Outgoing DHS CISO Hemant Baidwan reflects on the evolving cybersecurity landscape and the urgent shift from compliance-driven security to real-time risk reduction. He highlights how AI is transforming both defense and adversary tactics, making continuous monitoring and automation essential. Baidwan introduces the concept of a Risk Operations Center (ROC), emphasizing visibility, attack path analysis, and actionable intelligence to “burn down” cyber risk to acceptable levels. He also discusses the future of self-healing infrastructure and the cultural changes required across government. The conversation underscores a pivotal moment for federal cybersecurity strategy and innovation.

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