Strong Fundamentals Make Next-Gen Security Possible
CSO Online, Friday, September 18th, 2026
A former Hyatt and United security leader argues asset inventory and identity beat cycling through new tools each quarter.
Drawing on years leading cybersecurity at Hyatt and United Airlines, the author argues that security professionals repeatedly mistake new tactics for a need for new tools, when mastering foundational controls is what actually moves the needle.
AI can deliver real value, but only on a solid foundation of basics. The most troubling gap is visibility: you cannot protect an asset whose location you do not know, and it is worse if you do not know it exists.
With on-premises servers, multicloud environments, endpoints and third-party applications all in scope, an actively maintained inventory across every environment is the critical first step.