CISO Series Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Sound Security Advice That's Perfect to Ignore Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series.

It appears our security awareness training is working, up to a point. Most people are well aware of the need for secure passwords, but they don't actually create secure passwords.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis (@csoandy), operating partner, YL Ventures. Our sponsored guest is Patrick Harr, CEO, SlashNext.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, SlashNext

With today's transition to hybrid working, phishing attacks are becoming more prevalent than ever. Mobile phishing and credential harvesting are exploding and affecting business reputations, finances and most importantly, data loss. With new methods of phishing attacks appearing year over year, enterprises need more robust phishing protection to better protect this expanding attack surface and companies' most valuable assets. Check out the report.

In this episode:

Why does it seem like our security awareness training is only working up to a certain point?
Most people are well aware of the need for secure passwords, but why don't they actually create secure passwords?
Is it true that, "people are not the weakest link, they're just the top attack vector?"

They're Young, Green, and Very Hackable Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series.

It appears we're not providing security awareness training fast enough. That's because hackers are specifically targeting brand new employees who don't yet know the company's procedures. Illicit hackers are discovering they're far easier to phish.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Mike Johnson. Our guest is Gene Spafford (@therealspaf), Professor, Purdue University.

Gene's book available for pre-order Cybersecurity Myths and Misconceptions: Avoiding the Hazards and Pitfalls that Derail Us.

25th anniversary of CERIAS

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Lacework

Lacework offers the data-driven security platform for the cloud and is the leading cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) solution. Only Lacework can collect, analyze, and accurately correlate data — without requiring manually written rules — across an organization's AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes environments, and narrow it down to the handful of security events that matter. Security and DevOps teams around the world trust Lacework to secure cloud-native applications across the full lifecycle from code to cloud. Get started at lacework.com/cisoseries.

In this episode:

Is cybersecurity awareness a long term marketing effort?
Where are we making progress with the general populous when it comes to improving the human aspect of cybersecurity?
How difficult and how long can it take to discover what a company's crown jewels are, and what needs to be done?

Entry Level Position Available. 15+ Years Experience Required. Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series.

That headline is not a joke. An actual job listing on LinkedIn requested just that. We're all hoping this was an error. Regardless, the community response to it was truly overwhelming, speaking much to the frustration of green and junior cybersecurity job seekers who are truly looking for entry level jobs.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis (@csoandy), operating partner, YL Ventures. Our guest is Bryan Willett, CISO, Lexmark.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, AuditBoard

CrossComply is AuditBoard's award-winning security compliance solution that allows organizations to build trust and scale their security compliance program with a connected risk platform that unifies SOC 2, ISO 2700x, NIST, CMMC, PCI DSS, and more across your organization.

In this episode:

Why do some job listing seem to have unrealistic requirements for entry level job-seekers? Who needs 15+ years experience in practically anything?
What is the value of security operations if you're not detecting and dealing with incidents?
What do you think cybersecurity awareness month should accomplish?

Get All the Stress You Want, With None of the Authority Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series.

CISOs and other security leaders have a lot of stress. But so do other C-level employees. Why does a CISO's stress seem that much more powerful? Is it that their job is still in constant development, or is the "C" in their name just in title, but not authority?

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis (@csoandy), operating partner, YL Ventures. Our guest is Aman Sirohi (@amangolf), CISO, People.ai.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, AuditBoard

In this episode:

Why does a CISO's stress seem that much more powerful?
Is it that their job is still in constant development, or is the "C" in their name just in title, but not authority?
What part of the supply chain security effort is truly building trust in your supplier and having ongoing reassurances that that trust is being maintained?

We Built This City on Outdated Software Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series.

"The biggest threat to national security is that many of the most vital systems on the planet CURRENTLY run on outdated and insecure software," said Robert Slaughter of Defense Unicorns on LinkedIn. That's at the core of the third-party security issue.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis (@csoandy), operating partner, YL Ventures. Our sponsored guest is Richard Marcus, vp, InfoSec, AuditBoard.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, AuditBoard

In this episode:

How big of a problem is outdated software in our industry? Is insecurity just the result of a lack of efficient process?
How much does a company's transparency before, during, and after a breach tell us about their corporate character?
What's the behavior after a breach you want to see that reaffirms your commitment to doing business with a vendor?

Wrong Answers to Revealing Interview Questions Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series

Security leaders will often ask challenging or potentially gotcha questions as barometers to see if you can handle a specific job. They're looking not necessarily for a specific answer, but rather a kind of answer and they're also looking to make sure you don't answer the question a specific way. Don't get caught in the trap.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis (@csoandy), operating partner, YL Ventures. Our guest is Quincy Castro, CISO, Redis.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Okta

Auth0 is the leading provider of customer identity solutions. Watch Jameeka Aaaron, CISO for Auth0, explain how to balance security with friction to create a safe authentication experience without compromising on privacy.

In this episode:

What parts of cybersecurity can you comfortably outsource? What parts of cybersecurity do you want to outsource, but can't?
One of the major arguments for outsourcing is "Finding cyber talent is really tough." Do you agree with that rationale to outsource?
When building a security program for a startup, how do you establish scope and requirements?

