Securing the Future with Cisco: AI, Quantum, and the Evolution of Networking

In this episode of Command and Control, host Jason Pope sits down with Kinney Yee and LeeAnn Larson to explore how Cisco is redefining secure networking with innovation, intelligence, and integration.

From AI Canvas and SecureX to post-quantum cryptography, the discussion highlights how Cisco’s ecosystem—backed by XenTegra’s expertise—delivers a smarter, more resilient network. The team dives into real-world hospital case studies, showcasing how Cisco’s AI-driven telemetry, automation, and zero-trust segmentation simplify operations and strengthen security from the edge to the cloud.

Listen in to learn:

• How Cisco’s AI Canvas unifies visibility across multi-vendor environments
• Why simplification and identity-based access are the new networking fundamentals
• How Cisco and XenTegra help organizations optimize wireless performance and resilience
• What Cisco’s move toward post-quantum cryptography means for future-proof security

Cisco is leading the charge toward an AI-driven, quantum-ready future—and XenTegra is helping organizations get there.

Transcript

Jason Pope: Welcome to Command and Control: An IT Security Podcast. Today, we’re diving into how Cisco and XenTegra are helping organizations simplify, secure, and modernize their networks with AI-driven insights and next-generation protection. Joining me are Cisco’s Kinney Yee and XenTegra’s LeeAnn Larson.

Kinney Yee: Thanks, Jason. Cisco recently launched a new product called AI Canvas, which allows us to bring telemetry data from multiple sources—Cisco XDR, Cisco Security Management products, and even third-party tools—into a single, unified platform. If you’re managing a multi-vendor environment, AI Canvas helps you troubleshoot issues, optimize performance, and manage configurations from one place.

It’s part of our ongoing push toward the “single pane of glass” goal. We may never get all the way there, but AI Canvas gets us closer by integrating telemetry, AI-driven insights, and automation into one management experience.

LeeAnn Larson: From a networking perspective, things are getting a lot better. On the security side, Cisco SecureX already leverages AI to collect data across firewalls, endpoints, and cloud environments. It’s incredibly intuitive—you can get as granular as you want or keep it high-level.

Kinney Yee: Exactly. SecureX is one of the telemetry sources that AI Canvas can pull from, along with XDR. That unified visibility is a big win for security and operations teams.

Jason Pope: That ease of management and visibility are critical. Let’s shift gears a bit—if secure networking were a cake, what are the essential ingredients?

Kinney Yee: Great analogy. The core ingredients are simplicity, security, and seamless management. Every network has its layers: switching, wireless, and now cloud-managed control. These should be easy to configure and secure without adding complexity. The goal is to make management intuitive while enforcing robust policies.

LeeAnn Larson: Right, and if those are the layers, then the frosting is identity-based access. It’s no longer enough to assign users generic roles—the threat landscape is too complex. With solutions like Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), we can enforce who connects, how they connect, and to what resources.

We also use segmentation—like walls in a house—to prevent cross-contamination between environments. Then with Secure Service Edge (SSE), we bring together secure web gateways, firewalls, and cloud-based controls for remote users. That’s how you achieve true Zero Trust networking.

Kinney Yee: Exactly. It’s about explicit security—multiple layers of protection for different user types—but done in a way that’s seamless for the end user. If security isn’t simple, people won’t use it.

Jason Pope: That’s a great point. Can you share a real-world example of secure networking in action?

Kinney Yee: Sure. One example comes from a hospital struggling with its nurse call application, which is critical for patient care. The app relied on wireless connectivity, but performance was inconsistent.

Using Cisco Spaces and our wireless controllers, we analyzed telemetry to pinpoint the issue. Hospitals have thick walls, steel, and elevator shafts—all of which interfere with Wi-Fi signals. With Cisco’s access points and optimization tools, we were able to improve connectivity and prioritize critical wireless traffic for nurses while still offering secure guest access for visitors.

LeeAnn Larson: That ties into another hospital case I worked on. The issue wasn’t hackers—it was misconfiguration, which is the root cause of about 85–90% of security problems. A staff member plugged a laptop into a patient’s phone line, unknowingly connecting to the entire network.

We used Cisco ISE to correct the configuration and enforce segmentation, ensuring devices only connect where they should. They now perform ongoing health checks instead of relying on an annual pen test, and they’re looking to add Cisco Duo for even stronger authentication.

Kinney Yee: And that’s where Cisco’s AI Assistant comes in. You can literally ask it in natural language to analyze your network—“Check my network for vulnerabilities” or “Tell me what’s misconfigured”—and it will proactively identify issues before they become problems.

LeeAnn Larson: Right. Even if you think your environment is secure, it never hurts to verify. The AI assistant gives you that continuous validation layer.

Jason Pope: As we wrap up, what’s next for AI in secure networking?

Kinney Yee: We’re starting to see a lot of discussion around quantum computing. Once quantum processors are widespread, today’s encryption methods could be easily cracked. Cisco is already preparing for that with post-quantum cryptography, securing our supply chain and ensuring our switches use post-quantum ciphers.

That means even if someone captures encrypted data today, they won’t be able to decrypt it in the future when quantum technology matures.

LeeAnn Larson: And that’s why Cisco’s Silicon One chips are so powerful—they’re built to handle this next generation of encryption. I also appreciate Cisco’s leadership in AI governance. They’re aligning to standards like ISO 42001, which will make it harder for bad actors to exploit harvested data.

Jason Pope: Fantastic insights. Cisco’s innovation and XenTegra’s expertise clearly make a strong partnership. Thank you, Kinney and LeeAnn, for sharing your time and expertise.

Kinney Yee: Thank you for having us.

LeeAnn Larson: Thanks, Jason—great discussion.