Lothar Renner is a highly regarded and influential sales leader in the global cybersecurity ecosystem, with a career spanning almost 25 years at Cisco. Recently, CNME Editor Mark Forker had the opportunity to speak with Renner once again, following their in-person conversation at GISEC 2024 in April. In the six months since their last discussion, significant changes have taken place across the technology sector, making it an ideal time to reflect on the current cybersecurity challenges facing businesses worldwide. Renner was in Riyadh for the Black Hat MEA conference, which is one of the region’s premier cybersecurity events, and it provided an excellent backdrop for discussing the state of cybersecurity.

One of the key topics discussed was the importance of adopting an “identity-first” approach to security. Renner emphasized that identity has become the central thread connecting people, devices, and applications in modern workplaces. As cyber attackers increasingly target identities, organizations must evolve their approach to security. Instead of merely asking if a user can access a system, businesses need to continuously assess whether a user should have the access they are requesting once authenticated. Renner pointed out that organizations must develop a mindset shift, moving beyond basic authentication to deeper identity management that ensures only the right individuals have access to critical systems and data.

Cisco’s long-standing success can be attributed to many factors, but one of its standout strengths has been the ability to simplify complex processes, especially in the realm of security. Renner elaborated on this by referencing innovations Cisco introduced at Cisco Live EMEA, including the launch of new features within the Cisco Security Cloud. These innovations, such as Cisco Identity Intelligence and AI-driven capabilities, are designed to provide a unified, cross-domain security platform. Renner highlighted how these advancements bring together identity, networking, and security to better protect organizations from increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Despite the rise of identity-based attacks, ransomware continues to be a significant concern in the cybersecurity landscape. Cisco’s Talos IR Trends Report for Q3 identified the emergence of new ransomware variants, underscoring the ongoing threat to organizations. Renner discussed how a third of ransomware engagements involved the exploitation of known vulnerabilities that continue to be leveraged by ransomware operators. Some of these vulnerabilities were found to be as recent as 2023, which highlights the need for organizations to improve their vulnerability management practices and patching processes. Renner also stressed the importance of preparing for potential cyber incidents, advocating for the creation of incident response plans and playbooks.

Another major challenge in the cybersecurity field is the global talent shortage. Renner acknowledged that the shortage of skilled professionals, particularly in cybersecurity, is a crisis that is likely to grow before it improves. While there has been significant attention on the need for AI-related skills, the shortage of cybersecurity talent is even more pressing. Cisco, however, is making strides to address this issue through its Networking Academy program. With a global footprint, the Cisco Networking Academy has trained millions of students on digital skills, with a particular emphasis on cybersecurity and networking. Renner shared that since its inception, the program has trained more than 4.3 million learners in the Middle East and Africa, with over 1.1 million students trained in just the 2024 fiscal year alone. By focusing on attracting, training, and retraining cybersecurity professionals, Cisco aims to bridge the talent gap and help organizations stay secure.

The rapid digital transformation sweeping across the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has led to an increased focus on cybersecurity readiness. Renner discussed how Cisco is assisting governments and businesses in the region with their transformation efforts by leveraging its security expertise. He highlighted Cisco’s One Platform vision, which advocates for an AI-driven, comprehensive platform that integrates seamlessly with an organization’s IT infrastructure. This platform addresses the complexities of modern cybersecurity by offering an intelligent and automated approach to threat detection, response, and management. In line with this vision, Cisco has also launched a local cloud data center in the UAE for its Duo multifactor authentication (MFA) and secure access solution, which helps businesses strengthen their cybersecurity posture.

Renner pointed out the concerning statistics from Cisco’s cybersecurity readiness index for the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which revealed that a significant number of organizations in both countries had already experienced cyberattacks. In the UAE, 65% of respondents and in Saudi Arabia, 67% of respondents reported suffering a cybersecurity incident in the past year. Renner emphasized that in today’s fast-evolving threat landscape, relying solely on human-scale defenses is no longer sufficient. A comprehensive security strategy requires machine-scale capabilities, which is why Cisco has developed a multi-layered security approach that combines advanced automation with human intervention to ensure effective incident management.

In response to the growing importance of Generative AI (GenAI) and its role in modern cybersecurity, Renner discussed the constant evolution of cyber threats and the need for organizations to stay ahead of these developments. He spoke about Cisco’s latest innovation, Cisco Hypershield, which is designed to protect the AI infrastructure powering the AI revolution, such as AI-scale data centers and cloud environments. Renner underscored that Cisco’s Hypershield is backed by Talos, the company’s threat intelligence platform, which processes an astounding 800 billion security events per day and discovers over 200 vulnerabilities each year. This innovation exemplifies Cisco’s commitment to providing businesses with the tools and solutions needed to stay protected amid a constantly evolving threat landscape.

Through its continued investment in security technologies and its focus on education and talent development, Cisco is playing a pivotal role in helping organizations navigate the complex cybersecurity challenges of today and tomorrow. Renner’s insights reinforce the need for businesses to adopt a holistic approach to security, integrating advanced technologies and human expertise to safeguard their critical assets in an increasingly digital world.