Jeff Orr's Analyst Perspectives

The acquisition of Splunk by Cisco marks a significant milestone in the digital security industry. This strategic move combines the strengths of two industry leaders, offering a suite of products and services underpinned by artificial intelligence technologies. However, like any major business decision, it comes with challenges and potential risks. Ventana Research presents an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with this acquisition, offering valuable...

Software supply chain digital security is a hot topic, especially after cyberattacks on SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline and Kaseya. These attacks have exposed the vulnerabilities and risks that exist in the software products and services that organizations rely on for their daily operations. How can organizations protect themselves from these threats and ensure the quality and integrity of software products? One possible approach is to adopt a software bill of materials (SBOM).

Data is one of the most valuable assets an organization owns, and a robust data backup and recovery system is foundational to protecting it. Weak data protection efforts jeopardize resilience and business continuity. With data residing in multiple places – including on-premises servers and public and private cloud environments – it is difficult to ensure that all data is backed up and recoverable in the event of a disaster.

Governance, risk management and compliance are essential tactics for a successful organization. Effective GRC practices help organizations achieve business objectives, mitigate risks and ensure compliance with laws and regulations. As a chief information officer or IT leader, it is important to evaluate new technologies and determine their impact on the business, including whether they fit within the scope of current GRC programs and processes.

Given the ever-expanding digital footprint of most businesses today, visibility into the performance of distributed systems has become a necessity. There are more data sources and data storage locations than ever before. As organizations continue to expand their data presence and scale their systems and tools, digital security is of greater importance in the architecture and operations. Monitoring is a fundamental enabler of digital security that provides real-time detection of cyber threats...

Enterprise organizations remain vulnerable to a host of security attacks. Cyberattacks are often associated with techniques that have never been seen before, which lead to data breaches if not quickly detected and remediated. However, one of the most common vulnerabilities for an organization is phishing. Phishing lures people to give up confidential information by clicking on a link or opening a file in an email from what appears to be a trusted source but is actually a bad actor....

Increasing threats and challenges from cyberattacks, data breaches and other incidents have made digital security a critical concern for organizations. These dangers have devastating consequences, including financial loss, reputational damage, legal liabilities and operational disruption. Adopting effective and efficient digital security strategies is key to protecting data, assets and customers from risk.

With the growing threat landscape and increasing reliance on technology, digital security has become a critical concern. What constitutes digital security, and how is it different from cybersecurity? How are the roles of the chief information officer and chief information security officer evolving to meet digital security needs? To explore these questions, we must understand the impact of digital transformation and modernization and identify strategies for success. I’ll also set the stage for...