AI-Powered Cloud Security: From Research Lab to Enterprise Reality

In this episode of Cyber Sentries, John Richards talks with Mohit Tiwari, co-founder and CEO of Symmetry Systems and associate professor at UT Austin, about transforming academic research into practical enterprise security solutions. Mohit shares his journey from academic research to founding a company that's revolutionizing how organizations approach data security in the age of AI.

Bridging Academia and Industry

Mohit discusses how his research team at UT Austin developed innovative approaches to data security and privacy, working with organizations like NSA, Lockheed, and General Dynamics. Their work led to founding Symmetry Systems in 2020, focusing on operationalizing data flow security across enterprise environments.

The Evolution of Data Security

The conversation explores how traditional asset-centric security approaches are giving way to data-centric models. Mohit explains how Symmetry Systems helps organizations protect data flows across multiple applications and platforms, making security more efficient and effective than traditional bespoke solutions.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How can organizations move from bespoke security solutions to systematic approaches?
• What role does AI governance play in modern enterprise security?
• How can companies effectively manage data security across different AI implementation scenarios?

Key Takeaways:

• Data-centric security approaches are becoming crucial as AI adoption increases
• Organizations need interoperable policy languages for effective AI governance
• Purpose-built, smaller AI models can be more effective than large, general-purpose ones
• Security solutions must evolve to handle the massive scale of modern enterprise data

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI Security

The episode concludes with insights into emerging challenges in AI security, including the need for better business purpose frameworks and advanced detection capabilities for sophisticated attacks like ransomware.

Resources

• Symmetry Systems website
• Connect with Symmetry Systems on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Paladin Cloud
• Learn more about Cyberproof
• Got a question? Ask us here!

• (00:04) - Welcome to Cyber Sentries
• (01:02) - Meet Mohit
• (03:06) - Application Examples
• (08:15) - Key Metrics
• (10:52) - Effects of AI
• (14:16) - Environments and Interfaces
• (16:39) - Tying It Together
• (18:19) - AI in the Process
• (22:51) - Model Decisions
• (25:41) - Research to Project
• (29:13) - Problems
• (31:25) - Wrap Up

AI-Powered Identity Verification: Beyond Passwords and into the Future

In this episode of Cyber Sentries, host John Richards sits down with Michael Engle, co-founder and CSO of 1Kosmos, to explore how AI is revolutionizing identity verification and authentication in cybersecurity. Mike brings decades of experience from Wall Street to modern startups, offering unique insights into the evolution of digital identity protection.

The Identity Crisis in Modern Security

Identity verification has become the new perimeter in cybersecurity, accounting for 80% of security problems. Mike explains how traditional methods like passwords and basic MFA are failing to meet current security challenges, especially as AI agents become more prevalent in our digital lives. 1Kosmos is tackling this through advanced biometric verification, behavioral analysis, and AI-powered authentication systems.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How is AI changing the landscape of identity verification?
• What makes biometric authentication more secure than traditional methods?
• How can organizations transition from password-based to identity-based security?
• What role do digital wallets play in the future of identity verification?

Key Takeaways:

• Identity verification has replaced perimeter security as the primary security concern
• AI enables more sophisticated identity verification through behavioral analysis and pattern recognition
• Biometric authentication offers a more secure alternative to traditional passwords and MFA
• Digital wallets are emerging as the future of portable, verified identity

The Future of Digital Identity

Looking ahead, Mike discusses 1Kosmos's work on digital wallets and universal identity verification systems. These innovations aim to create reusable, trusted identities that can work across multiple platforms while maintaining security through biometric verification and AI-powered fraud detection.

Links & Notes

• Learn more about Cyberproof
• Learn more about 1Kosmos
• Got a question? Ask us here!

• (00:04) - Welcome to Cyber Sentries
• (01:03) - Meet Michael Engle
• (03:03) - Identity Threat
• (04:09) - With AI
• (05:50) - What 1Kosmos Does
• (12:48) - Adapting with AI
• (15:42) - Protecting Credentials
• (26:36) - Passkey Challenges
• (28:12) - AI-Driven Development
• (32:18) - What’s Next for 1Kosmos
• (34:40) - Learning More
• (35:42) - Wrap Up

AI's Evolution in Security Operations: From Support to Collaboration

Doron Davidson, Managing Director of Security Operations at Cyberproof, joins John Richards to explore how AI is transforming security operations and pushing SOC maturity models into new territory. With extensive experience from telecom security to founding SecBI, Doron brings unique insights into the evolution of managed security services.

Rethinking Security Maturity Models

Doron outlines Cyberproof's innovative approach to service maturity, moving beyond traditional frameworks to incorporate AI capabilities. He describes how they've developed a 1-5 scale measuring people, processes, and technology—with quantifiable 20% year-over-year improvement targets.

Questions We Answer:

• How are security operations teams evolving with AI integration?
• What does SOC maturity look like in an AI-enabled world?
• How can organizations measure and verify AI's security impact?
• What role will agentic AI play in future security operations?

Key Takeaways:

• AI is enabling better collaboration between security services
• Automated investigation has significantly reduced L1 analyst workload
• Well-defined processes and KPIs are crucial for successful AI implementation
• New maturity levels (6-8) are emerging focused on agentic AI capabilities

The Future of Security Operations

The conversation explores how Cyberproof is moving beyond traditional AI integration toward agentic models where multiple AI agents collaborate across security functions. This shift enables enhanced threat intelligence sharing, automated investigations, and improved visualization of security metrics for stakeholders.

Practical Applications and Impact

From automating email attack investigations to improving cross-team collaboration, Doron shares concrete examples of how AI is reducing human error while expanding security capabilities. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining human oversight while leveraging AI's strengths.

Resources

• Learn more about Cyberproof
• Learn more about Paladin Cloud
• Got a question? Ask us here!

• (00:04) - Welcome to Cyber Sentries
• (00:33) - Today’s Guest: Doron Davidson
• (01:32) - Doron’s Background
• (03:27) - Latest Challenges
• (05:57) - Honesty Mindset
• (09:16) - Current AI Strategy
• (12:23) - Focus Areas
• (19:43) - Shifting Models
• (25:04) - What He’s Excited About
• (26:40) - Maturity Model
• (28:49) - Wrap Up