Latest news with #MarkMiller
Techday NZ
5 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
60% of enterprise firewalls fail initial compliance
FireMon has published analysis showing that 60% of enterprise firewalls fail high-severity compliance checks at first evaluation, highlighting ongoing challenges in network security policy management. The findings, drawn from FireMon's AI-powered FireMon Insights analytics platform, were based on anonymous deployments across large enterprises and regulated industries operating in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. The report identifies widespread misconfigurations, outdated rules, and excessive policy complexity as persistent issues contributing to compliance and security risks. According to the data, in addition to the 60% failing high-severity checks, a further 34% of firewalls did not meet critical compliance requirements. These compliance shortfalls are not just technical in nature; they indicate deeper governance issues that can contribute to audit failures, operational downtime, and increased vulnerability to cybersecurity threats. The report also found that 95% of application objects and 82% of service objects within firewall environments showed no usage, thereby increasing unnecessary administrative overhead and broadening the potential attack surface. About 30% of firewall rules were reported as completely unused, while 62.6% lacked ownership or documentation - factors that create audit gaps and operational blind spots. In addition, more than 10% of rules were found to be redundant or shadowed, affecting performance and obscuring potential misconfigurations. Industry perspectives Organisations have been trying to untangle firewall complexity for years, but too often the tools fall short, either offering static snapshots or failing to provide the operational context that teams actually need. That's why platforms like FireMon Insights matter. They offer a level of clarity and benchmarking that helps teams move from reactive fixes to informed, proactive decisions. FireMon has long been a trusted name in policy management, and it's good to see them pushing the industry forward in this space, said Mark Miller, Chief Revenue Officer at EncoreCyber. Jody Brazil, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at FireMon, explained the significance of these findings for security teams dealing with operational complexity. Firewall complexity isn't just a configuration issue, it's a threat to resilience and trust. Security teams are buried under policies they can't explain, map to business objectives, or manage at scale. FireMon Insights cuts through the noise. It benchmarks your performance, exposing what's been missed, and helping you take action before it turns into disruption. FireMon Insights utilises continuous benchmarking to track compliance key performance indicators and identify misconfigurations in real time, offering always-on visibility across hybrid and multi-vendor infrastructures. This approach is in contrast to legacy tools, which often rely on static scans that may not reflect real-time conditions. FireMon positions its platform as a way for organisations to move from reactive remediation to more proactive governance of network security policies. Platform enhancements Recent enhancements to the FireMon Insights platform include device-level metrics grouped by complexity, risk, and environment for greater contextual analysis. Additional features include closer integration with FireMon Policy Manager, an AI-powered natural language search and chatbot to allow users to interact with platform data without specific training, and expanded peer benchmarking so organisations can gauge their position within the industry. FireMon stated that these capabilities are provided at no additional cost to current customers. Commenting on the adoption of the Insights platform, Brandy Peterson, Chief Technology Officer of Cloud Security Operations, said: Since its initial launch in January 2025, FireMon Insights has quickly become the go-to analytics platform for our customers' security teams. What's been most exciting is the engagement - early adopters across roles are having real 'aha' moments, and their feedback directly shaped this release. The platform aims to help security teams shift from responding to support tickets to executing more strategic security operations by improving visibility into policy health, benchmarking against peers, and monitoring baseline controls. This supports progress measurement against business objectives and adjustment as required. Dan Rheault, Director of Product Management at FireMon, addressed broader industry challenges around policy management: Collectively, the cybersecurity industry has been driving organisations to a point of sophistication that actually distracts their cyber strategy from implementing required capabilities and measuring operational outcomes. Teams are turning to FireMon for a smarter, more sustainable path forward. Rich Mogull, Senior Vice President of Cloud Security at FireMon, explained the value proposition of the Insights platform: Most tools only tell you what happened. Insights tells you what's happening now and more importantly, what to do next. It's not about more alerts. It's about clarity and action, at scale. Market context The analysis arrives as security operations continue to demand both speed and accuracy in an environment of increasing policy complexity and compliance requirements. FireMon reports ongoing momentum with the recognition of FireMon Insights as a finalist in a recent technology award and recent appointments to the company's leadership team to support continued expansion and operational focus.
Techday NZ
5 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
60% of firewalls fail initial compliance checks, says study
New research from FireMon has revealed that 60% of enterprise firewalls fail high-severity compliance checks immediately upon evaluation, highlighting ongoing concerns around firewall complexity and governance in corporate networks. Data collected from FireMon Insights, the company's AI-powered analytics platform, shows additional challenges facing enterprise security teams, including the proliferation of unused objects, lack of documentation, and performance-reducing redundant rules. The platform found that 95% of application objects and 82% of service objects within enterprise firewalls show zero usage, adding to what FireMon described as "attack surface sprawl." Approximately 30% of firewall rules are never used at all, while over 62% have no identified owner or supporting documentation, introducing possible audit gaps and operational blind spots. More than 10% of firewall rules were found to be redundant or shadowed, which not only reduces firewall performance but can also hide dangerous misconfigurations from security teams. These findings are based on real-time telemetry from hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments, and according to FireMon suggest a deeper issue with network security governance rather than simple technical oversights or configuration drift. Governance questions "Organisations have been trying to untangle firewall complexity for years, but too often the tools fall short, either offering static snapshots or failing to provide the operational context that teams actually need. That's why platforms like FireMon Insights matter. They offer a level of clarity and benchmarking that helps teams move from reactive fixes to informed, proactive decisions. FireMon has long been a trusted name in policy management, and it's good to see them pushing the industry forward in this space," said Mark Miller, CRO at EncoreCyber. Jody Brazil, CEO and founder at FireMon, commented on the broader implications of these findings, stating: "Firewall complexity isn't just a configuration issue, it's a threat to resilience and trust. Security teams are buried under policies they can't explain, map to business objectives, or manage at scale. FireMon Insights cuts through the noise. It benchmarks your performance, exposing what's been missed, and helping you take action before it turns into disruption." FireMon Insights is designed to continuously benchmark firewall environments, presenting a real-time view on compliance and configuration health. Unlike some traditional approaches which rely on periodic, manual scans, the platform provides always-on visibility across hybrid and multi-vendor infrastructures. New features and customer feedback Recent updates to FireMon Insights include device-level metrics grouped by complexity, risk, and environment, tighter integration with the FireMon Policy Manager, an AI-powered natural language search and chatbot, and expanded peer benchmarking. According to FireMon, these enhancements are available to existing FireMon Insights customers at no additional cost. Brandy Peterson, CTO of Cloud Security Operations, noted: "Since its initial launch in January 2025, FireMon Insights has quickly become the go-to analytics platform for our customers' security teams. What's been most exciting is the engagement - early adopters across roles are having real 'aha' moments, and their feedback directly shaped this release." Dan Rheault, Director of Product Management at FireMon, also commented on industry trends, stating: "Collectively, the cybersecurity industry has been driving organizations to a point of sophistication that actually distracts their cyber strategy from implementing required capabilities and measuring operational outcomes. Teams are turning to FireMon for a smarter, more sustainable path forward." Rich Mogull, SVP of Cloud Security at FireMon, summarised the platform's approach: "Most tools only tell you what happened. Insights tells you what's happening now and more importantly, what to do next. It's not about more alerts. It's about clarity and action, at scale." Industry context The data highlights an ongoing challenge in maintaining security and performance within complex enterprise environments. Cloud adoption, hybrid working models, and the continued diversification of IT infrastructure have contributed to expanding firewall rule sets and policies that are increasingly difficult to govern. FireMon stated that its platform aims to help network security operations measure progress, course correct based on benchmarking data, and align controls with business goals. The company also announced enhancements to the FireMon Insights product, and recent appointments in its leadership team, with the aim of supporting growth and customer demand for policy management solutions.
Chicago Tribune
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Highland Park hosts ‘unofficial' world-record pickleball attempt; ‘It's all about giving back to the kids'
The iconic 'pock' sound of pickleballs hitting paddles filled Danny Cuniff Park Monday morning, with more than 400 summer camp kids rotating through a massive pickleball crash course lesson as organizers took a swing at setting a world record. Each round of lessons saw the courts packed with kids, ages 5 through 13, with instructor Mark Miller giving the kids basic lessons on controlling the pickleball and paddle. The event was a collaboration between Miller's Munchkin Programs, the Park District of Highland Park and Chicago Slice, a professional pickleball team. 'I incorporate self-esteem through sports,' Miller said. 'It's all about giving back to the kids.' The number to beat was 300, set by Miller in 2023 in Arizona. On Monday morning, Miller said just over 440 kids were scheduled to come through. He called the youngsters an 'untapped market' for the sport, which skyrocketed in popularity a few years ago. Nick Baird, director of recreation with the Park District, said pickleball is an important sport for the kids to learn. 'It's a different experience than other sports,' he said. 'Any age group, any ability level, is able to play pickleball.' The kids enjoy hearing the unique sound of a pickleball hitting a paddle, Baird said, and it makes for an easy indicator, 'that they're hitting the paddle directly.' Amelia Superfine was one of the hundreds of children having fun being part of a world record attempt. She said she'd played pickleball before with her family in Florida, but that was a 'long time ago.' 'It's fun to do it again, because I haven't really gotten the time,' she said. Silas Trombatore, a counselor-in-training for the summer camp, said he's played the sport himself with friends outside of camp. Trombatore said the kids were having ' a lot of fun' with the lessons. Miller was glad to see his idea come together with so many community partners. The effort is not a Guinness-recognized world record — Miller said that would have been prohibitively expensive — but he said it's unofficially recognized online. Highland Park's head pickleball pro Zach Pellowski was there helping with lessons. He emphasized the sport's inclusivity, noting how the barrier to entry is much lower, and the game's pace a little slower. The social and health benefits were clear for both the kids and anyone who picked up a paddle. 'There's a lot more people who feel they can be a part of it, (and) join in on the fun,' Pellowski said. 'You get to be healthy, be active, but also challenge your brain in more ways than one.' The event precedes the opening of the Park District's indoor pickleball facility, which is scheduled for August. It will be known as Club Pickle & Padel, which will offer 10 pickleball courts and 4 padel courts under a newly constructed 50,000-square-foot dome.
CBS News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Highland Park hosting biggest pickleball lesson in hopes of breaking record
Highland Park is hosting what's being called the biggest pickleball lesson in the hopes of breaking a world record on Monday. The Park District of Highland Park is hosting over 400 pickleball participants at Danny Cunniff Park. The park district is partnering with the Chicago Slice professional pickleball team and Mark Miller's Munchkin Programs for the world record attempt. Miller set the world record of 300 pickleball lesson participants in Scottsdale, Arizona, back in 2023. In 2024, Miller set a record for The World's Largest Tennis Lesson, gathering 400 kids. "We're going to do it, 444 kids today," Miller said. "It's a record." "The Park District is excited to be a part of this historic event to break a world record and promote youth involvement in the game of pickleball," said Nick Baird, Director of Recreation for the Park District of Highland Park. "We are seeing a huge increase in youth and young adult participation in our own pickleball lessons and programs. Pickleball is a great sport for kids because it is a fun, active game that promotes fitness, coordination, and teamwork."
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Woman escapes Mass. home after man tries to kidnap her using dog-walking app, police say
A woman entered the Southbridge Police Department's headquarters last Friday to report an attempted kidnapping — which she escaped moments earlier, police said Thursday. She entered the station at around 8:10 p.m., the department said in a statement. Earlier, she was working for a dog-walking app and was contacted by a woman who asked if she could watch her dogs for a few hours. Mark Miller, 62, of Southbridge, was charged with kidnapping, police said. He was held on cash bail during his arraignment at Dudley District Court on Monday. The dog-sitter arrived at the home but met with a man, Miller, outside before entering the residence, police said. The interior of the home was dark and she did not see any dogs inside. Miller stood in front of the door and asked her to go upstairs, police said. The woman was able to run out of the home and drove to the police headquarters. More local crime stories Mass. man drunken drove, sped at over 100 mph prior to crash in N.H., police say Two women charged with animal cruelty after dogs die in hot car in Bridgewater Boston man charged in connection with attack on couple, police officer Fight over lottery ticket ends in felony charges for 2 Springfield men Leader of notorious Mass. gang sentenced to prison following decade of violence Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
