Cybersecurity Isn’t Crowded: Security Engineering and the 5,000 Vendor Problem
Cloud Security Podcast10 Tammi 2025

Cybersecurity Isn’t Crowded: Security Engineering and the 5,000 Vendor Problem

In this episode our host Ashish Rajan sat down with Ross Haleliuk, author of Cybersecurity for Builders and creator of the Venture in Security blog, to explore the current state and future of the cybersecurity industry. From understanding the challenges of building a cybersecurity startup to the dynamics of security engineering and market trends for 2025. Ross and Ashish explore why the cybersecurity industry isn’t as crowded as it seems and the divide between companies that build in-house security and those that rely on vendors.

Ross also unpacks why sales and marketing aren’t “dirty words” in cybersecurity, why security engineering is “the present,” and how practitioners can balance business needs with technical aspirations.


Guest Socials: ⁠⁠Ross's Linkedin

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If you are interested in AI Cybersecurity, you can check out our sister podcast - AI Cybersecurity Podcast


Questions asked:

(00:00) Introduction

(05:33) How Venture in Security started?

(09:33) Security Engineering in Cybersecurity

(18:18) Cybersecurity markets that will be top of mind in 2025

(24:15) GTM for Defender Tools

(30:09) Vulnerabilities vs Misconfiguration Tools

(37:56) How should product companies think about GTM?

(44:27) How to decide between different security tools?

(56:36) Cybersecurity for Builders book

(01:05:00) The Fun Section


Resources shared during the episode:

Venture in Security Blog

Cyber for Builders Book

Challenges in Security Engineering Programs - Rami McCarthy

Cybersecurity is not a market for lemons. It is a market for silver bullets

The Market for Silver Bullets

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