CyberWire Daily Michael Scott: A team of humble intellects. [Information security] [Career Notes]
Jan 4, 2026
Michael Scott, the Chief Information Security Officer at Immuta, shares his journey from the Navy to leading security for major restaurant brands like Arby's and Wendy's. He highlights the value of building teams of 'humble intellects,' emphasizing a culture focused on outcomes. Michael discusses the challenges of PCI compliance and cloud security, reflecting on how adversity shapes the security landscape. His advice for aspiring technologists centers on understanding business needs and fostering curiosity, aiming to enable and mentor within the industry.
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From Navy Tech To Security Leader
- Michael Scott describes starting in the Navy and moving through an ISP, a startup, and multiple corporate security roles.
- Those career moves gave him hands-on experience in networking, scaling security, and building programs from scratch.
Building PCI And Operational Stability
- At Arby's/Wendy's Michael built a PCI program and focused equally on operational uptime and security.
- His approach simplified architecture and produced a repeatable compliance program while improving restaurant security.
Certifications Drive Trust During Growth
- Growth and enterprise customers drove Immuta to prioritize cloud security and privacy certifications.
- Pursuing ISO and new privacy work builds customer trust as the SaaS platform scales.