RSA 2025: AI, secure-by-design – and the power of showing up in person
It’s that time of the year again. Last week, more than 44,000 people poured into San Francisco’s Moscone Center for the 34th RSA Conference – and the cybersecurity world had plenty to talk about. From the latest AI threats to the role of government in defending critical infrastructure, the week was packed with panels, demos and impromptu discussions over at booths and bars.
Code Red was there too, with CEO Robin Campbell-Burt and Client Services Director Kim Smith soaking up the insights and meeting up with contacts new and old.
A big week for Code Red
The show floor at RSA felt especially lively this year, with the buzz finally returning to pre-COVID levels. It really made it clear how valuable face-to-face time remains. Robin and Kim spent the week catching up with long-time clients like Illumio, Claroty, Jamf and OPSWAT – not to mention meeting new faces and reconnecting with old ones from across the industry.
The calendar was packed, but a few highlights stood out. A breakfast briefing hosted by our client Checkmarx featured a live demo of how LLMs can be poisoned and the risks this poses as they become a bigger part of the software supply chain.
Robin caught up with our US partner Michelle Schafer from the Merritt Group, along with influencers like Phillip Wylie. Cyber influencers were out in force this year, offering sharp perspectives on how individuals and organisations can build credibility in the industry.
There was plenty of fun to be had alongside the work too, with booths offering everything from puppies to T-Rex to AR games. In the evenings, the conference energy didn’t let up. Abnormal AI brought some serious star power with a headline event featuring The Chainsmokers.
What the industry is talking about
Beyond the meetups and music, some big trends dominated the RSA agenda.
Surprising no-one, AI was everywhere this year. The main focus was around how may organisations are rapidly deploying AI tools to boost productivity, but not yet thinking about how to secure them. New solutions are emerging to manage machine identities and reduce the risk of AI models going rogue.
With political change in the air, the relationship between cybersecurity and the government was another hot topic. There’s uncertainty over how cybersecurity policy will evolve, and speakers debated how industry and government can keep working together effectively in a shifting landscape.
If RSA 2025 proved anything, it’s that while AI and automation might be reshaping the future of the industry, trust, insight and human connection are still what move things forward.
Watch this space for more thoughts on the trends shaping the industry.
