Shields Up: Architecting the Future of Security through Agentic Intelligence, Open-Source Innovation, and Post-Quantum Readiness

Frank Michaud, Principle Engineer Cisco

As the digital landscape evolves, the “Shields Up” philosophy has become the cornerstone of resilient and secure network infrastructure. This session explores how Cisco is redefining the security perimeter by integrating cutting-edge innovation with the agility of open-source solutions.

We will delve into the Mythos and new frontiers models challenging the modern security and operations—moving beyond traditional defenses to embrace Agentic Security. Furthermore, we will examine the critical aspect of the Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) era.

Frank Michaud is a Principal Engineer in Cisco’s Security and Trust Organization, where he serves as the technical lead for Cryptographic Services. An EPFL alumnus — he earned his MSc in Communication Systems in 2002 — Frank has spent over two decades at the intersection of innovation, security, and systems design, with 20+ issued patents to his name.

Across ten years at Cisco, Frank has split his time between pioneering work in emerging technology and incubation (six years driving new ventures and prototypes from idea to MVP) and the last four years anchoring Cisco’s Security and Trust Organization. Today he leads several of the company’s most strategically significant security efforts: he drives AI adoption across Cisco’s development teams and the AI-security scanning of Cisco’s applications and services; he is the technical lead for the enterprise Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) migration spanning Cisco’s product and service portfolio; and he leads enterprise PKI across all Cisco products and services.

Before Cisco, Frank built a deep foundation in embedded and applied security — designing secure silicon and smart-card products at NXP Semiconductors, architecting content-protection systems at the Kudelski Group, and leading data protection and security programs as Chief Data & Security Officer at a Swiss private bank. His work has repeatedly touched the standards community, including contributions to GlobalPlatform and OpenFog, and collaboration with NSA and NIST on post-quantum, stateful hash-based signature challenges.