How to Uncover Security Concerns When Customers Won’t Tell You

“What are your security concerns?” It’s the one question all security vendors want to know from potential customers. It’s also the one question potential customers don’t want to divulge for obvious security, privacy, and “I don’t have the time” reasons. All is not lost! There is still a way, in fact multiple ways, security vendors can sleuth out a company’s security needs. I asked a few security professionals how they go about figuring out the answer to the “what keeps you up at night” concern. Here’s their advice (plus one tip from me!): “While everyone likes to say their problems are unique and challenging in a way no one has ever seen before, it’s really not true,” said Michael Farnum (@m1a1vet), SA manager, Set Solutions. You may not even need to dig that deep, or at all. If your product solves a rudimentary security need you will probably already be in sync with a company’s security concerns. Farnum believes many organizations are still struggling just dealing with the basics of security.