IT Visionaries

Latest Episodes:

Saving Humanity from Passwords with Mickey Boodaei, the CEO of Transmit Security Dec 30, 2021

Show notes

Passwords are the worst things ever. Okay, maybe that’s a bit hyperbolic, but they are pretty annoying. Here are the top hits of their most obnoxious qualities: One, they cause friction to get things done. Two, who can remember all their passwords? Three, it’s easy for bad actors to steal them. Four, practically everything requires a password now, so there are just too many. Mickey Boodaei, the CEO of Transmit Security, also agrees that passwords are terrible, but he has a solution to get rid of them.

Main Takeaways

The Problems With Passwords: Passwords have become ubiquitous. Despite the good intention behind them to foster security, they remain cumbersome and ineffective. The layers added to passwords to make them more secure are insufficient. Two-factor authentication remains vulnerable to bad actors. Though biometric authentication is a helpful technology, many apps that attempt to harness it still have a password underneath the biometrics.
Getting Rid of Passwords: Biometric data held on secure devices is part of the solution to move people beyond passwords. The data on a private device is very secure overall. Furthermore, it is possible to create trust between devices to provide access to applications, etc.
Cryptographic Keys: Biometric data on a secure device can then be used for authentication through the creation of parallel cryptographic keys — a private key that stays with the device and a corresponding public key connected to an application. Using this technology, the private key always remains secure on the individual device. This makes it very difficult for bad actors to access any data of import.

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That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Building Satellite Taxis and Space Logistics with Bruno Carvalho, the Director of D-Orbit Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

Just like there’s too much junk on Earth, we’re sending up too much junk into space now too. As private enterprise gains more access to space, even more satellites are launched up there — taking up space. It’s a real problem with the potential to get worse as businesses have greater interest and access to get their gear into space. Bruno Carvalho, the Director of D-Orbit, contends that the answer is better space logistics in order to support space sustainability.

Main Takeaways

Space Sustainability: Space is filling up fast. The concern for space collisions and the dangers of debris is real. Sustainable solutions concerning satellites must be developed and implemented because their numbers will only be increasing.
Space Taxis: D-Orbit has essentially developed a space taxi system to put satellites in their final orbital positions. These taxis can have additional applications after they have completed their taxiing missions. For instance, this sort of vehicle could perhaps be used to pick up space refuse. They also relay important alert information back to Earth more quickly.
Partnering with AWS: Partnering with AWS enables D-Orbit, like many companies, to reduce its own need for infrastructure. Also, the use of the AWS Ground Stations help reduce delay by increasing the speed at which D-Orbit can access its data via the cloud.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Providing Visibility and Context to Software Development Security with Idan Plotnik, the CEO of Apiiro Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

Running fast is good but not headfirst into a brick wall. Similarly, software development needs to move fast, but moving too fast typically is not secure and can cause headaches. Furthermore, old security protocols are insufficient and inefficient. Idan Plotnik, the Co-Founder & CEO of Apiiro, makes the case for a platform that quickly provides contextualized information concerning coding

Main Takeaways

Contextualized Info: An old way of checking code often involved the coders themselves answering a long list of questions. This was inefficient and ineffective. A more helpful approach is to have a platform that quickly provides contextualized information concerning the coding, the process, and potential breaks in the chain. With this type of info, security risks can much more efficiently be discovered and addressed.
Establishing Trust: A platform that provides contextualized information can assist in communication between AppSec teams and developers. If an AppSec team is able to approach the developers with helpful information, then that can establish trust between all parties. With trust established, everybody can work together to reduce the security risk.
Mission-oriented: An entrepreneur, or a company, should have passion for their mission, whether that’s in securing software development or otherwise. In Israel, there is certainly a connection between innovation and the lessons that many entrepreneurs have learned during their military service. Mission-oriented values seem to translate to successful business outcomes.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Making the Turn from Data Inventory to Helpful Information with Mara Reiff, the Chief Data Officer of FreshBooks Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

If data is in a pool that only keeps getting deeper as data inventory is accounted for, when is the exact moment for a business leader to jump in to do something with all the accumulated information? Leaders who care about data appreciate that it’s necessary to take stock before analyzing and strategizing. But taking inventory could be all one does because, whether it’s in a small or large business, the amount of data is only increasing. Mara Reiff, the Chief Data Officer of FreshBooks, suggests to account for enough data to begin the work and then to dive in.

