Securing Critical Identities With Advanced Management Solutions

Q: How has CyberArk evolved in the Mexican market over the past four years, and how has the company positioned itself for success?
A: Since my appointment as country manager four years ago, we have solidified our position in the Mexican market thanks to a strategy based on two key pillars. First, we identified and segmented the market, establishing a go-to-market approach that prioritizes direct attention to strategic accounts. This has allowed us to directly serve key companies with specialized CyberArk personnel. Second, we have developed a robust ecosystem of channels and business partners, which has enabled us to amplify our efforts and extend our identity security offering to a broader range of sectors in Mexico, ensuring wider coverage with excellent services.

Q: What has been CyberArk's performance over the past few years, and what key factors have played a significant role in its success?
A: We have experienced sustained growth in Mexico, reflecting our strong market presence and recognition among cybersecurity leaders. We have been praised by other manufacturers and key players, leading to new and robust strategic collaborations. The pandemic was a key catalyst for digital transformation in Mexico, and CyberArk played a central role in strengthening cybersecurity during this process. During that period, we doubled our presence in the Mexican market, establishing ourselves as a trusted partner for our clients amid technological acceleration.

Q: Digital transformation and cloud adoption have accelerated the need for robust identity security. How is CyberArk helping Mexican companies in this regard?
A: We help Mexican companies secure their identities in cloud environments by addressing the new attack surfaces that have emerged with the mass adoption of cloud platforms. Over 85% of our clients use at least three public clouds, which creates a proliferation of identities, especially among developers and data scientists who manage elevated privileges by the nature of these environments. This excess of privileges, combined with the increasing amount of secrets embedded in code, exposes organizations to significant risks. We focus on protecting these credentials and codes used in critical interactions, such as keys to information repositories, which often become vulnerable points if not managed properly, mitigating risks, and ensuring that credentials and secrets in the cloud are protected from malicious actors.

Q: How is CyberArk adapting its solutions to address the specific needs of Mexican companies given the country’s regulatory and business environment?
A: Our platform has evolved to provide a comprehensive view that not only protects traditional identities associated with IT leaders, but also covers the general workforce and developers, who play a crucial role in business agility. We also prioritize the protection of non-human identities, such as robots, certificates, and machines interacting within the infrastructure. This proliferation of identities and secrets in code requires advanced security measures to ensure their integrity at all times.

Q: What are the main challenges your clients in Mexico face when acquiring and integrating your cybersecurity solutions into their systems?
A: The main challenges clients face revolve around two key areas: awareness and organizational adaptation. The threat landscape has educated the market about the critical risks associated with unprotected identities, which are often the entry point in attacks. However, while identity security is no longer optional, adopting a formal program involves a profound change not only in technology but also in processes and organizational culture. Companies must transform their operations, train their staff, and adopt advanced best practices to fully integrate these solutions. 

We support our clients in this transition by offering cutting-edge technology, professional services, and the support of our channel ecosystem, ensuring that identity security integration becomes a robust component of their cybersecurity strategy.

Q: How do you assess the level of maturity in the adoption of cybersecurity solutions among Mexican companies? 
A: Overall, the Mexican market is advancing in its understanding and adoption of cybersecurity, but there is still a great deal of work to be done before all sectors achieve an adequate level of maturity. The financial sector has proven to be the most disciplined in adopting cybersecurity solutions, driven by regulation and the economic impact of cyberattacks. This has resulted in significant investments in security and the effective integration of clear programs and goals to enhance their cybersecurity posture. The retail sector has also begun to significantly improve due to the high frequency of attacks, generating greater awareness and prioritization of cybersecurity.

Q: How is CyberArk integrating automation and AI into its internal development processes and solutions? 
A: First, in the operational management of the platform, we simplify and automate processes to reduce our clients’ operational burden. While our main focus is to provide a robust cybersecurity posture, we also aim to make implementation as efficient as possible by enabling the platform to perform automatic tasks such as security posture investigation and review. Second, we use AI in identity threat detection and response (ITDR), which allows us to quickly analyze multiple operational factors and automatically trigger actions to interrupt attack chains, significantly improving agility and effectiveness in protecting identities.

Q: What are CyberArk’s main development and financial objectives in Mexico?
A: In the short and medium term, our objectives in Mexico focus on expanding our market presence and strengthening our channel ecosystem. We plan to continue providing value to our existing clients through programs that facilitate the maturation of their cybersecurity posture. We will also focus on attracting companies that have not yet implemented identity security programs, leveraging the vast potential of the Mexican market to establish and consolidate our solutions.

Q: What new market areas are you identifying as opportunities for growth?
A: One of the most promising areas is the security of non-human identities. Machines, software, and codes interacting within an organization present a significant risk surface, which are often not as easily observable. We see great potential in managing secrets and machine identities, which are crucial for the availability and functionality of companies’ technological infrastructure. This area, often referred to as "secrets management" and "machine identity," represents a significant growth opportunity for CyberArk and provides crucial value for protecting our clients' services and technological infrastructure.

Q: What recommendation would you give to companies intending to integrate identity management solutions into their organization? 
A: Companies should start by establishing a formal identity management program, as it is a fundamental control within any cybersecurity strategy. It is crucial to understand that without proper identity management, even the best cybersecurity technologies can be ineffective. While vendor marketing can be overwhelming, it is essential to ensure that identities are correctly managed and protected. This includes identifying who has access to what within the organization's infrastructure, including cybersecurity components. Neglecting this step can lead to investments in technology that do not offer the expected level of protection, as attackers may manipulate or bypass systems without adequate identity management.