

The Analyst Brief
The Cyber Hut
"The Analyst Brief" is focused on providing expert and impartial commentary and analysis on the global identity security market. Hosts Simon Moffatt (Founder at The Cyber Hut) and David Mahdi (ex-Gartner Analyst and CISO Advisor) provide deep dive comment and opinion on some of the most exciting trends within the identity security, IAM and cyber sectors.
For more information on The Cyber Hut visit https://www.thecyberhut.com/
For more information on The Cyber Hut visit https://www.thecyberhut.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 24, 2024 • 39min
E54 - CyberArk and Venafi / QRadar and Palo Alto / Akamai and NoName Security
Summary
In this episode, Simon and David discuss recent acquisitions in the identity and access management space, including Palo Alto's acquisition of QRadar, Akamai's acquisition of NoName, and CyberArk's acquisition of Venafi. They explore the importance of resilience in IAM infrastructure and the growing need for managing machine identities and workloads. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in securing non-human identities and the role of PAM in addressing these issues. They also touch on the dark web and identity-based threats.
Keywords
identity and access management, acquisitions, resilience, IAM infrastructure, machine identities, workloads, PAM, non-human identities, dark web, identity-based threats
Takeaways
Recent acquisitions in the IAM space include Palo Alto's acquisition of Q Radar, Akamai's acquisition of No Name Security, and CyberArk's acquisition of Venafi.
Managing machine identities and workloads is a growing challenge in the IAM space.
PAM plays a crucial role in securing non-human identities.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:40 Recent Acquisitions in the IAM Space
06:02 The Importance of Resilience in IAM Infrastructure
09:12 Managing Machine Identities and Workloads
15:23 The Role of PAM in Securing Non-Human Identities
26:14 Upcoming Presentation at Identiverse

May 17, 2024 • 43min
E53 - A Review of RSA Conference 2024 - Part 2
Summary
In this episode, Simon and David discuss the convergence of identity and cybersecurity, particularly in the context of cloud adoption. They explore the challenges and opportunities that arise from this convergence and the impact on organizations of different sizes. They also touch on the confusion caused by the abundance of acronyms in the industry and the need for clarity and standardization. Overall, they emphasize the importance of protecting identity components and the critical role of identity in security. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities in the identity and access management (IAM) space, with a focus on the importance of data management and the need for effective discovery and remediation processes. The fragmentation of identity systems and the lack of visibility into identities and their interactions are identified as key issues. The acquisition of Q Radar by Palo Alto is discussed as a potential game-changer in the IAM space. The conversation concludes with the recognition that while automation and AI have their place, human involvement is still crucial for effective remediation.
Keywords
identity, cybersecurity, convergence, cloud, challenges, opportunities, acronyms, standardization, protection, security, identity and access management, IAM, data management, discovery, remediation, fragmentation, visibility, Q Radar, Palo Alto, automation, AI, human involvement
Takeaways
Identity and cybersecurity are converging, particularly in the context of cloud adoption.
Organizations of different sizes face different challenges and opportunities in managing identity and security.
The abundance of acronyms in the industry can be confusing, and there is a need for clarity and standardization.
Protecting identity components is crucial, as identity often plays a central role in security breaches. Effective data management is crucial in the identity and access management space.
Fragmentation of identity systems and lack of visibility into identities and their interactions are key challenges.
The acquisition of Q Radar by Palo Alto has the potential to impact the IAM space.
While automation and AI have their place, human involvement is still necessary for effective remediation.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Post-RSA Recovery
01:23 Unpacking the Convergence of Identity and Cybersecurity
07:13 Lessons from the Transition from Horses to Cars
09:08 The Confusion of Acronyms and the Need for Clarity
13:25 The Hype Cycle and the Trajectory of New Technologies
15:16 The Impact of Cloud Adoption on Identity and Security
23:21 The Transient Tilt in the Cloud and the Importance of Protecting Identity Components
24:13 The Importance of Data Management in IAM
27:38 Challenges of Fragmentation and Lack of Visibility
30:53 The Potential Impact of the Q Radar Acquisition
34:44 The Role of Automation and Human Involvement in Remediation

May 14, 2024 • 35min
E52 - A Review of RSA Conference 2024 - Part 1
Summary
In this episode, Simon and David discuss their experiences at the RSA Conference 2024 and highlight the key themes and trends in the identity and access management (IAM) space. They emphasize the growing importance of identity in the security landscape and the increasing integration of identity into RSA. They also discuss the impact of AI and Gen AI on IAM, the need for better discovery and visibility in identity systems, and the challenges of transitioning from legacy technology to new, intelligent systems. They conclude by highlighting the importance of preparing data for the Gen AI world and the need for organizations to adapt and embrace new technologies in order to stay competitive.
Keywords
RSA Conference, RSAC2024, identity and access management, IAM, security, AI, Gen AI, discovery, visibility, legacy technology, data preparation, competitive advantage
Takeaways
Identity is becoming increasingly important in the security landscape, and RSA is a key event for identity professionals.
The integration of identity into themes and topics at RSAC2024 is a reflection of the growing significance of identity in the industry.
AI and Gen AI are driving the need for more intelligent identity systems and the transition from legacy technology.
Discovery and visibility are crucial in identity systems, and organizations need to break down silos and integrate their identity infrastructure.
Preparing data for the Gen AI world is essential for organizations to stay competitive and take advantage of new technologies.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview of RSA Conference
13:02 The Growing Importance of Identity in the Security Landscape
21:03 Challenges of Transitioning from Legacy Technology to New, Intelligent Systems
25:01 The Impact of AI and Gen AI on IAM
31:05 Preparing Data for the Gen AI World
33:30 Preview of Next Episode on Fraud and Cloud

May 3, 2024 • 56min
E51 - Microsoft Entra External IDs / Cisco and StrongDM / CEO view on Cyber
This week Simon and David return with a weekly dose of industry analysis on the global identity and access management space. First up a discussion on Microsoft announcing the GA of their Entra for External IDs - who is it aimed at? Is it ground breaking? Next up is Cisco who announced an investment round into next-gen PAM provider StrongDM. Finally they discuss a great interview by Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters and his view of cyber in the board and its strategic value.

Apr 23, 2024 • 55min
E50 - BeyondTrust and Entitle / Cisco Duo breach and Hypershield launch / CSPM+NHI / SecureAuth new CEO
This week hosts Simon and David review a range of topical news events in the global identity and access management space. First up BeyondTrust have a definitive agreement with Entitle to combine up PAM and IGA. Cisco appear twice..once regarding a breach on Duo MFA service and another regarding their new solution launch - the Hypershield. A discussion on definitions before a quick comment on the new CEO at SecureAuth.

Apr 16, 2024 • 51min
E49 - The IAM and Fraud Episode
After a small spring break, Simon and David return with a special episode focused on the convergence of identity and access management and fraud. Why the convergence? How to measure success? What are the three 'V's' as they relate to fraud? How should people and process adapt to keep up with technology changes? And how to thwart the asymmetric advantage of the fraudster?

Mar 5, 2024 • 58min
E48 - NIST CSF 2.0 / Nightdragon CISO Spend Report / PAM + IGA Convergence
This week Simon and David tackle several topics in the governance space - how NIST Cyber Security Framework got a rev to v2.0, with the addition of a governance stage, are Privileged Access Management and Identity Governance & Administration convergence and a review of some CISO spending habits by investment firm Nightdragon.

Feb 23, 2024 • 49min
E47 - The Data Security Episode
This week Simon and David have a mini-deep dive on data security. Data storage locations are changing. Organisations are harvesting PII, transaction and payment data continually being collected. And what about disinformation and misinformation? What role does identity have here? What about data and deepfakes for onboarding and biometrics? What does data access governance meanin 2024? Is data integrity protection the biggest issue within cyber today? How should we handle fine grained and contextual access and how do the CISO and Chief Data Officer relate?

Feb 13, 2024 • 36min
E46 - SecureAuth acquire Cloudentity / Entrust to acquire OnFido / Cisco announces Identity Intelligence / Mastercard Emerging Trends
This week Simon and David focus on a new raft of pending acquisitions. They discuss the impact of SecureAuth and Cloudentity joining forces as well as news that Entrust are in talks to buy OnFido. They also cover the announcement that Cisco has launched a new Identity Intelligence offering hot on the back of acquiring ITDR vendor Oort in 2023. They finish up by taking a look at an emerging technology trends report released by Mastercard. Is Data security the next big IAM integration story?

Feb 6, 2024 • 43min
E45 - Okta Layoffs / Tech Downturn / Market Consolidation
This week Simon and David take a look at the recent announcement that Okta are laying off 400 staff globally. Is this part of a broader tech slow down? They discuss some of the trends from 2023 with respect to staff attrition and the impact that has had. With funding still high for IAM and cyber what does 2024 have in store?


