Today, I joined a panel at Austin Startup Week with my colleague Bruce Coughlin to discuss "How Unsupervised Neural NetworkingUnsupervised neural networks are designed to learn hidden patterns and structures from unlabeled data, typically used for clustering or associating different inputs. See More... See Less... Roots Out Insider ThreatsA security risk that originates from within the targeted organization, typically involving current or former employees, contractors, or business associates who have inside information concerning the organization's security practices, data, and computer systems. An insider threat can manifest in malicious actions such as theft of proprietary information, sabotage of systems, or data breaches, as well as unintentional actions that inadvertently cause harm or expose sensitive data. See More... See Less... ." The conversation, steered by moderator Adam Lipman from Ecliptic Capital, took place at the Capital Factory here in Austin, Texas—an ideal setting for a forward-thinking cybersecurityCybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or attack. It involves a range of strategies and technologies designed to safeguard digital assets from cyber threats like hacking, viruses, and data breaches. Cybersecurity measures are essential to prevent sensitive information from being stolen or tampered with, and to ensure the smooth functioning of digital systems. This field is increasingly important in our connected world, where a lot of personal, financial, and business activities are conducted online. See More... See Less... discussion.

We kicked off our panel by explaining the concepts of supervised and unsupervised neural networks and how unsupervised neural networks are able to autonomously sniff out irregularities that might signal a threat. We delved into how these sophisticated AIA branch of computer science that focuses on creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. AI can be categorized into narrow or weak AI, which is designed for specific tasks, and general or strong AI, which has the capability of performing any intellectual task that a human being can. See More... See Less... systems analyze raw dataData, in everyday terms, refers to pieces of information stored in computers or digital systems. Think of it like entries in a digital filing system or documents saved on a computer. This includes everything from the details you enter on a website form, to the photos you take with your phone. These pieces of information are organized and stored as records in databases or as files in a storage system, allowing them to be easily accessed, managed, and used when needed. See More... See Less... without the need for prior labelingIn the context of AI, labeling is the process of identifying and marking data with labels to indicate the output or category that the data belongs to. This is crucial in supervised learning for training models to recognize patterns or make predictions. See More... See Less... , thus revealing concealed risks.

Our discussion then branched out into the myriad of insider threats, unpacking the varied motivations, after which, the conversation turned to addressing the complexities of detecting these threats, heightened by the insiders' inherent access and trust within an organization.

We shared examples from the real world, demonstrating the application of these advanced technologies, and capped off the session by examining a spectrum of preventative strategies that go beyond mere tools, emphasizing that fortifying an organization's defenses against insider threats requires a robust blend of policy-making and cultural shifts within the workplace.

The session wrapped up with an engaging Q&A, with fantastic audience participation. 

Finally, a shout-out to McKesson for sponsoring the event and sincere thanks to the Capital Factory for hosting us. Special thanks go to Adam Lipman for his excellent moderation, which was pivotal in navigating such a critical subject. The facilities at the Capital Factory provided an ideal backdrop for our discussion, and the support from all involved in bringing this event to life is much appreciated.

I am looking forward to future opportunities to connect and discuss the complexities of cybersecurity with everyone!