arrow down
Arrow down
Arrow down
Arrow down
Network Security
 | Apr 13, 2023

Joining Forward Networks: Finding the Tool I Always Needed as a Security Professional

Last month, I had the pleasure of joining Forward Networks as its new Head of Security and Compliance. I’ve spent many years working in enterprise security and cyber risk, but after seeing a demo of the Forward platform, I knew I wanted to join this company because I’d have a chance to be part of […]
Finding the Tool I Always Needed as a Security Professional

Last month, I had the pleasure of joining Forward Networks as its new Head of Security and Compliance. I’ve spent many years working in enterprise security and cyber risk, but after seeing a demo of the Forward platform, I knew I wanted to join this company because I’d have a chance to be part of the product that changes the way we look at network security topology.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work on almost every aspect of security throughout my career, starting as a physical security engineer with the United States government and eventually leading a team of reverse engineers dissecting nation-state malware. I then transitioned to the private sector, working as the senior director of cybersecurity at a software company and then as head of security at a Japanese-based media aggregator.

When I first began talking to the Forward team, two big things stood out. I studied electrical engineering with an emphasis in networking, so the opportunity to work in the network stack with computer science PhDs from Stanford was exciting. As a security professional working with many current security tools, I saw the power of being able to do forensics and use security at the networking layer in a way never seen before across multiple vendors and security layers. Ultimately, my passion lies in helping security leaders shape their strategy while finding new ways to stay ahead of bad actors.

I have seen firsthand how complex networks can get as more and more devices are added and interconnected. As security professionals, we need the best and most comprehensive data set to make the best risk based decisions. We're trying to understand the full paths. We're trying to understand the exact routing connection between endpoints and navigate complex firewall rules and cloud security groups. And we’re trying to do all of it quickly across multi-vendor environments.

I’ve spent so much time trying to track down rogue devices on a network manually, so I recognize the value of having visibility into all of these things (with accurate and detailed results). The Forward Enterprise platform collects detailed topology, configuration, and state information across the entire network and gives the SOC full visibility into connectivity and exposure points. Once I saw the technology and saw what the company was trying to do, it just made sense to me.

Joining Forward at this time is very exciting. The platform’s features are incredible, and I believe this tool can benefit every IT team. Being able to influence the company’s security strategy and program is also something I look forward to doing. Follow me on LinkedIn!

If you’re interested in joining the team, click here to explore career opportunities.

Do you have any comments for us? Share them on social media

Matt Honea

Matt Honea is the Head of Security & Compliance at Forward Networks.

Related Posts

Browse all posts
Industry Recognition

Awards

Winner of over 20 industry awards, Forward Enterprise is the best-in-class network modeling software that customers love.
2022 Synergy Award
2023 Mobile Breakthrough Award
2023 Cloud Computing Award
2024 Globee Awards Winner for Cybersecurity
2022 Customer Service Award
2024 Globee Award Winner - Disruptor
2023 Stratus Award
Security Today Award
The Security Awards
2023 Cyber Defense Magazine
Broadband Award
The Golden Bridge Award
2022 Cyber Security Award
GSMA 100 Award
Global Infosec Awards Winner 2023 - Cyber Defense Magazine
Target Tech Innovation Award
Info Security Gold and Silver Award
Gartner Cool Vendor Award
visit our press room

Subscribe to our newsletter

Make sure you don't miss a post by signing up here for our monthly 'Moving Forward' newsletter
Top cross linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram