Unlocking Cyber Security for SMEs: Insights from Tesserent's Mark Jones - Future Secured Ep 10

In episode 10 of Future Secured, hosts Tom Finnigan and Jason Murrell sit down with Mark Jones, Senior Partner at Tesserent, to delve into the intricate world of cyber security and the challenges businesses face today.

They kick off by discussing the merger between Tesserent and Thales, which has opened up new avenues for cyber security initiatives in Australia. 

Mark shares his expert insights on the Australian Cyber Security Strategy, highlighting the importance of collaboration between government and industry, and the pressing need for standardisation in cyber security practices.

One of the key focuses of the conversation is the vital support required for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in their cyber security efforts. 

Mark emphasises the need for SMEs to understand their cyber security risks and implement appropriate controls, shedding light on the profound impact a cyber attack can have on SMEs and the broader ecosystem.

The discussion explores the role of AI in cyber security. Mark outlines Tesserent's comprehensive approach to AI, including advisory services, secure design and implementation, and assurance. 

He also stresses the critical importance of rehearsing incident response plans and the necessity of ongoing training and awareness.

Finally, Mark provides a glimpse into the future of cybersecurity, touching on supply chain risk, compliance, and the innovative projects in the pipeline for Tesserent and Thales.

Key Insights:
- The Merger's Impact: Discover how the merger between Tesserent and Thales is transforming Australia's cybersecurity landscape.
- Strategic Collaboration: Learn why collaboration between government and industry is crucial for tackling cybersecurity challenges.
- Standardisation Needs: Understand the importance of standardising cybersecurity practices to help businesses prioritise their efforts.
- SME Cybersecurity: Explore the unique challenges faced by SMEs and why supporting them is essential for a robust cybersecurity ecosystem.
- AI in Cybersecurity: Get insights into how AI is revolutionising cybersecurity and Tesserent's strategic approach to harnessing its power.
- Incident Response: Learn why rehearsing incident response plans and continuous training are key to effective cybersecurity.
- Future Trends: Uncover the upcoming trends in cybersecurity, including supply chain risk and compliance.

Sound Bites:
"This has been one of the best mergers, transitions, acquisitions that I've been part of."
"Building up plans and playbooks and exercising those has been something that's got a lot of interest."
"The offensive side of things around maturing that capability from just vulnerability scanning right up to much more adversary simulations and red teaming activities is something that's always there."
"They've got the same problems as big companies do just at a smaller scale."
"The knock on effect of a business going out of business has all their partners and other people in the crosshairs as well."
"Focus on the technology and the changes that are happening there and understand if that, the old confidentiality, integrity, availability equation if that was kind of impacted relative to the technology that's supporting your business and the business processes, what does that look like?"

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Background
02:38 - The Merger Between Tesserent and Thales
08:31 - The Australian Cybersecurity Strategy
10:36 - Collaboration Between Government and Industry
21:19 - Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
23:04 - Challenges and Support for SMEs in Cybersecurity
24:22 - The Impact of Cyber Attacks on SMEs and the Broader Ecosystem
26:15 - The Role of AI in Cybersecurity
29:48 - Tesserent's Approach to AI in Cybersecurity
35:33 - The Importance of Rehearsing Incident Response Plans