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a16z Podcast | The Fundamentals of Security and the Story of Tanium’s Growth
30 segments available
The thing about enterprise security, from the outside at least, is it reads like a Hollywood thriller. Nation states are after your company’s most valuable assets and they must be stopped at all costs. And yes, some nation state-sponsored hacks have caused tremendous damage. But the best course for most companies isn’t to focus on combatting Mission Impossible-like come through the vent break-ins, says Tanium co-founder Orion Hindawi. It’s the far less sexy practice of simply keeping the virtual windows and doors to your company locked. “It is the thing that will fix you,” Hindawi says. In a conversation from the firm’s Capital Summit event, Ben Horowitz and Orion discuss the state of enterprise security, and how Tanium’s block and tackle -- not cloak and dagger -- approach has defined the company’s technology and also led to its tremendous growth.
Segments Timeline
The Hollywood Thriller of Enterprise Security
Orion Hindawi, co-founder of Tanium, discusses the perception of enterprise security as a dramatic battle against nation-state hackers. He emphasizes that the real challenge for most companies lies not in combating high-profile attacks but in the fundamental practice of securing their digital environments by locking virtual doors and windows. This segment sets the stage for understanding the importance of basic security measures over sensationalized threats.
"welcome to the a 16z podcast I have Michael Copeland the thing about enterprise security from the outside at least is it reads like a Hollywood thriller nation-states are after your company's most val..."
Why Traditional Security Solutions Fail
Ben Horowitz questions why traditional patch management and security solutions struggle to meet the needs of modern enterprises. Hindawi explains the outdated hub-and-spoke model that many security solutions rely on, which is ill-equipped to handle the scale and complexity of today's environments, particularly for large enterprises with hundreds of thousands of devices.
"keeping the virtual windows and doors to your company locked it is the thing that will fix you Hindi says in a conversation from the firm's capital some event Ben Horowitz in Orion discussed the state..."
Reinventing Security Architecture
Hindawi elaborates on Tanium's innovative approach to security, which required a complete overhaul of traditional architectures. He discusses the challenges of coordinating vast numbers of devices and the necessity of building a new topology from the ground up to address the dynamic nature of modern IT environments, including virtual machines and cloud services.
"things off hello everybody so Pat's management and these kinds of things have been around for quite a while back Vic fixed it patch management why is what you do hard so why is it that like clearly yo..."
The Five-Year R&D Journey
In this segment, Hindawi reflects on the extensive research and development process that Tanium undertook to create its security solutions. He highlights the complexities involved in re-architecting security protocols and the necessity of addressing numerous edge cases, which contributed to the five-year timeline for development.
"approach the core approach was the problem the fact that you have hundreds of thousands of things that are going up and down constantly that you've got VMs that are starting up that you've got cloud e..."
Learning from Major Breaches
Hindawi discusses the aftermath of significant security breaches and how companies often reassess their security measures post-incident. He notes that many organizations realize they had indicators of attacks but lacked the tools to respond effectively. This segment underscores the importance of proactive security measures and the role of Tanium in helping companies identify vulnerabilities before they escalate.
"big investment to solve what people really thought they already had solved or so people have optimized that hub-and-spoke as much as they possibly can and it's a known problem we realized that we had ..."
The Value of Integrated Security Solutions
Hindawi explains how Tanium's dual focus on security and operations creates a unique value proposition. By addressing both areas, Tanium can provide tangible ROI while also meeting urgent security needs. This integrated approach has led to significant deals with large enterprises, demonstrating the effectiveness of their solutions.
"the things that we could rely on the libraries weren't really designed to do that so we had to rebuild some of them and so there's a lot of kind of re architecture from the ground up where you're abso..."
Building Trust with Early Adopters
Hindawi shares insights into how Tanium built trust with major clients during its development phase. By leveraging relationships from their previous company, BigFix, they were able to deploy their solutions in beta with large organizations, ensuring that the product was robust before going to market. This strategic approach allowed them to enter the market with confidence.
"getting fired so I'll answer it slightly more generally because I've already gotten in trouble using customer names ok yes almost every big breach subsequent to the breach the companies typically will..."
Competing Against Established Giants
In this segment, Hindawi discusses the competitive landscape of enterprise security, particularly against established players like IBM. He highlights the advantages Tanium has due to its innovative architecture and deep understanding of market needs, which allows them to effectively challenge incumbents who may be slow to adapt.
"them to buy Taner so we have two luxuries there that I think are unusual so the first is we spend security and operations and so security has a lot of urgency and a lot of people are very interested i..."
