Anticipation: The key to staying ahead
Former cricketer Jonty Rhodes, known for his legendary fielding, emphasised the importance of anticipation. “If you don’t go, you’ll never know,” he said, describing how reading the batsman’s intent helped him take seemingly impossible catches. Rhodes explained that success is often about predicting where the ball will go and positioning yourself to act.
This philosophy applies equally to cybersecurity. “The digital world moves at the pace of a 20-20 cricket match,” remarked Vishak Raman. “Cybersecurity is about positioning and anticipation—leveraging tools and insights to detect and neutralise threats before they escalate.”
Fortinet’s artificial intelligence-powered solutions enable businesses to predict vulnerabilities by analysing large volumes of data, identifying anomalies, and responding in real time. This proactive approach helps organisations neutralise threats before they can cause significant damage.
Resilience: Learning to recover and adapt
Rhodes also highlighted the importance of resilience, saying, “You can’t catch every ball, but you can’t let that shake your confidence. The next opportunity might be the game-changer.” In cybersecurity, resilience involves being prepared for breaches while building systems that can recover and adapt quickly.
“Cybersecurity is not just about stopping attacks,” said Vishak. “It’s about creating systems that can learn and evolve from them. Fortinet’s security fabric helps businesses build resilience by integrating AI-driven analytics and automation, ensuring operations remain secure and efficient.”
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The role of AI and threat intelligence
Artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity by enabling organisations to predict and respond to threats with unparalleled speed and accuracy. Rhodes likened this to fielding, where agility and quick reflexes can make all the difference: “Success is about staying sharp, staying ahead, and catching what others can’t see.”Vishak shared the sentiment: “AI is a double-edged sword. While cybercriminals use it to create sophisticated attacks, we leverage it to build smarter defences. AI allows us to detect patterns, anticipate threats, and respond in real-time.”
Real-time threat intelligence is also a cornerstone of Fortinet’s approach. By pooling insights from across industries, businesses can strengthen their defences against increasingly targeted threats like ransomware.
Collaborative defence
Just as in cricket, where seamless coordination among teammates leads to victory, cybersecurity requires collective effort and collaboration across teams and systems. Jonty Rhodes noted, “On the field, no single player can win a game. It’s about trust, communication, and coordination.”
Building on this analogy, Vishak Raman highlighted the importance of collaboration in cybersecurity: “Cybersecurity is a team sport. It’s not just about individual tools or strategies—it’s about all of us contributing to create a unified and robust defence. From industry peers to end users, everyone has a role to play in safeguarding the digital ecosystem.”
Looking ahead: Preparing for the future
As industries adopt smart technologies and interconnected systems, the stakes in cybersecurity continue to rise. Businesses must embrace a proactive, unified approach to defend against increasingly sophisticated threats.
“The key to staying ahead in cybersecurity is to think like a fielder,” Vishak concluded. “Always ready, always anticipating. With AI and automation, we’re helping businesses do just that.”
The event underscored that success in cybersecurity, much like cricket, requires a combination of preparation, agility, and resilience. Whether catching a ball or neutralising a threat, the game is won by those who can anticipate and act decisively. As Rhodes aptly put it, “Whether on the field or in the digital world, the best players—and businesses—are those who can anticipate and adapt.”
Key takeaways
- Anticipation: Leveraging predictive tools like AI to foresee and counter threats before they materialise.
- Resilience: Building systems that can recover and adapt in the face of evolving challenges.
- Teamwork: Fostering collaboration across teams and technologies to create a unified defence.
- Proactivity: Embracing automation and real-time intelligence to stay ahead of adversaries.
