Interview with Shlomo Kramer: The Future of Cybersecurity and Cato Networks' Innovations
Recently, we spoke virtually with Shlomo Kramer, co-founder and CEO of Cato Networks, to discuss his vision for the future of cybersecurity. Under his leadership, Cato is rapidly innovating in the areas of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), focusing on how these technologies can enhance security for their customers.
The Vision: SASE and AI Integration
Kramer emphasizes that SASE is at the heart of his cybersecurity vision, merging security and networking into a single, cloud-native platform. He believes that by integrating AI and ML within SASE, real-time threat detection and mitigation can be achieved, providing enterprises with robust protection.
Industry Trends and Adoption of SASE
Q: What trends are you observing in the adoption of SASE solutions among enterprises?
Shlomo: Organizations increasingly recognize the importance of agility, adaptability, resilience, and security. A SASE platform allows them the flexibility to pursue business growth initiatives swiftly. Additionally, there's a global prioritization of SASE as organizations aim to integrate security and networking functions seamlessly. This shift towards comprehensive security frameworks bolsters digital transformation, ensuring efficient and secure operations in an increasingly digital landscape.
Success Stories with Cato Networks
Q: Can you share notable success stories that highlight the impact of Cato Networks’ solutions?
Shlomo: Absolutely. Last year, Häfele, a global manufacturer, enlisted Cato Networks to re-engineer its security infrastructure after a ransomware attack. Typically, such a deployment would take six months to a year, but we accomplished it in under a month using the Cato SASE Cloud Platform.
Similarly, Carlsberg, a leading brewer, chose Cato to secure their global network across over 200 locations and 25,000 remote users, transforming their security infrastructure dramatically.
Future Innovations at Cato Networks
Q: What upcoming innovations can we expect from Cato Networks?
Shlomo: We are committed to expanding our Cato SASE Cloud Platform continually. Recently, we added Extended Detection and Response (XDR) and Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) functionalities, which are typically found in point products. Our goal is to integrate features that make security and networking more effective.
Looking forward, we plan to "SASE-ify" all aspects of security by extending our platform's architecture into adjacent markets. Our customer-centric approach will drive the development of new, converged features, ensuring we consistently deliver advanced solutions.
AI/ML in Action: Stopping Cyber Attacks
Q: Can you provide examples of how AI/ML has detected and deterred sophisticated cyber attacks?
Shlomo: A recent example is our response to the Polyfill supply chain attack, which affected over 100,000 websites. Cato customers were immediately protected due to our AI-based cybersquatting protection, implemented in 2021. This feature blocks access to malicious redirects, effectively safeguarding our clients.
Ethical Use of AI/ML
Q: How do you ensure the ethical use of AI/ML in your cybersecurity solutions?
Shlomo: We employ data masking techniques to filter out personally identifiable information (PII) when data is processed by our AI models, ensuring user privacy.
Evolving Cyber Threats and Cato's Proactive Measures
Q: How do you anticipate cyber threats evolving, and what proactive measures is Cato Networks implementing?
Shlomo: I foresee the industrialization of attacks, with AI being employed by both threats and defenses. In the next five years, we expect threats to evolve on tactical, operational, and strategic levels, influenced by geopolitical tensions.
Customer Feedback and Innovation
Q: How does customer feedback shape your product development?
Shlomo: We prioritize customer feedback to address their challenges using the SASE framework. Our platform-based approach allows us to innovate and implement enhancements rapidly.
The Role of Strategic Partnerships
Q: How important are strategic partnerships for Cato Networks?
Shlomo: Strategic partnerships are essential for our growth. We collaborate with aggregators, telcos, global service providers, and managed service providers. Notable partners include KDDI in Asia-Pacific and Orange Cyberdefense in Europe.
The Future of AI at Cato Networks
Q: How do you envision the role of AI evolving in the next decade?
Shlomo: AI is central to our Cato SASE Cloud Platform, simplifying security and networking. However, AI alone won't solve our industry challenges; it requires a robust architecture to handle data effectively and support agility. Our vast data resources enable us to enhance security posture through features like threat hunting and anomaly detection, and we'll continue to expand AI applications for smarter, more user-friendly solutions.
In summary, Shlomo Kramer’s vision for Cato Networks aligns closely with the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, focusing on innovations in SASE, AI, and customer-centric solutions to meet the critical needs of modern enterprises.
Ranking
