Monday, March 07, 2016

My last days at WhiteHat and setting sights on the future

I’ve said it many times; the Web is probably the greatest invention we’ll see in our lifetime. The Web touches the lives of everyone we know, every family member, every child, every friend, and everyone we meet. The Web connects over two billion people and fuels entire economies. It’s a place where we learn, communicate, and share our closest kept secrets. Something as important as the Web must be protected and I’ve always felt it was a privilege to do so. For the last 15 years, as founder of WhiteHat Security, I’ve done exactly that every single day. WhiteHat has not just changed my life, it has been my life — wholly inseparable. Bittersweet as it is, the end of March will be my last day. 

Right now, I’d like to take a moment to reflect. While it’s impossible to measure, I sometimes think about how many hacks didn’t happen — how many people and companies were not hacked — as a result of the work we did at WhiteHat. People have often shared how much we’ve helped them and how important our work is. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that what you do matters. Everyone should be so fortunate. In that sense, WhiteHat is not just another company. It’s something more, much more. WhiteHat represents a mission, an ideal, a state of being. I’ve strived to embody these attributes since Day 1. I’ve always worked tirelessly to be the best at what I do and have had a personal passion for innovation. 

WhiteHat was the first company to adopt a Software-as-a-Service model in Application Security. Though our statistics report that thousands rely upon, we were the first to bring measurable data to the industry. We pioneered the founding of two industry groups, OWASP and WASC. We led the creation of the first AppSec lexicon, the Threat Classification, and the language everyone uses when speaking AppSec. We’ve released much of the most cutting-edge and foundational security research to date, which has raised awareness globally. And we were the first vendor to offer a security guarantee. I’m sure sure I’m missing several other firsts, but already no other company has such a record of industry contribution and market success.

While I have a lot to be proud of, none of this would have been possible without a great many amazing people and lifelong friends. I’d like to personally thank the hundreds of WhiteHat employees, both past and present, for helping protect the Web and making WhiteHat the success that it is. They are what I’m most proud of and grateful for. Working with you all has been a singular honor. I would also like to send a very special thank you to the over 1,000 customers who believed in me, believed in WhiteHat, and entrusted us to protect them. Your trust and support always meant everything to me. Thank you to our partners all over the world who brought us to their customers and championed our cause. And thank you to the security community, the lifeblood of the entire industry, and who carry us all.

Of course many will be curious about what I’m going to do next. While I’m not yet ready to reveal those details, what I can share is that I remain genuinely excited about the future of the security industry. I’m not going anywhere. Every day I see new and interesting problems that I’d like an opportunity to solve and expand my horizons. More than anything, that’s why I’m leaving WhiteHat, but its spirit will always be with me and continue to influence my life. Any of us has the capacity to change the world, we just have to allow ourselves the chance to do so.

Hack Yourself First.


47 comments:

Andrew Hay said...

Good luck man!

Unknown said...

Godspeed! I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Joshua Marpet said...

Bravo, good luck, and looking forward to amazing things coming up!

Unknown said...

Good luck on your next adventure Jer!

Lori MacVittie said...

Good luck Jeremiah!

SecBarbie said...

You are an inspiration in many ways. So happy to see such a positive exit and I can't wait to see what you are up to next!

Ray Pompon said...

Good luck! You built a great company. Can't what to see what is next!

Sherif Koussa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tony Bradley said...

Best of luck. Can't wait to see where the future takes you.

Sherif Koussa said...

Best of the luck Jeremiah., all the best!

chs said...

Best of luck!

Don Eijndhoven said...

You are an inspiration to a lot of people in the industry man, and that certainly includes me. It was an honor to meet you once and I certainly hope to meet you again someday. When I do, im positive it'll be after some other high-impact thing you're doing. Good luck in whatever comes next Jeremiah.

Unknown said...

Good luck sir, don't be a stranger!

Jhaddix said...

Best wishes Jermiah! I'm sure the next challenge will be a great one =)

Richard Greenberg said...

Thanks for all you have already done. Best of luck for what you are about to do.

Unknown said...

Best of luck Jer! Your an inspiration to us!

Unknown said...

Congratulations Jeremiah! The industry appreciates all your efforts

Joseph Dawson said...

I will not wish you luck because you have something far better skill, intelligence and drive. Luck is for people who make random shots in the dark and hope for a good outcome. You are more of a heat seeking missile of success.

