CISO Perspectives (public)

In the season finale of CISOP, Kim Jones is joined by N2K’s own Ethan Cook to reflect on the conversations that shaped this season. Together, they revisit standout moments from Kim’s interviews, unpacking their significance and getting Ethan’s fresh perspective on the cybersecurity workforce challenge—as someone viewing the industry from the outside. Since the mid-season reflection, Kim has explored a wide range of workforce issues, including skills mapping, talent identification, and the evolving strategies needed to close cybersecurity’s talent gap. Survey: We want to hear your perspectives on this season, fill out our audience survey before August 31st. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mid-season episode, Kim takes a step back to reflect on the journey so far—revisiting key conversations, standout moments, and recurring themes that have shaped the season. During the episode, Kim sits down with N2K's own Ethan Cook to connect the dots across episodes, uncovering deeper patterns and takeaways. Whether you're catching up or tuning in weekly, this episode offers a thoughtful recap and fresh perspective on where we've been—and what's still to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes: While the cybersecurity industry has expanded and grown in recent years, newcomers still struggle to gain relevant "experience" before officially beginning their cyber careers. In this episode of CISO Perspectives, host Kim Jones sits down with Kathleen Smith, the Chief Outreach Officer at clearedjobs.net and the co-host of Security Cleared Jobs: Who’s Hiring & How, to discuss this dilemma and what new entrants can do to account for these difficulties. Throughout the conversation, Kathleen and Kim will discuss the challenges associated with entry-level cyber positions, how to gain meaningful experience, and how the industry as a whole contributes to this problem. Want more CISO Perspectives?: Check out a companion ⁠blog post⁠ by our very own Ethan Cook, where he breaks down key insights, shares behind-the-scenes context, and highlights research that complements this episode. It’s the perfect follow-up if you’re curious about the cyber talent crunch and how we can reshape the ecosystem for future professionals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes: Cybersecurity has an identity problem where the industry as a whole is struggling to determine whether it is a trade or a profession. In this episode of CISO Perspectives, host Kim Jones sits down with Larry Whiteside Jr., the Chief Advisory Officer for The CISO Society, to discuss this identity crisis and how the industry as a whole connects to both of these labels. Throughout the conversation, Larry and Kim will discuss the merits and drawbacks of both labels and how cybersecurity does not solely fall into one category or the other. Want more CISO Perspectives?: Check out a companion blog post by our very own Ethan Cook, where he breaks down key insights, shares behind-the-scenes context, and highlights research that complements this episode. It’s the perfect follow-up if you’re curious about the cyber talent crunch and how we can reshape the ecosystem for future professionals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes: The cyber talent ecosystem faces severe indigestion, which has stifled growth and closed doors to new talent. In this episode of CISO Perspectives, host Kim Jones sits down with Ed Adams, the Head of Cybersecurity for North America at the Bureau Veritas Group, to discuss what has caused this indigestion and how leadership can better address these challenges. A key aspect of this conversation revolved around discussing Ed's book, See Yourself in Cyber: Security Careers Beyond Hacking, and how he expands the conversation surrounding traditional roles associated with cybersecurity. Want more CISO Perspectives?: Check out a companion blog post by our very own Ethan Cook, where he breaks down key insights, shares behind-the-scenes context, and highlights research that complements this episode. It’s the perfect follow-up if you’re curious about the cyber talent crunch and how we can reshape the ecosystem for future professionals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In CISO Perspectives, Kim Jones, a CISO with over four decades of real-world security and risk management experience, sits down with industry leaders throughout this series for candid conversations that share their experiences and perspectives about the cybersecurity industry and the many challenges it faces. Whether it be cybersecurity leadership, talent ecosystems, career entry points, or certifications, these conversations will help you build a stronger and more impactful cyber ecosystem