Automating the Blue Team | Kevin Mata (Swimlane) on SOAR & AI in Cybersecurity

Episode notes

Automation is changing the way defenders work. In this episode of Simply Defensive, we sit down with Kevin Mata, Director of Cloud Operations at Swimlane, to talk about his journey from flipping burgers at In-N-Out to flipping SOC alerts with automation, SOAR, and AI. Kevin shares how he got started in cybersecurity, how Swimlane helps Blue Teams save time and reduce alert fatigue, and where AI is already making a difference in the SOC. Along the way, he and Wade swap stories about early career struggles, Python hacks, and the future of automation in security operations. If you’ve ever wondered how much you can trust automation, what SOAR really does in a SOC, or how AI will shape the future of defenders - this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: - Kevin’s unique career journey: In-N-Out → SOC → Swimlane leadership - How to use automation to supercharge Blue Team efficiency - The role of SOAR platforms in ticketing, response, and orchestration - Where AI fits into SOC operations (and where it doesn’t…yet) - Tips for defenders at any stage of their career Links & References from the Episode: - Swimlane: - Recorded Future: - VirusTotal: - Mistral AI:

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