What were the major trends at this year’s RSAC?

Wow this was exciting! The RSA Conference this year was the first one since the pandemic, and it shows. There was electric excitement in San Francisco as attendees and professionals from around the globe were finally returning to F2F meetings. After multiple postpones and cancelled events, we all get a chance to come together to laugh, learn and discuss the world of cybersecurity.

But other than the pure joy of reconnecting with friends and colleagues, I took time to step back and notice a few recurring themes from this year’s 2022 RSA conference. What were the subjects and trends everyone was presenting, debating and sometimes even arguing over?! 

Below is my list of some of the most important cyber trends for the foreseeable future:

• Zero Trust – This subject is obviously not new to us, here at Perimeter 81.  But this year it was a popular term at the RSA conference. Everyone was talking about how to implement Zero Trust principles in their Firewall, VPN, Application security, Cloud posture and more. Zero Trust has become the new standard for any user permission, application or resource access, and of course, it’s at the core of any VPN replacement initiative.

What’s the takeaway? Zero Trust is a methodology, not a product. As a security admin, you should aspire to have Zero Trust principle implemented in all your security products. It allows for better virtual segmentation of the network, and can limit, if not prevent possible damage in case of a security breach or a data leak.

• API’s – Application Programming Interfaces, were a strong technical trend in the deeper technical discussions on the showfloor and in event panels. In short, API’s allow you to automate every management aspect of a product – configuration, monitoring, and integration with other systems in the organization. With the explosion of tools and softwares an organization uses for their IT and security operations, API’s become a critical tool to enable automation of these complex processes, minimize the time and workforce needed for day-to-day actions.
  
  
• The Economy – An important topic that was often discussed, was the today’s economy and it’s impact on global markets. It’s not a cyber term but it will ultimately have a grand impact on the industry at large. We are in a transition phase. Things are not the way they were in 2021, but the good news is that they are likely not going to be the same in 2023. 

The current markets situation is driving a re-think in every company, cyber companies included, on how to pass the next year or two. It is a time of re-foucs, and a time when thoughts of efficiency are top of mind for everyone. 

At RSA, the conversations were about what will happen in our cyber domain in these changing conditions. It’s pretty clear to everyone that the need for cyber products will not decline, and given the rate of recent cyber attacks, it may only increase. But the buyers (and investors) will be smarter in their choices, and search for a company that will give them the most value for money. 

It was truly an incredible time to be at the amazing RSA 2022 Conference, with great friends, colleagues and experiences. I was thankful to be apart of the show and look forward to seeing everyone next year!

Sincerely,

Tal Laufer, VP of Product at Perimeter 81