within your organization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting duties to Caroline Wong, the Chief Strategy Officer at Cobalt to discuss the mechanics of writing a cybersecurity book about AI. References: Ben Smith. “Security Metrics: A Beginner’s Guide” Review [Review]. Cybersecurity Canon Project. Caroline Wong, 2011. Security Metrics, A Beginner’s Guide [Book]. Goodreads. Rick Howard, Caroline Wong, 2022. Interview with Author and Hall of Fame winner Caroline Wong [Interview]. Cybersecurity Canon Project. Rick Howard, 2023. Cybersecurity First Principles: A Reboot of Strategy and Tactics [Book]. Goodreads. Rick Howard. Security Metrics, A Beginner’s Guide [Review]. Cybersecurity Canon Project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting duties to Kevin Magee, the Global Director of Cybersecurity Startups at Microsoft to discuss Cyber-entrepreneurship in the age of CyberAI. For a complete reading list and even more information, check out Rick’s more detailed essay on the topic. References: Andrew McCarty, Emma Eschweiler, Natalie Fratto, Andrew Pardo, Jake Ledbetter, 2024. The Rise of CyberAI [Analysis]. Silicon Valley Bank. Camille Périssère, 2024. 2024 cybersecurity market trends [Analysis]. AXA Venture Partners. Jeffrey Grabow, 2024. AI continues to drive venture capital activity [Analysis]. EY. Kaloyan Andonov, 2024. Energy companies increase investment in cybersecurity startups [Analysis]. Global Corporate Venturing. Staff, 2024. Cybersecurity Market Size, Share, Analysis Analysis]. Fortune Business Insights. Staff, 2024. RBC FinSec Incubator [Analysis]. Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst. Staff, 2024. Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024 [White Paper]. Microsoft. Steve Morgan, 2022. Cybercrime To Cost The World 8 Trillion Annually In 2023 [Analysis]. Cybercrime Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, The CyberWire’s Chief Analyst, CSO, and Senior Fellow, and the cast of the entire CyberWire team, honor our U.S. veterans on this special day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting duties to William MacMillan, the Chief Product Officer at Andesite, to discuss the Cybersecurity First Principle of automation: current state and what happens now with AI as it applies to SOC Operations. For a complete reading list and even more information, check out Rick’s more detailed essay on the topic. Check out Rick's 3-part election mini-series: Part 1: Election Propaganda Part 1: How Does Election Propaganda Work? In this episode, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses personal defensive measures that every citizen can take—regardless of political philosophy—to resist the influence of propaganda. This foundational episode is essential for understanding how to navigate the complex landscape of election messaging. Part 2: Election Propaganda: Part 2: Modern propaganda efforts. In preparation for the US 2024 Presidential Election, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses recent international propaganda efforts in the form of nation state interference and influence operations as well as domestic campaigns designed to split the target country into opposing camps. Guests include Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. Part 3: Election Propaganda: Part 3: Efforts to reduce the impact of future elections. Thinking past the US 2024 Presidential Election, In part three of the series, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses reducing the impact of propaganda in the future elections with Perry Carpenter, Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4 and host of the 8th Layer Insights Podcast, Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project, and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. References: Bob Violino, 2022. 7 top challenges of security tool integration [Analysis]. CSO Online. Bruce Japsen, 2024. UnitedHealth Group Cyberattack Costs To Hit $2.3 Billion This Year [News]. Forbes. Clay Chun, 2019. JOHN BOYD AND THE “OODA” LOOP (GREAT STRATEGISTS) [Explainer]. War Room - U.S. Army War College. Michael Cobb, 2023. The history, evolution and current state of SIEM [Explainer]. TechTarget. Rick Howard, 2022. History of Infosec: a primer. [Podcast and essay]. The CyberWire - CSO Perspectives. Rick Howard, 2020. Security operations centers: a first principle idea. [Podcast and Essay]. The CyberWire. Rick Howard, 2020. SOAR – a first principle idea. [Podcast and Essay]. The CyberWire - CSO Perspectives. Rick Howard, 2021. XDR: from the Rick the Toolman Series. [Podcast and Essay]. The CyberWire - CSO Perspectives. Robert Lemos, 2024. SOAR Is Dead, Long Live SOAR [Analysis]. Dark Reading. Timbuk 3, 