Cybersecurity is a realm fraught with complexities and ever-evolving challenges. While security measures are critical for protecting organizational data and infrastructure, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) have often struggled to measure and communicate the performance of their cybersecurity efforts. Enter SeeMetrics, a groundbreaking Cybersecurity Performance Management (CPM) platform that addresses this very gap. Founded by Shirley Salzman and Shay Haluba, SeeMetrics is revolutionizing how security leaders track, measure, and improve their security stack performance. By providing a centralized platform with real-time metrics and insightful data, SeeMetrics bridges the gap between complex cybersecurity operations and the needs of business leadership, transforming the landscape of cybersecurity management.
The Vision Behind SeeMetrics
The inception of SeeMetrics was driven by a crucial observation. Leaders in departments such as sales, marketing, and finance have long benefited from centralized platforms that enable real-time performance tracking. However, this convenience had been largely missing for CISOs. Recognizing this discrepancy, Shirley Salzman, leveraging her extensive experience in commercial marketing and working with senior government executives, set out to bridge this gap. Her unique ability to simplify technical information for non-technical audiences provided the perfect foundation for SeeMetrics. This perspective not only made the platform user-friendly but also accessible to business leaders who needed to comprehend cybersecurity performance in business terms.
Salzman’s journey highlights her keen understanding of the critical pain points faced by CISOs. Unlike traditional approaches that often rely on manual data collection or consultations with expensive consultants, SeeMetrics offers a streamlined solution. It introduces a real-time, centralized performance management system specifically tailored for cybersecurity. This innovation enables CISOs to communicate effectively with other department leaders, ensuring better alignment of security and business strategies. By addressing these core challenges, SeeMetrics positions itself as a transformative force in the cybersecurity industry, redefining the metrics and performance standards for security leaders.
Unpacking the Core Products and Features
SeeMetrics offers a suite of products designed specifically for Cybersecurity Performance Management. The core offering revolves around translating complex cybersecurity data into business-aligned insights, thus facilitating better communication and alignment between security and business goals. At the heart of SeeMetrics are the Security Performance Boards, a key feature that provides out-of-the-box metrics for various security domains. These boards offer a centralized and holistic view for security executives and operational teams, enabling proactive risk detection. By presenting data in an easily digestible format, Security Performance Boards empower leaders to make informed decisions based on historical trends and benchmarks.
In addition to the predefined metrics, SeeMetrics introduces customizable Cybersecurity Performance Boards. This feature allows security leaders to tailor the metrics to their specific needs, providing flexibility to identify trends and insights that are most relevant to their organizational context. This level of customization is impossible with traditional spreadsheet methods, thus offering a significant advantage. The platform also includes Governance Boards, which were introduced in response to the expansion of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. These boards encompass several specialized features, including the CISO Lay of the Land Board for a rapid understanding of overall system performance and the CISO Policy Enforcement Board for centralized oversight and enforcement of critical policies.
Addressing Gender Inequality and Leading with Inclusivity
Shirley Salzman’s journey to creating SeeMetrics was not without its challenges. At Logic, where she was the sole woman among her peers, Salzman encountered significant pay disparities. In 2015, she took legal action to address this issue and won. This experience not only underscores her commitment to justice and inclusivity but also shapes her leadership approach at SeeMetrics. The company prioritizes creating an inclusive environment where disparities are actively addressed, further enhancing the security-business interface. Salzman’s personal experiences fuel a broader vision for SeeMetrics, where diversity and inclusivity are central to the company’s ethos and operational strategies.
In a sector often criticized for its lack of diversity, Salzman’s leadership at SeeMetrics stands out. Her commitment to inclusivity is evident in the company’s hiring practices and workplace policies, which aim to create a balanced and respectful environment for all employees. This focus on diversity not only enriches the workplace culture but also drives innovation by bringing varied perspectives to the table. At SeeMetrics, inclusivity and fairness are not just principles but actionable goals that influence everything from product development to customer relations. By fostering an inclusive environment, Salzman ensures that SeeMetrics remains agile and responsive to the diverse needs of its clients.
Technological Evolution and Milestones
Since its launch, SeeMetrics has heavily invested in technological advancements to stay ahead in the cybersecurity landscape. A significant milestone was the introduction of the Security Performance Boards in July 2023. This feature provided a centralized, business-aligned view of performance metrics. The subsequent development of customizable performance boards allowed for more precise insights, enhancing decision-making capabilities for CISOs. Aligning its offerings with the expansion of the NIST CSF framework, SeeMetrics introduced the Govern function. This resonates with SeeMetrics’ approach to Cybersecurity Performance Management, offering CISOs structured metrics and KPIs aligned with risk and business strategy.
The evolution of SeeMetrics’ technology is a testament to the company’s relentless pursuit of excellence. Each new feature and update is designed to address specific pain points experienced by CISOs, making the platform increasingly indispensable. For example, the NIST Functions Dedicated Board aligns with all NIST functions, providing a systematic approach to cybersecurity management. These advancements illustrate SeeMetrics’ commitment to staying ahead of industry trends and meeting the ever-changing needs of cybersecurity professionals. By continually evolving its technology, SeeMetrics ensures that its platform remains relevant and effective in an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape.
The Importance of Visibility in the Security Stack
One of the critical aspects emphasized by Salzman is the importance of visibility across cybersecurity operations. In a modern security stack, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each company has unique needs and priorities. However, achieving comprehensive visibility is paramount. Siloed data from individual tools often fail to provide a complete picture. For instance, a customer struggled to assess the deployment effectiveness of a new code protection tool due to the lack of centralized performance data. For CISOs, understanding the performance of their tools is as crucial as having the tools themselves.
This emphasis on visibility is central to SeeMetrics’ value proposition. The platform provides real-time, centralized insights into various aspects of cybersecurity performance, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of how different tools and strategies are functioning. By breaking down data silos, SeeMetrics enables CISOs to see the bigger picture and make more informed decisions. This holistic approach ensures that all elements of a company’s cybersecurity infrastructure are aligned and optimized, leading to better overall security outcomes. Visibility, therefore, is not just a feature but a fundamental principle that drives the design and functionality of the SeeMetrics platform.
Funding and Industry Support
SeeMetrics specializes in Cybersecurity Performance Management, offering a suite of products that transform intricate cybersecurity data into business-relevant insights. Their main feature, the Security Performance Boards, delivers out-of-the-box metrics across various security domains, providing a centralized view that aids both security executives and operational teams in identifying risks proactively. By simplifying data presentation, these boards enable leaders to make well-informed decisions based on historical data and benchmarks.
Beyond the predefined metrics, SeeMetrics also offers customizable Cybersecurity Performance Boards. This feature allows security leaders to adapt metrics to their specific organizational needs, making it easier to spot trends and gain relevant insights. Unlike traditional spreadsheets, this customization provides a significant advantage, offering unparalleled flexibility.
Additionally, SeeMetrics features Governance Boards designed in response to the expanded NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. These include the CISO Lay of the Land Board, which offers a quick overview of system performance, and the CISO Policy Enforcement Board, which centralizes the oversight and enforcement of critical policies. This suite of features ensures that SeeMetrics provides a comprehensive solution for aligning security measures with business goals, fostering better communication and strategic alignment within organizations.