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- CyberBytes: The Newsletter #7!
CyberBytes: The Newsletter #7!
Charlotte Harris
January 31, 2025
Sponsored by DryRun Security
Hello, 2025! 👋
We can’t quite believe we’re already a month into 2025, but what a month it has been!
The start of a new year always has that fresh feeling, and with the crazy advancements of 2024, we’re excited to see what 2025 has in store for the cybersecurity landscape. So, in CyberBytes style, sit back, relax and let’s dive into a round up of the first month of 2025!
Here’s what you can look forward to in the first edition of CyberBytes: The Newsletter for 2025:
🔦 Vendor Spotlight - A spotlight on the DryRun Security.
⚠️ Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities - The latest findings by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
📊 2024 Reports: Findings from our friends Mike Privette and Dino Boukouris.
📱 TikTok in the U.S: The Rise, Fall, and Cybersecurity Reckoning - The viral rise, sharp fall, security concerns.
📅 Smarter Selling in Cybersecurity: Free Webinar - Register today!
🔥 Hot Jobs Highlight - This month’s top job opportunities.
🚀 CyberNews - A round up of the latest news in Cybersecurity.
📈 Sales Folks - Don’t Miss Our Exclusive Webinar! 📈
Date: Wednesday, 5th February
Time: 8 AM Pacific
Get ready to level up your insights in Selling Smarter in Cybersecurity: Embedding Smarter Strategies to Close Bigger Deals with our free live webinar! Join cyber sales leader Andrew Monaghan and Aspiron Search’s very own Joseph Cooper as they dive into dive into the art of positioning cybersecurity solutions as essential, strategic investments rather than discretionary budget items.
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🔦 Vendor Spotlight 🔦
DryRun Security are dedicated to offering a reliable solution that empowers security teams to scale efficiently while enabling developers to secure their code with ease and effectiveness.
James Wickett, CEO and Co-Founder of DryRun, joined us to share the foundational principles behind DryRun and discuss the exciting future ahead following their impressive $8.7 million Seed funding round.
What inspired you to found DryRun, and how has your vision for the company evolved over time?
We started DryRun Security because AppSec teams were drowning in code changes and missing unknown risks. Traditional tools were slow, noisy, and lacked context. Our vision was to build a fast, developer-friendly solution that pinpoints risky code changes before they become security incidents. Over time, we’ve evolved to empower AppSec teams with natural language policies and deep code insights—helping them stay ahead of threats without slowing down development.
What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities in the application security space today?
The biggest challenge is the sheer volume and complexity of modern development. With AI-generated code, rapid releases, and evolving attack surfaces, security teams are constantly playing catch-up. The opportunity lies in contextual security analysis - not just scanning for known issues but proactively spotting and fixing unknown risks as code is written. That’s where DryRun Security is making a real difference.
With your recent funding round, what are your top priorities for the next phase of DryRun's growth, and how will this funding help you achieve them?
Our top priority is expanding our AI-driven contextual security analysis to help teams uncover hidden risks faster. We’re investing in expanding integrations, growing the sales team, and investing in appsec research. This funding allows us to scale our product, grow our team, and bring contextual security analysis to more organizations who are drowning in code change volume and velocity.
DryRun’s Impressive $8.7million Seed Fundraise
DryRun Security, an AI-driven company revolutionising application security (AppSec) for development and security teams, has announced an impressive $8.7 million seed funding round. The investment was led by LiveOak Ventures and Work-Bench, with additional support from Cannage Capital.
Find out more by following the link below!
🚨 New Findings: Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities 🚨
The verdict is in, and it’s alarming news for the Government Facilities sector regarding OT/ICS protocol exposure. According to the latest report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a staggering 63% of Government Facilities' OT/ICS protocols are publicly accessible online. This poses a significant threat to the security of critical industrial systems.
So, who’s most at risk?
OPC UA: 43%
DNP: 22%
Niagara-Fox: 21%
Ethernet/IP: 10%
Modbus: 4%
Want to read more? You can find the full report here!
📱 TikTok in the U.S: The Rise, Fall, and Cybersecurity Reckoning 📱
TikTok has undeniably become one of the most influential and transformative apps in recent years, with much of its growth fuelled by a surge in users during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent developments have drawn global attention as a U.S. law banning TikTok was enacted on Sunday, only to be reversed just 12 hours later. This rapid turn of events raises a pressing question: how much of a cybersecurity threat does the app truly pose?
