In this episode of Under the Gulmohar Tree, we sit down with Serge Olivier Paquette, Chief Product Officer at Flare, to unpack the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape – and why identity risk has become one of the most critical threats facing organizations today.

Drawing on his experience building cybersecurity intelligence platforms, Serge shares the story behind Flare’s evolution – from monitoring financial fraud signals on the dark web to helping organizations gain real-time visibility into their external threat exposure.

The conversation explores the structural shifts reshaping digital risk:

* How cloud adoption and SaaS sprawl have dissolved the traditional corporate perimeter

* Why mid-market companies now operate across hundreds of third-party services and hidden attack surfaces

* The industrialization of cybercrime and the growing efficiency of underground economies

* The real impact of AI-driven attacks – and where hype diverges from operational reality

Serge breaks down one of the most important trends in cybersecurity today: identity-led breaches. From infostealer malware and credential leaks to session hijacking and password reuse, he explains why compromised identities are often the entry point for modern attacks.

The discussion also highlights how seemingly small actions – like installing unverified software or plugins on work devices – can cascade into major incidents, including ransomware events.

We also dive into:

* The consolidation wave in cybersecurity and what it means for digital risk intelligence

* Why risk must be understood through motivation (why), assets (what), and attack surface (how)

* Whether predictive threat intelligence is realistic – or even necessary

* Why automation and remediation integrations are becoming essential for effective cyber defense

This episode is essential listening for CISOs, technology leaders, operators, investors, and mid-market executives navigating an increasingly complex threat environment.

Cybersecurity is no longer just about perimeter defenses – it’s about visibility, context, and closing the identity gap before attackers exploit it.

🎙 Listen now to rethink how you approach digital risk in 2026 and beyond.

#CyberSecurity #IdentitySecurity #DigitalRisk #ThreatIntelligence #ExternalAttackSurface #MidMarket #CISO #EnterpriseSecurity #UnderTheGulmoharTree