VC Evaluation of Cyber Security Proposals

Becky Bace is widely recognized as one of the most influential people in information security today. Her career includes roles in research, development, operational management, and strategy in settings ranging from the U.S. Intelligence Community (NSA) to a national laboratory (Los Alamos National Laboratory) to her current role as a strategic consultant in Silicon Valley. Ms. Bace is currently president and CEO of Infidel, Inc., a strategic consulting firm focusing on information security and risk management, and is a venture consultant for Trident Capital, where she oversees Trident’s security-related investment portfolio. Although Ms. Bace is acknowledged most often for her work in intrusion detection (she is credited with successfully funding and transferring the first generation of intrusion detection technology to the commercial market,) she is also considered an key influencer in other security technology areas.

Her publication credits include the books Intrusion Detection (Macmillan, 2000) and (with Fred Chris Smith) A Guide to Forensic Testimony: The Art and Practice of Presenting Testimony as An Expert Technical Witness, (Addison-Wesley, October, 2002) She is also author of NIST Special Publication SP 800-31 Intrusion Detection and the chapters on intrusion detection, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessment for the Computer Security Handbook, 4 Ed., (Wiley, 2003) and 5 Ed. (Wiley, 2006), considered the definitive practice handbooks for information security professionals.

Ms. Bace was named one of the top ten security professionals in the industry (Information Security Magazine, 2008), one of the five most influential women in security (Information Security Magazine, 2005) , and received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Security Agency (1995) in recognition of her work leading the intrusion detection research program.