Innovator Spotlight: Qualys – Source: www.cyberdefensemagazine.com

Demystifying Cyber Risk: How Qualys is Transforming Security Leadership

Cybersecurity leadership is undergoing a profound transformation.

No longer confined to technical silos, CISOs are becoming strategic partners who translate complex security challenges into business-relevant insights.

For over two decades, Qualys has been at the forefront of solving the increasingly complex IT security landscape. Anu Kapil, Senior Product Manager for Policy, Audit, and Compliance Solutions, understands this challenge intimately. With a unique background bridging engineering and product management, she offers a nuanced perspective on the evolving cybersecurity ecosystem.

“CISOs don’t need more dashboards,” Kapil emphasizes. “They have plenty of those. What they need is a way to communicate risk that resonates with executive leadership.”

Gone are the days when technical jargon and complex vulnerability charts sufficed. Today’s security leaders must speak the language of business – translating technical vulnerabilities into financial impact.

Audit Readiness: Breaking the Compliance Cycle

Perhaps most compelling of Qualys’ recent innovations is its new Policy Audit solution.

The struggle with compliance often comes down to timing and visibility. Many security teams find themselves stuck in a reactive loop – scrambling to produce evidence only when auditors or regulators knock. This reactive approach doesn’t just create operational stress – it introduces material business risk.

Qualys aims to end this cycle with the latest evolution of its Policy Compliance module, now branded simply as Policy Audit. This upgraded solution is a clear response to the demands of modern CISOs: continuous visibility, control accuracy, and audit-ready reporting – all in real time.

With centralized dashboards and automated control evaluations, Policy Audit enables organizations to manage compliance across over 98 global frameworks and 450+ technologies. Rather than pulling data manually from disparate tools, security leaders can access audit artifacts and posture metrics from a single, unified interface. Misconfigurations are not just flagged – they’re prioritized and remediated within the same platform.

“With Policy Audit, we’re enabling CISOs to shift from reactive compliance postures to strategic governance,” said Kapil. “It’s no longer about scrambling for documentation. It’s about being audit-ready – always.”

This enhancement couldn’t come at a better time. As frameworks like the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) and EU AI Act grow in importance, CISOs are expected to extend their compliance lens beyond traditional systems. The latest Policy Audit iteration supports this shift with customizable controls that account for emerging technologies like AI and autonomous agents.

Together, these capabilities position Policy Audit as not just a compliance tool, but a governance asset that supports board-level assurance and continuous cyber resilience.

“Customers don’t have to scramble for information when auditors arrive,” Kapil explains. “They can be audit-ready at any moment.”

The Human Element: Beyond Technology

What sets Qualys apart isn’t just its technological innovation, but its deep understanding of customer challenges. With over 10,000 global customers and 25 years of experience, the company has evolved from a vulnerability management pioneer to a comprehensive security solutions provider.

Kapil’s own journey – transitioning from engineering to product management – mirrors this adaptive approach.

Her ability to understand both technical intricacies and business needs exemplifies the type of holistic thinking modern cybersecurity demands.

A Call to Action for CISOs

As cyber threats become more sophisticated and AI introduces unprecedented complexity, security leaders must evolve. Here are three immediate steps:

1. Reassess your risk communication strategy
2. Investigate AI security solutions that protect throughout the development lifecycle
3. Consider platforms that provide continuous compliance and audit readiness

The future of cybersecurity isn’t about generating more data – it’s about generating meaningful insights that drive strategic decision-making.

Qualys isn’t just offering a product; they’re providing a blueprint for transforming cybersecurity from a technical function to a strategic business capability.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting networks – it’s about enabling business strategy. Qualys demonstrates that with the right approach, technology can transform from a defensive mechanism to a strategic advantage. For CISOs seeking to elevate their role and impact, the path forward is clear: embrace solutions that provide clarity, context, and strategic value.

For a CISO watching the horizon of cyber risks – from software vulnerabilities to compliance gaps to AI model exploits – Qualys provides not just a toolkit, but a strategy.

It enables a shift from piecemeal defense to an integrated risk management program, where every new challenge is met by a capability on the platform designed to address it.

In the narrative of cybersecurity, where the only constant is change, Qualys stands out as a steady partner helping security leaders stay ahead of the curve.

About the Author

Pete Green is the CISO / CTO of Anvil Works, a ProCloud SaaS company. With over 25 years of experience in information technology and cybersecurity, Pete is a seasoned and accomplished security practitioner.

Throughout his career, he has held a wide range of technical and leadership roles, including LAN/WLAN Engineer, Threat Analyst, Security Project Manager, Security Architect, Cloud Security Architect, Principal Security Consultant, Director of IT, CTO, CEO, Virtual CISO, and CISO.

Pete has supported clients across numerous industries, including federal, state, and local government, as well as financial services, healthcare, food services, manufacturing, technology, transportation, and hospitality.

He holds a Master of Computer Information Systems in Information Security from Boston University, which is recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance / Cyber Defense (CAE IA/CD) by the NSA and DHS. He also holds a Master of Business Administration in Informatics.