Josh Ray is the founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs, bringing over 24 years of expertise in combating superior cyber threats throughout business, non-public, public, and navy sectors. As a U.S. Navy veteran and cybersecurity govt, Ray has constantly constructed and led high-performing groups to guard crucial networks and organizations. His profession consists of key roles at Accenture Safety, Verisign, Raytheon, and the Workplace of Naval Intelligence, the place he drove innovation and constructed capabilities to defend a few of the world’s largest organizations towards a myriad of superior cyber adversaries.
Josh’s mix of technical experience and enterprise acumen has been instrumental in driving progress and innovation within the cybersecurity {industry}. As CEO of Blackwire Labs, Ray leads the corporate’s mission to construct trusted and professional AI cybersecurity options, leveraging his in depth expertise to navigate the complicated intersection of expertise, safety, and enterprise.
Are you able to share what impressed you to start out Blackwire Labs? What particular challenges in cybersecurity had been you hoping to deal with with this enterprise?
The three of us – myself, Chris Clark CTO, and Andrew Maloney CCO – got here collectively as a result of we noticed organizations scuffling with the identical problem: they want AI to execute towards enterprise aims and defend towards subtle threats. Nevertheless, the catch is they can not belief or implement present options successfully. Collectively we have now constructed safety merchandise and capabilities for a few of the world’s largest enterprises, we noticed firsthand how smaller organizations face the identical superior threats however lack entry to the experience they want. We stored interested by all of the organizations that could not afford giant safety groups however nonetheless wanted safety. We actually need to assist organizations of all sizes however we actually need to construct one thing significant that makes trusted expert-level cybersecurity capabilities accessible, not simply the elite few.
Your profession spans the navy, public, and personal sectors in cybersecurity. How did every of those experiences affect your imaginative and prescient for Blackwire?
We’ve a accountability to serve and defend these organizations that kind the spine of our society. Every sector actually has taught me one thing important about what we actually have to construct belief and improve cyber resilience. On the Workplace of Naval Intelligence and supporting JTF-GNO, I realized firsthand the criticality of getting the suitable set of experience on the proper time, particularly while you’re defending networks that defend our warfighters and nationwide safety.
At Raytheon and later at iDefense, I noticed how the non-public sector was grappling with more and more subtle threats, lots of the identical sorts that I noticed throughout my time within the DoD. What grew to become clear was that having siloed deep experience wasn’t sufficient – you wanted to have the ability to scale that information successfully throughout a company. This actually hit house after I was main Accenture’s International Cyber Protection Observe, the place we had been defending a few of the world’s most focused networks and the explosion of third get together threat and provide chain assaults.
However here is what bothers me: Whereas the biggest organizations may afford to construct strong safety operations, numerous others had been left weak and the humorous factor is that they sit within the provide chain of these giant organizations. I noticed small companies, healthcare suppliers, and state businesses scuffling with the identical superior threats however with out entry to the experience they wanted. That is actually what drove us to start out Blackwire Labs. We wished to take all the things we might realized about constructing capabilities and defending organizations on the highest ranges and make it accessible to organizations that want it most. By combining trusted AI with human experience, we can assist bridge that hole. It is not nearly constructing one other safety device – it is about delivering at scale the sort of expert-level cybersecurity capabilities that I’ve seen make the distinction between a resilient safety posture and a devastating breach.
Blackwire Labs combines expert-vetted AI insights with blockchain integrity via TrustWire. May you stroll us via how this fusion enhances the reliability of your cybersecurity insights?
We took a practical and modern strategy. We have constructed a series of belief that begins with our Cybersecurity Neighborhood of Excellence (CCOE) – seasoned professionals who collaborate with us to validate and improve our information base. We use a rigorous three-tier supply analysis framework grounded in intelligence analytical tradecraft. However based mostly on Chris’s expertise within the crypto area we’re capable of take it to the subsequent stage. That is the place TrustWire is available in – our blockchain-based system that creates an immutable, cryptographically verifiable report of all our sources and AI outputs. Utilizing zero-knowledge proofs, we will show the integrity of our insights whereas defending delicate information. Consider it as combining the perfect of human experience with cryptographic certainty. One other crucial part of this strategy is our Safety Registry, which captures point-in-time snapshots of all cybersecurity analyses, together with insights, sources, the person desires to save lots of. Consider it like a system of report that gives a everlasting, shareable report of your safety decision-making course of – one thing important for explaining to your boss why you probably did one thing in terms of audits, compliance evaluations, and the incident response course of.
