Mike Privette
@returnonsecurity.com
Cybersecurity Economist @ ReturnOnSecurity.com
Pinned
Mike Privette
@returnonsecurity.com
· Jan 29
The State of the Cybersecurity Market in 2024
An in-depth analysis of the cybersecurity market in 2024, covering the influence of AI in security, funding and M&A trends, geographical investment patterns, and more.
www.returnonsecurity.com
📊 Just published my deep dive into the 2024 cybersecurity market
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
💰 Security, Funded #206 - Cyber Stacked the Deck
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
💰 Security, Funded #206 - Cyber Stacked the Deck
Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, for the week of August 4, 2025.
www.returnonsecurity.com
August 11, 2025 at 8:42 PM
💰 Security, Funded #206 - Cyber Stacked the Deck
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
It’s almost that time. Let’s collectively get this bread, family.
😤👊🍞
😤👊🍞
August 5, 2025 at 3:30 PM
It’s almost that time. Let’s collectively get this bread, family.
😤👊🍞
😤👊🍞
💰 Security, Funded #202 - The Calm Between Storms
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
💰 Security, Funded #202 - The Calm Between Storms
Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, for the week of July 7, 2025.
www.returnonsecurity.com
July 14, 2025 at 7:53 PM
💰 Security, Funded #202 - The Calm Between Storms
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
🔍 Dive into the latest cybersecurity insights with "Security, Funded #199 - The Model Weights Are Off."
Discover key trends and analysis for June 16, 2025. Stay informed in a changing world.
Read more:
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
#CyberSecurity #TechTrends
Discover key trends and analysis for June 16, 2025. Stay informed in a changing world.
Read more:
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
#CyberSecurity #TechTrends
💰 Security, Funded #199 - The Model Weights Are Off
Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, for the week of June 16, 2025.
www.returnonsecurity.com
June 23, 2025 at 3:23 PM
🔍 Dive into the latest cybersecurity insights with "Security, Funded #199 - The Model Weights Are Off."
Discover key trends and analysis for June 16, 2025. Stay informed in a changing world.
Read more:
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
#CyberSecurity #TechTrends
Discover key trends and analysis for June 16, 2025. Stay informed in a changing world.
Read more:
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
#CyberSecurity #TechTrends
🔄 Uno Reverse Card in Cybersecurity!
Dive into the latest market switcheroo: services get more funding, but products get acquired more. www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
Dive into the latest market switcheroo: services get more funding, but products get acquired more. www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
💰 Security, Funded #198 -
Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, for the week of June 9, 2025.
www.returnonsecurity.com
June 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
🔄 Uno Reverse Card in Cybersecurity!
Dive into the latest market switcheroo: services get more funding, but products get acquired more. www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
Dive into the latest market switcheroo: services get more funding, but products get acquired more. www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
Fellas, if she
- Changes her name every quarter
- Gets hyped by every analyst
- Speaks in jargon no one understands
- Makes buying tools confusing
That’s not your girl, that’s a new cybersecurity category from Gartner.
Focus on yourself, kings.
- Changes her name every quarter
- Gets hyped by every analyst
- Speaks in jargon no one understands
- Makes buying tools confusing
That’s not your girl, that’s a new cybersecurity category from Gartner.
Focus on yourself, kings.
June 13, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Fellas, if she
- Changes her name every quarter
- Gets hyped by every analyst
- Speaks in jargon no one understands
- Makes buying tools confusing
That’s not your girl, that’s a new cybersecurity category from Gartner.
Focus on yourself, kings.
- Changes her name every quarter
- Gets hyped by every analyst
- Speaks in jargon no one understands
- Makes buying tools confusing
That’s not your girl, that’s a new cybersecurity category from Gartner.
Focus on yourself, kings.
💰 Security, Funded #197 - All Eyez on Me(trics)
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
💰 Security, Funded #197 - All Eyez on Me(trics)
Get cybersecurity market and intelligence insights, including key trends and industry analysis, for the week of June 2, 2025.
www.returnonsecurity.com
June 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
💰 Security, Funded #197 - All Eyez on Me(trics)
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/security-f...
Reposted by Mike Privette
🧵 THREAD: A federal whistleblower just dropped one of the most disturbing cybersecurity disclosures I’ve ever read.
