Summary: In this episode, Gene Fay interviews Jeff Hudesman, CISO at Pinwheel, about his career in cybersecurity. Jeff shares his journey from starting as an intern at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to working at Sony and eventually joining Pinwheel. He discusses the differences between working in large companies like Sony and startups, hig…

Omer Cohen CISO of Descope shares his career story, highlights include: Joy in the constant variety of work in incident response Benefits of a mature approach to cybersecurity as a start-up Seeing his work in cybersecurity result in a real-world impact and the arrest and prosecution of cybercriminals B-Sides and the fun of small in person meet-ups…

Cybersecurity recruiter Kyle McIntyre offers unique guidance based on his work as a retained search specialist working with hiring managers (VPs & C-Levels) in the cybersecurity industry in this episode. He and Gene discuss: How to conduct preliminary research on potential employers and career paths How to reverse engineer desirable backgrounds to …

In this episode, Gene Fay interviews Tom Heiser about his journey and shares tenets for managing oneself. The conversation covers topics such as execution, accountability, expressing passion, doing the best job possible, getting outside one's comfort zone, and focusing on what one can control. Takeaways Execution is key to success. Just do it. Acco…

Neil Bahadur, Head of Product in Cybersecurity at Wells Fargo, developed a unique and valuable perspective by switching from security to business development and back to security. In this episode, he and Gene discuss that transition and what he learned from it. They also discuss cybersecurity trends those new to the industry should be aware of, and…

One of the most important parts of being a cybersecurity professional is knowing how to ask the right questions, says CISO Aaron Katz. Aaron started his career as a consultant, and says that's where he honed his question skills. He thinks all aspiring cybersecurity pros should start out with consulting gigs – you learn the business side and what qu…

Ed Giles runs cybersecurity seminars for seniors, and wants to spread the word that it's a great way to both get your CPEs and give back to your community. Ed and Gene talk about those seminars, plus Ed's journey from English major to cybersecurity professional, the importance of thinking about security as a business enabler, and more. Ed Giles on …

How is AI going to change entry-level cybersecurity jobs? Gene and AgileBlue president Tony Pietrocola discuss in this episode. They also talk about: Tony's career and what AgileBlue does How AI will affect both cybersecurity and cybercrime What he's looking for in interns Tony Pietrocola on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonypietrocola/ Agi…

Want to start a career as a pen tester? Phillip Wylie literally wrote the book on the topic. Gene and Phillip, co-author of The Pentester Blueprint: Starting a Career as an Ethical Hacker and host of the Phillip Wylie Show, have a wide-ranging and advice-filled conversation on: His career journey and his podcast Starting a pen testing career Colleg…

Kimberly Anstett has had a C-level cybersecurity position for about a decade. She's seen the CIO role transform, and shares her thoughts on that transformation in this episode. She and Gene discuss her journey to CIO, how to inspire the next generation to embrace STEM careers, what she's looking for when hiring, and more. Kimberly Anstett on Linked…

Why should you work in cybersecurity? Because two things that aren't going away are tech and crime, says BlackBerry VP of Product Security Operations Christine Gadsby. Christine and Gene talk about her journey from working in IT out of necessity to cybersecurity VP, how to reskill into cybersecurity, the Leadership Bench Program she developed at Bl…

Jim Moran has had a long and varied cybersecurity career, and offers some fantastic advice for those just starting out. He and Gene talk about cybersecurity careers, what he's looking for in entry-level candidates, how to find the best career path for you, and more. Jim Moran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-moran-0b112925/…

Diana Kelley feels strongly that community plays a critical role in all careers, but especially cybersecurity. She explains why in this episode. She and Gene also talk about increasing the number of females in cybersecurity, what she looks for in entry level candidates, and more. Diana Kelley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianakelleysecu…

We talk a lot on this podcast about how to advance to the executive level within the cybersecurity field. But what if the C-level is not for you? John Hammond is a security practitioner at heart and wants to stay that way. He shares his thoughts on building a practitioner career in this episode. He and Gene also talk about his experience working fo…

Want to make the transition from help desk to cybersecurity? Jeff Farinich has helped others make that transition and he shares his advice in this episode. He and Gene also talk about the types of cybersecurity roles, what he looks for in entry level candidates, and more. Jeff Farinich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefffarinich/…

MK Palmore has had a long and fascinating career -- from the military to the FBI to cybersecurity executive at Google. Don't miss his story. He's also a Vice President of Cyversity and has great insights and ideas about bringing more diversity to the cybersecurity field. This is an important and valuable conversation for anyone looking to get into …

Interested in behavioral science? The training and awareness side of cybersecurity might be for you – and you should hear Masha Sedova’s story. She offers a fascinating look at the human attack surface – which presents a whole new set of challenges – and they aren’t all technical. She has built a career on solving these challenges, and she sheds li…

In this special episode, Gene encourages listeners to spread the word about the so-called "Phantom Hacker" scams targeting the elderly. The FBI recently published an alert about these popular scams that attempt to convince senior citizens that their money is unsafe and they need to move it. Gene outlines how the scam works, and how to protect the e…

Cybersecurity is intimidating says Check Point CISO Cindi Carter. But she also says it shouldn’t be. Cindi and Gene talk about how to make cybersecurity more accessible in this episode of the eXecutive Security podcast. They also talk about community involvement, networking, and the advice she gives her mentees. Cindi Carter on LinkedIn: https://ww…

Most of us don't approach mentoring with the right mindset, says Amanda Fennell of Prove. Thinking of it as "sponsoring" rather than "mentoring" would be a step in the right direction. Gene and Amanda talk about this mindset shift, plus her work at Prove, her work teaching cybersecurity at Tulane, why one of her best security analysts picked up val…

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 tr…

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 …

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…

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 look…

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'…

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 ent…

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 Schu…

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/daneejo…

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 be…

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/By Gene Fay

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…

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 …

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…

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 …

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 …

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 motiv…

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 …

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 valuabl…

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 demonstrat…

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 f…

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. R…

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/By Gene Fay

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…

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 h…

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.By Gene Fay

Etan Basseri is a product manager on Microsoft's Identity Security team, working to prevent and detect identity compromise. During the course of his career, he’s held a range of roles across law, business development, consulting and product, so he frequently advises and mentors others on their career development. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/…

New to RSA? Gene offers a few quick tips and some advice on navigating this massive cybersecurity conference for the first time.By Gene Fay

Neil is currently ThreatX’s SOC manager and has 15 years of experience in roles from user support to leading security programs. He has expertise in security architecture and cybersecurity best practices and is an active member of the security community. He has delivered lectures at DEF CON, OWASP, and local security meetups. Neil also acts as an ad…

Edward Amoroso is the founder and CEO of Tag InfoSphere. He also teaches courses on cybersecurity at NYU and the Stevens Institute of Technology. Previously, he was the CISO of AT&T for many years. Tag Cyber: https://www.tag-cyber.com Cybrary: https://www.cybrary.it SANS: https://www.sans.org Coursera: https://www.coursera.org Edward Amoroso Linked…

The SVP of Business Development and Strategic Alliances at Rapid7, Julian Waits has had a long and impressive career in the cybersecurity industry. He has held positions from software developer to field systems engineer, M&A director, Sales VP, and CEO. Cyversity: https://www.cyversity.or ISAC: https://www.it-isac.org SANS: https://www.sans.org Jul…