Lexi, Blackwire’s AI, provides predictive prompting and customised steerage. How does this function set assist safety groups anticipate threats extra successfully?
Like most issues in life, understanding “what” the suitable query is and “how” to ask it’s key. Our predictive prompting is not nearly suggesting subsequent steps – it is about enhancing human experience. The system understands your position, your group’s context, and your safety aims to information you towards simpler evaluation throughout a strategic, operational or tactical “choose your own adventure”, as Andrew calls it, set of prompts. It permits you to get extra detailed insights quicker by having the ability to account for a number of factors of view that may differ relying on the organizational position (Suppose CISO/CTO- Strategic, incident responder/threat supervisor Operational, safety engineer/SOC analyst- Tactical). It’s like having a seasoned safety professional that may put on a number of hats, trying over your shoulder, anticipating what it’s worthwhile to think about subsequent. However with out the black field choices or sources that may change or result in useless hyperlinks.
Blackwire is described as being “secure by design.” Are you able to elaborate on the particular measures that make your platform enterprise-grade?
Every thing from our structure to our AI strategy is designed with enterprise-grade safety and belief in thoughts. Our CTO Chris has been doing this his complete profession and is adamant about this. Let me break this down virtually. At its core, our structure ensures full information isolation between organizations, with strict tenant separation and configurable retention insurance policies. We’re adamant about information privateness – we by no means practice on buyer information or queries, and all the things operates on a private-by-default foundation. Consider it like working your personal safe enclave inside our platform.
For entry management, we have applied enterprise-grade authentication with granular RBAC and MFA assist. Every API key could be scoped exactly to particular permissions, giving organizations full management over how their groups work together with the platform. We have paired this with complete audit logging and safety monitoring, creating immutable information for compliance and safety evaluations.
What makes our strategy distinctive is how we have constrained our AI fashions particularly to cybersecurity domains whereas sustaining full transparency. Whenever you ask Blackwire Labs about baking a cake it can say, “I can’t build a cake but building a SOC requires a layered approach, would you like to talk about that?” It is because we have applied very purposeful constraints. Each response should reference validated sources via our three-tier framework, and our Safety Registry creates everlasting, verifiable information of all analyses and choices. This is not nearly “checking a box” safety features – it is about constructing a platform that safety practitioners can belief.
Blackwire Labs locations a robust emphasis on being user-configurable. What particular customizations can purchasers leverage to suit their distinctive safety wants?
Along with what I spoke about earlier with predictive prompting and contextcraft, we’re creating capabilities for organizations to securely leverage their proprietary information alongside our trusted cybersecurity insights. The place customers can incorporate their particular enterprise context – whether or not that is inside insurance policies, structure documentation, or industry-specific necessities whereas sustaining information privateness and belief. This ensures their delicate information by no means leaves their atmosphere whereas nonetheless offering complete, tailor-made solutions. Take into consideration a healthcare supplier needing to align safety practices with HIPAA necessities, or a protection contractor working inside CMMC frameworks. They will combine their compliance documentation and inside insurance policies whereas leveraging our broader cybersecurity experience. The secret’s that each one of this stays cryptographically verifiable via TrustWire, sustaining our dedication to transparency and belief.
How does Blackwire Labs’ “Service First” philosophy, rooted in your navy background, form your strategy to buyer relationships and cybersecurity options?
Our “Service First” philosophy runs deeper than simply buyer relationships – it is rooted in our faith-based ethos of servant management. This implies each resolution we make begins with how we will finest serve our neighborhood and defend organizations that want our assist.
We’ve all grown up on this mission area, we perceive the challenges safety groups face as a result of we have lived them. We have walked in our customers’ sneakers. We’re constructing options we might have wished ourselves. The safety neighborhood is small – everybody’s about one diploma separated from one another and popularity issues lots. That is why we took a practitioner-to-practitioner strategy, bringing in design companions, advisors and beta customers (which finally was the CCOE) early to check our assumptions. We wished numerous of us within the boat with us early and sometimes. “This product is built for you, help us make it really useful.”
We additionally understand how safety professionals are skeptical of distributors and in lots of instances rightfully so. That is why we give attention to fixing actual issues relatively than advertising and marketing hype. When our customers inform us one thing wants to vary, we hear and act. This tight suggestions loop with our neighborhood, mixed with our dedication to service, helps us keep grounded and targeted on what actually issues.
Cybersecurity is a fast-evolving subject. What methods does Blackwire Labs use to remain on the forefront of {industry} developments and threats?
Our strategy attracts from confirmed methodologies, significantly ones our CTO Chris Clark applied at Palo Alto Networks in establishing their international risk R&D functionality. Moderately than attempting to gather large quantities of probably unreliable information, we have developed a scalable, environment friendly system for information administration and risk intelligence.
We have applied a classy triage system the place queries that do not meet our standards for being totally answered or sourced undergo each automated and handbook overview processes. This creates a robust community impact the place gaps are addressed and information turns into obtainable to all customers. If our system cannot present a passable reply, it robotically triggers an inside overview.
What makes this strategy distinctive is our give attention to high quality over amount. Our CCOE members, who symbolize numerous industries and roles from CISOs to vulnerability researchers, assist validate our information base and fill experience gaps. By overlaying normal areas comprehensively, we will give attention to edge instances and rising challenges that actually require specialised information.
The secret’s transparency – as I discussed earlier than our system is designed to confess when it would not have a solution, which then prompts our group to fill that information hole. Usually, it is merely a matter of rephrasing the query (or utilizing the Lexi good prompting to robotically create a extra nuanced immediate that the person may not have the flexibility to create), which we will shortly handle. This strategy permits us to scale whereas sustaining excessive requirements for accuracy and reliability.
With the rise of Web3, quantum, and area applied sciences, how is Blackwire positioning itself to deal with cybersecurity in these rising domains?
We discuss to and get recommendation from loads of of us smarter than us. We’re blessed to have advisors who’re luminaries within the expertise and safety area like Matt Devost and Bob Gourley from OODA. They’ve shared insights and evaluation with us on these matters and lots of others. We’re additionally lucky to collaborate carefully with of us like Rick Howard and his Cyber Cannon challenge – these are of us that many locally look to so as to perceive what’s subsequent. These are of us who’re members of our CCOE but additionally mentors to me. The truth that we have all been doing this for a very long time and nonetheless have a really robust skilled community, many who I think about shut pals, are safety executives that assist us handle each the right here and now issues and what’s subsequent. What makes this strategy highly effective is the way it informs our platform’s evolution. Whereas Web3, quantum, and area applied sciences are thrilling frontiers, we’re targeted on constructing a basis of belief that may adapt to those rising domains. Our TrustWire expertise, for example, already leverages blockchain and zero-knowledge proofs – core Web3 applied sciences – to make sure information integrity and privateness.
However extra importantly, we have constructed our platform to be adaptable. We repeatedly combine new insights and experience as these applied sciences evolve. It is not about chasing each new development – it is about having the suitable experience and trusted framework to guage and reply to rising threats throughout any area after which assist our purchasers operationalize the suitable answer.
What are your long-term targets for Blackwire Labs, and the way do you envision its position in the way forward for AI-driven cybersecurity?
Our long-term imaginative and prescient goes past simply constructing a profitable firm – we need to essentially change how organizations strategy cybersecurity within the AI period. We need to do good and champion reality. We’re working to democratize entry to expert-level cybersecurity capabilities whereas making certain that AI adoption would not compromise safety or belief. We consider the way forward for cybersecurity lies in combining human experience with reliable AI, and we’re positioning Blackwire Labs to steer that transformation. However we’ll do it thoughtfully, staying true to our ideas of transparency, humility, belief, and repair to our prospects.
Thanks for the good interview, readers who want to be taught extra ought to go to Blackwire Labs.
