In a recent interview, cybersecurity visionary Sumedh Thakar, President and CEO of Qualys, highlighted the importance of translating cloud customer needs into effective security solutions. He emphasized the challenges posed by today’s dynamic threat landscape and offered advice on how companies can stay ahead of emerging cloud threats to keep their assets safe.
Thakar, who joined Qualys in 2003 as an engineer and has since held various leadership roles, is passionate about making the world’s digital journey safer. Throughout his career at Qualys, he has been instrumental in disrupting the vulnerability management space and driving innovation across the Qualys platform.
One of the key challenges Thakar identified is the rapidly evolving threat landscape. With new and sophisticated threats emerging constantly, security vendors must constantly adapt and evolve their solutions to provide effective protection for cloud assets. Thakar emphasized the importance of proactive measures, stating that companies cannot afford to be reactive in the face of evolving threats. Instead, they should anticipate potential vulnerabilities and implement proactive security measures to minimize the impact of attacks.
Thakar also highlighted the importance of keeping up with emerging trends in cloud computing. As more organizations adopt cloud-based services, the attack surface for cybercriminals continues to expand. Businesses must stay informed about the latest trends and developments in cloud computing to ensure they have the necessary security measures in place. Thakar advised companies to regularly assess their security posture and leverage emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to enhance threat detection and response capabilities.
When asked about the future trends and challenges in cloud computing, Thakar discussed the increasing complexity of cloud environments. As organizations continue to adopt multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures, managing security across these diverse environments becomes more challenging. Thakar emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive and centralized security solution that can effectively protect assets across different cloud platforms.
Thakar also highlighted the need for increased collaboration between security vendors and cloud service providers. He stressed the importance of integrating security solutions seamlessly into cloud platforms, enabling customers to leverage the full potential of cloud computing while maintaining strong security measures. Thakar believes that this collaboration is crucial to address the unique security challenges posed by the cloud.
In terms of his own experiences, Thakar has a strong background in cloud computing and SaaS. Prior to joining Qualys, he worked at Intacct, a cloud-based financial and accounting software provider, and at Northwest Airlines, where he developed complex algorithms for its yield and revenue management reservation system. This experience has given him valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with cloud computing.
In conclusion, Sumedh Thakar stresses the importance of translating cloud customer needs into effective security solutions. With the ever-evolving threat landscape, companies must adopt proactive measures and stay informed about emerging trends in cloud computing. Thakar’s vision for the future includes increased collaboration between security vendors and cloud service providers, as well as the adoption of emerging technologies to enhance threat detection and response capabilities. By following these guidelines, companies can ensure the safety of their cloud assets in an increasingly complex and dynamic cybersecurity landscape.