Main Takeaways

Taking Stock and Then Activating: A company must take inventory of its data, of course. But taking stock of data is a perpetual process. So, the trick becomes knowing when enough data has been collected so that you can move to applying that information to solve particular problems on behalf of customers.
Being a Data Advocate: With so much data at any singular organization, there can be a natural tendency to want to put one person in charge of all data and for that individual to have total responsibility, Reiff made the point that it’s impossible to be responsible for all data if one is not in control of who is adding all the data. Over time, she has come to see her role as being a leader who advocates for all the company’s data to be used in a responsible and constructive manner.
A Scientific Data Mentality: Accumulating data at a business is not done for its own sake. Whether one has a science background or not, using data to help customers is about hypothesizing, testing, making a case, and then acting on that basis. Sometimes it’s about finding a particular customer with an issue that needs addressing; other times it’s about anticipating customer needs and acting accordingly to address them.
ML and NLP: Many leaders in the data field are excited about the prospects of machine learning and natural language processing. One area to zero in on as a benefit is how NLP can really help in the area of translation; particularly for companies that operate in many countries. The mission for FreshBooks is to make accounting easier for small businesses, which the company serves in 160 countries. Translating language accurately and efficiently would certainly smooth and simplify accounting practices, among many other applications for other industries.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Disrupting Healthcare by Fitting In with Sean Duffy, the Co-founder and CEO of Omada Health Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

The healthcare industry in the U.S. can feel like a slow moving, bureaucratic, dysfunctional mess. But the question is: What is the best way to activate a digital transformation that leads to better care for people? Sean Duffy, the Co-founder and CEO of Omada Health, suggests that fitting innovative digital care into the current model is the best strategy to make the most constructive change.

Main Takeaways

Providing Proactive Care: Proactive care is difficult in the current in-person model; in part, because care is associated as occurring mostly during in-person experiences. Digital care through Omada operates differently in that Omada’s support team is able to provide monitoring without reliance on in-person office visits for the majority of care. Omada also provides prescriptions for monitoring devices and ships them right to the patient.
Working Within the System: Given the longstanding structures of the U.S. healthcare system, it is important that companies looking to innovate appreciate the realities of the system and be willing to work inside it in order to make changes. For Omada Health, this even comes down to making semantic choices regarding care that best fit into the current healthcare lexicon.
Creating a Culture of Innovation: With half a million users, Omada has been able to collect a lot of potentially useful data. Omada created the Omada Insights Lab in order to create a culture of innovation where its employees would use this trove of information in order to ask different questions and come up with solutions. Now, Omada has been able to open up this information to its customers so that they can also weigh in with their own ideas.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Security Straight Talk with Jim Alkove, Chief Trust Officer at Salesforce, and George Kurtz, President/CEO and co-founder of CrowdStrike Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to IT security, there are a lot of marketing pitches out there offering bullish assessments of certain technologies, and, of course, the particular products being pitched. Really, there’s nothing wrong with marketers doing their jobs, and it’s especially useful when this information leads to learning about emerging technologies and innovative products with a great deal of potential. But it’s also nice to get some security straight talk.

Frankly, so much noise concerning security products and innovation can be a liability because it’s just more information to process. There’s a real need for a clear-eyed, big-picture assessment of the current IT security landscape. This includes providing a sense of the big threats and what can be done to mitigate them both on the macro and micro level.

Main Takeaways

Current Threats and Strategic Solutions: Big threats to businesses are coming from state actors performing espionage. Additionally, criminals have begun to use state sponsored attack techniques in order to hold companies’ data hostage. On a macro level, governments need to come together to agree that these sort of state sponsored attacks are unacceptable. Companies can also shore up their endpoints and maintain basic security protocols to reduce threats regardless of where they come from.
Cloud Use: Although there are some legacy companies still slow to change to the cloud out of concerns that they may disrupt their old systems, there is a certain inevitability in companies moving to the cloud. Even more importantly, cloud-backed companies, that have put time in the space, will have greater opportunities as more companies move to the cloud,
Technologies Making Security Easier: A.I. can help with anomaly detection, access management, and by reducing the quantity of human talent required. Though some marketing may suggest otherwise, A.I. and automation that is proactive to reduce threats is still in a more aspirational phase.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Simplifying Cloud Complexity with Ami Luttwak, the Co-founder and CTO of Wiz Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

The word “cloud” is often uttered up in an almost reverent tone by anyone even tangentially affiliated with the IT world. A big reason for this is because cloud computing has been a tremendous boon for all manner of institutions. Getting away from on-prem servers has reduced cost and increased the speed at which organizations operate as well as the amount of data and applications that can be used to add value. But there is a tremendous amount of complexity in the cloud. With so many developers working in the cloud, there are also many potential access points and, therefore, security vulnerabilities. Ami Luttwak, the Co-founder and CTO of Wiz, explains how cloud complexity increases risks to security.

