Recap of RSAC 2023

What a time we've had – we've learned so much, made so many new friends, and shared the latest and greatest from Automox (our flashy new dashboard, remote control for macOS, and updates to our quickly growing third-party catalog to name a few).

We also had a chance to sit down with the team at DarkReading at their RSAC News Desk. Take a quick listen to hear what our Senior VP of Product, Corey Bodzin, had to say.

Last night's Pub Crawl was a blast, too! Thanks for stopping by to share a drink with our team and chat with us about your soon-to-be non-existent endpoint patching woes. We can't wait to help you win time back in your day to do other things that don't involve patching!

Though our troops are headed home tired, we're headed home happy, too. If you want to score your last dance with Otto, make sure to swing by booth #4304 before the Expo floor closes. We're still there to give you a peek into the Automox console and share with you the secret sauce when it comes to managing all your endpoints : VPN-free, with clear visibility and control across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Also, there's still time to get in on some great conversations:

Managing the Mobile Endpoint Attack Surface 4/27 @ 2:10 PM

Attendees will learn about applying risk management methodology to enterprise mobility deployments, with a specific focus on understanding mobile threats and identifying ways to effectively identify and mitigate security risks. The briefing will explore how NCCoE Mobile Device Security technical team members analyzed and mitigated common mobile device security threats.

Standards on the Horizon: What Matters Most? 4/27 @ 2:10 PM

Standards work driven by NIST and ENISA impacts... everything. Time to market. Interoperability. International trade. Human and environmental health. Technology is moving fast, driving further innovation, and our ecosystem relies upon clear standards. What matters most from the last 12 months? And what’s most critical in the coming 24? Hear from the leaders on how to shape your roadmap and priorities.

And don't miss the closing keynote, The Hugh Thompson Show: Quantum Edition 4/27 @ 3:15 PM

Partially dead cats? Entanglement? Multiverse? Everything everywhere all at once. Pop culture fascination with quantum has created a magical—and sometimes scary!—exploration of this breakthrough science. Join real quantum computing and cryptography experts, and then welcome to the stage the most celebrated Hollywood quantum scientist of them all, Doc Brown. Great Scott! Quantum has arrived. 

For RSAC 2023, that's all she wrote!

Standing in line for hotel coffee this morning, I overheard two fellow RSAC attendees chatting with another. As one summed up a perspective, the other then replied, "thank you for sharing your intelligence" as they parted ways.

Whoa.

There just isn't a better place for peer-to-peer industry connection than here. RSAC is a veritable port of exchange. I can't help but think of attendees and vendors as tall ships loading in valuable cargo for trade with dignitaries, innovators, and explorers. While it might be easy to imagine proprietors holding onto their ideas for dear life, unwilling to share their intellectual property without collecting a whopping fee, it's just not the vibe here. The vibe here is one of community -- improvement, inclusiveness, innovation, and growth.

To get the most out of RSAC today, we recommend you hit up the following sessions:

Real World Stories of Incident Response and Threat Intelligence Weds 4/26 @ 9:40 - 10:30 AM

Incident responders and threat intelligence analysts will pit their skills directly against threat actors for control of networks. In this session, three leading figures in the incident response and threat intelligence industry share their experiences from responding to incidents in the last 12 months.

Stranger Together: Becoming Monty Python Weds 4/26 @ 11:30 - 11:55 AM

This not-to-be-missed keynote promises both laughter and tears. Get up-close-and-personal as legend Eric Idle shares his insights of how teamwork helped five British writers and an American cartoonist conquer the world of comedy, and how “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” became a philosophy and a hit song that helped Eric survive Show Business, COVID, Cancer, and Crucifixion.

And of course, don't miss the famous Expo Pub Crawl! Sample beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages hosted by some of your favorite sponsors -- including Automox! Come see us at Booth #4304 in the South Hall to get your demo, your photo, your drink on, and your endpoint [FIX].

-- Update from Jon Levenson, 9:00am PST 4/26/23

We've kicked off day two with another abnormally sunny day for the Bay – and we'll take it.

The show floor is buzzing after today's awesome lunch keynote. It'll be a string of tough choices for the rest of the day with dozens of interesting afternoon sessions to attend.

Don't forget to swing by our booth to strike a pose with Otto, the #ottomator!

--Updated 12:15pm PST, 4/25/23

We're all smiles after Monday night's opening reception. Get some good rest and we'll see you on the show floor tomorrow!