He's saying DOGE came in, data went out, and Russians started attempting logins with new valid DOGE passwords
Media's coverage wasn't detailed enough so I dug into his testimony:
He's saying DOGE came in, data went out, and Russians started attempting logins with new valid DOGE passwords
Media's coverage wasn't detailed enough so I dug into his testimony:
April 18, 2025 at 12:10 AM
🧵 THREAD: A federal whistleblower just dropped one of the most disturbing cybersecurity disclosures I’ve ever read.
He's saying DOGE came in, data went out, and Russians started attempting logins with new valid DOGE passwords
Media's coverage wasn't detailed enough so I dug into his testimony:
He's saying DOGE came in, data went out, and Russians started attempting logins with new valid DOGE passwords
Media's coverage wasn't detailed enough so I dug into his testimony:
Wow, that new Google Maps update is 🔥🔥
February 13, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Wow, that new Google Maps update is 🔥🔥
📊 Just published my deep dive into the 2024 cybersecurity market
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
The State of the Cybersecurity Market in 2024
An in-depth analysis of the cybersecurity market in 2024, covering the influence of AI in security, funding and M&A trends, geographical investment patterns, and more.
www.returnonsecurity.com
January 29, 2025 at 6:17 AM
📊 Just published my deep dive into the 2024 cybersecurity market
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
The numbers are wild:
- 892 deals
- $60B total value
- 96% growth in AI security funding
- 91% of M&A value in just 10 deals
A lot changed this year, and not in the ways most people think.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-state-...
Same as it ever was
January 28, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Same as it ever was
Reposted by Mike Privette
Just listened to a really nice episode of @cloudsecuritypod.bsky.social with @returnonsecurity.com on the broader trends of cybersecurity startups, markets, and more. Highly recommend it!
January 23, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Just listened to a really nice episode of @cloudsecuritypod.bsky.social with @returnonsecurity.com on the broader trends of cybersecurity startups, markets, and more. Highly recommend it!
Me monitoring my $1000 angel investment the moment the wire clears (please make money this time 🥹)
January 17, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Me monitoring my $1000 angel investment the moment the wire clears (please make money this time 🥹)
💰 Security, Funded issue #176 is live!
Here's what happened in the first few weeks of January 2025:
- Total Funding Raised: $64.3M (-76% YoY)
- Total Deals: 7 across 5 countries
- M&A Transaction: 9 deals
- 100% of funding went to product companies
- No earnings reports from last week to cover
Here's what happened in the first few weeks of January 2025:
- Total Funding Raised: $64.3M (-76% YoY)
- Total Deals: 7 across 5 countries
- M&A Transaction: 9 deals
- 100% of funding went to product companies
- No earnings reports from last week to cover
January 14, 2025 at 6:33 AM
💰 Security, Funded issue #176 is live!
Here's what happened in the first few weeks of January 2025:
- Total Funding Raised: $64.3M (-76% YoY)
- Total Deals: 7 across 5 countries
- M&A Transaction: 9 deals
- 100% of funding went to product companies
- No earnings reports from last week to cover
Here's what happened in the first few weeks of January 2025:
- Total Funding Raised: $64.3M (-76% YoY)
- Total Deals: 7 across 5 countries
- M&A Transaction: 9 deals
- 100% of funding went to product companies
- No earnings reports from last week to cover
By age 30 you should have:
- 3 'urgent' phishing simulation reports you've never read
- 2 legacy security tools that only work on Internet Explorer
- 1 SIEM alert titled 'High Priority' that’s fired every hour since 2021
- 3 'urgent' phishing simulation reports you've never read
- 2 legacy security tools that only work on Internet Explorer
- 1 SIEM alert titled 'High Priority' that’s fired every hour since 2021
January 9, 2025 at 1:56 PM
By age 30 you should have:
- 3 'urgent' phishing simulation reports you've never read
- 2 legacy security tools that only work on Internet Explorer
- 1 SIEM alert titled 'High Priority' that’s fired every hour since 2021
- 3 'urgent' phishing simulation reports you've never read
- 2 legacy security tools that only work on Internet Explorer
- 1 SIEM alert titled 'High Priority' that’s fired every hour since 2021
Reposted by Mike Privette
Hackers claim to have compromised Gravy Analytics, exposing millions of smartphone location records—including data sold to U.S. government agencies.
This could be the first major breach of a location data broker. Here’s what you need to know 👇
This could be the first major breach of a location data broker. Here’s what you need to know 👇
January 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Hackers claim to have compromised Gravy Analytics, exposing millions of smartphone location records—including data sold to U.S. government agencies.
