Alex is an experienced journalist and content editor, working alongside software experts to research, write, meticulously factcheck, and edit articles relating to B2B cybersecurity and technology solutions, focusing on topics such as DevSecOps, network security and firewalls, and cloud infrastructure security.
Articles By: Alex Zawalnyski
149 results
Best 9 CMMC 2.0 Compliant Solutions For Defense Contractors (2026)
We reviewed 9 platforms against CMMC 2.0 requirements across Levels 1, 2, and 3. Here's what we found for defense contractors working toward certification.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Customizable Cybersecurity Services
We reviewed 8 customizable cybersecurity service providers on engagement model range, technical depth at each tier, and the evidence of genuine flexibility when client requirements change.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Phishing Simulation And Testing Solutions
We review 11 phishing simulation platforms based on simulation quality, training content, and reporting capabilities.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Dark Web Monitoring Solutions
We reviewed the leading dark web monitoring solutions on the breadth of source coverage, the speed at which exposed credentials surface in alerts, and the intelligence context that helps teams assess severity and prioritize response.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Cyber Threat Intelligence Solutions
We reviewed 11 cyber threat intelligence platforms on the relevance and freshness of intelligence, how well each integrates with SIEM and SOAR tools, and whether the output drives faster response or just adds to the analyst reading list.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best 9 NordPass Alternatives
We compare the top NordPass alternatives on identity integration, deployment options, compliance certifications, and pricing.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best 10 1Password Alternatives
We compare the top alternatives to 1Password, assessing their password management capabilities, their user experience, deployment options, and pricing tiers.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Your Encrypted Data Has An Expiry Date: How AI And Quantum Are Rewriting The Rules Of Cybersecurity
Businesses are generating and exploiting more valuable data through AI, but quantum computing raises an uncomfortable question: how long will the encryption protecting it remain secure?
by Myles Bray
Best MDM Solutions For Windows
We reviewed 10 Windows MDM platforms on Intune compatibility, security configuration depth, and the remote troubleshooting capabilities that reduce how often technicians need physical device access.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Why Mythos 5 Kept Attacking A Real Developer: What Anthropic And AISI Found
Parallel analyses trace an unsanctioned GitHub attack to flawed reasoning and persistent behavior, raising questions about testing agents with real-world access.
by Alessandro Mascellino
CISO Q&A: Rory Alsop On Why Compliance Should Be A By-Product, Not The Goal
“You can’t run a business at zero risk, because then it’s just not a business,” says Rory Alsop, CISO at Volue.
by Mirren McDade
Best Network Firewall Solutions
We reviewed the leading network firewall platforms on threat inspection depth, throughput under real traffic conditions, and how manageable policy configuration is for teams of different sizes.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Proofpoint Email Security Alternatives
We reviewed 8 Proofpoint email security alternatives on detection accuracy, the quality of threat intelligence, and how well each integrates into Microsoft 365 environments where most organizations have now consolidated their productivity infrastructure.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) Solutions
We reviewed 8 CSPM platforms on detection coverage, compliance mapping accuracy, and how actionable their remediation recommendations are. The gap between the best and weakest was significant.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Vulnerability Scanning Software Solutions
We reviewed the leading vulnerability scanning platforms on scan coverage, detection accuracy, and how well each integrates threat intelligence to help teams prioritize fixes based on real-world exploitability.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best External Attack Surface Management Software
We reviewed the leading EASM platforms on the accuracy of external asset discovery, how well each identifies shadow IT and forgotten infrastructure, and the quality of risk prioritization for exposures that need immediate attention.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Log Management Tools
We reviewed the leading log management platforms on ingestion volume, query performance, and how well each supports the correlation and alerting workflows that make log data operationally useful.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Desktop Management Software
We reviewed the leading desktop management platforms on policy enforcement consistency, the automation that reduces manual configuration tasks, and the reporting that gives IT teams visibility over compliance status across the device fleet.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) Solutions
We reviewed the leading CDR platforms on detection logic depth, response automation, and how well each handles multi-cloud environments. Cloud-native coverage varied more than vendors suggest.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Microsoft Authenticator Flaw Let Permissionless Android Apps Steal Work Account Tokens
A zero-permission Android app could steal work account tokens via Microsoft Authenticator by impersonating trusted Microsoft apps; Microsoft patched the flaw in September.
by Alessandro Mascellino
Best DMARC Solutions For MSPs
We reviewed DMARC platforms built for MSP deployments on tenant management depth, white-label reporting quality, and the automation that reduces the manual effort of moving client domains toward full enforcement.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Best Business Email Compromise (BEC) Protection Solutions
We reviewed the leading BEC protection solutions on the accuracy of sender impersonation detection, how well each identifies payment redirect fraud, and the speed at which suspicious communications are flagged for human review.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Siemens Software Center Flaw Exploited In ClickFix Malware Campaign
Attackers are exploiting a DLL side-loading flaw in Siemens Software Center to deliver malware via ClickFix social engineering, with a fix available in version 4.0.9.8.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Horizon3.ai Publishes FortiSIEM PoC Exploit, Raising Pressure On Unpatched Systems
Left unpatched, the vulnerability could enable attackers to execute unauthorized code or commands.
by Caitlin Harris
Criminals Impersonate US Traceback Group To Target Telecos Worldwide
Attackers are exploiting publicly available FCC compliance data to identify and socially engineer telecom operators into handing over remote access to their systems.
by Alex Zawalnyski
CISO Q&A: Nathan Smolenski On Why AI Is Shining A Light On Broken Security Fundamentals
“It’s like a very bright flashlight in a dark room with lots of bugs. You’re like, oh, wow, there they are,” says Nathan Smolenski, CISO at Qualys.
by Mirren McDade
OpenCode Breach Exposed OpenAI And Anthropic API Keys In Suspected Distillation Attack
OpenCode says a breach of a legacy system on October 17. exposed API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google stored in Console users’ workspaces.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Docker Hub Flaw Opened A Two-Year Window For Supply Chain Attacks
A two-year-old Docker Hub flaw let attackers turn their own personal access token into one that authenticated as another user.
by Alex Zawalnyski
Microsoft’s Second Record Patch Tuesday Brings 1,400+ Fixes And One Exploited Zero-Day
CVE-2026-96951 is the third Windows Shell flaw exploited this year, and AI-driven discovery has pushed patch volumes above 2023’s annual total.
by Alex Zawalnyski
The AI Security Gap Is Growing. A Prevention-First Approach Can Close It.
The stakes of the cybersecurity game have changed—and companies managing cybersecurity in-house are playing a hand from a deck that is stacked against them.
by Tony Anscombe
CISOs Are Increasingly Concerned About Their Own AI Agents Going Rogue
The OpenAI–Hugging Face incident has made security leaders question whether defensive AI agents could become their next breach.
by Alex Zawalnyski
CISO Q&A: Zach Lewis On Surviving LockBit And Why Most CISOs Will Face A Ransomware Attack
“We’ve got to be right all the time, and the bad guys just have to be right once to get in,” says Zach Lewis, CIO and CISO at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis.
by Mirren McDade