Return on Security

Your weekly 5-minute briefing on the cybersecurity market, providing key trends and analysis. The business of the cyber industry with zero fluff.

Featured Posts

Deep Dive

Dec 10, 2025

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16 min read

The Opportunity Cost of Data Privacy

The true cost of data privacy isn't what we pay to protect it. It's what we've lost by building an entire digital economy on surveillance.

Mike Privette

Guides

Feb 14, 2025

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7 min read

Never Waste a Good Compliance Framework

Companies pay for compliance but want security. Smart teams leverage compliance as a strategic tool to drive security improvements and business growth.

Mike Privette

Deep Dive

Context is King: How AI is Finally Making DLP Work

Jun 13, 2025

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15 min read

Context is King: How AI is Finally Making DLP Work

AI is giving DLP a second chance. Learn how DLP is evolving from roadblock to the key to safe, scalable GenAI adoption.

Mike Privette

Point of View

Nov 5, 2025

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5 min read

The AI Security Absorption Has Begun

Three years of funding data reveal AI Security represents just 9% of cybersecurity deals and 3% of funding. We're not witnessing a revolution. We're watching absorption into existing security categories, just as cloud security was before it.

Mike Privette

Guides

The AI Security Shared Responsibility Model

Aug 2, 2024

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12 min read

The AI Security Shared Responsibility Model

Learn about the AI Security Shared Responsibility Model, a framework for managing risks and ensuring compliance in AI deployments.

Mike Privette

Career

Why Every Cybersecurity Leader Needs Financial Literacy

Dec 5, 2024

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7 min read

Why Every Cybersecurity Leader Needs Financial Literacy

Learn how financial literacy empowers cybersecurity leaders to build efficient teams and improve business partnerships within organizations.

Mike Privette

From the Archives

Annual Review

2025 State of the Cybersecurity Market: $25B Funding, $76B M&A, and What's Next

Feb 6, 2026

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46 min read

2025 State of the Cybersecurity Market: $25B Funding, $76B M&A, and What's Next

The cybersecurity market recovered in 2025, but not evenly. Inside: who won, who got acquired, and what 2026 holds for founders, buyers, and investors.

Mike Privette

Newsletter

💰 Security, Funded #229 - We Finally Defeated January

Feb 2, 2026

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12 min read

💰 Security, Funded #229 - We Finally Defeated January

Get the world's best cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, from the week of January 26th, 2026.

Mike Privette

Newsletter

💰 Security, Funded #228 - Even RSA Is Raising Again

Jan 26, 2026

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11 min read

💰 Security, Funded #228 - Even RSA Is Raising Again

Get the world's best cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, from the week of January 18th, 2026.

Mike Privette

Newsletter

💰 Security, Funded #227 - Nobody Told M&A to Slow Down

Jan 20, 2026

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14 min read

💰 Security, Funded #227 - Nobody Told M&A to Slow Down

Get the world's best cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, from the week of January 12th, 2026.

Mike Privette

Newsletter

💰 Security, Funded #226 - The Privilege(d) Acquisition

Jan 12, 2026

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12 min read

💰 Security, Funded #226 - The Privilege(d) Acquisition

Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, from January 1st to January 11th, 2026.

Mike Privette

Newsletter

💰 Security, Funded #225 - New Year, Same Money Printer

Jan 5, 2026

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18 min read

💰 Security, Funded #225 - New Year, Same Money Printer

Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, from December 15th to December 31st, 2025.

Mike Privette