The Urgency of Security vs. Operations
Hindawi contrasts the urgency of addressing security issues with the often slower pace of operational improvements. He explains how Tanium's solutions can bridge this gap, providing immediate security benefits while also enhancing operational efficiency, thus appealing to organizations that need to prioritize both areas.
"enormous deals I mean we've got now four or five ten plus million dollar deals from very large environments who don't spend that much on software typically and the reason is we have a broad set of thi..."
The Fallacy of Network Hardening
Hindawi critiques the traditional approach of hardening network perimeters, sharing a case study of a major telecommunications company that believed it had secured all entry points. He illustrates how this mindset can lead to vulnerabilities and emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive security strategy that considers internal threats.
"and we need the competitors I mean so that's another real luxury we have is we knew exactly who we'd be competing with I mean it's the same people we competed with in our last company I looked for a m..."
Understanding Internal Threats
In this concluding segment, Hindawi discusses the misconception that securing external entry points is sufficient for enterprise security. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing internal threats, advocating for a more holistic approach to security that includes monitoring and managing internal communications and vulnerabilities.
"really hard to argue with you're buying something if you from IBM that I invented when I was 18 years old and had absolutely no idea what I was doing and you can either do that or buy the product that..."
The Dissolving Perimeter of Security
In this segment, Hindawi addresses the changing nature of corporate networks and the concept of a security perimeter. He discusses how remote work and cloud services have blurred traditional boundaries, making it essential for companies to rethink their security strategies and focus on internal vulnerabilities.
"to give you a story about that we work with one of the biggest telcos in the world and when we got there they told us they had exactly 22 ways under their network and they were spending seven million ..."
The Limitations of Traditional Firewalls
Hindawi critiques traditional firewall solutions, explaining how they often allow initial attacks to penetrate networks. He emphasizes the importance of understanding what happens after an attack occurs and the need for companies to have better visibility and response mechanisms in place.
"it's useful for being able to get indications of what you should look for internally so you know there are the sand boxes and they're really good telling you hey you're getting attacked in this way no..."
The Boring Yet Critical Hygiene of Cybersecurity
Hindawi highlights the importance of cybersecurity hygiene, such as applying patches and maintaining software. He argues that while these tasks may seem mundane, they are crucial for preventing breaches and ensuring overall security, contrasting them with the more glamorous aspects of cybersecurity that often attract attention.
"with the kind of gigantic increase of spend on security tools and with the number of really smart people building them how is it that everybody is attacking the perimeter problem and nobody's attackin..."
Customer Awareness and the Need for Change
In this segment, Hindawi discusses how customers are becoming more aware of the inadequacies in their cybersecurity spending. He notes that as companies face increasing attacks, they are more open to exploring solutions that address fundamental security issues rather than relying solely on flashy products.
"fix you and how do the customers look at it you know how hard is it to get more than 5% of their spend to solve that that problem given they've purchased all these other products and they've justified..."
Identifying Vulnerabilities in the Network
Hindawi shares insights on how Tanium helps organizations identify vulnerabilities within their networks. He recounts a case study of a credit card processor that quickly deployed Tanium to uncover unused software licenses, demonstrating how effective visibility can lead to significant cost savings and improved security.
"really block-and-tackle things not you know cloak-and-dagger come through the vent like close your doors close your windows like make sure that you actually know how many rooms you have in your house ..."
Understanding the Reality of Cyber Threats
Hindawi concludes by discussing the reality of cyber threats and the importance of being prepared for breaches. He emphasizes that while prevention is ideal, organizations must also have strategies in place to respond effectively when attacks occur, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to cybersecurity.
"help them do that and so we asked them to do a pilot and you know it's interesting we had a credit card processor recently go to a hundred thousand Computers in three days in pilot it basically said y..."
Evolving Threat Landscape
Hindawi reflects on how cybersecurity threats have evolved over the past two decades, moving from widespread viruses to targeted attacks. He highlights the challenges of prevention in a sophisticated threat environment and the necessity for organizations to adapt their security strategies.
"matter how about you can you stop all malware from coming in and if not then like at what point do you deal with it and how does the customer know sure and you know how do they feel about that that th..."
Detecting Anomalies in Real-Time
This segment focuses on the importance of detecting unusual behavior within a network. Hindawi discusses how Tanium's technology can identify anomalies quickly, allowing organizations to respond to potential threats before they escalate into serious breaches.
"that even not that sophisticated attackers have copies of the software in their environment they're cueing their attacks against the software right so if I had some kind of tool that was supposed to b..."
Learning from Peers in Cybersecurity
Hindawi emphasizes the value of sharing information about cyber threats among peers, particularly in the financial services sector. He discusses how learning from others' experiences can enhance an organization's security posture and reduce the time an attacker can remain undetected.
"and what's novel about a Neum is we can tell you about in seconds instead of five days later right and so when you how much do your customers think of it as kind of because you can't be so secure that..."
Balancing Security and Usability
In this segment, Hindawi addresses the challenge of balancing security measures with user convenience. He explains how overly restrictive security solutions can hinder productivity and discusses Tanium's approach to implementing effective security without compromising user experience.
"prevent people from coming in I mean you know look eventine IAM has to worry about people being planted in by people that we don't like in our own company mm-hmm right a big company a big bank has hun..."
Rapid Deployment of Security Solutions
Hindawi outlines the deployment timeline for Tanium's solutions, noting that large-scale implementations can be completed in just a few weeks. He highlights the efficiency of Tanium's platform in securing environments quickly and effectively.
"of our customers who deploy antivirus and that takes up 10% of their CPU and to play another thing it takes up five and it takes up three and takes up two and then they realize that their computers ar..."
The Importance of Product Design in Security
Hindawi discusses the significance of designing security products that minimize the need for extensive services. He argues that a well-designed product should be easy to deploy and manage, allowing customers to focus on security without being burdened by complex implementations.
"then what is kind of your like your license to services mix and what are the services that you guys do the appointments obviously small we refuse to sell services so none this is another one of those ..."
Market Potential for Endpoint Security
In this segment, Hindawi shares insights on the market potential for endpoint security and operations. He discusses the evolving landscape as organizations move to cloud computing and mobile devices, and how Tanium plans to expand its offerings to meet these changing needs.
"love providing services and even if teh Neum isn't a heavy services thing the ongoing kind of recommendations and helping the customer use it better there is a service opportunity and if I compete wit..."
Platform Approach vs. Point Solutions
Hindawi argues for a platform approach to cybersecurity over point solutions, explaining that many security challenges are not as complex as they seem. He highlights Tanium's ability to leverage existing data to create comprehensive security solutions efficiently.
"basically it's any operating system that their data is gonna be resident on whether it's cloud or on pram realm or whatever it is we see about 20 billion dollars being spent in what we do today but wh..."
Customer Frustrations with Point Solutions
In this segment, Hindawi addresses customer frustrations with deploying multiple point solutions for security. He explains how Tanium's unified platform reduces complexity and costs, allowing customers to streamline their security operations and eliminate the need for numerous agents and systems.
"platform approach is superior to that for two reasons one is they're not actually that complicated problems they doesn't want to make them sound complicated because I validate their existence it turns..."
Expanding the Total Addressable Market
Hindawi discusses the potential for Tanium to expand its total addressable market (TAM) by adding new modules that address existing security challenges. He highlights the increasing number of endpoints and the growing severity of security threats, suggesting that Tanium is well-positioned to capture a larger share of the market.
"different throat to choke having to try and integrate all those data streams into you know kind of a contiguous variance product right which it turns out is extremely difficult to do any of a vendor w..."
Identifying Deadweight Loss in Security Solutions
Hindawi explains how Tanium can help organizations identify inefficiencies and deadweight loss in their security spending. He draws parallels to the database market, emphasizing the importance of understanding which resources are underutilized and how Tanium's solutions can optimize security investments.
"we see it enlarging because we're gonna be able to add modules that expand what we can do but I would also say the number of endpoints people are trying to protect is actually going up we track it and..."
Challenges in Mobile Device Management
In this segment, Hindawi critiques the current state of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions, particularly from major vendors like Apple. He argues that these solutions do not meet enterprise needs for visibility and control, and discusses Tanium's strategy to address these gaps through deeper integration with hardware.
"and I think it'll grow because the number of endpoints is growing than the amount of data is growing in the severity of the problem is growing and then you look at the operations side I mean most peop..."
Apple's Reluctance to Adapt for Enterprises
Hindawi shares his perspective on Apple's approach to enterprise solutions, suggesting that the company is not adequately addressing the needs of enterprise customers. He expresses skepticism about Apple's commitment to improving MDM solutions, indicating that Tanium's offerings are more aligned with what enterprises require.
"perhaps we can open some questions to the audience teacher security and tango won't find that so I'll just tell you I mean unless you have like 50,000 mobile devices in your home you're probably not a..."