Anand Akela

CMO @AcalvioTech - Ex @Nutanix @Tricentis @AppDynamics @CAInc @Oracle @HP. Entrepreneur. Investor. Board Member @TiESV

[Anand Akela @aakela]

What a privilege to listen to three Nobel Laureates at TiEcon 2026 Grand Keynote!

Dr. Donna Strickland, University of Waterloo

Dr. John M. Martinis, UC Santa Barbara

Dr. Randy Schekman, UC Berkeley

Thank you Dr. Bachher for the amazing conversation with the Nobel Laureates.

[Anand Akela @aakela]

What an incredible turnout at the #TiEcon 2026 Volunteer Kickoff!

This year’s theme — AI & You: Human-Centered, AI-Powered — couldn’t be more timely.

The future of AI isn’t artificial. It’s deeply human.

📅 April 29 – May 1, 2026
🔗 Register: https://t.co/UcVs86r09Y

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

🚨 AI-orchestrated cloud exploits are compressing the attack timeline—from hours to minutes. https://t.co/9ayyND3M3Q

An article published earlier today by Sysdig https://t.co/3f9uo8Ni17) shows how an autonomous AI agent moved from initial access to administrative privileges in 8 minutes, hijacking cloud AI infrastructure in a multi-stage exploit commonly referred to as LLMjacking.

This marks a fundamental shift from human-driven attacks. With AI automating reconnaissance, credential access, privilege escalation, and persistence at machine speed, traditional detection approaches that rely on baselining and post-event analysis are increasingly ineffective.

🔍 What’s the takeaway for defenders?

Security strategies must assume compromise and shift toward preemptive defense.

The blog outlines why cyber deception becomes foundational in this new threat model. By placing deception artifacts—such as IAM honeytokens, deceptive credentials, and cloud decoys—along early MITRE ATT&CK stages, defenders can detect and stop AI agents during reconnaissance or role enumeration, long before execution or impact.

⚡ Early, intent-based detection is the only way to keep pace with autonomous attackers.

Read the full blog to understand how deception-driven preemptive defense can stop AI-orchestrated cloud exploits before real damage occurs. https://t.co/9ayyND3M3Q

hashtag#CyberDeception hashtag#AIinSecurity hashtag#CloudSecurity hashtag#PreemptiveDefense hashtag#LLMjacking hashtag#CyberSecurity hashtag#ThreatDetection

[Anand Akela @aakela]

Cloudy Outlook for Cyber Jobs as AI Fills Security Gaps - The Wall Street Journal article, quoting our CEO @ram_varadarajan, highlights how AI is reshaping cybersecurity roles.

🔗 Read the full article in the WSJ:
https://t.co/BX3VfZpWO7
#Cybersecurity #AI #CyberDefense

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Outlook for Cyber Jobs as AI Fills Security Gaps https://t.co/zsfad5K20O via @WSJ

The Wall Street Journal takes a timely look at how AI is reshaping cybersecurity roles—and what it really means for the future of security teams — in an article that quotes our CEO, @ram_varadarajan.

As organizations face increasingly automated, machine-speed attacks, the traditional labor model is evolving. Ram notes in the article:

“The cybersecurity labor model is being quietly rebalanced. Organizations are not eliminating people, but they are reducing reliance on manual analysis in favor of automation that operates at machine speed.”

This shift isn’t about fewer defenders—it’s about changing how defenders work. AI-driven automation is taking on tasks that humans simply can’t scale, allowing teams to focus on strategy, judgment, and response while technology operates continuously and at speed.

As the threat landscape accelerates, success will depend on pairing human expertise with security approaches designed for automation-first defense.

🔗 Read the full article in the WSJ:

https://t.co/zsfad5K20O

#Cybersecurity #AI #CISO #SecurityOperations #Automation #CyberDefense #FutureOfWorkCloudy

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

As the year comes to a close, we want to pause and say thank you.

The threat landscape does not take time off, and neither do the teams responsible for protecting what matters most. We see the work you do every day, often behind the scenes, to stay ahead of increasingly automated and AI-driven attacks.

At Acalvio, we remain focused on what we do best: helping defenders stay one step ahead through preemptive security and deception. While the holidays are a time for rest and reflection, our technology continues to do what it was designed to do: quietly distract attackers, expose their intent, and keep real systems out of harm’s way.

As a leader in Deception Technology, we are grateful for the trust you place in us and proud to stand alongside you. We wish you a peaceful holiday season and a strong, resilient start to the year ahead.

If the new year prompts you to reassess your security posture, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how deception can further strengthen your defenses in 2026.

Thank you for your trust and partnership.

Wishing you peace, rest, and resilience this holiday season and beyond.

#HappyHolidays #CyberDeception #Preemptive #Cybersecurity #ThankYou

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

🚨 AI-orchestrated cyber attacks are no longer theoretical — they’re here. https://t.co/5AiT2ecviJ

Anthropic’s latest research shows how autonomous agents can now execute 80–90% of the cyber kill chain, from reconnaissance to exfiltration, with minimal human involvement.

