Live presentation + demo:
How RLC-Hardened brings active defense to the operating system:
LKRG runtime defense + Day-One STIG compliance
February 12, 2026 | 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET | 45 minutes
The window between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment is where breaches happen, and traditional Linux just waits. Join us for a technical deep-dive into how Rocky Linux from CIQ - Hardened makes your operating system an active participant in defense, with runtime protections that work whether you're patched or not. We'll show you how to achieve up to ≥95% STIG compliance out-of-box while reducing hardening time from 40+ hours to under 30 minutes per system.
What you'll learn
- How LKRG detects and disrupts kernel exploits at runtime, closing the vulnerability window between disclosure and patch, demonstrated with known vulnerabilities
- How RLC-Hardened's layered defense stack (LKRG + hardened_malloc + hardened glibc) makes exploits unreliable or immediately fatal to attackers
- Practical strategies for achieving up to ≥95% STIG compliance out-of-box while reducing hardening time from 40+ hours to under 30 minutes per system
- Real operational impact: how RLC-Hardened's security-first approach can save 1-3 FTEs annually by eliminating repetitive hardening work and reducing incident response cycles
Who should attend
- Security architects evaluating runtime protection solutions that deliver both CVE mitigation and compliance
- Senior Linux engineers responsible for STIG hardening across 500+ nodes
- Platform engineers looking to reduce manual configuration overhead without sacrificing security posture
- IT directors at defense contractors balancing DISA STIG requirements with resource constraints
- CISOs and security leaders building defense-in-depth strategies while controlling operational costs
Agenda preview
- Why traditional Linux waits for patches, and how RLC-Hardened fights back
- LKRG deep dive: runtime kernel protection that detects exploitation as it happens
- The layered defense stack: how LKRG + hardened_malloc + hardened glibc make your foundation hostile to attackers
- From 40+ hours to 30 minutes: automated STIG compliance in RLC-Hardened
- Real ROI: how security-first architecture saves 1-3 FTEs annually
- Live Q&A with our expert panel
Eric Hendricks
Technical Marketing Manager
Eric Hendricks, A.K.A. the IT Guy, is a Linux systems administrator turned Technical Marketing Manager at CIQ. He works at the intersection of open source, enterprise Linux, and real-world operations, helping teams understand not just what to deploy, but why it works in production.
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Sultan Alsawaf
Distinguished Linux Kernel Development Engineer
Sultan Alsawaf is a Distinguished Linux Kernel Development Engineer at CIQ, specializing in kernel reliability, security, and memory management. A veteran systems programmer, Sultan is a key contributor to the Linux Kernel Runtime Guard (LKRG) and an expert in optimizing Linux for diverse workloads.
Brian Dawson
Product Manager, RLC-Hardened
Brian leads product strategy for Rocky Linux from CIQ - Hardened, working with federal agencies and defense contractors to implement proactive kernel security and automated compliance solutions that make the operating system an active participant in defense.