Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Co-author: special thanks to Nikki Stanziale for their invaluable contributions to the research, insights, and development of this blog. While not listed as a primary author, their expertise and collaboration were instrumental in shaping the final content. Executive Summary Cybersecurity experts often say that humans are the weakest and most easily exploited attack vector.

When CISOs and security teams evaluate a Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) platform, the conversation often starts and ends with technical capabilities. That focus is natural, but it does not reflect the full decision-making process in most enterprises. Security leaders may drive the evaluation, yet true adoption requires building consensus with finance and procurement teams who view the investment through a different lens.

By now, you likely know the basics of FedRAMP, especially if you’ve read our robust coverage of the program. But, like all good cybersecurity frameworks, it evolves and changes over time, and our knowledge needs to be updated. One recent development is the 20x pilot program, which entered phase one in March of 2025. What is this pilot program, what does it do, and who is it for? Read on to learn more about 20xP1 and what it means for you.

Konstantin (Kostya) Ostrovsky is the Chief Architect at Torq, where he leverages over 18 years of experience in software engineering and architecture. He specializes in cybersecurity, with a background that began with writing Windows Kernel Drivers. Konstantin is also a frequent speaker at software engineering conferences globally. Phishing attacks have evolved significantly in recent years, rendering traditional, rule-based defenses ineffective against sophisticated threats.

Organizations gather massive volumes of threat feed data—IP addresses, hashes, domains, tactics—but these often remain siloed or poorly correlated, leaving high-value alerts buried in noise. When those raw indicators live in separate systems, you end up chasing every alert, missing the bigger picture of coordinated attacks. Your team feels stuck in reactive mode, firefighting low priority alerts while real attackers move freely.

When most people think about cybersecurity, they picture firewalls, anti-virus software, and complex passwords. But the weakest link isn’t a server or a laptop—it’s a person. Social engineering attacks exploit human behavior rather than technical vulnerabilities, and four techniques dominate the landscape today: phishing, smishing, vishing, and quishing.