The Future of Security Operations

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Matt Muller, Field CISO at Tines. With over a decade of experience at companies like Material Security, Coinbase, and Inflection, Matt’s got a strong track record of scaling SecOps teams, building threat detection and mitigation programs, and driving trust and safety initiatives. His knowledge impressed Thomas and the Tines team so much that they invited him to become the company's first Field CISO. In this episode: [02:41] The origins of Matt’s insatiable appetite for all things security [04:05] Matt's path from business degree to Director of Trust at Inflection [07:07] Scaling Coinbase’s security team from 3 to 50 [08:41] Addressing security’s long-standing communication problem [10:55] Why “failure wasn’t an option” when managing risk at Coinbase [14:14] What led Matt to a product role on Material Security’s phishing protection team [17:31] Building what customers ask for vs. actually solving their problems [21:14] How Matt stays up to date with industry developments [22:35] Matt’s favorite use cases for security automation [25:25] Matt’s go-to automation best practices [27:33] Cutting through AI hype to drive meaningful adoption [30:32] How Matt keeps himself honest as a Field CISO [32:21] Why the traditional SOC is broken - and what needs to change [35:30] The role of diverse hiring in building a resilient security strategy [39:00] What security teams will look like in 2030 [41:35] How CISOs are evolving to become chief risk advisors to the business [43:30] Connect with Matt Where to find Matt: LinkedIn Building SecOps newsletter Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Blue Team Con Material Security's Ryan Noon on the Future of Security Operations podcast

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Travis Howerton, Co-founder and CEO of RegScale. Travis began his security career with roles at government and regulated organizations, including the National Nuclear Security Administration and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, before being inspired by inefficiencies in compliance processes to co-found RegScale. As CEO of RegScale, he oversees their Continuous Controls Monitoring platform, which enables rapid GRC outcomes for organizations like Wiz, Keybank, and the US Department of Energy. In this episode: [02:15] How an interest in computer science led Travis to pursue a career in security [03:20] Working in “the Major Leagues of cyber” at the National Nuclear Security Administration [06:20] Moving fast in highly-regulated environments [07:10] Securing the world’s fastest supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory [10:30] Supporting digital transformation at enormous scale at Bechtel Corp [15:15] How outdated compliance processes inspired Travis to co-found RegScale [18:15] How RegScale acquired its first high-profile clients through "hustle and luck" [19:20] The challenges of building the first version of RegScale [21:15] Taking the pain out of compliance [23:20] The biggest GRC roadblocks teams are facing right now [25:10] Practical advice for moving the needle on your automation program [27:33] Eliminating redundancy and inefficiency in federal compliance programs [32:30] What’s next for RegScale [33:45] The best applications of AI (and which decisions should "never" be made AI) [35:45] Navigating regulatory uncertainty when it affects your whole business model [38:40] What SecOps and compliance teams might look like in the future [40:20] What the best compliance teams do to build rapport with security, IT and other business functions [43:30] Why AI adoption is a risk-based conversation every organization should be having with their CISO [46:00] Connect with Travis Where to find Travis Howerton: LinkedIn RegScale Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: The CISO Society 2025 State of Continuous Control Monitoring Report

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Raymond Schippers. With 15 years of experience leading detection and response teams, Raymond is a seasoned security leader with high-impact roles at Check Point and Canva under his belt. He recently became co-founder of Huntabil.IT, a Melbourne-based company providing organizations with tailored advisory services to align with their unique threat landscapes and business goals. In this episode: [02:27] Landing his first security internship at Siemens as a teenager [03:18] Reflecting on some state-sponsored attacks he encountered while working IR at Check Point [04:45] Working with government partners to attribute and dismantle APTs [08:10] The challenges of remediating threats for anonymized customers [09:30] What inspired Raymond’s move from Check Point to Canva [10:35] Building Canva’s blue team during the company’s phase of hypergrowth [12:40] Rethinking the interview process to prioritize diversity in hiring [18:02] Proven strategies for reducing burnout and alert fatigue in IR [21:09] How Raymond's team used automation to scale security operations at Canva [23:16] The state of AI in security - and its most effective use cases [28:53] What inspired Raymond to found Huntabil.IT [31:09] Raymond’s approach to working with non-profit organizations [39:15] The under-reported threats that could reshape the future of SecOps [44:06] Anticipating the biggest challenges security teams will face over the next five years [46:42] Connect with Raymond Where to find Raymond Schippers: LinkedIn Huntabil.IT Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Cyber Threat Alliance Raymond's talk on avoiding team burnout at BSides Perth

