CISO Tradecraft®

On this episode of CISO Tradecraft, we feature Allan Alford from The Cyber Ranch Podcast.  Allan brings a wealth of knowledge as a CISO and shares the three things every CISO needs to bring to the table: Use a Cyber Maturity Model such as CMMI to identify the current situation and build a roadmap of where the organization is headed  Quantify Known Risks through a Risk Register which gets routinely briefed to Executives Align Cyber to Business Objectives to enable the business If you enjoy listening to Allan Alford, then please subscribe to The Cyber Ranch Podcast for more great content. Infographic:

As a cyber executive you should expect disaster and disruption.  When these unfortunate events occur, you can protect the business by maintaining critical business functions, ensuring employees are able to access an alternate work facility, and providing vital records to perform business functions. The secret to accomplishing these objectives can be found in three important documents.  Those being a Business Continuity Plan, Disaster Recovery Plan, & a Business Impact Analysis.  Enjoy the show as we walk you through them. FEMA BCP Example https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/COOP-Template-Business-Continuity.pdf IBM Disaster Recovery Plan https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.1?topic=system-example-disaster-recovery-plan Fire Drills https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_drill Business Impact Analysis https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/business-impact-analysis-worksheet.pdf Infographic:

On this episode,  we talk about the four types of skills you need to demonstrate in your career to climb through the ranks: (Technical Skills, Management Skills, Leadership Skills, & Political Skills) We also highlight 6 crucial areas to improve your political skills Social Astuteness - You need to get your cues right.  Socially astute managers are well-versed in social interaction.  In social settings they accurately assess their own behavior as well as that of others.  Their strong powers of discernment and high self-awareness contribute to their political effectiveness. Interpersonal Influence - Managers who are effective influencers have good rapport with others and build strong interpersonal relationships.  They also tend to have a better understanding of broader situations and better judgment about when to assert themselves. Networking Ability - Skilled networkers build friendships and working relationships by garnering support, negotiating, and managing conflict.  They know when to call on others and are seen as willing to reciprocate. Apparent Sincerity - Be sincere.  Politically skilled individuals display high levels of integrity, authenticity, sincerity, and genuineness.  They really are--and also are viewed as--honest, open, and forthright, inspiring trust and confidence. Think before you speak - Politically skilled managers are careful about expressing feelings.  They think about the timing and presentation of what they have to say. Manage up and down - Leaders need to skillfully manage up by communicating with their bosses and keeping higher-ups informed.  But this can become a double-edged sword; research shows that the people who are most skilled at managing up tend not to invest enough energy in building and leading their teams.  True political skill involves relationships with teammates and direct reports as well as higher-ups. References: https://www.ckju.net/en/blog/6-behaviors-characterize-politically-skilled-individuals-organizations-how-learn-them/32148 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Tate:_Office_Linebacker https://hbr.org/2017/04/the-4-types-of-organizational-politics https://www.forbes.com/2010/05/25/office-politics-psychology-leadership-managing-ccl.html Ferris, G. R., Davidson, S. L., & Perrewe, P. L. (2005). Political skill at work: impact on work effectiveness. Mountain View, Calif. : Davies-Black Pub Ferris, G. R., Treadway, D. C., Kolodinsky, R. W., Hochwarter, W. A., Kacmar, C. J., Douglas, C., & Frink, D. D. (2005). Development and Validation of the Political Skill Inventory. Journal of Management, 31(1), 126-152. doi: 10.1177/0149206304271386 Ferris, G. R., Berkson, H. M., Kaplan, D. M., Gilmore, D. C., Buckley, M. R., Hochwarter, W. A., et al. 1999. Development and initial validation of the political skill inventory. Paper presented at the 59th annual national meeting of the Academy of Management, Chicago. Infographic: 

On this episode of CISO Tradecraft, we discuss how to give a great presentation.   Starting with the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) Using pictures to Capture Attention Asking Thought Provoking Questions Succinct Points to tell a story Decision slides that show The problem The proposed solution Cost to implement solution Why alternatives are not as good Next Steps after decision is made We also discuss the Angels Cocktail which is a concept taken from a Ted Talk by JP Phillips Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates focus, motivation, and memory.  If you want to use this chemical, then tell a story that has obstacles to build suspense and create cliffhangers  Oxytocin is the hormone associated with generosity, trust, and bonding.  If you want to use this chemical,  tell a story that creates empathy or makes you vulnerable.  You can make the story more impactful by using the concept of delaying resolution of the story. Endorphins are the last hormone which are associated with making people creative, relaxed, and focused.  If you want to use this chemical try making others laugh.  One way to do this is by being overly dramatic.   References https://www.verywellmind.com/glossophobia-2671860 https://hbr.org/2019/09/to-overcome-your-fear-of-public-speaking-stop-thinking-about-yourself https://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation https://www.cnbc.com/id/100646197 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj-hdQMa3uA https://www.resourcefulmanager.com/storytelling-as-a-leadership-tool/ https://hbr.org/2014/07/how-to-tell-a-great-story Infographic:

