2024-04-20 –, Track 1
Panel Discussion: Insider Threats remain one of the largest existential threats to companies and organizations. According to IDWatchdog, 60% of data breaches in companies are caused by insider threats. While much of the focus on mitigating threats is largely based in technological solutions, this panel will discuss the value of positively shaping corporate culture and the role that plays in tandem with or sometimes in place of technological solutions, many of which can be costly and raise privacy concerns for employees. How do corporate leaders find the balance? How do security leaders advocate for non-security related changes which may fall more in line with HR initiatives? We’ve assembled a panel with experience building insider threat programs at some of the most exciting companies in the world, as well as experience in the US intelligence community and in academia.
Dr. Stacy Thayer is the host of the CyberPsychology podcast and a respected academic who’s also spent time in the private sector cyber community. She is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Hilltop Technologies LLC and an adjunct professor at William Jewell College. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacythayer/
Willis McDonald is the Senior Manager of Detection, Risk, & Engineering for Chainalysis, focusing on insider threat investigations for the premier blockchain investigative software company in the world. He is a former FBI and NSA Computer Scientist and Analyst and is an expert in network forensics and investigations. https://www.linkedin.com/in/willis-mcdonald/
Josh Jaffe is the current CISO of Scout Motors, the former CISO of Mercedes Benz/Daimler, and the first non-German to ever serve in the C-Suite at Daimler. He has served in the public, private, and non-profit sectors across his 20+ year career. https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-jaffe-5b8b794b/
Gal Shpantzer is the owner of Security Outliers, a cybersecurity consulting firm, has served as a Co-Editor of SANS Newsbites for the past 20+ years. He has worked with multi-billion dollar global conglomerates, major universities, hospital chains and niche R&D startups as a strategic cyber advisor and vCISO. https://www.linkedin.com/in/riskmanagement/
The panel host, Nick Gicinto, is a Kansas City native and a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Operations Officer, and the founder of Uber, Tesla, and Chainlink Lab’s Security Intelligence and Insider Threat programs. He is currently the CISO and Professor of Practice in Cybersecurity at William Jewell College. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gicinto/
Nick Gicinto is an executive security leader and veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Tesla, and Uber as an insider threat, intelligence and security specialist. He is currently the CISO and Professor of Practice in Cybersecurity at William Jewell College.
Nick was recruited into the CIA and spent 10 years in the Agency amassing five promotions and 14 exceptional performance awards as an Operations Officer. His role as an OO was to collect foreign intelligence to brief senior U.S. policymakers, including use in the U.S. President’s Daily Briefing. During his CIA tenure, Nick focused on state-actor level threats and worked both counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations in the U.S. and abroad.
After leaving the CIA, Nick joined Uber’s Threat Operations team helping the company build a global intelligence capability in 40+ countries designed to keep Uber’s riders and drivers safe in addition to investigating leaks of intellectual property. He was recruited by Tesla to build the Global Security Response team, focusing on insider threat and investigations into leaked/stolen intellectual property. GSR’s investigations lead to multiple civil lawsuits vs. competitors and former employees, as well as law enforcement referrals and convictions.
Nick later moved to RiskIQ (now a Microsoft portfolio company) as a Vice President to build the Incident, Investigation, and Intelligence (i3) team, RiskIQ’s managed intelligence services (MIS) capability tied to its cybersecurity SAAS product. After growing the team to close to 40 members, Nick joined Chainlink Lab’s as the VP of Security Intelligence, helping the web3 company develop its world class security program from scratch.
Nick has formed two security consulting LLCs, one which he uses to provide security training for Christian missionaries, and another which he integrated into another security company where he served as Executive Vice President until joining William Jewell College. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Cybersecurity in SET University's Masters in Cybersecurity program, located in Ukraine.
Nick holds a BA in Political Science from William Jewell College, and a MS in Defense & Strategic Studies from Missouri State University.