Q&A: turning cyber risk into strategic intelligence

I’ve been immersed in technology for nearly 40 years, starting with a deep curiosity as a small child and moving on to writing code by the age of six. That early hands-on experience gave me a unique vantage point on technology’s immense possibilities and potential pitfalls. 

This formative immersion taught me that, for all the good that innovation can achieve, it must be handled responsibly. I carry that balanced perspective into cybersecurity and leadership now as CEO at Aprio Technologies. 

As a leader, I encourage our teams to push boundaries in the development of cutting-edge security solutions while always anticipating unintended consequences and ensuring robust safeguards. This dual appreciation of the power and risks of technology guides our strategic decisions. It helps me foster a culture at Aprio that values both bold innovation and prudent risk management, aligning with our clients’ best interests.

CIP is our AI-driven platform that reframes cyber risk as actionable business insight. It continuously ingests data from an organisation’s digital ecosystem and threat landscape and identifies continuous change and emerging risks. Instead of treating these as just dangers, CIP contextualises them as strategic intelligence. 

For example, it might reveal a vulnerability trend that management can proactively address, turning a potential threat into a competitive advantage or operational improvement. CIP offers clear dashboards and forward-looking metrics for strategic decision-makers, and it helps them to integrate cybersecurity considerations directly into their business strategies.

Organisations face unprecedented uncertainty in a climate of growing supply chain attacks and stricter regulatory enforcement. We help by providing clarity and control, by analysing, mapping and monitoring the entire supply chain, and quickly identifying vulnerabilities or anomalies in third parties.

This proactive visibility means our clients can address issues before they escalate into incidents. Simultaneously, we guide organisations through complex regulatory requirements, aligning CIP with frameworks to flag compliance gaps early. By reducing uncertainty through continuous, real-time risk intelligence, we help firms to build robust cyber resilience. Our approach ensures that clients meet current security standards and can withstand and adapt to evolving threats and regulations.

We consistently validate our solutions against the latest industry research to ensure they remain both practical and innovative. For instance, insights from my academic research influenced the development of our AI models and threat-intelligence methods within CIP. Moreover, maintaining strong ties to the academic community enables us to anticipate emerging trends and recruit top talent. This research-driven foundation helps to keep us at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.

We anticipate several emerging cybersecurity threats that will challenge organisations in various ways. One major concern is the rise of AI-driven attacks, with malicious actors leveraging AI to automate phishing, identify vulnerabilities and deploy deepfake-powered social engineering. 

Another looming threat is quantum computing, which could eventually render current encryption methods obsolete. The rapid expansion of IoT and interconnected devices is also widening the attack surface, requiring new protective measures. 

At Aprio, we proactively research and invest in advanced defence technologies, such as AI-powered anomaly detection, to stay ahead of these evolving threats. CIP is continuously updated with emerging-threat intelligence, providing customers with early warnings and expert guidance. By using these insights, our clients can adapt their strategies in advance and make informed decisions to stay secure.