One of the most talked-about sessions at the Take Command 2024 Cybersecurity Virtual Summit,"Control the Chaos: Building Resilient Cyber Defenses Through AI," featured experts from AWS and Rapid7 exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity and sharing practical guidance on leveraging AI to enhance cyber defenses.

Here are the key takeaways:

1. AI Enhances Alert Triage and Contextual Information: Laura Ellis, Vice President of Data Engineering at Rapid7, highlighted the power of AI in managing the overwhelming volume of alerts. "Using AI to help with alert triage... finding that signal, boosting the signal, reducing the noise, and being that assistant to work through that high volume of alerts." AI can also provide additional context to security teams, helping them make more informed decisions quickly.
2. The Role of AI in Reducing Manual Tasks: Generative AI can significantly reduce the manual workload on security analysts. Laura said, "we can leverage AI to generate that first report draft for them," allowing analysts to focus on more critical tasks. This efficiency is crucial in a field where time and precision are paramount.
3. Collaboration and Governance in AI Integration: Stephen Warwick from AWS emphasized the importance of cross-industry collaboration and robust governance in AI deployment. "AWS collaborates directly with Nvidia... to ensure secure communication between devices and apply responsible AI policies across the board." This collaboration is vital for developing secure AI solutions that meet industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Our post summit survey revealed that 37% of respondents see the largest potential for Generative AI in detecting advanced threats faster and with more precision. This highlights AI's role in automating manual tasks and reducing the workload on cybersecurity teams, leading to quicker threat identification and response.

AI offers significant promise in enhancing cyber defenses by improving alert triage, reducing manual tasks, and ensuring robust governance through collaboration. If you're interested in learning more about how AI can transform your cybersecurity strategy, click through to watch the full session.

The Cloud security landscape is constantly changing. During the "Command Your Cloud" session at the Rapid7 Take Command Summit, industry experts Ryan Blanchard, Jeffrey Gardner and Devin Krugly shared vital strategies for staying ahead of that constant change.

Effective cloud security requires a blend of proactive measures, prioritization based on real-world threats, and strategic automation. In fact, 35% of our post event survey respondents were unsure about the last time their organization experienced a security incident related to their cloud environment. This highlights a potential lack of visibility and communication regarding cloud security incidents within organizations.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embrace Democratized Access with Caution: The shift to cloud environments has democratized access and authority within organizations, leading to a broader range of individuals who can provision and manage resources. However, this increased access can result in diverse builds and rapid changes, complicating visibility and control. As Jeff Gardner highlighted, "Excess permissions and misconfigurations are natural outcomes of rapid cloud adoption, but they make you an attractive target for attackers."
2. Prioritize People and Processes Before Technology: Effective cloud security starts with people and processes. Gardner emphasized the importance of securing buy-in from higher-ups and modeling good security behavior. "Leadership comes from the top.” he said,”...find a champion on the dev team interested in security and build on that." Additionally, fostering a no-blame culture can encourage teams to learn from mistakes and continuously improve.
3. Implement Layered Risk Management: Devin Gregory underscored the necessity of a layered risk management approach. This includes understanding business criticality, public accessibility, attack paths, identity-related risks, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities. He said, "Understanding the data flows and the business requirements helps prioritize what needs to be secured first."

"One of the things that has really come into focus for security teams is building a collaborative and empathic environment. It's about including the security and the IT team and the infrastructure team right in the decisions." - Devin Krugly, Practice Advisor - VRM, Rapid7

Interested in learning more? Watch the full session to dive deeper into these strategies and enhance your cloud security posture.

The 2024 Take Command Summit, held virtually in partnership with AWS, united over 2,000 security professionals to delve into critical cybersecurity issues. Our infographic captures the essence of the summit, showcasing expert insights from 10 sessions on topics like new attack intelligence, AI disruptions, and transparent MDR partnerships.

We also highlight attendees' thoughts on various subject matters, from AI's role in security to the importance of collaboration and communication. Check out the key highlights, stand out stats, and engaging stories can inform your security strategies and keep your organization ahead of emerging threats.

View the full infographic here.

Rapid7 CMO Cindy Stanton hosted a discussions with Cindy Stanton, Byron Anderson, Principal InfoSec Engineer, KinderCare Learning Companies and Gaël Frouin Director IT Security, AAA Northeast to talk strategies for measuring team performance and demonstrating ROI in cybersecurity at Rapid7’s recent Take Command summit. The panelists highlighted the importance of clear objectives, noting many security projects fail due to poorly defined goals.

Our post summit survey of attendees showed that 56% of respondents identified limited resources as the biggest inhibitor to measuring security program success. Overcoming these challenges with clear goals, regular metrics, and automation can significantly enhance cybersecurity efforts.

Key Takeaways:

1. Regular Communication and Metrics: Organizations prioritizing regular communication and metrics-driven approaches are much more likely to achieve positive outcomes.
2. Risk Metrics as a Common Language: Byron Anderson emphasized using risk metrics to facilitate conversations about decommissioning outdated systems, reducing risk, and ensuring accountability.
3. Automation and Integration: Gaël Frouin stressed the necessity of automation for efficiency and achieving the best ROI, urging security professionals to consider automation in every process.

"Giving impacted teams a voice early on, and getting them involved, and giving them a sense of ownership, really helped with the success of the projects." - Byron Anderson, Principal InfoSec Engineer, KinderCare Learning Companies

To dive deeper into these insights and actionable tactics, watch the full video of the session.

At our recent Take Command summit, experts delved into the pressing challenges faced by SOC teams. With 2,365 more data breaches in 2023 than in 2022 (74% of which were a direct result of cyber attacks), the need for robust security operations has never been greater.

Key takeaways from the 25 minute panel:

1. Emphasizing Proactive Defense: SOC teams must prioritize proactive threat detection and intelligence gathering to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.
2. Enhancing Response Times: Reducing incident response times is crucial for mitigating the impact of security breaches and minimizing damage.
3. Leveraging Advanced Tools: Utilizing advanced threat detection technologies, such as AI and machine learning, can significantly improve the ability to identify and respond to sophisticated attacks.

Key Quote:

"The increasing use of native tools by threat actors means they can stay hidden longer, complicating our detection efforts."  - Lonnie Best, Detection & Response Services Manager, Rapid7.

The evolving threat landscape requires SOC teams to enhance detection capabilities and streamline operations. To dive deeper into these insights, click through to watch the full discussion.

The Rapid7 Take Command summit unveiled crucial findings from the 2024 Attack Intelligence Report, offering invaluable insights for cybersecurity professionals navigating today's complex threat landscape.

Key takeaways from the 30 minute panel:

1. Rise of Zero-Day Exploits: 53% of mass compromise events in 2023 and early 2024 began with zero-day exploits. This highlights the urgent need for improved patch management and proactive defense strategies.
2. Network Edge Vulnerabilities: Over a third of the vulnerabilities leading to mass compromise events were in network edge technologies, such as firewalls and VPNs, emphasizing the importance of securing these critical points.
3. Ransomware on the Rise: Rapid7 tracked over 5,600 ransomware incidents in 2023 and early 2024, with ransomware payouts exceeding $1 billion. The sheer volume underscores the importance of robust defenses and incident response plans.

Key Quote:

"Our research shows that more than 40% of incident responses in 2023 stemmed from remote remote access exploits without multifactor authentication. Basic security components are still crucial in making attacks harder." - Caitlin Condon, Director Vulnerability Intelligence, Rapid7

The 2024 Attack Intelligence Report provides deep insights into the evolving threat landscape, highlighting the rise of zero-day exploits, the critical vulnerabilities in network edge technologies, and the rampant increase in ransomware incidents, you can view it here.

For a deeper dive into these findings, click through to watch the full video and stay ahead of attackers.

In today's cybersecurity landscape, staying ahead of evolving threats is crucial. The State of Security Panel from our Take Command summit held May 21st delved into how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping cyber attacks and defenses.

The discussion highlighted the dual role of AI in cybersecurity, presenting both challenges and solutions. To learn more about these insights and protect your organization from sophisticated threats, watch the full video.

Key takeaways from the 30 minute panel:

1. AI-Enhanced Attacks: Friendly Hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security Rachel Tobac highlighted the growing use of AI by attackers, stating, “Eight times out of ten, I’m using AI tools during my attacks.” AI helps create convincing phishing emails and scripts, making attacks more efficient and scalable.
2. Voice Cloning and Deepfakes: Attackers are now using AI for voice cloning and deep fakes, making it vital for organizations to verify identities through multiple communication channels. Rachel continued, "We can even do a deep fake, live during a Teams or Zoom call to trick somebody."
3. Cloud Vulnerabilities: Rapid7’s Chief Security Officer Jaya Baloo pointed out that roughly  45% of data breaches are due to cloud issues, caused by misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, making cloud security a critical focus.

“Professional paranoia is something that I think we should hold dear to us,” - Jaya Bayloo, Chief Security Officer, Rapid7

Watch the full video here.

In today's cybersecurity landscape, staying ahead of evolving threats is crucial. The State of Security Panel from our Take Command summit held May 21st delved into how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping cyber attacks and defenses.

The discussion highlighted the dual role of AI in cybersecurity, presenting both challenges and solutions. To learn more about these insights and protect your organization from sophisticated threats, watch the full video.

Key takeaways from the 30 minute panel:

1. AI-Enhanced Attacks: Friendly Hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security Rachel Tobac highlighted the growing use of AI by attackers, stating, “Eight times out of ten, I’m using AI tools during my attacks.” AI helps create convincing phishing emails and scripts, making attacks more efficient and scalable.
2. Voice Cloning and Deepfakes: Attackers are now using AI for voice cloning and deep fakes, making it vital for organizations to verify identities through multiple communication channels. Rachel continued, "We can even do a deep fake, live during a Teams or Zoom call to trick somebody."
3. Cloud Vulnerabilities: Rapid7’s Chief Security Officer Jaya Baloo pointed out that roughly  45% of data breaches are due to cloud issues, caused by misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, making cloud security a critical focus.

“Professional paranoia is something that I think we should hold dear to us,” - Jaya Bayloo, Chief Security Officer, Rapid7

Watch the full video here.