So I like many others look forward to seeing what you next big success will be. No doubt in an area few are considering just as it was many years ago when you first focused on application security as a service.

All the best... Joe Dawson

Infolookup said...

Well said man Good luck, and thanks for the many years of ideas and inspiration.

Anonymous said...

thanks for the contributions and have fun on your new journey, Jeremiah!

paulfroberts said...

Good luck, Jeremiah!

Kees Leune said...

Best of luck in your future endeavors!

Mauiwind said...

Wow, the unspoken back story has to be a best seller.

Mauiwind said...

Wow, the unspoken back story has to be a best seller.

Allen Baranov said...

Wow. A lot of movement in the security community it seems.

Lots of luck and I am very keen to see what you come up with next.

You are certainly a visionary and a hard worker and much success will follow, I'm sure.

- Allen

Anonymous said...

You changed the App Sec market, good luck with the next project !! - Andy C.

Charl said...

You've been a thought leader, an example, a friend and an inspiration to many of us during your time at WhiteHatSec Jeremiah. Thanks for keeping it real and best wishes for the road that lies ahead...

Joseph Schorr said...

Best of luck, Jeremiah, thanks for your contributions to the industry in the past and for the great things to come.

Unknown said...

You and Robert have always been a huge inspiration for me, even though I haven't been around the scene in years. Such is life that the first time in months or years that I go around to check the usual suspects, everyone is picking up and moving on! So many empty blogs!

All the best to you bud and hope to hear about your next ventures when you can talk about them. I'd say good luck, but you don't need it.

-- Kyran

Unknown said...

Best of Luck, Jeremiah, You are your True-Self you have be a inspiration to many!!! - Guy

Unknown said...

Good luck on your next adventure!

Kim

Ken Carbaugh said...

End of an era...

Wishing you all the best in your next adventure Jer. It was a sincere pleasure working with you for nearly six years. I am very proud to have worked with you and for WhiteHat Security. I always admired your humbleness and your genuine respect and dedication for your employees, your customers, and your industry peers Success can be measured in many ways - not just the company that you built, but more importantly by the person that you are.

Ken

Unknown said...

Jer...all the best in this next exciting chapter. can't wait to see what you create next!!

Unknown said...

Good luck Jer. Honored to work at the great company that you've helped to build. Keep in touch!!

Unknown said...

Jer,

I'm honored to continually work at the great company that you had helped to build. All the best of luck in your future endeavors!! Since this is not goodbye completely, please keep in touch.

Sung

Tom Brennan said...

It has been a pleasure learning from you with your WASC & OWASP contributions and working for you at WhiteHat Security in the early 2000's while watching this industry find, fix and pray *cough*/evolve. Watching you go to ground with BJJ submissions I am sure your next thing will be a game changer ALOHA

Privacy Pop Up said...

Senor Jeremiah,

You have been a blessing to many and for that we will always be grateful. You are also a such awesome person that it was an honor to know you... Thank you very much for everything and please come by once in a while to say hi... we will always miss you..

Mary Ann Davidson said...

Thanks for being - and continuing to be - a force for (very secure) good in the universe. Aloha pumehana a hui hou!

Anton Chuvakin said...

Good luck in whatever next venture you will embark on!!!!

Mostafa Siraj said...

Best of luck Jer, i was privileged working with you. Even in this short time, you were a source of inspiration to me and you'll always be.

Keep in touch

Ory said...

Good luck!

Stan Stahl said...

Hi Jeremiah - Best wishes for continued success. I look forward to continuing opportunities to work together to "secure the village." Cheers - Stan

Anonymous said...

Seeing how far you took WhiteHat, we know you'll be successful in your next endeavor. Best wishes to you Jeremiah!

Anonymous said...

We'll miss you at Whitehat, Jer! Good luck with the new beginnings.. :)

Unknown said...


Hi fellas,
Thank you so much for this wonderful article really!
If someone want to read more about those information security I think this is the right place for you!

Shantanu said...

SentinelOne must be something special. You have been one of the very few leaders in security domain who 'walk-the-talk'. Best wishes for yet another success story.

Jeremiah Grossman said...

@Shantanu That's really cool of you to say, thank you! SentinelOne is cool company, really trying to make a dent in the malware scene. It's a challenging and crowded space, but there's a problem that needs to be solved -- and it isn't yet.