FROM CISCO LIVE, LAS VEGAS: Senior figures from Microsoft and Cisco outlined the importance of sharing threat intelligence, as the latter’s EVP security and collaboration Jeetu Patel (pictured, right) issued a call to action for others to set aside competitive differences to up enterprise defences.

In a joint presentation, Patel argued the true enemy within the security segment were cybercriminals rather than rival vendors, and urged others to follow Microsoft and Cisco’s model of sharing intelligence and data.

“I think this industry has been very myopic. We actually think this as a zero-sum game: in order for me to win someone has to lose and I just don’t think that’s the case,” Patel said, emphasising Cisco and Microsoft were collaborating “so we can fight off the adversary”.

Microsoft Security corporate VP Vasu Jakkal (pictured, left) added “we all have to remember we’re on the same side and have a shared mission to build a safer world for all”.

Jakkal outlined her company’s security operation was tracking 300 national and financial crime outfits, a figure up from 200 in 2023.

“This landscape is unprecedented,” she added. “The speed, scale, sophistication of attacks…every second there are 4,000 password attacks”.

The executive also noted there is an “acute talent shortage” in the security industry as she backed emerging technology to aid in the ongoing fight against hackers.

AI impact
As has been a theme throughout Cisco Live, the pair backed the power of AI and, specifically generative AI to aid enterprises moving forward.

“In the last 30 years the advantage has always been with the adversary. They only have to be right once, the defender has to be right every single time,” Patel said. “With AI, for the first time in my career we have an opportunity to tip the scales in favour of the defender”.

Jakkal added she believed “generative AI is going to be one of the most consequential technologies of our lifetime” adding “it’s going to elevate the human potential across all facets, but particularly in security, it’s one of the best use cases”.

The Microsoft executive noted the technology would be able to “defend at machine speed and scale” aiding humans.