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Dane VandenBerg. Dane’s 16-year security career includes product-focused roles with vendors like Qintel and more recently, Microsoft, where he was Principal Technical Specialist supporting the development of their security copilot. He’s also spent a lot of time in fintech, serving as Vice President of Information Security at Prime Trust and, currently, Senior Director of Security Operations at Circle. In this episode: [02:05] How Dane went from researching women’s health and animal cloning to public relations to security [06:25] Why security teams are still fighting the same battles they were 15 years ago [09:24] How Dane’s vendor-side threat intel work shapes his thinking as a SecOps leader [12:00] What’s working - and what’s not - about how companies approach threat intelligence today [12:51] Why threat intel should be an in-house function, not just a reporting feed [15:30] What motivated Dane to move into the finance and crypto industry [19:30] How parenthood reshaped the way Dane thinks about risk [22:50] Tips for encouraging employees to report their security concerns [26:00] What a great security-vendor customer experience look like - and what too many vendors get wrong [29:10] The security tools and solutions Dane is most excited about right now [32:45] Balancing the hype and potential of security copilots [38:30] What cyberattacks might look like five years from now [41:30] Connect with Dane Where to find Dane: LinkedIn Circle Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Josh Lemos, CISO at GitLab. Throughout his 15-year career in security, Josh has led teams at ServiceNow, Cylance, and Square. Known for his expertise in AI-driven security strategies, Josh is also a board member with HiddenLayer. He drives innovation at GitLab with a relentless focus on offensive security, identity management, and automation. In this episode: [02:05] His early career path from mechanic to electrical engineer to security leader [03:35] Josh’s philosophy on hiring and mentoring, plus his tips for creating networking opportunities [05:30] How he applies technical foundations from his practitioner days to his work as CISO [07:40] Building product security at ServiceNow from the ground up [10:40] “Down and in” versus “up and out” - adopting a new leadership style as CISO at Square [12:17] Josh’s experience as an early AI and security researcher at Cylance [16:15] What’s surprised Josh most about the evolution of AI [18:50] Why Josh calls today’s models “AI version 1.0” - and what he thinks it will take to upgrade to version 2.0 [22:45] The LLM security threats Josh is most worried about, as a board member with Hidden Layer [26:30] “Expressing exponential value” - what excited Josh most about becoming CISO at GitLab [27:45] Why GitLab prioritizes “intentional transparency” [32:45] How GitLab automates and orchestrates its Tier 1 and Tier 2 security processes [34:10] How GitLab’s security team uses GitLab internally [37:35] The secret to recruiting, hiring, and managing a remote, global team [39:45] The importance of in-person collaboration for building trust and connection [41:45] Downsizing, bootstrapping, and problem-solving: Josh’s predictions for the future of SecOps [46:10] Connect with Josh Where to find Josh: LinkedIn GitLab Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: GitLab's Security Handbook GitLab’s GUARD Framework Netskope's security blog Jobs at GitLab Haroon Meer

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Mark Hillick, CISO at Brex. Mark’s experience in the security industry spans more than two decades. He started out as a security engineer at Allied Irish Banks before advancing through companies like MongoDB to become Director and Head of Security at Riot Games. His book, The Security Path, features over 70 interviews with security professionals on their career journeys. In this episode: [02:06] His early career journey - from a mathematics background to building early online banking systems [03:32] What’s kept Mark excited about security for over two decades [04:40] The compound benefits of growing within a company over time [07:20] Mark’s leadership style - defined by transparency, directness, and genuine care for his teammates [12:45] Communicating the business trade-off between risk and return [16:45] Reflecting on the team’s response to major incidents at Riot Games [21:00] The unique challenges of securing gaming platforms [26:30] How Mark approaches strategy and planning in the fintech space [28:08] The case for building strong, partnership-driven vendor relationships [31:13] Creating space for creativity - without spreading the team too thin [34:35] Empowering his team to speak openly - even if it means calling him out [36:35] The inspiration behind Mark’s books Digital Safety for Parents and The Security Path [40:20] Connect with Mark Where to find Mark: LinkedIn Brex Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: The Security Path - click here to redeem a free copy for podcast listeners (first come, first serve) Digital Safety for Parents - click here to redeem a free copy for podcast listeners (first come, first serve) Mark's talk during his time at Riot Games in 2016

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Mollie Chard. Mollie’s career spans 10+ years in technical SOC and leadership roles at organizations like the UK’s Met Office, Capgemini, and OVO. She’s recently accepted a new role as Head of Cyber Guidance & Monitoring at Ofgem, the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. A passionate advocate for diversity, she’s also the Chief Advisor for Women in Cybersecurity UK and Ireland. In this episode: [02:00] Mollie’s journey from arts graduate to security leader [04:00] Her previous role developing emerging security talent for CIS UK [05:00] Tips and techniques for hiring diverse talent [11:20] The problem with management being the default career path [15:25] The biggest tech mistake that budget-strapped companies make [19:23] Solving unique systems and operational technology challenges in the energy sector [21:30] The ethical considerations and impact of AI for security and other industries [27:30] Making space in boardroom discussions for diversity and how it can enhance resilience [32:00] How to stay aligned when working with remote or dispersed team [35:00] What Mollie thinks cybersecurity will look like in five years [37:00] AI as a threat to human cognitive abilities within and beyond security [42:40] Connect with Mollie The Future of Security Operations is brought to you by Tines, the orchestration, automation, and AI platform that powers some of the world’s most important workflows.  Where to find Mollie: LinkedIn Medium Substack Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Capslock Bootcamp UK Department for Work and Pensions's Disability Confident employer scheme More career growth tips from Mollie on the Trident Talks podcast

