Security Newsletter March 18, 2021

Hello Security Community Members, I am so happy to be writing this letter and looking ahead to a much brighter 2021 and a year full of promise and building out of the Security Community. And we will be kicking off with our annual law enforcement session, followed by the re-launch of our security bootcamp, starting with So You Want to Be a CISO. We've also been continuing along with our efforts to deliver thought leadership, security-focused content, and value through a number of ways beyond just events. In this issue we have pieces on changing the face of the cybersecurity workforce, New York's SHIELD Act, as well as highlighting MassTLC's DEI Intiatives.   I want to take this time to welcome our newest Security Community Co-Chairs: Ben Fischer, Principal Product Marketing Mgr, Security at Red Hat and  Leslie Nielsen, CISO at Nuance Communications. They join Debby Briggs, CISO of Netscout; Kevin O'Brien, CEO and Co-Founder of GreatHorn; and Kathy Teehan, Senior Program Manager of Chewy. I also want to thank Marc French, CISO and Managing Director of Product Security Group. After six years of serving at Security Community Co-Chair, Marc is stepping down to focus on his very successful business. But he's promised to stay involved so he won't be far! Hope to see you all in person soon! Best regards,

Sara Fraim Sr. Director MassTLC Email

Stay Informed and Get Involved

Working with Law Enforement, Scott McGaunn, Special Agent, FBI - Boston: As security professionals in the tech sector you will very likey interact with law enforcement. Each year, we feature a special program with a member of our local law enforcement to share insights on the latest cyber issues they are paying attention to and answer any questions you have on when, how, and why you would need to contact them. More information here. So You Want to be a CISO: What is the exact role of a CISO? And how do you know if this is the right path for you? Whether you are going to be leading an entire organization's security program or a piece of it, this is an important overview of what to expect and where to focus. Register here.   Fighting a Socially Engineered Attack: A fireside chat featuring the Global Head of Security and the Head of Cybersecurity Operations at Sanofi and Vectra’s CEO for insights into a socially engineered attack Sanofi experienced late last year. Listen here.

Industry News and Resources

The Changing Face of Cybersecurity. More and more women have joined the cybersecurity field and have found a seat at the table. Where in the past men have largely outnumbered women on security teams, the industry is now beginning to see more balance. With this change, the focus has shifted from being one of a strictly “male-dominated field” to a more inclusive attitude towards women in technology. Read more.  3 Guideposts for Organizational Security. Security and Technology Leaders need to measure success, but too often the exercise focuses more on the absence of failure than the presence of success, with security being defined by what it isn’t—it isn’t being breached, it isn’t being fined or isn’t being compliant, it isn’t being “vulnerable”. Read more. What New York Businesses Need to Know About the SHIELD Act. The New York “Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data” Act went into effect in 2020 and requires businesses to implement safeguards against the misuse or theft of private consumer information. Read more. 20 Years of Cyberthreats that Shaped Information Security. Information Security became a bona fide industry and professional discipline at the beginning of the current millennium. In a new report, Cyberthreats: a 20-year retrospective, we present a timeline of key threats and events from the past 20 years that have had the greatest influence on the security landscape. Read more and access the reports.

DEI Initiatives and Offerings

DEI Business Strategy Leadership Program: This case-study focused workshop, featuring Harvard Business School faculty members and industry executives, will provide you with the analytics and tools needed to identify and evaluate DEI strategic opportunities and to develop an action plan that enables you to make the systemic change needed to drive business value and impact, including to your bottom-line performance. More information and register here.  Board-Ready Bootcamp. This award-winning program is designed to improve the quality of board governance and composition at tech companies by providing a high-impact curriculum on board fundamentals, strategy and governance. Given the lack of diversity in the tech boardroom, the bootcamp is focused on preparing underrepresented tech leaders, including Black, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and women tech executives. Learn more and apply here. MassTalent. This is a platform designed for organizations that provide training, placement, and funding for pipeline and workforce development. The organizations and programs listed here have a core mission of helping those in underrepresented or non-traditional populations move into the tech industry. Learn more about MassTalent here.

Thank You to Our Co-Chairs

Deb Briggs Chief Security Officer NetScout Systems

Ben Fischer Principal Product Marketing Mgr, Security Red Hat

Leslie Nielsen CISO Nuance Communications

Kevin O'Brien CEO & Co-Founder GreatHorn

Kathy Teehan Senior Program Manager Chewy

Thank You to Our Community Sponsors

Thank You to Our Global Sponsors