Ryen Macababbad on How Security Can Empower Productivity

Ryen Macababbad, Principal Security Program Manager at Microsoft joins Nic Fillingham on this week's episode of The BlueHat Podcast. Ryen discusses their career journey, including the return to Microsoft after working in security architecture and customer trust engineering. Ryen shares insights from their time at Hacker Summer Camp 2024 in Las Vegas, emphasizing the importance of creating frictionless security measures that don't hinder productivity. They explain that when security becomes a barrier, users will find workarounds, potentially compromising security. The conversation touches on the evolving relationship between security and productivity teams, highlighting the need for security to be an enabler rather than an obstacle. 

In This Episode You Will Learn:    

• How investing in security helps maintain customer trust and protects revenue 
• Why security should be built-in by default so users don't need to be security experts 
• The importance of incorporating feedback and diverse viewpoints to enhance security 

Some Questions We Ask:     

• How is a seamless security and productivity experience provided for end users? 
• Can security researchers contribute to identifying gaps and improving product security? 
• What motivated the shift from a focus on identity and program management to defensive security? 

Resources:  

View Ryen Macababbad on LinkedIn     

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn  

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn 

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

• Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  
• Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson  
• Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts