In this NYSE Live interview, Kara Sprague, CEO of HackerOne, discusses insights from the company's latest Security Research Report and explores how artificial intelligence is changing the cybersecurity landscape.

Sprague introduces the concept of "exposure debt," which describes the growing gap between vulnerabilities organizations have discovered and those they have successfully fixed. She explains that while security teams are becoming more effective at identifying threats, many organizations are accumulating a backlog of unresolved vulnerabilities that can contribute to increased cyber risk over time.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on AI's impact on cybersecurity. Sprague explains how AI-powered tools are helping security professionals identify vulnerabilities faster and uncover higher-quality findings. At the same time, she notes that organizations face growing pressure to validate, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities as discovery rates continue to increase.

The interview examines the challenge of managing vulnerability backlogs and discusses strategies organizations can use to improve remediation efforts. Sprague highlights the importance of dedicating resources to fixing known issues, creating efficient workflows, and responding quickly to critical vulnerabilities that may be exploitable by attackers.
Another major theme is the accelerating pace of cyber threats. Sprague explains that some vulnerabilities can become exploitable within a very short period after discovery, making timely remediation an important component of effective cybersecurity programs.

The conversation also explores the emerging field of AI security. Sprague discusses how AI is influencing software development, security testing, and the creation of new digital systems. As organizations deploy more AI-powered technologies and AI-generated code, cybersecurity teams must adapt to an environment where both innovation and risk are increasing simultaneously.

Throughout the interview, Sprague provides perspective on cybersecurity strategy, vulnerability management, AI-assisted security, risk reduction, remediation practices, and the evolving responsibilities facing technology leaders and security teams.

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