A career in Information Security seems exciting and rewarding at the outset, but this exuberance is often quickly blunted by endless frustration. “Why are we making these decisions?” “Why can’t we make better progress?” “Why does it always come down to budget?” “Why do I have to fill out these endless reports?” The stars begin to fade from the eyes of the hapless young security analyst, now pessimistic about ever achieving career fulfillment.

The realities of justifying and funding a security program in any business are unsexy and often not discussed within the broader context of hacker con merrymaking. By learning just a few concepts, however, one can better anticipate and understand the challenges that are unavoidable with any career in InfoSec. Why do these frustrating things happen, and how can we be better prepared to mitigate them? How do we avoid the jaded burnout?

Join Mark Thacker, former Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer, as he explains his own journey from junior security engineer to technology executive, and the concepts he acquired along the way (that he wished he possessed from day one). Gain the broader perspective your CISO desires you to have, promoting trust with your leadership instead of conflict, allowing you many happy days of hacking ahead.