & Research Shift
Reflecting on the penetration testing era's significance, Vladi highlights the shift towards comprehensive application security testing beyond traditional methods. His experience during the proliferation of cybersecurity relevance showcased varied security roles, from network to mobile testing. Emphasizing the importance of research skill development, he transitioned to research roles, delving into SCADA security and cloud technologies during his tenure at GE Digital.
Balancing Work, Education, and Initiated Security Programs
While advancing his career at Ernst & Young and gaining hands-on experience in cloud security with Volkswagen's automotive cloud, Vladi pursued a computer science degree and initiated a security program at his alma mater. Balancing work, education, and personal projects showcased his dedication and passion for empowering future security professionals through practical training programs, aligning his academic knowledge with real-world application security issues.
Fostering Gender-Balanced Innovation at LightSpin
At LightSpin, Vladi prioritizes gender balance and inclusivity, aiming for a 50-50 split between men and women in the team. This intentional diversity fosters a collaborative and innovative environment where employees share a common goal with equal opportunities. By emphasizing transparency, feedback, and personal development, LightSpin aims to become a leader in cloud security solutions while nurturing a diverse and empowered workforce.
Future Vision for LightSpin: Cloud Security Leadership
Looking ahead, Vladi envisions LightSpin becoming a pivotal player in cloud security, targeting markets in Europe and the United States. Focused on simplifying cloud security for organizations transitioning to cloud environments, LightSpin aims to double its team and expand its market presence. With a strategic roadmap and aspirations to establish headquarters in the U.S., LightSpin seeks to address the growing demand for adept cloud security solutions in a diverse range of industries.
Vladi has been through the gamut of cybersecurity roles including experience with the military, teaching, consulting, product, and entrepreneurship. After quickly rising through the ranks of Israel's cyber security arm, he entered the private sector where he gave up his free time for several years as he worked in consulting during the day and on coursework at night, including founding a security program at his alma mater shortly after graduating. Now, Vladi is leading Lightspin in the red-hot cloud security space with a novel approach to defense through graph visualization. His company has been growing rapidly, and incredibly he has done this while keeping an even balance between men and women despite the male-dominated field.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode