The digital world has become both a playground and a battleground, where the rules of engagement are constantly shifting.

It is in this ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity that the line between defense and offense is often blurred. In the past decade, there has seen a remarkable transformation in the nature of threats and the tools employed to counter them.

“It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, ransomware is so prevalent,” said John Scimone (pictured), president and chief security officer at Dell Technologies Inc. “It’s really plaguing all industries at the top risk concern, for businesses of all breeds. Even as we think forward a decade from now, I imagine that probably won’t be too different than what we’re seeing today.”

Scimone spoke with theCUBE industry analyst Dave Vellante at the Cyber Resiliency Summit, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the roadmap to navigating the ever-changing terrain of cybersecurity in the digital age, including the role of artificial intelligence in both fortifying and challenging defenses and the imperative of speed and resilience in the face of relentless cyber threats. (* Disclosure below.)

A decade of evolution

Cyberattacks of the past differed greatly from the ransomware attacks that take place today. Case in point, the Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. hack of 2014 was a destructive cyberattack that was totally devoid of a ransom demand. The attack on the company was unprecedented at the time, setting the stage for changes in the cybersecurity landscape over the next decade, according to Scimone.

“The real question, the strategic question … what is the impact 10 years, 20 years from now on our ecosystem?” he asked. “Does it help more, or does it hurt more? What I would say is I reflect on the current asymmetry that exists in the security landscape. There’s a significant asymmetry between the offense and the defense. The defense is losing broadly if you look at the scoreboard, and that hasn’t changed over the last decade.”

Ransomware has become a pervasive threat across all industries, making it a top concern for businesses, according to Scimone. Despite the evolving threat landscape, many cybersecurity best practices from a decade ago remain relevant.

“Inherently, it’s a question of prioritization,” he said. “What’s the next most urgent priority, thinking through those priorities, not just necessarily taking a playbook of best practices off the shelf from a website or an advisory agency, but actually deeply understanding your business, your organization model.”

The promise and perils of AI in cybersecurity

AI’s potential impact on the industry is both filled with excitement and apprehension, according to Scimone. While AI holds promise for making security teams more efficient and effective, the technology also presents new challenges.

“I get excited about the prospects of AI and what it could potentially do to write that asymmetry that exists,” Scimone said. “There’s a newly tremendous potential for security teams broadly to leverage the power of the technology to become more efficient, to become more effective.”

Speed in cybersecurity is another important factor, Scimone explained, emphasizing the need for rapid detection and response. With both defenders and threat actors becoming faster in their actions, the speed of response is a critical factor in cyber defense.

This also includes prioritization. Recognizing that no organization can ever achieve perfect cybersecurity, Scimone advised businesses to carefully prioritize their security initiatives, aligning them with their unique needs and risks.

“Almost everything we’re communicating about is through the lens of how we’re protecting our company and how we’re protecting our customers, which at the end of the day is the thing that we all collectively care about and can rally behind,” he said.

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Cyber Resiliency Summit:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the “Cyber Resiliency Summit.” Neither Dell Technologies Inc., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE