Cloud Control As Leaders At Odds Over Cyber Priorities, But Require Strong Leadership – Rob Allen – BSW #432
The top social engineering attacks involve manipulating human psychology to gain access to sensitive information or systems. The most prevalent methods include various forms of phishing, pretexting, and baiting, which are often used as initial entry points for more complex attacks like business email compromise (BEC) and ransomware deployment. How do you control what users click on?
Even with integrated email solutions, like Microsoft 365, you can't control what they click on. They see a convincing email, are in a rush, or are simply distracted. Next thing you know, they enter their credentials, approve the MFA prompt—and just like that, the cybercriminals get in with full access to users’ accounts. Is there anyway to stop this?
Rob Allen, Chief Product Officer at ThreatLocker, joins Business Security Weekly to discuss how ThreatLocker Cloud Control leverages built-in intelligence to assess whether a connection from a protected device originates from a trusted network. By only allowing users from IP addresses and networks deemed trusted by ThreatLocker to get in—phishing and token theft attacks are rendered useless. So, no matter how successful cybercriminals are with their phishing attacks and token thefts—all their efforts are useless now.
This segment is sponsored by ThreatLocker. Visit https://securityweekly.com/threatlocker to learn more about them!
In the leadership and communications segment, Finance and security leaders are at odds over cyber priorities, and it’s harming enterprises, The Importance of Strong Leadership in IT and Cybersecurity Teams, How CIOs [and CISOs] can retain talent as pay growth slows, and more!
Rob Allen, Chief Product Officer of ThreatLocker, is an IT Professional with three decades of experience assisting small and medium enterprises embrace and utilize technology. He has spent the majority of this time working for an Irish-based MSP, which has given him invaluable insights into the challenges faced by businesses today. Rob’s background is technical – first as a system administrator, then as a technician and an engineer. His broad technical knowledge, as well as an innate understanding of customers’ needs, made him a trusted advisor for hundreds of businesses across a wide variety of industries. Rob has been at the coalface, assisting clients in remediating the effects of, and helping them recover from cyber and ransomware attacks.
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Matt Alderman
- 2026 Operational Guide to Cybersecurity, AI Governance & Emerging Risks
The SEC’s 2026 examination priorities reveal a significant shift: Concerns about cybersecurity and AI have displaced cryptocurrency as the industry’s dominant risk topic of the past five years. Compliance specialist Rebeca Vergara Goana examines how AI washing has become more relevant than greenwashing, why vendor risk is now inherent risk and how small and mid-sized businesses will face regulations that previously applied only to large corporations as they navigate four layers of compliance simultaneously just to use cookies.
- Finance and security leaders are odds over cyber priorities, and it’s harming enterprises
Finance leaders have a poor opinion of the performance of CISOs, believing that they can't always communicate clearly and aren't fully aligned with business needs.
A new survey of 300 CISOs, directors of cybersecurity, CFOs, and finance leaders found less than half (46%) of security leaders think their finance counterparts are highly aligned with the security team’s priorities. Finance leaders, though, are less convinced, with only 35% believing that their security counterparts are highly aligned with the finance team’s priorities.
These conflicting perceptions on both sides of the divide further exacerbate existing issues with alignment.
- CISO Role Reaches “Inflexion Point” With Executive-Level Titles
The role of chief information security officer (CISO) is now more likely to be regarded as an executive-level position than VP or director, signifying its growing importance to the business, according to IANS' 2026 State of the CISO Report which interviewes 662 North American CISOs.
It revealed that 46% of respondents now hold executive titles (e.g., EVP, SVP), while 27% are VPs and 27% are directors. This indicates a “structural shift” in the security leadership landscape.
- Corporate Compliance and the Steady-State: Focus on Ethics and Values
A company that sticks to its values, promotes its code of conduct and its ethical commitment is likely to gain significant benefits from a workplace that is even more loyal, more productive and more engaged — employees and worker stakeholders need this message right now, especially given rising economic anxieties and continuing readjustment in institutional elements and political engagement.
- The Importance of Strong Leadership in IT and Cybersecurity Teams
n today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT and cybersecurity are no longer support functions—they are central to business success and resilience. With growing threats, complex infrastructures, and constant technological change, these departments face intense pressure to perform at the highest levels. At the heart of their performance is a critical factor that often determines whether a team succeeds or struggles: strong leadership.
- The Best Leaders Are Great Followers
In an era of complexity, specialization, and rapid change, the most effective leaders are those who exhibit the same attributes as exemplary followers. They excel at listening, learning, and adapting rather than commanding from the top. Leadership and followership are co-created, fluid roles, not heroic acts of command. Organizations can develop stronger leaders by cultivating five followership capabilities: active listening, prioritizing purpose over personal credit, reliable execution, critical dissent, and coachability. These skills mobilize collective intelligence, reduce blind spots, build trust, and make others genuinely want to follow.
- How CIOs can retain talent as pay growth slows
IT pay growth has slowed amid economic uncertainty, but senior talent remains in demand. To retain top talent, CIOs must preserve the decision-making authority of senior employees.