This could be the first major breach of a location data broker. Here’s what you need to know 👇
This could be the first major breach of a location data broker. Here’s what you need to know 👇
If you’re a guy in your early 20s, learn the Cyber Kill Chain.
Go into debt if you have to
Go into debt if you have to
December 29, 2024 at 7:15 AM
If you’re a guy in your early 20s, learn the Cyber Kill Chain.
Go into debt if you have to
Go into debt if you have to
13,000+ subscribers later, building something enduring takes:
- Consistent effort
- Relentless focus
- Authentic voice
- Community trust
The biggest lesson? The gap between expectations and reality is where all the good stuff happens.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-2024-y...
- Consistent effort
- Relentless focus
- Authentic voice
- Community trust
The biggest lesson? The gap between expectations and reality is where all the good stuff happens.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-2024-y...
The 2024 Year End Letter
A recap of what I've been up to the past year and where I see the future of the Return on Security brand.
www.returnonsecurity.com
December 26, 2024 at 7:58 AM
13,000+ subscribers later, building something enduring takes:
- Consistent effort
- Relentless focus
- Authentic voice
- Community trust
The biggest lesson? The gap between expectations and reality is where all the good stuff happens.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-2024-y...
- Consistent effort
- Relentless focus
- Authentic voice
- Community trust
The biggest lesson? The gap between expectations and reality is where all the good stuff happens.
www.returnonsecurity.com/p/the-2024-y...
💼💸 Deals to close? Funds to raise? Investors to woo?
This playlist will keep your grind secure, your vibes encrypted, and your valuations higher than a firewall in the cloud this holiday season. 🫡
🎶 open.spotify.com/playlist/4pZ...
This playlist will keep your grind secure, your vibes encrypted, and your valuations higher than a firewall in the cloud this holiday season. 🫡
🎶 open.spotify.com/playlist/4pZ...
Return on Security: Acquisition Anthems
Playlist · Mike P · 41 items · 2 saves
open.spotify.com
December 20, 2024 at 5:38 PM
💼💸 Deals to close? Funds to raise? Investors to woo?
This playlist will keep your grind secure, your vibes encrypted, and your valuations higher than a firewall in the cloud this holiday season. 🫡
🎶 open.spotify.com/playlist/4pZ...
This playlist will keep your grind secure, your vibes encrypted, and your valuations higher than a firewall in the cloud this holiday season. 🫡
🎶 open.spotify.com/playlist/4pZ...
Explaining your threat modeling process to the auditors
December 19, 2024 at 2:26 PM
Explaining your threat modeling process to the auditors
Stop scrolling and listen to me very carefully:
You need to buy land here asap.
You need to buy land here asap.
December 15, 2024 at 7:54 PM
Stop scrolling and listen to me very carefully:
You need to buy land here asap.
You need to buy land here asap.
What if the cybersecurity market consolidations were the true friends we made along the way? 🥹
December 13, 2024 at 11:20 AM
What if the cybersecurity market consolidations were the true friends we made along the way? 🥹
Security Startup Founder: How can I describe our product in a way that stands out to customers? The cybersecurity market is already saturated.
Industry Analyst: I got you dog, say no more #ztcnxadador
Industry Analyst: I got you dog, say no more #ztcnxadador
December 10, 2024 at 2:08 PM
Security Startup Founder: How can I describe our product in a way that stands out to customers? The cybersecurity market is already saturated.
Industry Analyst: I got you dog, say no more #ztcnxadador
Industry Analyst: I got you dog, say no more #ztcnxadador
Reposted by Mike Privette
ethernet? you mean the wifi cable
December 9, 2024 at 5:01 PM
ethernet? you mean the wifi cable
New Threat Vector Unlocked
1. Find the Crunchbase page of a cybersecurity company that just raised VC funding
2. Change the page details (which anyone with a Crunchbase account can do) to a personal CashApp page
3. ????
4. Profit! (?)
1. Find the Crunchbase page of a cybersecurity company that just raised VC funding
2. Change the page details (which anyone with a Crunchbase account can do) to a personal CashApp page
3. ????
4. Profit! (?)
December 9, 2024 at 2:45 PM
New Threat Vector Unlocked
1. Find the Crunchbase page of a cybersecurity company that just raised VC funding
2. Change the page details (which anyone with a Crunchbase account can do) to a personal CashApp page
3. ????
4. Profit! (?)
1. Find the Crunchbase page of a cybersecurity company that just raised VC funding
2. Change the page details (which anyone with a Crunchbase account can do) to a personal CashApp page
3. ????
4. Profit! (?)