So, I spent a day at RSA 2007 on Wednesday, from about 9AM to 11PM ... Oh, was it fun!! Here are some highly informal impressions.
First, what's are the Security Buzzwords of the Year?
- Identity - yes, I dare say that the word "identity" blessed the maximum number of vendor booths, even more than ...
- ... yes, more than NAC - and thus I continue to insist that knacking noise :-) will be waning this year. Hopefully - at least the NAC vendors should hope - not the deployments though ... And don't forget to NAP.
- Data security together with leak "prevention"; a formidable presence indeed, given a large number of vendors that "do it" or, more accurately, "claim to do it"
- I guess I should mention endpoint security, but to me it sounds a bit like RSA 2006 ...
Another thing that amazed me was a huge (!) number of new security companies. I have noticed dozens of new vendors, some doing interesting and some boring and old stuff. Initially, when I started my "vendor walk" and passed thru a couple of aisles, I started developing a mild case of "marcusranum-itis" i.e. "same old stuff around", but later I did see a few fun and innovative companies. Also, I met a couple of folks who pitched their new company ideas to me; that was deeply cool as well. So, I hereby proclaim that security innovation marches on, despite some dumb claims to the contrary.
Again (as I commented here), I've seen a few "walking dead" companies present. For some of them, it seems like they truly blew the last 20 grand on the show, hoping - in vain - that somebody [dumb] would buy them. I am talking about those whose quarterly revenue dropped into 6 digits after being in business for a few years. You know who they (you? :-)) are!
What made my RSA day is of course a Security Bloggers Meet-up (that everybody blogged about already - here, here, and yes, even here somewhere); it was a very fun event indeed. For those who are into that sort of thing, a few of the security "celebrities" such as Bruce Schneier and Stephen Toulouse blessed the event with their presence. I am so looking forward to it in 2008!
Finally, somebody mentioned to me that they also had the presentations - you know, people speaking and stuff - at RSA. I was like "Wow, seriously!" :-) And I thought that RSA is mostly known for its parties ...
