Security Roundup: Going Rogue, SentinelOne, Exabeam, Kaspersky, Sophos
… multiple applications which serve the same function with the resultant confusion within the organization of what is the right tool to use. One of the roles IT can play is to clearly communicate why software or applications were selected and help the business make the right decisions to ensure money is not being wasted.
CF: Do the generational differences suggest increasing problems as younger generations make up a larger percentage of the workforce?
AP: Millennials are already the largest generation in the workforce and Gen Z is right behind them — we have already reached a tipping point where this isn’t a problem as much as it is the new normal. What has really changed is the expectations and familiarity with technology. The policies, protocols and tools will always evolve, but IT should try and focus on better controls to identify new applications as they are being used in order to prevent systemic issues later.
CF: What are some of the ways organizations can convince employees at all levels to stop going rogue and seek the necessary permissions before using unauthorized software and applications?
AP: Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet for this. A security-aware company will use a combination of hosting regular security awareness training, implementing controls at the network’s perimeter and on endpoints, blocking riskier software downloads and analyzing IT processes. IT can also proactively monitor the entire technology estate to understand what workers are using, and what they aren’t, to build the right mix for your organization.
CF: Are there any positive findings in this research? Is there anything to point to as an example of encouraging practices/behaviors?
AP: While the lines between work and personal use of technology have been fundamentally altered, the fact that a majority of employees are invested in their use of technology is positive. Today, it is clear that workers see their software, applications and devices as an extension of their identity and a critical part of their ability to do their job. Organizations have both a duty and an opportunity to harness that energy, and work alongside employees to find the right balance between a productive and protected technology ecosystem.
SentinelOne Receives Big Cash Infusion
SentinelOne, the endpoint protection company, has raised $120 million in Series D funding led by Insight Partners, bringing its total funding to more than $230 million.
The funding will be used to accelerate SentinelOne’s “rapid displacement” of legacy and next-gen competitors in connecting endpoint, cloud and IoT protection through its autonomous AI platform deployed throughout the enterprise, the company said.
Tim Mackie, SentinelOne’s vice president of worldwide channels, tells us the additional funding will help his company and its partners in a number of ways, including account coverage and better margins.
“From a coverage perspective, it will allow us to expand our teams in areas where we need to add additional channel account managers (CAMs), as well as look to new regions around the world where we want to stand up teams; thus delivering a better touch for our partner community,” he said. “From a program perspective, this allows us to create richer programs, with more benefits and better payouts. Promos and additional benefits around net new logos, certifications and sales growth will be part of the portfolio.”
Cybersecurity has had a “whirlwind of technology evolution in this space the past five years” and it’s been up to the channel community to …