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Joe McCallister. Joe’s journey in security is truly unique - in less than a decade, he pivoted from selling BMWs to his current role as Senior Manager of Cybersecurity Operations at The Trade Desk. He’s also led impactful initiatives in risk management, threat hunting, and incident response at Synoptek. In this episode: [02:18] Transitioning from selling BMWs to leading a security team [06:14] Moving from practitioner to manager and leaning into the role of the "communications guy" [09:52] Balancing security team priorities with company goals [11:40] The threats that keep Joe up at night [14:06] How The Trade Desk's rapid growth has affected day-to-day operations [16:10] Ensuring security stays top of mind for other business units [19:32] Practical tips for strengthening collaboration with IT and other teams [22:13] Joe’s approach to hiring and building a resilient team [26:30] Enabling his incident response team to thrive, even when he's not there [30:58] Joe’s top three leadership principles [33:22] Tips for salary negotiation, both as a practitioner and a manager [39:58] Navigating imposter syndrome and anxiety [42:37] How AI is fueling Joe’s optimism for the future of SecOps [44:29] Connect with Joe The Future of Security Operations is brought to you by Tines, the orchestration, automation, and AI platform that powers some of the world’s most important workflows.  Where to find Joe: LinkedIn Rocky Mountain Information Security Conference (May 28 - 30, 2025) Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Colorado=Security Annual Salary Surveys & Resources

The Future of Security Operations podcast is back for a sixth season, and, to kick it off, Thomas is joined by Christofer Hoff. Christofer has over 30 years of experience in network and information security architecture, development, engineering, operations, and management, including security leadership roles at Bank of America, Citadel, and Juniper Networks. He’s currently Chief Secure Technology Officer at LastPass, a unique role that combines the duties of CSO and CTO, while also serving on the board at FIDO Alliance. In this episode: [02:00] How blogging landed Christofer his first couple of jobs in security [06:50] Taking a more holistic approach to security through collaboration [09:40] Rebuilding LastPass's security org from scratch [12:03] Reflecting on incidents - what LastPass did right [16:12] Communicating with customers and the broader community during incidents [20:15] Navigating tech debt as a security leader [23:55] The biggest challenges AI has produced for his team [25:16] How LastPass uses an AI working group for decision-making [29:00] The evolving challenges of browser security [35:05] Passkeys, passwords and the future of secure authentication [41:40] Tips on hiring and structuring effective security teams [46:47] How LastPass creates efficiency through automation [50:38] The biggest changes he'd like to see in security [54:44] Connect with Chris The Future of Security Operations is brought to you by Tines, the orchestration, automation, and AI platform that powers some of the world’s most important workflows. Where to find Christofer Hoff: LinkedIn Chris's Rational Survivability blog Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Chris on Google’s Cloud Security Podcast LastPass Security Incident Summary

In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Brent Deterding. Brent has over 25 years of experience in security, both on the vendor side and now as a security leader. He spent a big part of his career with cloud-native security analytics platform SecureWorks, and he’s currently the CISO of Afni, a global provider of contact center solutions in the U.S., Philippines, and Mexico. Brent and Thomas discuss: - His unconventional path to becoming a CISO - Building a security team with zero attrition - Removing the burden of stress in incident response - Strategies for risk prioritization - Facing off against cybercriminal group Scattered Spider - Why prioritization and leadership are among security's biggest challenges - Being dubbed "the happy CISO" after reporting high levels of job satisfaction - Brent's four security non-negotiables - The right way to approach CISOs as a security vendor - Measuring success when you're metrics-averse - What the SOC will - and should - look like in five years The Future of Security Operations is brought to you by Tines, the smart, secure workflow builder that powers some of the world’s most important workflows. https://www.tines.com/solutions/security Where to find Brent Deterding: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-deterding/ Afni: https://www.afni.com/ Where to find Thomas Kinsella:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kinsella/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thomasksec Tines: https://www.tines.com/ Resources mentioned: How to connect with me as a vendor by Brent Deterding on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7146566282128076800/ In this episode: [01:56] Brent's unconventional path to becoming a CISO [04:10] Finding the right fit at Afni [06:09] Separating his identity from his job and removing the burden of stress [10:22] Why Brent sees risk prioritization and leadership as security's biggest challenges [13:02] Brent's first steps as CISO at Afni including deploying MFA across 10,000 employees [16:29] Going up against threat group Scattered Spider [17:43] Brent's custom risk frameworks [23:03] Measuring success as someone who's metrics-averse [26:19] How Brent developed his unique leadership style [29:13] Supporting his team to do their best work [31:55] Brent's tips for security vendors [36:07] Using AI for resilience and protection [39:20] What security could and should look like in five years [42:53] Connect with Brent