Don't Make Me Explain This, Because I Can't Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series

If you know a difficult concept very well and you're incapable of explaining it simply to others who don't understand it, it's known as the "curse of knowledge." It is for this reason far too many talented cybersecurity professionals struggle to educate others.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Mike Johnson. Our guest is Okey Obudulu (@okeyobudulu), CISO, Skillsoft.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Trend Micro

Trend Micro Cloud One, a security services platform for cloud builders, delivers the broadest and deepest cloud security offering in one solution, enabling you to secure your cloud infrastructure with clarity and simplicity. Discover your dynamic attack surface, assess your risk, and respond with the right security at the right time. Discover more!

In this episode:

How important is knowing the crown jewels in your security program? Wouldn't a "crown jewel"-focused security program be myopic?
Have you been guilty of "curse of knowledge" when you tried to explain something and what did you do to improve?
How often does a security leader come into a program and have the sense they're starting out at square one?

Where's the "Single Pane of Glass" to My Level of Stress Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series

CISOs say stress and burnout are their top personal risks. Breaches, increased regulations, and the tech talent shortage are all contributors to the stress. Sure would be nice for the CISO and the rest of the team to look at a chart that showed the CISO's stress level in real time.

This week's episode co-hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), the producer of CISO Series, and special guest co-host Shawn Bowen (@SMbowen), CISO, World Fuel Services. Our guest is Meredith Harper (@mrhciso), svp, CISO, Synchrony.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience in Chicago at The City Hall nightclub for the opening night of Evanta's Global CISO Executive Summit.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Cisco

Cisco Secure delivers a streamlined, customer-centric approach to security that ensures it's easy to deploy, manage, and use. We help 100 percent of the Fortune 100 companies secure work – wherever it happens – with the broadest, most integrated platform. Learn more at cisco.com/go/secure.

In this episode:

What do you think companies can do to alleviate this pressure and help a CISO better succeed?
Why is there such a significant disconnect between companies' increased commitment to diversity and inclusion and the day-to-day experiences of women of color?
How can enterprise security maintain visibility into, and control over who and what is accessing their data?

Cyber Sales ABCs: Always Be Creepy Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series

For some reason, the ABCs of sales ("Always Be Closing") in the world of cybersecurity sales has translated into "Always Be Creepy." Eagerness to make just a connection, forget closing, has turned into extremely forward approaches that would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and my guests will be Steve Tran, CSO, Democratic National Committee and Matt Crouse, CISO, Taco Bell. It was recorded in front of a live audience in Santa Monica as part of the ISSA-LA Information Security Summit XII.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Ostrich Cyber-Risk

Ostrich Cyber-Risk "Birdseye" is a unified qualitative and quantitative cyber risk management application that allows you to quickly assess, prioritize and quantify your organization's financial and operational risks in real-time, in one place. Benchmarked against industry-standards (NIST, CIS, ISO), Birdseye simulates risk scenarios, continuously tracks roadmap progress, and creates shareable reports.

In this episode:

What do security leaders do when they can't push through security initiatives they know should be done?
Is this a real concern for CISOs, and if so, how does a CISO handle their staff when best efforts get thwarted?
What's your advice for new CISOs when dealing with unsolicited sales emails from security vendors? Do they just ignore it all? Should they filter it out?

We Take Security and Privacy Seriously… Seriously Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

All links and images for this episode can be found on CISO Series

After every breach, you hear the same mantra from the attacked company: "We take security and privacy seriously." It's lost all its meaning. But what if you truly ARE serious about how you handle security and privacy? Should you say "seriously" twice?

This week's episode is hosted by me, David Spark (@dspark), producer of CISO Series and Mike Johnson. Our guest is Geoff Belknap (@geoffbelknap), CISO, LinkedIn and co-host of Defense in Depth. It was recorded in front of a live audience at Microsoft's Silicon Valley Campus in Mountain View, California as part of a regular ISSA-SV and ISSA-SF meeting.

Check out all the fantastic photos from the event here.

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, SafeBreach and Noname Security

SafeBreach provides continuous security control validation powered by our breach and attack simulation (BAS) platform. We enable security leaders to proactively prioritize remediation efforts and drive ROI quickly by consolidating technology costs around what truly enhances your security posture. Real-world attacks. Real-time results.

Prevent API attacks in real-time with automated AI and ML-based detection from Noname Security. Monitor API traffic for data leakage, data tampering, data policy violations, suspicious behavior, and API security attacks. Integrate with your existing IT workflow management system like Jira, ServiceNow, or Slack for seamless remediation. Learn more at nonamesecurity.com/runtime-protection

In this episode:

If you truly ARE serious about how you handle security and privacy, should you say "seriously" twice?
Given the immense complexity not just on integration but also training, are we going to see more consolidation of point solutions into suites?
When would it make sense for a company to completely dump their security team and completely outsource it? And if you were to outsource it, what the heck would that look like?

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