One of the most common questions that we get asked on CISO Tradecraft is what do I need to learn to be a good CISO?  After a lot of reflection, CISO Tradecraft put together a Top 10 List of CISO knowledge domains that we believe are the core skills which produce really good CISOs.  This episode is a continuation from the previous episode and will go over the 6th -10th knowledge areas. Product Security focuses on ensuring developers write secure code Defensive Technologies focuses on creating multiple layers of defenses in an organization to protect against a multitude of attacks Detection & Response Capabilities is about creating mechanisms to identify how attackers might circumvent your organization’s defensive technologies Laws, Regulations, & Oversight is about ensuring compliance with appropriate laws and regulations Enabling Technologies is about enabling businesses to create digital transformation Risk Management is about effectively identifying what are the biggest risks to the company, what's the likelihood and magnitude of a potential attack, and how to estimate the cost of remediation Governance is about understanding what technology your organization uses so you can effectively manage it through a process Identity & Access Management is about limiting the scope of an attacker who could cause harm to your organization Business Management & Leadership is an essential skill for executives to lead and influence others Security Culture is about building an organization where the entire company becomes resilient https://github.com/cisotradecraft/podcast Infographic:

One of the most common questions that we get asked on CISO Tradecraft is what do I need to learn to be a good CISO?  After a lot of reflection, CISO Tradecraft has put together a Top 10 List of CISO knowledge domains that we believe are the core skills which produce really good CISOs.  This episode will go over just the first 5 knowledge areas with the remaining five on a future episode. Product Security focuses on ensuring developers write secure code Defensive Technologies focuses on creating multiple layers of defenses in an organization to protect against a multitude of attacks Detection & Response Capabilities is about creating mechanisms to identify how attackers might circumvent your organization’s defensive technologies Laws, Regulations, & Oversight is about ensuring compliance with appropriate laws and regulations Enabling Technologies is about enabling businesses to create digital transformation https://github.com/cisotradecraft/podcast

After bad actors gain an initial foothold into an organization, they often use active directory attacks to gain administrative privileges.  On this episode of CISO Tradecraft, we discuss Active Directory.  You can learn what it is, how it works, common attacks used against it, and ways you can secure it.   References: Stealthbits Active Directory Attacks Wikipedia Active Directory Wikipedia Directory Service Wired Story on Not Petya CIS Hardened Images MS Domain Services  Mimikatz Kerberos Indeed Active Directory Job Listing Infographics:

You just got the news that the Cyber Organization is going to be audited.  Do you know what an audit is, how best to prepare for it, and how to respond to audit findings?  On this episode of CISO Tradecraft, we help you understand key auditing concepts such as: Audit Subject Audit Objective Vulnerability Threat Risk & Impact Audit Scope with Goals & Objectives Audit Plan Audit Response

Have you ever heard someone say our firewalls block this type of attack?  In this episode, you can increase your understanding of firewalls so it won’t just be another buzzword.  6 Basic categories of firewalls that we discuss on the show include:   Packet Filters focus on IP and port blocking  Stateful Inspection Firewall looks at active connections and consider context Network Address Translation Firewalls tools that allow private networks to connect to public ones and create secure enclaves Proxy Servers classify web traffic into topics that might be allowed or not allowed Web Application Firewalls block Web Application Attacks (SQL Injection,Cross Site Scripting, …) Next Generation Firewalls that try to do everything. References - sitereview.bluecoat.com Infographics:

On this episode of CISO Tradecraft you can learn all about Software Agents.  Specifically we discuss: What does an Agent do, Why is an Agent helpful, and the 7 common types of Software Agents you would expect to find in large IT organizations.  Also, if you stick to the end you can also learn about Secret Agents (ie Agentless).   7 Common Software Agents are: Endpoint Configuration Agents - Tools like Microsoft Endpoint Manager or SCCM Mobile Device Managers - Tools like Microsoft Intune or Google Endpoint Management Vulnerability Agents - Tools like Qualys or Nessus Antivirus Agents - Tools like McAfee or Symantec Endpoint Detection & Response Agents - Tools like Crowdstrike or Carbon Black Data Loss Prevention Agents - Tools like Forcepoint or GTB Technologies Privilege Access Management Agents - Tools like BeyondTrust or CyberArk