1986. The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades [Song]. Genius. Timbuk3VEVO, 2009. Timbuk 3 - The Future’s So Bright [Music Video]. YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting duties to Dr. Rebecca Wynn, the Click Solutions Group Global Chief Security Strategist & CISO. She interviews Justin Daniels, a Baker Donelson lawyer and podcast host with expertise in cyber operations, M&A, and investment capital transactions, on the current state of cyber law and compliance. Check out Rick's 3-part election mini-series: Part 1: Election Propaganda Part 1: How Does Election Propaganda Work? In this episode, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses personal defensive measures that every citizen can take—regardless of political philosophy—to resist the influence of propaganda. This foundational episode is essential for understanding how to navigate the complex landscape of election messaging. Part 2: Election Propaganda: Part 2: Modern propaganda efforts. In preparation for the US 2024 Presidential Election, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses recent international propaganda efforts in the form of nation state interference and influence operations as well as domestic campaigns designed to split the target country into opposing camps. Guests include Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. Part 3: Election Propaganda: Part 3: Efforts to reduce the impact of future elections. Thinking past the US 2024 Presidential Election, In part three of the series, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses reducing the impact of propaganda in the future elections with Perry Carpenter, Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4 and host of the 8th Layer Insights Podcast, Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project, and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. References: Tatiana Rice, Keir Lamont, Jordan Francis, 2024. The Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act: An FPF U.S. Legislation Policy Brief [Explainer]. Colorado General Assembly. Dr Rebecca Wynn. Soulful CXO [Podcast]. Soulful CXO. Jodi Daniels, Justin Daniels. She Said Privacy/He Said Security [Podcast]. Apple Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting responsibilities to Kim Jones, the Managing Director at Ursus Security Consulting. He takes a first principles look at the idea of identity. Check out Rick's 3-part election mini-series: Part 1: Election Propaganda Part 1: How Does Election Propaganda Work? In this episode, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses personal defensive measures that every citizen can take—regardless of political philosophy—to resist the influence of propaganda. This foundational episode is essential for understanding how to navigate the complex landscape of election messaging. Part 2: Election Propaganda: Part 2: Modern propaganda efforts. In preparation for the US 2024 Presidential Election, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses recent international propaganda efforts in the form of nation state interference and influence operations as well as domestic campaigns designed to split the target country into opposing camps. Guests include Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. Part 3: Election Propaganda: Part 3: Efforts to reduce the impact of future elections. Thinking past the US 2024 Presidential Election, In part three of the series, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses reducing the impact of propaganda in the future elections with Perry Carpenter, Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4 and host of the 8th Layer Insights Podcast, Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project, and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. References: Olivia Gulin, Tomberry., Peter Steiner, Alan David Perkins, 2012. On the Internet, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog [History]. Know Your Meme. Staff, 2019. US Patent for Mutual authentication of computer systems over an insecure network Patent Patent]. Justia Patents Search. Staff, 2023. Federal Bureau of Investigation: Internet Crime Report [Report]. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Staff, 2024. Data Breach Investigations Report [Report]. Verizon Business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thinking past the US 2024 Presidential Election, In part three of the series, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses reducing the impact of propaganda in the future elections with Perry Carpenter, Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4 and host of the 8th Layer Insights Podcast, Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project, and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. Check out Part 1 & 2! Part 1: Election Propaganda Part 1: How Does Election Propaganda Work? In this episode, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses personal defensive measures that every citizen can take—regardless of political philosophy—to resist the influence of propaganda. This foundational episode is essential for understanding how to navigate the complex landscape of election messaging. Part 2: Election Propaganda: Part 2: Modern propaganda efforts. In preparation for the US 2024 Presidential Election, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses recent international propaganda efforts in the form of nation state interference and influence operations as well as domestic campaigns designed to split the target country into opposing camps. Guests include Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. References: Rick Howard, 2024. Election Propaganda Part 1: How does election propaganda work? [3 Part Podcast Series]. The CyberWire. Rick Howard, 2024. Election Propaganda: Part 2: Modern propaganda efforts. [3 Part Podcast Series]. The CyberWire. Christopher Chabris, Daniel Simons, 2010. The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us [Book]. Goodreads. Chris Palmer, 2010. TFL Viral - Awareness Test (Moonwalking Bear) [Explainer]. YouTube. David Ehl, 2024. Why Meta is now banning Russian propaganda [News]. Deutsche Welle. Eli Pariser, 2011. The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding From You [Book]. Goodreads. Kara Swisher, Julia Davis, Alex Stamos, Brandy Zadrozny, 2024. Useful Idiots? How Right-Wing Influencers Got $ to Spread Russian Propaganda [Podcast]. On with Kara Swisher. Nate Silver, 2024. What’s behind Trump’s surge in prediction markets? [Analysis]. Silver Bulletin. Niha Masih, 2024. Meta bans Russian state media outlet RT for acts of ‘foreign interference’ [News]. The Washington Post. Nilay Patel, 2024. The AI election deepfakes have arrived [Podcast]. Decoder. Nina Jankowicz, 2020. How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News and the Future of Conflict [Book]. Goodreads. Perry Carpenter, 2024. FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions [Book]. Goodreads. Perry Carpenter, 2021. Meatloaf Recipes Cookbook: Easy Recipes For Preparing Tasty Meals For Weight Loss And Healthy Lifestyle All Year Round [Book]. Goodreads. Perry Carpenter, n.d. 8th Layer Insights [Podcast]. N2K CyberWire. Renee DiResta, 2024. Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality [Book]. Goodreads. Robin Stern, Marc Brackett, 2024. 5 Ways to Recognize and Avoid Political Gaslighting [Explainer]. The Washington Post. Sarah Ellison, Amy Gardner, Clara Ence Morse, 2024. Elon Musk’s misleading election claims reach millions and alarm election officials [News]. The Washington Post. Scott Small, 2024. Election Cyber Interference Threats & Defenses: A Data-Driven Study [White Paper]. Tidal Cyber. Staff, n.d. Overview: Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity [Website]. C2PA. Staff, 2021. Foreign Threats to the 2020 US Federal Elections [Intelligence Community Assessment]. DNI. Staff, n.d. Project Origin [Website]. OriginProject. URL https://www.originproject.info/ Stuart A. Thompson, Tiffany Hsu, 2024. Left-Wing Misinformation Is Having a Moment [Analysis] The New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In preparation for the US 2024 Presidential Election, Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses recent international propaganda efforts in the form of nation state interference and influence operations as well as domestic campaigns designed to split the target country into opposing camps. Guests include Nina Jankowicz, Co-Founder and CEO of the The American Sunlight Project and Scott Small, Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Tidal Cyber. References: Scott Small, 2024. Election Cyber Interference Threats & Defenses: A Data-Driven Study [White Paper]. Tidal Cyber. Renee DiResta, 2024. Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality [Book]. Goodreads. Nina Jankowicz, 2020. How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News and the Future of Conflict [Book]. Goodreads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, has a free-wheeling conversation with Merritt Baer, Reco AI’s CISO, about how infosec professionals should think about AI, Machine Learning, and Large Language Models (LLMs). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting responsibilities to Rick Doten, the VP of Information Security at Centene and one of the original contributors to the N2K CyberWire Hash Table. He makes the case to invigorate the automation first principle cybersecurity strategy. In this case, he is specifically addressing remediation automation. References: Staff, n.d. National Pie Championships [Website]. American Pie Council. Rick Doten. Rick’s Cybersecurity Videos [Youtube Channel]. YouTube. Joe, 2020. The Unbearable Frequency of PewPew Maps [Explainer]. Stranded on Pylos. Aanchal Gupta, 2022. Celebrating 20 Years of Trustworthy Computing [Explainer]. Microsoft Security Blog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting responsibilities to Roselle Safran, the CEO and Founder of KeyCaliber and one of the original contributors to the N2K CyberWire Hash Table. She interviews Tia Hopkins, the eSentire Chief Cyber Resilience Officer, to make the business case for why resilience might be the most important cyber strategy. References: Black Women in Cyber Collective, 2024. Securing Our Future: Embracing The Resilience and Brilliance of Black Women in Cyber [Book]. Goodreads. Ken Underhill, Christophe Foulon, Tia Hopkins, Mari Galloway, 2022. Hack the Cybersecurity Interview: A complete interview preparation guide for jumpstarting your cybersecurity career [Book]. Goodreads. Ron Ross, Victoria Pillitteri, Richard Graubart, Deborah Bodeau, Rosalie McQuaid, 2021. SP 800-160 Vol. 2 Rev. 1, Developing Cyber-Resilient Systems: A Systems Security Engineering Approach [Guidance]. CSRC. Roselle Safran, 2024. Who Does the CISO Work for? [Social Media Post]. LinkedIn. Staff, n.d. Empow(H)er Cyber Home [Website]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, turns over hosting responsibilities to Errol Weiss, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the HEALTH-ISAC and one of the original contributors to the N2K CyberWire Hash Table. He will make the business case for information sharing. References: White and Williams LLP, Staff Osborne Clarke LLP , 2018. Threat Information Sharing and GDPR [Legal Review]. FS-ISAC. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), 2015. S.754 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): To improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced sharing of information about cybersecurity threats, and for other purposes [Law]. Library of Congress. Staff, n.d. National Council of ISACs [Website]. NCI. Staff, 2020. Guidance to Assist Non-Federal Entities to Share Cyber Threat Indicators and Defensive Measures with Federal Entities under the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 [Guidance]. CISA. Staff, 2023. Information Sharing Best Practices [White paper]. Health-ISAC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K’s CSO and the CyberWire’s Chief Analyst, and Senior Fellow, interviews Andy Greenberg, Senior Writer at WIRED, regarding his new book, “Tracers in the Dark.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Howard, N2K CyberWire’s Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow, discusses personal defensive measures that an average citizen, regardless of political philosophy, can take in order to not succumb to propaganda. References: David Ehl, 2024. Why Meta is now banning Russian propaganda [News]. Deutsche Welle. Jeff Berman, Renée DiResta, 2023. Disinformation & How To Combat It [Interview]. Youtube. Niha Masih, 2024. Meta bans Russian state media outlet RT for acts of ‘foreign interference’ [News]. The Washington Post. Quentin Hardy, Renée DiResta, 2024. The Invisible Rulers Turning Lies Into Reality [Interview]. YouTube. Rob Tracinski, Renée DiResta, 2024. The Internet Rumor Mill [Interview]. YouTube. Robin Stern, Marc Brackett, 2024. 5 Ways to Recognize and Avoid Political Gaslighting [Explainer]. The Washington Post. Sarah Ellison, Amy Gardner, Clara Ence Morse, 2024. Elon Musk’s misleading election claims reach millions and alarm election officials [News]. The Washington Post. Scott Small, 2024. Election Cyber Interference Threats & Defenses: A Data-Driven Study [White Paper]. Tidal Cyber. Staff, 2021. Foreign Threats to the 2020 US Federal Elections [Intelligence Community Assessment]. DNI. Staff, 2024. Election Cyber Interference Threats & Defenses: A Data-Driven Study [White Paper]. Tidal. Stuart A. Thompson, Tiffany Hsu, 2024. Left-Wing Misinformation Is Having a Moment [Analysis. The New York Times. Stuart A. Thompson, 2024. Elon Musk’s Week on X: Deepfakes, Falsehoods and Lots of Memes [News]. The New York Times. Will Oremus, 2024. Zuckerberg expresses regrets over covid misinformation crackdown [News]. The Washington Post. Yascha Mounk, Renée DiResta, 2022. How (Not) to Fix Social Media [Interview]. YouTube. Renee DiResta, 2024. Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality [Book]. Goodreads. Nina Jankowicz, 2020. How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News and the Future of Conflict [Book]. Goodreads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices