Xceedium adds security heavyweight, Ken Ammon, to executive team

Ken Ammon

Xceedium Inc., a provider of “Zero Trust Access Control” solutions, has announced that security industry veteran Ken Ammon has joined the company as its chief strategy officer.

Ammon brings a deep background in information security, including building NetSec, the managed security services provider that he founded and later sold to Verizon Business Systems. The appointment has taken place at a time when Xceedium is building out its management team and substantially expanding operations to tap federal and commercial market demand for its flagship GateKeeper product, an appliance-based solution that secures and audits privileged access to IT infrastructure.

Ammon comes to Xceedium from LookingGlass, a high technology consulting firm that advises corporations and private equity funds on emerging security trends and technologies. He was previously president and founder of NetSec and then, after selling the company, a senior vice president with Verizon Business Systems.

Prior to NetSec, Ammon was with Trusted Computer Solutions. He began his career in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a captain assigned to the National Security Agency.

Ammon is a recognized expert in security issues relating to the federal government, according to a press release issued by Xceedium on Oct. 25. He has testified before the House Government Reform Committee on dramatic security vulnerabilities affecting sensitive government information and infrastructure, a topic that has recently resurfaced in light of the WikiLeaks disclosure.

Ammon’s work at the intersection of IT security and the federal government started when he was an adjunct faculty member at the National Cryptologic School, where he was recognized with the Scientific Achievement Award.

“Ken Ammon joins Xceedium at a time when we’re rapidly assembling the management team that will help us address the unique opportunity in the privileged access security market,” said  Glenn Hazard, Xceedium’s chief executive officer. “Ken brings the ideal balance of security and government expertise, plus a multitude of connections built through his work as an IT security evangelist while he was with NetSec. We’re delighted that he’s joined the Xceedium team and look forward to benefitting from the insight that we believe he’s uniquely able to provide.”

The Xceedium GateKeeper is alone in its ability to allow government and commercial enterprises to enforce access control on vendors, contractors and employees such as administrators, regardless of whether they sit inside or outside of the corporate network. The GateKeeper also contains users so that they only see and have access to the IT resources that they require.