-- Update from Jon Levenson, 9:00pm PST 4/24/23

Until today, I was just a technical writer doing my best to imagine what it might feel like to be at RSAC in person and relay that excitement back here on the blog. Now that I've crossed the ropes and seen the immense variety of vendors and diversity of industry pros myself, the adrenaline rush is REAL.

I'd say the overwhelming vibe here in SF on Monday, just hours before the RSAC Welcome Reception, is one of possibility. It feels like anything is possible – you can pitch your invention, meet a potential mentor or inspiring new mentee, make friends, talk shop, and learn more than you thought possible.

One thing is clear: RSAC is a place of discovery and connection. No doubt the Automox team will leave here stronger together and inspired to jet into the future with zero question the IT and cybersecurity fields are alive and well.

With great hope for the week and anticipatory butterflies fluttering in my gut, I'll see you in just a few hours for the reception! We're at booth #4304 and can't wait to introduce you to Otto, show you a demo of the Automox platform, and hear about your own RSAC experience.

-- Update from Jon Levenson, 1:35pm PST 4/24/23

Corey Bodzin, Senior Vice President, Product

• I’ve been going to RSAC for more than 15 years, and I’m always excited to see how each year is more diverse – in terms of technologies, companies, and people.  When I first attended, the event all fit into one half of the Moscone Center; these days it feels like RSAC takes over the entire city.
  
  The Innovation Sandbox is something I always look forward to, even when it’s virtual. My friend Dave Cole got to show off Open Raven in 2021 – it was amazing to see the response (biased PSA:  Check them out if you care about protecting your data).
  
  Finally, it’s great to get together in person. I always triple my transit times because I know I’ll run into a constant stream of friends and peers to stop and chat with. Zoom has been an invaluable lifeline for the past three years, but there’s no substitute for shaking hands and sharing drinks.

Jason Kikta, CIO/CISO

• This will be my first RSAC, so I’m excited to finally see it in person and not live vicariously through my friends. I’m actually more interested in the booths than the talks because I always love checking out new technology and seeing innovative ways to solve problems. Another high point for me will be the after-parties. Seeing old friends and making new ones is always fantastic.

David van Heerden, Manager, IT Operations

• I’ve attended conferences for Hospitality and Finance in the past, but this will be my first major IT and Security conference. I’m very excited to take in the Innovation Sandbox and shake hands with leaders who’ve leaped to build out their unique ideas. I hope to make friends and discover what’s new in our industry. 

Colby Hall, Junior IT Systems Engineer

• This will be my first time attending RSAC as well as – BONUS – my first time traveling to the West Coast! I’m looking forward to seeing all the different experts from various companies and hearing how they developed throughout their careers. It’s also great to see different tech solutions and get a glimpse of how the tech space is growing amid an ever-changing world.

Peter Pflaster, Manager, Product Marketing

• Every year, the Innovation Sandbox gets me into the RSAC Conference spirit. Seeing years of work distilled into a minutes-long presentation and answering questions from the panel is a challenge, so it’s interesting to see how each company approaches the challenge. RSAC is a great chance to learn from industry experts. This year, I’m especially looking forward to Dr. Michio Kaku’s session, “The Next 50 Years” and hopefully getting a glimpse into the future so we know how to prepare.

Gina Geisel, Senior Product Marketing Manager

• I attended the flagship session, Keeping Us on Our Toes: SANs Institute’s “The Five Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques, for the first time last year, and I was hooked! With a mission to empower cyber professionals, this keynote panel compiles the most dangerous attack techniques in use, what's coming, and how to prepare. The session will be happening again this year and I can’t wait. 

  
  Not only is it a good gut check on attack techniques to be most vigilant about, but it also provides insight into the minds of bad actors. More importantly, the session informs us on how to remediate these vulnerabilities faster than they can be exploited.

Preetham Gurram, Senior Product Marketing Manager

• Last year was my first time at RSAC. It was fantastic. I’m looking forward to networking with peers and experts in the cybersecurity field. I recommend attending RSAC to hear industry leaders' keynote speeches, panel discussions, and technical sessions. I predict this is the year of AI, and I am excited to listen to the keynote on Security as part of responsible AI. PS: The swag at RSAC is also a solid reason to attend in person! 

Michael Cordova, Sales Development Representative

• I’m looking forward to my second year attending RSAC. Last year, it was great meeting my Automox colleagues in person. This year, I’m eager to connect with new faces and learn about innovative IT solutions.

Katherine Simches, Sales Development Manager

• I’m most excited to finally put some faces to names, both across our team and the wider IT community. I’m also looking forward to having live conversations with attendees to get feedback on their top priorities for 2023.