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Cybersecurity Insights Unveiled: Trending Topics and Tips for Generating Demand

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This May, San Francisco will welcome cybersecurity professionals from around the world as they gather for BSides and RSA. Marketers of security companies of all sizes are gearing up to educate and entertain them at booths, sessions, workshops, and ancillary events (happy hour, anyone?). 

Curious about which topics are taking center stage at this year’s conferences? Unsurprisingly, AI makes the shortlist. 

Whether you're attending these beloved industry events or not, staying informed about trending topics is key to having productive conversations with cybersecurity professionals. In this blog, you’ll get an overview of prevalent topics and themes presented at both conferences as well as one-of-a-kind intent-driven insights from our DemandSkill platform. Also, you’ll gain tips for appealing to cybersecurity professionals, known to be a complex audience to engage.

Trending Topics at BSides and RSA

BSides SF

First up is BSides SF, taking place on May 4 & 5 at the Metreon in San Francisco. This year’s theme? “You can’t spell dystopia without AI.” 

What are some prominent topics you can expect to learn about at this 100% volunteer-organized information security event attended by security engineers, information technologists, and the like?
    • The star of the show: Artificial Intelligence 
      • You’ll hear about: 
        • The ethics, opportunities, and risks surrounding AI 
        • AI security 
        • Security automation with AI 
        • AI governance 
        • Uses cases for types of AI, including: 
          • Large Language Models (LLMs) 
          • Machine Learning (ML) 
      • Outside of AI, other popular topics include: 
        • Application security 
        • Supply chain management 
        • Kubernetes security 
        • API security 
        • Threat modeling 
        • Data privacy and security (both personal and organizational)

RSA

Next up is RSA, which runs from May 6 to 9 at the Moscone Center. Contrasting to BSides’ more critical perspective on AI, RSA’s theme opts for a more positive spin with “the art of possible.”

The RSA conference has been around for more than thirty years. For this year’s event, which topics are making waves?
    • Two themes stand out in keynotes and sessions: 1) Artificial Intelligence and 2) Global Cybersecurity
      • When it comes to AI, many discussions revolve around: 
        • AI safety and ethics 
        • The risks and rewards of AI 
        • Securing AI 
        • Using AI to enhance security 
        • Some sessions focus on particular aspects of AI, including:
          • The impact of generative AI (GenAI) 
          • The use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in security 
          • How Machine Learning (ML) can aid in detection 
      • Conversations around global cybersecurity appear to focus on: 
        • National and international security 
        • Emerging global threats  
        • Governance and policy (often relating to AI) 
        • Data privacy and security (both personal and organizational)
          • Including legal liability and implications
      • There are over 300 sessions to choose from. Beyond AI and global cybersecurity, other prevailing topics include:
        • CISO responsibilities 
        • Supply chain security & attacks 
        • Application Security (AppSec) 
        • Cloud Security (CloudSec) 
        • Threat hunting & modeling 
        • Incident response 
        • Cyber resiliency 
        • SOC 
        • Ransomware 
        • IAM 
        • API security
        • Open-source security

Digital Insights: What's Trending in Cybersecurity

After exploring the talk tracks of these conferences, we thought it would be interesting to see what insights we could glean from our AI and intent-driven platform that corroborates these trending topics and expands on the interests of security professionals. Here is a peek at what our amazing data science team uncovered:

What are cybersecurity professionals researching?
  • 1 of 3 top surging keywords in cybersecurity: 
    • Identity and access management
  • 1 of 3 top surging keywords by focus: 
    • CloudSec 
      • Cloud Compliance 
    • DevOps
      • Shift-left security
    • Infosec
      • Data breach
    • CISO / C-Level
      • Risk Management Framework 
Which industries are researching cybersecurity?
  • Top 3 industries researching AI security and governance: 
    • Technology 
    • Government and Regulatory Bodies 
    • Finance 
  • Top 3 industries researching Large Language Model (LLM) security: 
    • Researchers and academic institutions 
    • Government and Intelligence Agencies 
    • Technology 
  • Top 3 industries researching supply chain attacks: 
    • Manufacturing 
    • Technology 
    • Retail and E-commerce 
  • Top 3 industries researching Threat modeling and resilience: 
    • Cybersecurity 
    • Critical Infrastructure (energy, transportation, healthcare, etc.) 
    • Government and Law Enforcement
What types of content resonate best with cybersecurity professionals?
  • InfoSec professionals prefer: 
    • Managers and Directors 
      • Whitepapers and Research Reports  
      • Case Studies and Use Cases 
    • VP and C-level 
      • Executive Briefings and Reports  
         
  • DevOps professionals prefer: 
    • Managers and Directors 
      • Hands-on Workshops and Tutorials 
      • Tool Demos and Product Reviews 
    • VP and C-level 
      • Case Studies and Success Stories 

Want richer insights into the interests and concerns that are top of mind among cybersecurity professionals today? Explore our 2024 Cybersecurity Demand Insights Guide for all of the above and much, much more!

Four Tips for Engaging a Cybersecurity Audience

Marketing to cybersecurity professionals can be challenging. They’re busy, highly technical, and often leery of traditional marketing tactics. Here are some simple recommendations for how to engage them in a meaningful and authentic way: 

  1. Don’t be flashy: Cybersecurity professionals are a technical audience who value clear and concise communication. Marketing jargon and overly designed content can be confusing and inauthentic. Focus on layouts and messaging that optimize for brevity and clarity.
  2. Collaborate with experts: Engaging cybersecurity professionals requires speaking their language. Technical experts understand the intricacies of their challenges and can translate complex topics into clear, actionable information. Their participation in content creation and marketing activities fosters trust and authenticity.
  3. Engage the community: Technical audiences are always learning. They also often have roles that require them to be hands-on. Offering educational and actionable resources can prove valuable. Examples include free tools or Slack/Discord channels for knowledge exchange. Also, hosting surveys, trainings, workshops, or meetups can spark conversation.
    • Bonus: When engaging with a technical audience, it’s advantageous to invest in PLG (product-led growth). It allows them to experiment and see the value of your solution firsthand, which aids in building trust and credibility.
  4. Foster industry partnerships: Teaming up with non-competitive organizations can help engage new audiences and expand brand visibility within the community. Collaborating with others in your industry also boosts credibility and shows commitment to bettering the ecosystem. Partnerships can be in the form of joint workshops, panel webinars, product integrations, co-hosted events, co-branded assets, and more.

The cybersecurity space is never at a standstill. New threats and innovations constantly emerge, requiring marketers to be as adaptable as the professionals they target. Understanding the evolving concerns and interests of cybersecurity professionals is key to crafting relevant and valuable messaging. Doing so can help to build trust and foster meaningful interactions.

Looking to get in front of cybersecurity influencers and decision-makers? Team up with DemandSkill! Our demand generation programs leverage a proprietary blend of AI, first-party data, and intent signals to precisely target and engage audiences with personalized campaigns. A dedicated campaign manager oversees the execution of every program to optimize for success and ensure customer satisfaction.

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