eXecutive Security

Haris Pylarinos found cybersecurity training subpar, and too expensive, so he started a company to do better. Hack The Box is now a leading gamified cybersecurity upskilling, certification, and talent assessment platform with more than 2 million platform members.  In this episode, Haris and Gene talk about Hack The Box, its origins and goals; why training plays a key role in addressing the cyberse...

The author of "Building a Career in Cybersecurity," Yuri Diogenes offers a wealth of knowledge, advice, and tips on entering this field in this episode.  He and Gene discuss: Yuri's career journey His take on cybersecurity certifications  Why building a lab is important for those looking for entry-level roles How to be intentional in your attendance at cybersecurity conferences  Why often the best...

You don’t need a tech background to work in cybersecurity, says Lance Hayden, Chief Information Security Strategist at Vericast, and former English major.   What skills and abilities do you need? Get Lance’s perspective in this episode. He and Gene also talk about his experience teaching cybersecurity at the Univeristy of Texas, and what he looks for in entry level candidates.

Eric Jacobsen, Asst. VP and CISO at Boston University, is our first guest from the higher education space, and he offers a unique look at what it’s like to work in cybersecurity at a university. He and Gene talk about the benefits of working at an institution of higher learning, his path from a chemistry degree to cybersecurity leader, what he looks for when hiring for entry-level positions, and m...

Burnout is real and rampant among C-level cybersecurity professionals. How can you avoid it? Zscaler CISO Sam Curry shares his thoughts. Gene and Sam also talk about making the path from secondary school to entry-level cybersecurity job easier, why collegiate cybersecurity competitions are important, and what's GOOD about cybersecurity careers (it's not all stress and burnout!).  Sam Curry on Link...

ThreatX surveyed 2,000 consumers in the US and UK about the cybersecurity skills gap – to get their thoughts on its causes and effects. In this episode, Gene and ThreatX Field CISO Jeremy Ventura analyze the results, including: 62% reported that if they or their child had more education around cybersecurity in school, they would have considered entering the field.  90% reported that they are conce...

What's the difference between working in fraud and working in cybersecurity? Nancy Schuehler, Director of Cyber Strategy and Program Execution at Verizon, has worked in both and breaks it down for our listeners. She and Gene also dig into the pros and cons of working for a large enterprise, and of staying with one company for many years. Nancy Schuehler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nan...

No experience? No problem. In this episode, CISO Dane Jones explains how to build a resume that highlights a passion and aptitude for cybersecurity without any work experience in the field.   Dane Jones is CISO at HighRadius. He has been a security leader for many years, including at Lowe’s. Dane Jones on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daneejones/ Is a career in cybersecurity right for me?...

Cybersecurity is a great field because of the all the change, says Ted Julian. But to succeed, you have to be proactive about that change. Ted and Gene talk about how to keep up with the change, plus about his experience in the early days of cybersecurity, what it’s like to work in product management, and why joining an early-stage company is so beneficial. Ted Julian has held leadership positions...

Gene sits down with Stratejm CEO John Menezes to talk about working for an MSSP, plus gets John’s thoughts on hiring and nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity talent. Stratejm: https://stratejm.com/

Success in cybersecurity is not about your technical skills, but your emotional intelligence, according to CISO Randy Raw. Randy and Gene talk about why he thinks this, plus his approach to hiring, why leaders need to be proactive in asking their reports how they want to be managed, why everyone needs both a coach and a sponsor, and more. Randy Raw is the CISO at Veterans United Home Loans, where...

Lowe’s CISO Marc Varner has had a long career in cybersecurity, including CISO roles at Yum Brands and McDonald’s. Why does he think cybersecurity is a good career choice? Because there is always a new challenge. “What was the last really cool discovery or change in math?” he jokes. There’s something new in cybersecurity just about every day.  Tune in to his podcast episode with Gene to hear more....

Why is the geopolitical landscape critical to cybersecurity strategy? CISO Mark Houpt breaks it down in this episode. Mark also shares his advice to the college and high school students he mentors, how to approach the ever-changing nature of cybersecurity, and how to think about a college education. Mark Houpt is the CISO at DataBank. Previously he held senior security roles at organizations inclu...

How do you make the jump from ER nurse to SOC analyst? Alex Gatz did it, and he’s sharing his insights and tips with the eXecutive Security podcast audience. Don’t miss this fascinating discussion about making a bold career change, the power of LinkedIn, what a security researcher does, the benefits of working for a startup, and more. Alex Gatz is a senior security researcher at ThreatX. Previousl...

The job market has shifted dramatically in the past two years, and Mike Privette shares his thoughts on navigating it in this episode. He and Gene discuss things you can do TODAY to get your foot in the cybersecurity door.  Mike Privette is the CISO, VP of Information & Cyber Security at Passport. He is also the founder of Return on Security, which publishes the Security, Funded newsletter. Pr...

Key to a successful tech career? Re-inventing yourself every three years, says Faisal Bhutto, SVP of Cloud and Cybersecurity at Calian. Don’t go into tech if you’re not ready to be constantly learning and re-inventing yourself, he says. Hear more tips and advice from Faisal in his episode, including why money and promotions can’t be your only motivation, why you shouldn’t network only to look for...

Corey Nenno (aka That Cyber Guy) just transitioned out of the military and into the cybersecurity industry in 2021 – so this is an ideal episode for those currently in the military looking to soon enter the cybersecurity field. It’s also one of our most practical episodes, whether you’re in the military or not – it’s filled with tips and advice on what to put on your resume, how to pass the CISSP,...

Alfredo Hickman fought the war on terror in the early 2000s in the Marine Corps infantry in Iraq. He shares some intense stories from his military experiences overseas with Gene, as well as how he transitioned from the front lines to a cybersecurity executive. Alfredo is passionate about helping veterans and giving back, and this episode is valuable for anyone looking to enter this industry, milit...

David Cross’ advice for breaking into cybersecurity? Strategic use of gift cards. Get details on his networking through social media ideas in this episode. David transitioned out of the military into the world of high tech, where he has held numerous cybersecurity leadership roles. This episode is filled with practical tips and advice on demonstrating your skills to prospective employers, deciding...

Parham Eftekhari is a nationally recognized leader in cybersecurity, national security, and critical infrastructure. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President at CyberRisk Alliance, setting the vision and operating priorities for its executive development, CISO, and community solutions. Parham also serves as the chairman of the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), the...

Rick Doten is VP, Information Security at Centene Corporation. He has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, the last 23 focused specifically on cyber security. He has worked as both CISO of multinational company, and a management consultant performing risk management and risk engineering to mature customer security and privacy programs.   Rick Doten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/...

Carol Meyers is a partner at Glasswing Ventures, and independent board member, and an executive coach. She was formerly the CMO at Rapid7. Carol Meyers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroljmeyers/  

At the recent RSA Conference in San Francisco, we decided to take advantage of all the cybersecurity professionals gathered in one place to get some advice for those looking to enter the industry. We asked attendees who visited the ThreatX booth, What's the No. 1 piece of advice you'd offer to someone trying to break into cybersecurity? We recorded more than 20 answers, and collected a few here fo...

It’s rough to start your career in an economic downturn, as many of our listeners are now finding out. Alyssa Robinson started her career in a down economy, but she found opportunity amidst the challenges. Listen to her episode to find out the silver linings of kicking off a career in uncertain times. Alyssa Robinson is Deputy CISO at HubSpot and has had security leadership roles at several organi...

We recently received more than 4,000 resumes for a job listing for an entry-level security position. How does this number make sense considering the cybersecurity skills gap? Gene shares his thoughts in this short episode.