Main Takeaways

The Promise and Problem With the Cloud: Use of the cloud can add value to organizations. For instance, the cloud can potentially decrease cost and promote efficiency. It also adds complexity and possible access points. For bad actors, this sort of complexity creates openings to infiltrate systems in order to achieve their malevolent ends.
Asking the Question Differently: To innovate, sometimes it’s a matter of just asking a question differently. Also, asking the question simply can be helpful too. That said, it may only appear to be an elemental question after it has actually been answered. Wiz asked the basic question: are your cloud databases exposed? Solving this problem has allowed the company to make an impact in cloud security.
MVP Plus Scale: In startup circles, it makes sense to get an MVP out ASAP. Luttwak suggests that startups must create MVPs that also have the capacity to scale. If they do so, they will save time and put their companies in a better position down the line.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Strengthening the Supply Chain with Dr. Madhav Durbha, VP of Supply Chain Strategy at Coupa Software Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Recent disruptions have stretched supply chains all over the world. In some cases, supply chains have been broken in their weak places and have needed to be repaired. But there will always be unexpected events and outcomes. What helps are predictive models that can aid in decision-making. Dr. Madhav Durbha, the VP of Supply Chain Strategy at Coupa Software, suggests simulations can help companies make smart decisions that will lead to great heights.

Main Takeaways

Macroeconomics: In order to best guide its customers, Coupa needs to have a sense of the ever-evolving, macroeconomic landscape. To do so, Coupa compiles and analyzes data from external as well as internal sources. Machine learning is an asset to help pour over and analyze the external data. Coupa is able to leverage its vast community of customers, and their data/resources, in order to provide high value insights.
Digital Twins: Digital modeling is an effective tool in order to analyze a given company’s supply chain. Predictive models can be established and then informed decisions can be made and implemented to impact the supply chain in the physical world.
Two Big Supply Chain Steps: One thing companies can do to shore up their supply chains is to go from a mentality of a one-to-one relationship with each distributor to instead thinking about each element of the supply chain as a multi-layered network. With this new mentality, companies can form relationships with other entities in the supply chain and leverage their scale in order to secure the products that they require. Additionally, companies must have a willingness to work with governments in order to secure the supply chain. This may involve certain products being manufactured at the local level rather than relying upon the global supply chain.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Keeping Security Simple with Johanna Baum, the CEO and Founder of S3 (Strategic Security Solutions) Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

There is a lot of conversation among IT security leaders about engaging the workforce in order to mitigate threats. But how do security professionals actually win people over to their side? Many employees are willing to comply but what can be done to really get through to those that are resistant? Johanna Baum, the CEO and Founder of S3 (Strategic Security Solutions), contends that to enact change, leaders must involve those that are most reluctant to go along with security protocols — especially the person still keeping their login password on a post-it note on their computer. In order to change the security culture of a company, Johanna suggests seeking out the person at a company who is least likely to comply.

Main Takeaways

It Comes Down to the People: There’s always going to be a security tech stack. A security platform and relevant apps will help reduce threats. But, fundamentally, people are still required to act with any given platform or system as part of the security solution. Furthermore, employees also need to engage in secure behaviors that reduce the overall risk to the company.
Involve the Malcontents: Cultural change concerning security is only as strong as the weakest link. Leaders must seek out the malcontents in order to engage them in the process. Leaders must put employees who are reluctant to accept security protocols in situations where they can test out measures and be part of the solution.
Keep Security Simple: Because there are so many security threats, there can be a tendency to assume risk mitigation must be very complicated and beyond human capacity. Although artificial intelligence and automation can certainly be helpful to thwart so many threats, there are also really simple things people can do on their own to embolden security. For instance, this can be as basic as ensuring people log out or use effective passwords. On a company-wide level, it can be as elemental as making sure there is an up to date list of all the users at the organization.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Time Plus Data Equals Efficiency with Paul Dix, the Founder and CTO of InfluxData and the Creator of InfluxDB Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

If the topic of databases is brought up to certain people, their eyes may gloss over. But if that happened, that would be because they just don’t know the awesome power of databases. Data can be valuable but only if it is contextualized, and time is an extremely relevant aspect to consider when analyzing huge amounts of data. Paul Dix, the founder and CTO of InfluxData and the Creator of InfluxDB, explains how a time series database can help provide that temporal contextual information to promote efficiencies.

Main Takeaways

Time Contextualizes Data: Data has value only when it is placed in context and then the information gleaned from it is applied into actionable items. Time is a key factor to provide a basis for understanding information. A time series database, iike InfluxDB, can provide this sort of context for server and IoT device monitoring. This info can then be applied to track performance and increase efficiency.
Failure Becomes Opportunity: Sometimes it’s hard to see how a win can come from a loss, and most people try their very best to avoid losing. But the reality is that learning is happening when something is being created, and the knowledge that’s gained in the creative process has nothing to do with the outcome of a given project. To ultimately be successful, the lesson is to take what’s been learned and then keep pivoting until the product and the market are aligned and the timing is right.
Evolving Engineering: Technology is always advancing rapidly. Therefore, even a successful product will require adaptations to meet new challenges. Accepting the reality of the high rate of change and, therefore, the need to constantly adjust accordingly will position a company in the best position to succeed.

That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.
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IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.