Are you getting ready for the upcoming RSA Conference, the world’s leading information security conference and exposition? The event is quickly approaching, taking place April 24-27, 2023 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This year’s theme: Stronger Together. In the cybersecurity industry, no one goes it alone. Instead, we build on each other’s diverse knowledge to create the next breakthrough—exchanging ideas, sharing our success stories, and bravely examining our failures.
Ahead of the show, VMblog received an exclusive interview with Antonio Sanchez, Principal Evangelist, Fortra, a global cybersecurity software and services provider.
VMblog: To kick things off, give VMblog readers a quick overview of the company.
Antonio Sanchez: Fortra has been a trusted provider in the industry since 1982. Our heritage is rooted in helping organizations build a better IT under our former name, HelpSystems. In recent years, we’ve evolved with a deliberate focus on security and automation, and today our portfolio includes best-in-class solutions from multiple industry-leading product lines. In 2022, we rebranded to Fortra, a name more synonymous with security. The new name unites the company under a single vision as we strive to be a relentless ally for our customers and help them solve complex security problems.
VMblog: How can attendees find you at the show? Do you have a theme? And how many times have you sponsored the RSA Conference?
Sanchez: We’re a Platinum sponsor with a 30 x 30 booth in the South Hall, booth S-826. Our theme is similar to that of the overall conference: Stronger Together. We’re showcasing the solutions from our portfolio that work together to make customers’ security stronger and more efficient. Visitors to our booth can see this in action with a demo from one of our solution engineers. Some of our product lines have been attending RSA for many years, but this will be the first year we’re exhibiting as Fortra.
VMblog: What made you sponsor RSA this year? Is this a must sponsor event for your company?
Sanchez: RSA Conference is the premier security event that attracts a wide international audience. Having a majority of the world’s cybersecurity companies all under one roof is quite a draw. The event gives us an opportunity to meet customers face to face and hear what’s going on in the industry.
VMblog: What is your message to RSA attendees coming out to the show this year?
Sanchez: You’ve heard of Digital Guardian, Tripwire, and Terranova Security, but did you know that they are all part of Fortra’s purpose-built portfolio? As a single vendor, we can address multiple parts of your security infrastructure. Come and see the full breadth of our capabilities and how we’re integrating these solutions to unlock new use cases and solve complex problems.
VMblog: What market needs or problems are you addressing in the security space?
Sanchez: Companies are looking to reduce the operational burden of managing multiple solutions and vendors. The breadth of our solution portfolios allows customers to solve many problems with a single vendor. Fortra provides infrastructure protection and data security tools to help customers reduce the likelihood and impact of cyberattacks. For organizations looking to alleviate pressure on internal resources, we also provide managed security services.
VMblog: Is your company launching anything new at the show? Can you give us a sneak peek?
Sanchez: Yes, we’re showcasing some of our product integrations at RSA this year, which we call Bundles. One example is our leading offensive security tools. When customers use these tools together, they can proactively reduce the likelihood of a cyberattack. Our new offensive security bundle combines three levels of capability – vulnerability management, pen testing, and red teaming – for a more robust strategy against threats. This type of layered security approach helps organizations identify and prioritize risk with actionable insights and provides a pathway to remediation. Come by the booth to find out more.
VMblog: What are some top priorities for security leaders at RSA to consider this year?
Sanchez: We’re seeing that security leaders are exploring how automation can help them increase efficiencies in as many areas as possible, whether that’s in workflow processes or in security tools.
These leaders are also looking at managed security services to reduce their operational burden and allow their security teams to focus on higher-value projects. Attendees can learn more about these priorities in the video prediction series I did earlier in the year.
VMblog: What are some of the security best practices you would deem critical?
Sanchez: Reducing the likelihood of a cyberattack in today’s environment is critical. Organizations need to understand and prioritize vulnerabilities and partner with IT on a disciplined patching program to reduce exposure. Another essential best practice is understanding where your sensitive data lives, who has and needs access to it, and ensuring the proper controls are in place for protecting it from leakage. As nothing is 100%, it’s also important to test your incident response plan as this will minimize the impact of a successful attack and minimize disruption.
VMblog: The keynote stage will be talking about major themes this year. But what trends is your company seeing that we should be aware of in 2023 and beyond?
Sanchez: Customers are telling us that vendor consolidation is important to them. They want to streamline operations and limit complexity. By working with vendors that can help them solve multiple problems, they can benefit from solution integration, interoperability, and unified support.
Supply chain security is another concern that is always top of mind. With the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) now in place, it’s become a major focus for EU organizations and their partners. Companies can reduce the risk of an attack by making sure that all entities in their partner ecosystem are taking the proper cybersecurity measures. Awareness training using real-world scenarios is highly effective in educating employees across all aspects of an organization’s employee base as well as throughout their extended partner supply chain.
VMblog: Does your company have any speaking slots at RSA? If so, can you tell us more about those sessions so people can get them on their schedules?
Sanchez: Yes, Rohit Dhamankar, Fortra’s VP of Product Strategy, is speaking on Wednesday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. His session will look at many of the topics mentioned above, such as vendor consolidation, automation, and attack surface management. He will explore the fundamental question of whether it’s possible to achieve both increased security maturity and decreased operational load. This talk will also cover common mistakes when adopting security technologies, including the pros and cons of AI and how the industry can improve collaboration.
VMblog: Is your company giving away any interesting giveaways at your booth?
Sanchez: Yes, look out for our Perks Pack coupon! We’re giving away free Fortra baseball hats (while supplies last).
VMblog: As a show sponsor, do you have any tips for attendees to better prepare or handle the conference?
Sanchez: At the top of the list would be to wear comfortable shoes. You’re likely to be on your feet for a good portion of the day, and the show covers quite a bit of ground. Remember to space out meetings to allow ample time to get from one location to the next. Drink plenty of water and go easy on the evening activities, at least for the first couple of nights!
##
