Nishawn Smagh of GreyNoise Intelligence On How AI is Making Embedded Devices More Vulnerable to…

Authority Magazine: Nishawn Smagh of GreyNoise Intelligence On How AI is Making Embedded Devices More Vulnerable to Cyberattacks -- Listen Share AI is expanding the attack surface of embedded devices in two simultaneous directions. First, it’s multiplying the number of devices coming online, many with poor security hygiene and untested interfaces, giving attackers more targets than ever. Second, it’s making the attackers themselves more capable. AI is expanding the attack surface of embedded devices in two simultaneous directions.

First, it’s multiplying the number of devices coming online, many with poor security hygiene and untested interfaces, giving attackers more targets than ever. Second, it’s making the attackers themselves more capable. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure to interview Nishawn Smagh. As the principal intelligence liaison and a senior executive at GreyNoise Intelligence, Nishawn Smagh leads collaboration with global government and enterprise partners to enhance detection, understanding, and response to advanced cyber threats.

Drawing on decades of operational experience, he helps government and commercial enterprises strengthen their offensive and defensive capabilities to counter sophisticated adversaries, defend critical networks, and outpace rapidly evolving APT tradecraft. A retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer with 25 years of service, Nishawn most recently served as Director of Intelligence for the Cyber National Mission Force at U.S. Cyber Command, leading intelligence operations for a 2,000-member joint command charged with deterring, disrupting, and defeating malicious cyber actors.

Throughout his Air Force career, Nishawn commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels, leading intelligence operations across multiple global theaters. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Nishawn is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds master’s degrees in International Relations and Management. He completed professional military education at the U.S.

Army Command and General Staff College and undertook senior development education at the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, where he supported congressional oversight and policy analysis on national security issues. Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up? I grew up in Colorado, the youngest of four boys, in a home that was genuinely multicultural. My mother immigrated from Holland, my father from India, both arriving in the late 1950s.

That upbringing gave me an early appreciation for different perspectives. We fully embraced American culture, but our household also taught me that differences in background are something to be curious about, not guarded against, and that has shaped how I approach teams, relationships, and problem-solving ever since. Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this field? We’d love to hear it. I was fortunate to attend the US Air Force Academy, and my original plan was to serve the minimum four years and move on. September 11th changed that, and I’m grateful it did.

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The article addresses a significant issue in the intersection of AI and cybersecurity for embedded devices, which is increasingly relevant for brands in technology and product development.