TikTok raises cybersecurity concerns due to its data collection location, device info, and browsing habits and the potential for the Chinese government to access this data through its National Intelligence Law.
This has led to U.S. bans on government devices, as sensitive data could be exploited for surveillance or other threats. There are also concerns of TikTok being used for propaganda, by manipulating its algorithm to influence public opinion, have prompted global security concerns. In 2020, India banned TikTok, and other countries have flagged it due to data risks.
Read more here!
📊 Must Read Reports 📊
For those tracking the cybersecurity market, two must-read reports just dropped—each packed with insights to shape your 2024 strategy.
First up, our friend Mike Privette at Return on Security has released his latest deep dive into the financial undercurrents of the cybersecurity industry and global economy. His 2024 report breaks down:
💰 Funding: $14B across 621 rounds in 112 categories.
🤝 M&A: 271 deals worth $45.7B across 59 categories.
🤖 AI Impact: 96% YoY growth in AI cybersecurity funding.
🛠️ Products vs. Services: $12.3B (88%) for products; hybrid models gaining traction.
🌍 Global Trends: US leads with $10.9B (83% of global funding); Europe, Israel & UK show resilience.
📈 Public Markets: Stock performance varies, but AI, data protection & market leadership stand out.
Check out the full report here:
But that’s not all—Dino and the team at Altitude Cyber have also released their 2024 review, offering even more insights on M&A trends, valuations, and industry shifts.
📌 Major deals: Wiz’s $1.0B Series E, Kiteworks’s $456M Growth round, and Cribl’s $319M Series E.
📊 Most active sectors for funding: Risk & Compliance, Data Security, and Security Operations & Incident Response.
⚡ Most active sectors for M&A: Security Consulting, Risk & Compliance, and MSSPs.
Read the full report here:
Both reports highlight the major shifts and opportunities shaping cybersecurity in 2024.
🌐 CyberNews 🌐
The cybersecurity landscape is one that is very fast paced, so it can be hard to keep up to date on the latest goings on, which is why we’ve made it simple! Check out our CyberNews round up below👇
📢 Frenos has secured a $3.88 million seed funding round led by DataTribe, setting the stage for accelerated product development and market penetration in OT cybersecurity. This milestone positions Frenos as a rising player in the cybersecurity industry. We're proud to play a part in Frenos’s growth, with our own pre-seed investment into the company via Aspiron Ventures.
💻 Ransomware groups have adopted a cunning new tactic—posing as fake tech support on Microsoft Teams. By exploiting internal communication channels, they're tricking employees into downloading malicious software.
🌍 NATO declares cyberattacks could trigger a military response under Article 5, treating large-scale incidents as acts of war. This marks a pivotal shift in cybersecurity policy, reinforcing collective defence in the digital age.
🔥 Hot Job Highlights 🔥
Interested in advancing your career in cybersecurity? Look no further! We've curated a selection of top-tier positions currently available through exclusive searches. Explore our featured roles below and connect with us at [email protected] for further details!
📢 Contributing and VP Marketing Positions - Series A to C - Global
We’re exclusively working with fast-growing cybersecurity vendors globally, from Series A disruptors to Series C scale-ups, all looking for top marketing talent. If you're ready to drive growth, shape brand strategy, and make an impact in a cutting-edge industry, we want to hear from you.
📢 Contributing and Founding Sellers - Series A - US
We’re working exclusively with a variety of early stage vendors across the US, looking to expand their sales teams. For more information on the available roles, send us an email to [email protected] to find out more!
Reach out to us at [email protected] to find out more!
🌐 Looking For Your Next Role in Cybersecurity? 🌐
Here at Aspiron Search, we’re committed to supporting you to find your next role in cybersecurity. By understanding your motivations and what makes you tick, we can provide the right opportunities and advice to get you hired!
Contact us at [email protected] to find out more!
Could YOU Be The Next Sponsor of CyberBytes: The Newsletter?
If you’re interested in sponsoring CyberBytes: The Newsletter and showcasing your brand, get in touch by at [email protected] today!