In Episode 6 of the Cyber Fusion Distribution Podcast, we sat down with Ed Williams, VP of CPS at Trustwave, to talk about the state of cybersecurity today, the enduring importance of penetration testing, and why services are still a vital part of any security strategy, even in an era dominated by AI and advanced tooling. With more than 20 years in the field, Ed’s perspective is rooted in real-world experience. As he put it:
“I’ve seen everything, good and bad, and unfortunately, I’m still seeing the same issues I saw two decades ago.”
AI Is Advancing – But So Are the Basics
2024 has seen no shortage of buzz around AI, cloud, and ransomware—but despite technological progress, many organisations still struggle with the fundamentals.
“Patching, passwords, policies… the basics are still where breaches start,” Ed shared. “And phishing remains the number one attack vector.”
Why Cyber Services Still Matter
Trustwave offers a full suite of services through the channel, penetration testing, cyber advisory, and defensive architecture consulting, all tailored to help customers navigate increasingly complex regulatory and threat landscapes.
And while AI testing and model exploitation have become a growing area of interest (with a 400% increase in Trustwave testing over the past year), the need for trusted, hands-on guidance has never been higher.
“The challenges are hard. People need help—and when they do, they turn to specialists,” Ed said. “It’s not just about compliance anymore. Mature organisations treat offensive security as an ongoing program, not a one-off exercise.”
Pen Testing as a Program, Not a Tick-Box
In the past, penetration testing was often seen as a compliance-driven, once-a-year checkbox. Today, Trustwave sees far more value in enterprise-wide, structured pentest programs that support continual maturity.
“It’s not just about running a test. It’s about identifying issues, assigning ownership, fixing them, and coming back to improve. Governance and management are key.”
This approach not only strengthens overall posture, it positions Trustwave as a strategic partner, helping customers make smarter, more secure decisions earlier in the process.
Helping Customers Meet Regulatory Pressures (Like DORA)
With frameworks like DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) gaining traction, organisations are under increasing pressure to show resilience, not just detect threats, but prove they can manage and respond effectively.
Trustwave helps businesses navigate that complexity. “DORA has already brought customers to us,” said Ed. “Many don’t have the in-house bandwidth. They need specialists who live and breathe this work.”
Email Security: Still the Weakest Link
Despite the rise in modern threat vectors, email remains the number one entry point for ransomware, which is why Trustwave continues to invest in leading secure email gateway solutions.
With machine learning and AI built into their platform, Trustwave’s email security solutions catch even the most elusive threats, and integrate seamlessly with other providers, like Microsoft.
“We recommend a layered approach,” Ed advised. “The more layers you have, the more you’ll catch. It only takes one click to cause a breach.”
Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
As we look toward 2025, Ed predicts that foundational challenges will still be front and centre. The basics, patching, configuration, phishing awareness, remain the most common failure points. But with expert partners like Trustwave, organisations can proactively address those gaps.
“We’re expanding our MDR, database security, and phishing services, but it all comes back to one thing: helping organisations get ahead of threats and keep their maturity level strong.”
Cyber Fusion Distribution is proud to partner with Trustwave to deliver world-class security services through the channel. Whether your customer is preparing for DORA compliance or just starting to take security seriously, Trustwave offers proven expertise to support every step of the journey.
Want to know more? Get in touch with the Cyber Fusion team to explore how Trustwave services can support your customers.