By Kathryn McKenna
As Director of Software Engineering at Rapid7 in Belfast, Ióseph Ó Loingsigh is well placed to discuss significant developments in the cyber sector.
Top of the agenda is the switch to more automated tools and AI, with Ióseph making it clear that whilst AI helps cyber-attackers build more sophisticated attacks, it also helps those working in cyber-security mitigate against attacks.
Whilst AI should not be regarded as a ‘silver bullet’, Ióseph emphasises it is certainly a powerful tool when it comes to augmenting existing approaches. Areas including: speed, accuracy, scalability of threat detection and response, are where the experienced Director of Software Engineering foresees AI having the most impact.
The benefits of AI, Ióseph tells Sync NI, mean there will be more opportunity for companies to respond automatically to secure their networks if they experience certain network traffic patterns that don't look normal, allowing them to automatically isolate parts of infrastructure, shut down environments and close down machines to mitigate an attack.
READ MORE: Rapid7 Belfast celebrates 10 year success story with 500-strong staff
Furthermore, AI looks set to play a fundamental role in taking away some of the heavy lifting, allowing security teams to focus instead on the most important tasks. This is because AI possesses the ability to analyze and interpret historical trends and data in order to pre-emptively interpret exposure of a company’s network to attacks based on historical trends.
This includes using data to interpret the most likely areas that someone would attempt to attack a company, making it very different from the way traditional software would have been processed and interpreted in the past. This is due to the massive amounts of data AI has the ability to analyze efficiently. Ióseph comments: “The data AI can process and interpret is much more than any human could look at and the trends, predictions and recommendations from that is invaluable in terms of taking some of the heavy lifting away from the developers in order to allow us to utilize our time even more efficiently.”
The cyber-security skills gap has become a critical challenge, with a significant shortage of skilled people who understand how to keep up with evolving threats. To address this gap, organisations are increasingly turning to specialist automation and AI-driven tools, as well as leveraging Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) like Rapid7, to help manage security posture.
Rapid7 is a cyber-security company that provides a wide range of security solutions and services to help organisations identify, prioritise, and mitigate security vulnerabilities and threats. The company offers a variety of products and services, with a focus on vulnerability management, incident detection and response, and security analytics.
Rapid7 has been a leader in Belfast’s burgeoning technology scene since 2014, recently celebrating its 10 year anniversary with company festivities and reflections from team members who have witnessed the momentum achieved since setting up in the city.
Applauding the essence of the startup vibe which Rapid7 has maintained, even with the scale the Boston-headquartered company had grown to in Belfast with 500-strong staff, Ióseph explains the company instills the need to remain fast-paced in order to keep up with security threats. Speaking on the working culture and ethic at Rapid7, Ióseph explains why the company is aptly named.
READ MORE: Rapid7 launches new AI security research partnership with Queen’s University Belfast
Ióseph comments: “It is the nature of our industry that necessitates we have to operate at a really fast pace. ‘Challenge Convention’ and ‘Never Done’ are two of the founding core values of Rapid7. Groundhog Day doesn't exist here because people are committed to driving the company forward. We embrace continuous learning and acting quickly in the interest of our customers. Agile practices are inherently entwined at Rapid7 – we have the agility to change processes, adapt our approach and change how we deliver to build our software and work with our customers - which is a really important part of what makes this company successful.”
Post-pandemic the world has seen varying approaches when it comes to mandated office-time. As a hybrid-first company, Rapid7 understands the importance of providing their teams with cutting-edge tools and state-of-the-art spaces that foster creativity and collaboration across a globally distributed workforce.
Ióseph is confident that in the case of Rapid7, office time remains extremely valuable. Ultimately, to ensure a company is successful, Ióseph asserts that it needs to attract and retain top tier talent. One major way to achieve this is by striking the right balance of flexibility with a hybrid setup between home and the office.
When it comes to learning and development, particularly for interns and newly-graduates, Ióseph firmly believes there is no better environment to cultivate skills than an office setting. This is because the opportunity to receive meaningful mentorship, engage in whiteboarding sessions to tackle complex problems and foster peer relationships is vastly enhanced in-person.
Physical space for employees to collaborate, brainstorm and share ideas in real-time leads to more effective problem-solving and quicker decision-making. Group-based activities in particular, involving multiple stakeholders tend to be easier. While there are many applications that provide asynchronous ways to convey thought, difficult challenges are often more efficiently tacked in person. Within Rapid7’s regular onsite workshops, the recurring theme is how much smoother and more productive in-person discussions are compared to virtual alternatives.
“Many companies use an office to set the tone of the overall culture, Rapid7 are no different. Working in an office can help build stronger relationships amongst team members with regular face-to-face interactions promoting camaraderie and trust. The spontaneous exchange of ideas that happens during casual water cooler conversations are nearly impossible to replicate over Zoom,” Ióseph comments.
Another important element of Rapid7’s success in Belfast has been its Student PlacementProgramme, which has been at the heart of the company’s international talent strategy since 2014. Rapid7 placement students spend a full year working as a member of one of Rapid7’s teams, gaining valuable experience working on real projects. In addition to the hands-on learning placements gained from their managers, mentors, and teammates, the programme allows the opportunity to network with peers and leaders, gain direct manager feedback, and ultimately the possibility of full-time employment upon graduation.
READ MORE: Roundtable event explores why FDI's invest in Belfast
Rapid7 also runs an Apprentice Programme, a way for Rapid7 to diversify its technical pipeline with candidates who have pursued a different career path and are looking to move into the cyber-security field. Participants have the opportunity to train and get hands-on experience whilst attending a local university one day per week. “Rapid7 invests heavily in our Emerging Talent programmes and they have been a massive part of the success and growth here in Belfast,” Ióseph comments, adding that a key highlight of his role as Director of Software Engineering isfostering career growth.
“When it comes to people, I feel humbled to support the development of such a talented team. Helping our managers grow and shape their teams, whilst fostering the careers of our engineers, often recognising their potential before they do themselves, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. It’s a privilege to guide their journeys and watch them grow,” Ióseph concludes.
To find out more about open roles and learn more about Rapid7 as a company, visit: syncni.com/company/Rapid7.
Read Sync NI's free online Big Data Belfast autumn magazine here.
