Hey Andrew Cushman here…
It’s August in Vegas and you know what that means—Black Hat. Microsoft has quite a contingent here through its MSRC Operations and Ecosystem Strategy teams. We are here because Black Hat is one of the premier events in the security industry, it provides a wealth of information and insight into the pulse of the security landscape, and is a fantastic opportunity for face-to-face communication with the researchers, vendors, ISVs, CERTs and companies we work with throughout the year.
Additionally, there’s something more going on this year. The online threat landscape continues to evolve, attacks are more sophisticated than ever, the issues are more complex, and the security industry is challenged to keep pace with innovative solutions. It’s becoming ever more apparent – no company can tackle this issue of security alone. Collaboration across borders, and across segments, is imperative to help improve the broader security ecosystem.
For years we’ve seen this on a more micro level through gatherings like Black Hat, but now the need exists to shift this approach to a more macro level. Consider the efforts behind the multi-vendor release around the current DNS issue and the recent formation of the Industry Consortium for Advancement of Internet Security (ICASI) as validation for such a community-based shift.
Looking back over our history with Black Hat, our involvement has evolved from listening to and learning from researchers, to engaging with them, and finally to today where we’re excited to share our lessons learned and guidance to help mobilize the greater community in an effort to protect our mutual customers.
I’m excited to introduce you to several announcements Microsoft is making here at the show in areas like collaboration and information sharing that will truly help fuel this Community-Based Defense approach. Be sure to visit our new Ecosystem Strategy blog throughout the week for more details and news.
Stay tuned, there’s lots more to come.
Andrew
*This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.*