December 16, 2025
308 words, 2 minutes read time.
We are at the point where AI is almost expected in any technology offering.
Today, we sat down with John Kindervag from Illumio to learn how AI can be applied to the world of federal Zero Trust.
Some have characterized today’s current cybersecurity situation as an arms race; some call it a whack-a-mole game. An innovative technology, such as AI, becomes popularized, and adversaries use it to improve attacks. As a result, the defenders of data must bolster their response, and they, in turn, use AI to defend.
He highlights the importance of visibility, using AI to quickly parse logs, and the concept of dwell time, in which attackers can remain undetected for extended periods.
To protect valuable data, Kindervag distinguishes between the attack surface and the defense surface. Although a malicious actor can instigate AI-driven attacks across any surface, sensitive information can be protected by thorough segmentation of the protected surface.
During the interview, Kindervag provides tactics to manage legacy technology, fragmented data, and the critical topic of risk-averse culture.
If you liked this interview, you may want to listen to
Ep. 269 – Overcoming Cross Domain Barriers in Federal Security — referenced directly in the Ep. 290 post itself (the “If you liked this interview, you may want to listen to…” list).
Ep. 233 – Boosting Federal Cyber Resilience Through Cross Domain Solutions — also suggested in the Ep. 290 post as a related resource of interest.
