In this inaugural episode of the Core Strength Podcast, we sit down with Assaf Keren, CISO of Qualtrics, to discuss the reality of modern network security and why it’s far from a solved problem. Assaf shares how the industry has drifted away from foundational network knowledge as cloud and SaaS abstractions took over, leading to a dangerous gap in understanding how data actually flows. We explore why many security teams treat network security as a checkbox exercise, how responsibility for network security has shifted to network teams and vendors, and why truly mature implementations remain rare despite decades of tooling innovation.

The conversation dives into what it really takes to build strong network security in a hybrid world, from understanding topology and segmentation to aligning controls with real threat models. Assaf explains why attackers are about to gain a massive advantage with AI-driven reconnaissance, making proactive network visibility and control more critical than ever. We also cover practical steps to improve maturity, the importance of asset awareness, and why going back to fundamentals rather than chasing shiny tools may be the most important move security leaders can make in the years ahead.