Origin Story: Addressing the AI Shift in Cybersecurity
We launched StrongestLayer with a clear mission: to protect organizations from the escalating threat of AI-generated phishing attacks. With the rapid rise of AI tools, traditional security tools are no longer enough, and we recognized three major challenges faced by security teams:
- AI-Powered Phishing at Scale: AI-driven tools enable attackers to create novel and scalable threats, rendering traditional email security reactive and ineffective against these evolving tactics.
- SOC Team Overload: Traditional security awareness training, often focused solely on compliance, fails to prepare users for the sophisticated AI threats they now face.
- Ineffective Training: Traditional security awareness training, often focused solely on compliance, fails to prepare users for the sophisticated AI threats they now face.
StrongestLayer was built to address these gaps. Our advanced AI and small language models detect and stop AI-generated phishing threats in real time, directly within users' workflows. By enhancing user security awareness and integrating with SOC teams to triage threats efficiently, we help organizations proactively defend against phishing attacks at scale, reducing the burden on overworked teams.
We’re committed to revolutionizing cyber security in the AI era, equipping businesses with the tools needed to tackle this generational shift in cyber threats.
Co-Founder and CEO of StrongestLayer. With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and technology leadership, he has held executive roles at prominent companies including Proofpoint, McAfee, AVG, and HyTrust. His career spans strategic leadership positions such as SVP & GM of Security Awareness Products at Proofpoint and VP Strategy & GM for Consumer Business at McAfee. Alan's expertise encompasses product management, strategic development, and technology innovation across cybersecurity domains. He holds an EMBA from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.
Co-Founder and CTO of StrongestLayer, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 18 years in cybersecurity, Riz has driven innovation at Trellix and FireEye, where he developed the MVX detection engine—the backbone of FireEye’s zero-day threat protection. A technologist at heart, he blends deep technical expertise with a customer-first mindset, leading cross-functional teams to tackle complex security challenges. His work redefines how cybersecurity is approached, delivering solutions that are not only effective but built for the evolving threat landscape. He holds multiple patents in malware analysis and detection.
Co-Founder of StrongestLayer, based in the Washington, DC area. With over 14 years of experience in cybersecurity, Joshua specializes in cyber threat intelligence, digital risk, and email security. He has held cybersecurity leadership roles at Google and Mandiant and has built security products for leading companies and government entities, including Bank of America, the US Department of Defense, and CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). Joshua holds degrees from Queen's University Belfast and the University of Alberta.