Five Minutes With: A CTO and Co-Founder

AI gives more than it takes; cyber needs to learn from environmental science; sophisticated attacks as cybersecurity’s kryptonite…All these takes and more from Armis CTO and co-founder, Nadir Izrael

What was your route into cybersecurity?

From a very young age, I was interested in technology. I developed a passion for software development and started coding at 12. I have always had a strong affinity for making things work better and asking questions, a trait that served me well when I went on to study Computer Science and Physics at university.

Right after I graduated from school, I joined the Israel Defense Forces. I had the honour of serving in Unit 8200, where I had the incredible opportunity to learn from some of the very best in tech and cybersecurity. It was there that I met my now co-founder, Yevgeny Dibrov.

After my service, I spent four years as a senior software manager at Google, working on Google Maps and Google Autocomplete. Yevgeny reached out to revisit the idea we had discussed years before starting a business together. We wanted to create a solution to the lack of understanding of the tech environment and how to manage the ever-expanding attack surface. We wanted to create a solution that solved this, and Armis was created.

How does your military background serve you in your role today?

Serving in the military gave me countless opportunities that aren’t always so accessible in the private sector. Firstly, it is the ultimate social equaliser; everyone who enters starts at the same level, so regardless of your background, if you work hard, you can catapult up the career ladder. Working in Unit 8200 also put me in the same room as some of the country’s smartest people, including my co-founder! I would not be where I am today without my time there. Above all, it instilled an incredible drive I feel daily as a co-founder. It taught me to never accept things for what they are. You can always push and continually improve – even with limited resources. This mentality was invaluable when building a startup.

Is AI having more of a positive or negative impact on cybersecurity?

As it currently stands, AI has a more positive impact on the cybersecurity industry than a negative one. One of the main pain points security teams experience is an overwhelming amount of data – something AI is adept at sorting through. By automating many of the tasks performed by cybersecurity teams, AI is allowing them significantly more time to focus on critical tasks, such as developing new strategies and responding to major incidents. It’s also creating new jobs in cybersecurity. As the technology continues to develop, we will need more people employed to train and maintain AI-powered solutions. However, this isn’t to say that threat actors aren’t also benefiting from AI. Adversaries can use the technology to develop and improve malware applications, phishing attempts, and denial-of-service attacks. AI-powered technologies have also lowered the bar on both entry and adoption, meaning that less-skilled hackers can now launch more attacks with less effort and more speed. In short, the threat landscape has become more complex with AI, and the only real way to combat AI-fuelled attacks is to fight fire with fire.

“AI-powered technologies have also lowered the bar on both entry and adoption, meaning that less-skilled hackers can now launch more attacks”

If you could retrain for a dream job, what would it be?

I’m proud to say I’m living my dream as CTO and co-founder. But had I not followed this path, I would have been a physicist. I’ve studied this area in the past, and it continues to interest me greatly.

What has been your most challenging role to date?

While the most rewarding, being the CTO and co-founder of Armis is also the most challenging role I’ve ever had. To work in such a fast-paced, dynamic industry as an entrepreneur requires you to always be on your toes and constantly learning. I wouldn’t change this for anything, and I truly love the thrill of the ride.

What’s the biggest misconception about cybersecurity?

Organisations often think their problems are unsolvable. Unfortunately, businesses can sometimes become complacent about their challenges, assuming some issues are inherent and insurmountable.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Undoubtedly, people are the best part of my job. Throughout my career, I have consistently learned that most big business objectives revolve around people. Almost everything else is less important.

And the worst?

Learning to step back and not be involved as much, as I love all of the components of what we’re building. As a co-founder, you can’t manage every decision, but it can be challenging to hand over the reins.

What advice would you give to industry n00bies?

The key to success is active listening, continuous learning, and playing to your strengths. Listen attentively to customers, partners, and colleagues to gain valuable insights. Challenge your assumptions and seek out new knowledge.

What’s the biggest as-yet-unsolved problem in cybersecurity?

The increasingly sophisticated tactics of relentless, malicious actors require cybersecurity professionals to stay one step ahead and continue thwarting attacks. Unfortunately, this is not an entirely solvable problem, but by working together, we can lessen the overall impact.

What industry or sector do you think cyber could learn from?

Environmental science teams have shifted from a reactive to a proactive stance. They have been using early-warning systems to detect signs of an impending earthquake, volcanic eruption, etc. Thanks to the development of technologies that help anticipate and predict these natural disasters, society has time to prepare to minimise the impact. Cyber can learn from this and would benefit immensely from switching from a reactive to a proactive approach.

Tell us a guilty secret?

I have a passion for extreme sports. I’ve always wanted to try base jumping, but first, you have to be able to skydive solo. I haven’t found the time to do this, but never say never!