Navigating the Cyber Storm with NightDragon's Dave DeWalt and Katherine Gronberg

Cyber Focus

In this episode, host Frank Cilluffo is joined by Dave DeWalt, founder and CEO of NightDragon, and Katherine Gronberg, Head of Government Affairs at NightDragon. They discuss the intersection of technology and cybersecurity, emphasizing the growing convergence of physical and cyber threats. The conversation highlights key areas such as AI, machine learning, quantum computing, and the need for greater resilience in critical infrastructure. Both guests offer insights into NightDragon’s investment strategies, the importance of public-private partnerships, and the role of innovation in addressing global cybersecurity challenges.

Main Topics Covered:

• Technological innovations and the “cyber storm”
• NightDragon’s Investment Approach
• Public-Private Partnerships and Government Engagement
• Cyber-Physical Convergence
• The Global Cybersecurity Landscape
• Quantum Computing and the Future of Cybersecurity

Key Quotes:

1. "Cybersecurity is a team sport. It's one team, one fight, public, private, and so crucial." – Frank Cilluffo
2. “We look for the biggest threats, the biggest risks that we see on the planet across all five domains. And then we look for technology that can scale to meet that risk.” – Dave DeWalt
3. "If we don't map our physical assets to our cyber assets, we're not doing a playbook for resiliency. And that's really the word now we need is resiliency." – Dave DeWalt
4. "We have cyber ranges. We have the ability to test. We have the ability to test together, but we haven't implemented it right." – Dave DeWalt
5. Thinking beyond just cybersecurity, because the world isn't really only anymore just about like cyber threat intelligence, it's also about real world threat intelligence. It's seeing even beyond the the synergies that exist for network security. It's actually seeing how data can be fuzed. – Katherine Gronberg

Relevant Links and Resources:

• https://www.nightdragon.com/
• https://www.iqt.org/

Guest Bio:

Dave DeWalt is the founder and CEO of NightDragon, a venture capital firm focusing on cybersecurity, safety, and privacy. Previously, he served as the CEO of McAfee and FireEye, leading them through significant industry changes. With over two decades of experience, DeWalt is known for his thought leadership in the cybersecurity space.

Katherine Gronberg is the Head of Government Affairs at NightDragon. She brings extensive experience from her time in cybersecurity companies like CrowdStrike and Scout, as well as her earlier work on Capitol Hill. Gronberg plays a pivotal role in guiding NightDragon's portfolio companies in their partnerships with government agencies.