As attackers leverage agentic AI to chain together tools, exploit paths, and OT/IT environments at machine speed, traditional defenses struggle to keep up. Baseline-driven anomaly detection and rule-based alerts simply cannot react fast enough to the volume, velocity, or variability of AI-generated exploit chains.

🔍 What does this mean for defenders?
A fundamental shift in strategy: from reactive detection to proactive, intent-based defense.

💡 Cyber deception plays a central role.
By pre-positioning honeytokens and decoys around high-value assets and early-stage MITRE tactics (Reconnaissance, Credential Access, Lateral Movement), defenders can detect an AI agent before exploitation succeeds.

Even a simple AD query — which an autonomous agent uses to map critical systems — can be turned into a trap. Any interaction with these deceptive assets becomes an immediate, high-fidelity signal of malicious intent. This early visibility allows security teams to stop the exploit long before it reaches exfiltration.

🔐 Bottom line:
Agentic attacks break the assumptions behind reactive detection.
Early, proactive, deception-driven detection gives defenders the time, clarity, and advantage needed to counter AI-automated threats.
#CyberSecurity #AIThreats #CyberDeception #PreemptiveDefense #AcalvioTechnologies #MITREATTACK #ThreatDetection #AnthropicReport

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

We’re honored to welcome Tushar Kothari to our Advisory Board. Tushar has a long track record of recognizing transformative shifts early and helping companies turn technical breakthroughs into meaningful market impact. His support for Acalvio reflects his belief that cyber deception and preemptive security are becoming essential layers in modern defense.

Tushar has been vocal about the limitations of reactive security and the need for approaches that expose attacker intent early, before damage occurs. His perspective aligns strongly with our mission. He understands how identity misuse, lateral movement, and AI-accelerated attacks are reshaping the threat landscape, and he sees deception as one of the few technologies capable of turning those attacker advantages back on the adversary.

Beyond his technical insight, Tushar brings a grounded, operator’s mindset. He focuses on clarity, execution, and building durable value. His guidance will help us scale intelligently as demand grows and as enterprises shift toward preemptive cybersecurity strategies.

We’re grateful to have him in our corner. Please join us in welcoming Tushar to the Acalvio Advisory Board.

#CyberDeception #Preemptive #Cybersecurity

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

CrowdStrike Fal.Con 2025 Partner Theater | Defending Against Adversarial Misuse of AI: Preemptive Defense Strategies [1521] https://t.co/rkl5C8pllo

Adversaries are leveraging the advancements in GenAI to exploit novel vulnerabilities and generate polymorphic malware variants. To combat this threat, cyber defense needs a paradigm shift from traditional reactive approaches to preemptive defense approaches.

Join Suril Desai, our VP Detection Engineering, for an engaging session to learn more about:
✅️ How are adversaries weaponizing GenAI for exploits?
✅️ What makes these challenging to detect?
✅️ What is preemptive security, and how can it help defend against evolving threats?

👉  Add to your conference schedule - https://t.co/rkl5C8pllo

#CyberDeception #Preemptive #Cybersecurity #AIPoweredDeception #FalCon2025

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Podcast - Preemptive Defense with AI-powered Deception: Outsmarting the AI-driven Adversary https://t.co/2wqPCjn1JR

In the recent episode of The Security Strategist podcast, Christopher Steffen, the Vice President of Security Research at Enterprise Management Associates (EMA), sits down with our CEO Ram Varadarajan, to talk about how deception is changing threat detection in compromised enterprise environments.

💡Assume Compromise!
Both Varadarajan and Steffen agree that modern-day cybersecurity is not a matter of if an attacker will get in, but it's about anticipating when the attacker will get in. This mindset, referred to as "assumed compromise," means that a determined attacker will eventually find a way inside your network, especially with AI in the picture.

🍯Deception: A Preemptive Strike
This is where deception technology becomes an effective, proactive defense strategy. Instead of waiting for a breach to happen and then trying to fix the damage, deception actively engages and misleads the attacker.

👉 Key Takeaways
✅️ Deception technology is a natural and effective strategy in cybersecurity.
✅️ Traditional perimeter defenses are no longer sufficient against modern threats.
✅️ The 'assumed breach' mindset is essential for contemporary cybersecurity strategies.
✅️ Operationalizing deception technology can significantly enhance threat detection.
✅️ AI can streamline the creation and management of deception environments.
✅️ Preemptive defense is more effective than reactive strategies in cybersecurity.

#CyberDeception #Preemptive #Cybersecurity #AIPoweredDeception EM360Tech

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Whitepaper: Strengthening Telecommunication Cybersecurity through Proactive Defense https://t.co/Xg4dnZYsQu

The telecommunications industry is under siege from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats that exploit advanced malware, stealth tactics, and persistent vulnerabilities to evade detection.

Traditional defenses, often anchored in rule-based approaches, struggle to counter the evolving strategies of attackers. To address these challenges, organizations must adopt Active Defense strategies that go beyond passive detection, enabling proactive engagement with adversaries.

“As attackers leverage advanced tactics and persistence mechanisms, organizations must rethink their approach to cybersecurity,” says Ed Amoroso, CEO of Tag Infosphere. “Deception technologies are proving to be a game-changer, enabling early detection and offering insights into adversary behaviors that were previously unattainable.”

Cyber Deception empowers defenders to anticipate, detect, and disrupt threats before significant damage occurs. By deploying realistic traps such as honeytokens and network decoys, defenders can lure attackers into controlled environments, gain critical insights into their tactics, and neutralize threats with precision.

#CyberDeception #Telecommunication #Telecom #AIPoweredDeception #Preemptive #CyberSecurity #IdentityProtection #RansomWare #ZeroDays #InsiderThreat

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

🔥 Hot Off The Press 🔥 Acalvio Summer Newsletter: Deception-Driven Preemptive Defense https://t.co/wRdxuFurwz

This edition covers insights from our recent collaborations, research initiatives, and thought leadership in deception technology.

✅ AI-driven attacks: Gartner’s research chief calls for a paradigm shift in security
✅ Honeywell launches Proactive Defense for OT
✅ Cloud security: defending against cluster compromise and cloud breakout
✅ Securing financial services: defending against data exfiltration and insider risk
✅ Securing healthcare: protecting medical devices

#CyberDeception #Preemptive #CyberSecurity #IdentityProtection #InsiderThreats #Ransomware #IdentitySecurity #OTSecurity

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Acalvio Customer Reference - Acalvio significantly strengthened this airport management organization’s cybersecurity posture, closing critical detection gaps and providing robust protection against sophisticated cyber threats.
https://t.co/ndV0oyACbV

By incorporating deception technology into their security strategy, the organization has greatly improved both threat detection and response times while enhancing resilience against evolving attacks.

The successful implementation of Acalvio’s solutions underscores the essential role of advanced cyber deception in safeguarding critical airport systems, ensuring the continuity of operations, and maintaining the trust of passengers and staff.

#CyberDeception #AIPoweredDeception #Preemptive #CyberSecurity #IdentityProtection #RansomWare #ZeroDays #InsiderThreat

[Anand Akela @aakela]

Had a great time connecting with CISOs and industry experts at the #SINCCISO25 event in Austin.

@sahawkx did a great job discussing how threat actors are weaponizing #AI and the significance of Preemptive Defense with #CyberDeception to safeguard against these evolving threats

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

We will sponsor and exhibit at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Summit in New York City on July 16th, 2025. https://t.co/DdPfzpL05E

Stop by booth #657 and learn how ShadowPlex Cloud Security (SCS) protects cloud-native workloads and IAM infrastructure in the AWS and multi-cloud environments, exposing threats early without adding complexity, leveraging AI-powered deception and honeytokens.

#CyberDeception #CloudSecurity #Preemptive #CyberSecurity

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Announcing Health-ISAC Navigator Program Webinar on Securing Medical Devices with Phil Englert, VP of Medical Device Security at Health-ISAC, and Suril Desai, VP of Detection Engineering, on July 9th. https://t.co/CBqQweQG2W

Medical devices represent critical infrastructure for healthcare organizations. Their security has a direct correlation to patient safety.

Join us in this insightful webinar to learn more about:
✅  The threat vectors targeting medical devices in healthcare
✅  Why medical device security is challenging
✅  Actionable strategies to protect these devices

#MedicalDevices #OTSecurity #HealthTech #CyberDeception #Preemptive #CyberSecurity

[CyberDefenseMagazine @cyberdefensemag]

Meet the minds redefining cybersecurity. 🔐🎉 Watch @AcalvioTech share insights after winning at the Global Infosec Awards 2025. Innovation, resilience, and leadership this is what global recognition looks like. #Cybersecurity #GIA2025 #InfoSecChampions #GIAWinners

[Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine @miliefsky]

Meet the minds redefining cybersecurity. 🔐🎉 Watch @AcalvioTech share insights after winning at the Global Infosec Awards 2025. Innovation, resilience, and leadership this is what global recognition looks like. #Cybersecurity #GIA2025 #InfoSecChampions #GIAWinners

[BSidesAugusta @BSidesAugusta]

👏 Hats off to @AcalvioTech for backing #BSidesAugusta at the Gold level! Let’s continue pushing the boundaries of cyber defense.
#AIsecurity #ThreatIntel #CyberAwareness #Networking

[CyberDefenseMagazine @cyberdefensemag]

Congratulations to @AcalvioTech for winning a prestigious Annual Global Infosec Award at #RSAC2025! 🏆 Your innovation and leadership in cybersecurity inspire us all! 🔥 #Cybersecurity #GIA25 https://t.co/n6XWEuxlLV

[AcalvioTech @AcalvioTech]

Join GigaOm lead analyst and author of the GigaOm Radar report for Deception Technology, Chris Ray, in a webinar on May 28th on the modern deception strategies for 2025 and beyond. Register 👉 https://t.co/uDMyvK9wXS

Chris will delve into:
✅  How has the threat landscape shifted in 2025?
✅  What are the key criteria for selecting deception platforms
✅  The primary use cases for deception-based threat defense

#CyberDeception #Preemptive #CyberSecurity #IdentityProtection #InsiderThreat #Ransomware