Today’s guest is Matt Conlon, Founder at Cytidel. As cybersecurity threats are escalating in complexity and frequency, professionals like Matt are at the forefront of addressing these challenges. In this podcast, Matt shares insights into his journey from consulting to founding Cytidel, a company that aims to revolutionise vulnerability management and exposure management.

As cybersecurity threats are escalating in complexity and frequency, professionals like Matt are at the forefront of addressing these challenges. In this podcast, Matt shares insights into his journey from consulting to founding Cytidel, a company that aims to revolutionise vulnerability management and exposure management.

Matt’s career began in the consulting field, spanning roles in the public sector and banking. His experience in network security, firewalls and incident response provided a solid foundation for understanding the critical challenges faced by organisations today. Despite the hectic schedule and high-pressure environment, Matt found consulting to be an unbeatable way to learn quickly and gain diverse experiences across sectors such as policing and banking.

However, the demanding nature of the job led to burnout, prompting Matt to reassess his career path. His desire to tackle alert overload and his realisation that many in the security field experienced similar pressures guided him towards entrepreneurship.

He founded Cytidel with a vision to address the vulnerabilities that plague many organisations. Initially offering consulting services to generate capital, Matt swiftly pivoted towards building a product-focused company. This transition was influenced by his enrollment in the NDRC program, which encouraged him to take the leap into product development, ultimately leading to securing investment.

Cytidel ‘s initial product focused on vulnerability management, seeking to streamline the prioritisation and resolution of cyber risks. Conlon emphasises the importance of understanding which vulnerabilities truly pose significant threats, shifting focus from sheer volume to the impact of potential exploits.

Through advanced data analysis and machine learning models, Cytidel offers predictive insights that surpass the timeliness of traditional threat models. Remarkably, the company claims to provide alerts up to 200 days ahead of other public models, giving clients an invaluable advantage in proactive security measures.

Today, Cytidel positions itself within the exposure management space, integrating both in-house and third-party risk insights to offer a comprehensive security posture. As businesses increasingly operate with complex supply chains and outsourced services, Matt says understanding and mitigating these extended risks is crucial.

Central to Cytidel’s offerings is the use of machine learning and AI. By processing vast quantities of data across thousands of sources, their solutions dynamically adapt to the ever-evolving threat landscape, providing tailored insights specific to each client’s context and vulnerabilities.

In a rapidly changing industry, Cytidel continues to adapt its strategies to meet evolving challenges. Matt notes that while the cyber landscape is unpredictable, the focus remains on providing context-specific solutions that help clients make informed decisions about their security needs.

Matt’s journey from burnout to founding a trailblazing company exemplifies how addressing personal industry challenges can lead to innovative solutions with significant impact. As Cytidel continues to grow and evolve, its commitment to redefining vulnerability management and enhancing exposure insights positions it at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.

Whether you are an organisation seeking to bolster your security posture or an individual inspired by Matt’s journey, the future of cybersecurity is not just about staying ahead; it’s about setting the pace.