EMA Research Blog: Navigating IT and Security Horizons

Black Hat Asia 2025 returned to Singapore with a dynamic mix of technical depth, real-world impact, and plenty of sobering insights about the evolving cybersecurity landscape. Across two packed days, experts from around the globe tackled threats old and new, offering live demonstrations, original research, and thought-provoking commentary on the increasingly blurred lines between digital, physical, and even quantum attack surfaces.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

In an era when government operations increasingly rely on digital infrastructure to remain effective, accountable, and secure, messaging platforms emerged as both an enabler and a risk vector. The question of how government agencies communicate—internally, externally, and across jurisdictional lines—is no longer merely a matter of workflow optimization. It is a fundamental aspect of mission assurance, public trust, and operational integrity. Yet even as messaging tools proliferate and mature, the gulf between platforms built for accountability and those designed for privacy remains pronounced. Nowhere is that divide more evident than in the ongoing tension between Microsoft Teams and Signal—two platforms that, while often deployed in parallel, represent fundamentally different answers to the same set of urgent questions about security, control, and digital sovereignty.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

In an era when cybersecurity threats continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace, organizations are seeking robust, goal-oriented solutions to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities effectively. Traditionally, penetration testing as a service (PTaaS) played a critical role in structured, systematic security assessments. However, as the industry shifts toward more dynamic and continuous testing models, it is becoming increasingly clear that PTaaS needs a redefinition—one that includes the advantages of bug bounty programs under its umbrella.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

Welcome to the recap of the Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) Cybersecurity Awesomeness (CSA) Podcast. Hosted by Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research and Ken Buckler, Research Director at EMA, the CSA Podcast covers a wide range of cybersecurity topics, from cyber workforce talent shortages to cyber threat intelligence, to current events in technology and security. This short, laidback podcast is for listeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.

Organizations are constantly dealing with rapid shifts toward cloud computing, escalating security threats, and regulatory frameworks that have necessitated more robust solutions in data governance. As they continue to accumulate more and more sensitive data, the need for visibility into data assets becomes obvious. Moreover, regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, ITAR, and PCI impose stringent compliance requirements, compelling organizations to ensure that they can not only manage, but also protect, their data effectively.