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As security enters a new era of modern threats and defenses, cybersecurity and U.S. Army veteran Stanford Oliver is building a new way for enterprises and government agencies to stay secure.
We spoke with Oliver about his journey to the founder seat and how he approaches the threats of today and tomorrow.
Oliver credits decades of military experience with modern approach to cybersecurity
Oliver served in the U.S. Army for decades, in which time he was an Army aviator and Blackhawk pilot. He also saw firsthand how much technology fueled critical missions and operational work within the armed forces.
Outside of his military service, Oliver says he knew he wanted to pursue another long-time career goal: founding a technology company.
“I always wanted to start a tech firm. I graduated college the same year [Steve] Jobs founded Apple, and that really stuck with me,” Oliver said. “I watched the threats evolve from young kids in the basement hacking for fun to sophisticated groups and state actors. What we do in service is prepare for threats. Those threats evolve, and we evolve with them, and it’s a cycle.”
In 1999 he founded DigiFlight, Incorporated, and he retired from service in 2002. He then founded Camelot Secure in 2022 as a subset of the business. Earlier this year he was recognized as an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record in the Technology category.
From the military to the boardroom, Oliver has taken the best practices of offensive security to heart.
“In the military, I would never send aircraft into an environment without doing something to address the threats first,” Oliver said. “I think being proactive in your defenses is critical in cybersecurity for businesses in a similar way. The commercial world can’t launch a cyberattack, of course, but you can still build an offensive approach to defense.”
Post-quantum threats, AI-enabled threat actors, and the other security risks coming our way
Camelot Secure offers its customers a platform-based approach to various security needs, including MDR, threat hunting, pen testing, compliance requirements, and more. With a growing partner program and established success in supporting federal agency and commercial customers, the company is already making an impact on critical infrastructure defense.
Oliver also has his team set on securing against the threats of the future. He says his focus remains on proactively addressing emerging and quickly advancing technologies including post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and AI-enabled attacks.
“I believe the entire industry has to remain what we call ‘left of boom,’” Oliver said. “CIOs and CISOs are already overwhelmed by the current state of things. There are too many toolsets to keep track of, not enough budget available to address everything, and just too many threats out there. We’ve got to find a way to give them a better approach.”
Camelot Secure itself is aggressively pursuing how it can embed agentic AI within its platform to automate functionality, working with IBM, Google, and Microsoft on various programs. The company has also established what Oliver calls an AI/Security/Quantum Center of Excellence to tackle how the platform itself can become more secure for users.
Still, Oliver stresses the importance of human talent in addressing cybersecurity risks. Camelot Secure employs a large team of human analysts, and while AI has enabled them to move faster and automate some tasks, Oliver says it’s the people that truly make the difference in security.
Building the next generation of cybersec talent with internships, HBCU recruiting, and more
That human talent, though, is increasingly harder to find for many organizations. Oliver sees an opportunity to bring the next generation of talent through the ranks by offering internships, connecting with HBCU students, and even supporting graduate-level capstone projects at Syracuse University.
“Training the next generation is a huge passion of mine,” Oliver said. “We want to build a better future, and that includes building talent, absolutely.”
Alongside building the next generation of talent, Oliver is focused on building Camelot Secure. While the company currently focuses on critical infrastructure and commercial clients largely in the US, he has his eyes set on global expansion. The platform is also progressing through the FedRAMP approval process this year.
“I think our future is exciting because it allows me to help solve a tough national security problem,” Oliver said. “I’ve spent my whole life, almost, doing that.”
