Interview with Google CISO, Phil Venables

In an exclusive conversation with Techopedia, Google Cloud information security expert Phil Venables laid out the global security threat landscape and highlighted the crucial role of ethical hackers. While automation and AI offer advanced tools, Venables recognizes that human intervention remains irreplaceable, especially as ethical hackers reveal new ways to exploit breaches in computer systems.

Global challenges and the value of ethical hackers

The Google security report predicts an intensification of nation-state-backed malicious activity in 2024. Venables highlights the importance of ethical hackers, who, through their skills, expand the resources and scale of intervention of security teams, helping organizations keep pace with threat actors.

The budget dilemma for CISOs

Faced with the challenge of cybersecurity budgets, Venables calls attention to programs involving ethical hackers and upfront investments that can avoid costly security incidents. Highlights how CISOs can build trust and collaboration with senior management by demonstrating tangible benefits and leveraging similar successes in the industry.

The path to programs with ethical hackers

With various solutions such as bug bounty programs and penetration testing, ethical hackers offer significant benefits to IT security. Venables suggests organizations start with manageable commitments and then expand their hacker-based security programs, always calibrating initiatives based on internal security maturity.