From Crisis to Confidence: CISO Insights from the Front Lines at CISOMeet LA

Insights from the Front Lines at CISOMeet LA - In today’s fast-moving threat landscape, the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is evolving just as rapidly as the technologies they protect. At the recent CISOMeet LA event, CISO leaders came together for a refreshingly candid conversation about the challenges, decisions, and leadership strategies behind the title.

Hosted by Arash—a sports broadcaster turned tech panel host—the discussion focused on making complex cybersecurity topics accessible and human. Arash brought a storytelling lens to the panel, prompting deep insight from David, a seasoned CISO with both military and enterprise experience.

Insights from the Front Lines at CISOMeet LA

The CISO Role: Then vs. Now

“If you asked what the role of the CISO was five years ago, you’d get a completely different answer than today,” said David. In the past, security leadership might’ve meant managing passwords and fixing printers. Today, it means anticipating zero-day attacks, mitigating risk in AI systems, and sometimes, making the tough call to shut down critical infrastructure in the name of defense.

But what’s consistent, David pointed out, is the principle: "Implement good cyber hygiene, and you mitigate 80% of threats." That includes patch management, boundary control, and internal education—foundations that are surprisingly timeless despite the pace of technological change.

Real-World Attacks and Lessons in Leadership

David shared powerful stories from the trenches, including a weekend-long emergency response to the NotPetya attack in 2017. His team had just hours to assess vulnerabilities and respond. The takeaway? “Sometimes leadership means making the hard call fast—even before everyone else sees the threat.”

In another instance, he took a critical 24/7 service offline without higher approval, after discovering a zero-day vulnerability. While the service was supposed to be always-on, David made the judgment call, and his boss backed him. “That kind of trust doesn’t happen overnight—it comes from years of transparency and building relationships.”

Gaining Buy-In Across the Business

At the heart of David’s success was his philosophy on CISO networking within the company itself.

“Being a CISO doesn’t mean you have power. It means you need trust,” he emphasized. By embedding himself into cross-functional teams, making his presence felt, and explaining the why behind every decision, he became more than a gatekeeper—he became a collaborator.

It’s a lesson more CISOs are embracing today: security isn’t a silo. It’s part of the business strategy.

Why CISO Meet Ups Matter

Panels like this at CISO Meet Ups are essential—not just to share war stories, but to foster the kind of open, strategic conversation that too often gets lost in technical jargon. From AI threats to risk frameworks, the takeaways from events like CISOMeet LA extend far beyond the room.

As David said, “You're not always going to get a rational answer, but if you’ve done the work, built the relationships, and explained the ‘why,’ you’ll get the support when it matters most.”

Ready to expand your cybersecurity mindset? Attend a CISO Meet near you and gain perspective from the leaders who are protecting tomorrow’s digital world.