Next Chapter Meeting
The SaaS sprawl nightmare, control it before it controls you
By Vishal Chawla, CEO and Founder, BluOcean
Abstract:
In today's digital landscape, the rapid adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions has led to what we call 'SaaS sprawl'—a chaotic, unmanaged proliferation of applications that leaves organizations vulnerable to cyber threats and data privacy violations. For every new SaaS application added to the ecosystem, organizations introduce additional cyber attack, ransomware and business disruption risks. This presentation provides a roadmap to regain control of your SaaS ecosystem, risk management approach, governance model, architecture and CISO organizations operating model to mitigate SaaS security risks, and ensure operational resilience of critical business operations as well as compliance with data privacy regulations. Learn actionable strategies to tame the SaaS sprawl before it overwhelms your organization.
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About the Speaker:
Vishal brings 30 years of cybersecurity expertise, combining his Big 4 experience as global cybersecurity leader and senior partner serving global fortune 100 clients in the financial services and healthcare industry. He is now the founder and CEO of BluOcean Cyber (located in Northern Virginia), where he created RiskGPS, a Cyber Risk Governance platform that helps companies dominate their competition by redefining cybersecurity as a critical strategic business asset. The groundbreaking approach revolutionizes cybersecurity for mid-sized companies by bridging the gap between technical cybersecurity measures and business mission-based objectives. By connecting specific actions to threats and business processes, RiskGPS protects, sustains, and amplifies critical outcomes with verifiable ROI. Vishal’s work
has been published in The Wall Street Journal, MIT Review, and many other publications.
So now you're using AI, but are you using it safely?
By Wissam Ali-Ahmed, Technical Lead Architect, BigID
Abstract:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) evokes both excitement and skepticism, particularly among cybersecurity professionals. While AI presents groundbreaking opportunities, it also introduces significant security risks. Cybersecurity professionals must critically assess AI’s promises to prevent security pitfalls.
As organizations collect and generate vast amounts of data, ensuring proper governance, security, and privacy is more critical than ever—especially as they prepare data for AI models. However, a major challenge lies in discovering and classifying data across diverse environments. This is where Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) plays a transformative role.
In this talk, we will explore how DSPM is reshaping data protection in 2025 across cloud, hybrid, and legacy systems. We’ll showcase AI-powered advanced data classification, automated scanning, and intelligent remediation strategies. Attendees will gain practical insights into evaluating and implementing DSPM to address key challenges in data protection, GenAI readiness, and privacy compliance. By the end of this session, security leaders and IT professionals will be equipped with actionable strategies to strengthen their data security posture while optimizing operational efficiency.
About the Speaker:
Wissam Ali-Ahmed is a Lead Technical Architect at BigID, where he builds and brings to market AI data security solutions in collaboration with BigID’s technology partners. Before joining BigID, Wissam held various technical and engineering leadership roles at companies such as Splunk, AppSense, Infoblox, Qualys, Vernier Networks, PSS Systems, and Verizon Labs. Wissam holds advanced degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the American University of Beirut. He is based in Silicon Valley, California.