Josh Ray is the founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs, bringing over 24 years of expertise in combating superior cyber threats throughout business, personal, public, and navy sectors. As a U.S. Navy veteran and cybersecurity government, Ray has persistently 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 in opposition to 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 skilled AI cybersecurity options, leveraging his intensive expertise to navigate the advanced intersection of expertise, safety, and enterprise.
Are you able to share what impressed you to begin Blackwire Labs? What particular challenges in cybersecurity had been you hoping to handle 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 combating the identical problem: they want AI to execute in opposition to enterprise targets and defend in opposition to refined threats. Nevertheless, the catch is they cannot belief or implement present options successfully. Collectively we’ve got 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 saved excited about all of the organizations that could not afford massive safety groups however nonetheless wanted safety. We actually wish to assist organizations of all sizes however we actually wish 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 have now a duty 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 appropriate set of experience on the proper time, particularly once you’re defending networks that defend our warfighters and nationwide safety.
At Raytheon and later at iDefense, I noticed how the personal sector was grappling with more and more refined threats, most of the similar varieties 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 corporation. This actually hit dwelling once I was main Accenture’s International Cyber Protection Apply, the place we had been defending a few of the world’s most focused networks and the explosion of third social gathering threat and provide chain assaults.
However this is what bothers me: Whereas the most important organizations might 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 massive organizations. I noticed small companies, healthcare suppliers, and state businesses combating the identical superior threats however with out entry to the experience they wanted. That is actually what drove us to begin Blackwire Labs. We needed to take every part we would 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 might help bridge that hole. It isn’t nearly constructing one other safety software – it is about delivering at scale the form 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 by way of TrustWire. May you stroll us by way of how this fusion enhances the reliability of your cybersecurity insights?
We took a realistic 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 primarily based on Chris’s expertise within the crypto house we’re capable of take it to the subsequent degree. 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 are able to show the integrity of our insights whereas defending delicate knowledge. Consider it as combining the most effective 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 consumer desires to avoid wasting. 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 relating to audits, compliance opinions, and the incident response course of.
Lexi, Blackwire’s AI, presents predictive prompting and customised steering. How does this characteristic set assist safety groups anticipate threats extra successfully?
Like most issues in life, realizing “what” the appropriate 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 targets to information you towards simpler evaluation throughout a strategic, operational or tactical “choose your own adventure”, as Andrew calls it, set of prompts. It means that you can get extra detailed insights sooner by with the ability to account for a number of factors of view that can differ relying on the organizational position (Assume CISO/CTO- Strategic, incident responder/threat supervisor Operational, safety engineer/SOC analyst- Tactical). It’s like having a seasoned safety skilled that may put on a number of hats, wanting over your shoulder, anticipating what it is advisable contemplate subsequent. However with out the black field selections 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 precise measures that make your platform enterprise-grade?
All the things 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 whole profession and is adamant about this. Let me break this down virtually. At its core, our structure ensures full knowledge isolation between organizations, with strict tenant separation and configurable retention insurance policies. We’re adamant about knowledge privateness – we by no means prepare on buyer knowledge or queries, and every part operates on a private-by-default foundation. Consider it like operating your personal safe enclave inside our platform.
For entry management, we have carried out enterprise-grade authentication with granular RBAC and MFA help. 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 opinions.
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 is going to say, “I can’t build a cake but building a SOC requires a layered approach, would you like to talk about that?” It’s because we have carried out very purposeful constraints. Each response should reference validated sources by way of our three-tier framework, and our Safety Registry creates everlasting, verifiable information of all analyses and selections. This is not nearly “checking a box” security measures – it is about constructing a platform that safety practitioners can belief.
Blackwire Labs locations a powerful emphasis on being user-configurable. What particular customizations can shoppers leverage to suit their distinctive safety wants?
Along with what I spoke about earlier with predictive prompting and contextcraft, we’re growing capabilities for organizations to securely leverage their proprietary knowledge 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 knowledge privateness and belief. This ensures their delicate knowledge by no means leaves their surroundings 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’ll 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 by way of 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 choice we make begins with how we are able to greatest serve our group and defend organizations that want our assist.
We’ve all grown up on this mission house, 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’d have needed ourselves. The safety group is small – everybody’s about one diploma separated from one another and status issues so much. That is why we took a practitioner-to-practitioner strategy, bringing in design companions, advisors and beta customers (which ultimately was the CCOE) early to check our assumptions. We needed a number of people within the boat with us early and sometimes. “This product is built for you, help us make it really useful.”
We additionally know the way safety professionals are skeptical of distributors and in lots of circumstances rightfully so. That is why we deal with fixing actual issues moderately than advertising hype. When our customers inform us one thing wants to vary, we pay attention and act. This tight suggestions loop with our group, mixed with our dedication to service, helps us keep grounded and targeted on what actually issues.
Cybersecurity is a fast-evolving discipline. 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 carried out at Palo Alto Networks in establishing their international menace R&D functionality. Relatively than attempting to gather huge quantities of probably unreliable knowledge, we have developed a scalable, environment friendly system for information administration and menace intelligence.
We have carried out a classy triage system the place queries that do not meet our standards for being absolutely answered or sourced undergo each automated and guide overview processes. This creates a strong community impact the place gaps are addressed and information turns into obtainable to all customers. If our system cannot present a passable reply, it mechanically triggers an inside overview.
What makes this strategy distinctive is our deal with high quality over amount. Our CCOE members, who characterize varied industries and roles from CISOs to vulnerability researchers, assist validate our information base and fill experience gaps. By protecting common areas comprehensively, we are able to deal with edge circumstances and rising challenges that really 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 staff to fill that information hole. Usually, it is merely a matter of rephrasing the query (or utilizing the Lexi sensible prompting to mechanically create a extra nuanced immediate that the consumer may not have the power to create), which we are able to shortly handle. This strategy permits us to scale whereas sustaining excessive requirements for accuracy and reliability.
With the rise of Web3, quantum, and house applied sciences, how is Blackwire positioning itself to handle cybersecurity in these rising domains?
We discuss to and get recommendation from a number of people smarter than us. We’re blessed to have advisors who’re luminaries within the expertise and safety house like Matt Devost and Bob Gourley from OODA. They’ve shared insights and evaluation with us on these subjects and plenty of others. We’re additionally lucky to collaborate intently with people like Rick Howard and his Cyber Cannon mission – these are people that many locally look to in an effort to perceive what’s subsequent. These are people who’re members of our CCOE but in addition 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 contemplate shut mates, 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 house applied sciences are thrilling frontiers, we’re targeted on constructing a basis of belief that may adapt to those rising domains. Our TrustWire expertise, as an illustration, already leverages blockchain and zero-knowledge proofs – core Web3 applied sciences – to make sure knowledge integrity and privateness.
However extra importantly, we have constructed our platform to be adaptable. We constantly combine new insights and experience as these applied sciences evolve. It isn’t about chasing each new development – it is about having the appropriate experience and trusted framework to judge and reply to rising threats throughout any area after which assist our shoppers operationalize the appropriate resolution.
What are your long-term objectives 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 wish to basically change how organizations strategy cybersecurity within the AI period. We wish to do good and champion fact. 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 guide that transformation. However we’ll do it thoughtfully, staying true to our rules of transparency, humility, belief, and repair to our prospects.
Thanks for the nice interview, readers who want to be taught extra ought to go to Blackwire Labs.
