Talking about the “current” state of cybersecurity can be challenging, as new threats and new solutions appear daily. But at the 2018 RSA Conference, the theme of “Now Matters” has a dual meaning for the security community: where things stand today sets the stage for where government and commercial organizations can take action, so it’s critical to understand the current landscape in order to prepare for future attacks.

On the latest installment of the Government Technology Insider Podcast, we spoke with Malcolm Harkins, Chief Security and Trust Officer at Cylance about the current state of cybersecurity to find out what we’ve learned, how we can apply it, and if we can really expect to keep our data and systems secure.

Harkins facilitated or spoke on four programs at the conference and he brought his insights to our discussion on a spectrum of critical security issues, including: noise – the constant deluge of information about threats (along with management’s concerns) – and the motives behind the sources of that information; trust – whether we can trust the data and systems on which your business operations depends; and threats – the evolving landscape of risk, and how to manage that risk proactively.

Through real-world examples, Harkins links cyber-risk to the spectrum of risks facing organizations, and talked about what can be done to avoid slowing down business, or worse, inviting catastrophe. He suggests that we may be aiming too low when it comes to security.

CISO’s can’t control threat actors, but they can identify what controls failed and focus on the things you can do to manage risk more effectively. Ultimately, he explained, while we can’t eliminate risk, we can do a much better job of managing it.

Harkin’s insights are a call-to-action for public and private organizations of every description. Listen to the podcast below.