NuHarbor Security
  • Solutions
    Solutions
    Custom cybersecurity solutions that meet you where you are.
    • Overview
    • Our Approach
    • Data Icon Resources
    • Consultation Icon Consult with an expert
    • By Business Need
      • Identify Gaps in My Cybersecurity Plan
      • Detect and Respond to Threats in My Environment
      • Fulfill Compliance Assessments and Requirements
      • Verify Security With Expert-Led Testing
      • Manage Complex Cybersecurity Technologies
      • Realize the Full Value of Microsoft Security
      • Security Monitoring With Splunk
    • By Industry
      • State & Local Government
      • Higher Education
      • Federal
      • Finance
      • Healthcare
      • Insurance
    Report 2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    Read Report
  • Services
    Services
    Outcomes you want from a team of experts you can trust.
    • Overview
    • Data Icon Resources
    • Consultation Icon Consult with an expert
    • Security Testing
      • Penetration Testing
      • Application Penetration Testing
      • Vulnerability Scanning
      • Wireless Penetration Testing
      • Internal Penetration Testing
      • External Penetration Testing
    • Assessment & Compliance
      • ARC-AMPE Compliance
      • CMMC Compliance
      • NIST 800-53
      • HIPAA Security Standards
      • ISO 27001
      • MARS-E Security Standards
      • New York Cybersecurity (23 NYCRR 500)
      • Payment Card Industry (PCI)
    • Advisory & Planning
      • Security Strategy
      • Incident Response Planning
      • Security Program Reviews
      • Security Risk Assessments
      • Virtual CISO
      • Policy Review
    • Managed Services
      • SOC as a Service
      • Microsoft Security Managed Services
      • Splunk Managed Services
      • Tenable Managed Services
      • CrowdStrike Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
      • Zscaler Support Services
      • Vendor Security Assessments
      • Curated Threat Intelligence
      • Vulnerability Management
    Report 2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    Read Report
  • Partners
  • Resources
    Resources
    Explore reports, webinars, case studies, and more.
    • Browse Resources
    • Consultation Icon Consult with an expert
    • Blog icon Blog
    • Podcast icon Podcast
    • Annual SLED CPR icon Annual SLED CPR
    • Downloadable Assets icon Downloadable Assets
    Report 2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    Read Report
  • Company
    Company
    We do cybersecurity differently – the right way.
    • Overview
    • Data Icon Resources
    • Consultation Icon Consult with an expert
    • Leadership
    • News
    • Careers
    • Contact
    Report 2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    2023-2024 SLED Cybersecurity Priorities Report
    Read Report
  • Consult with an expert
  • Client support
  • Careers
  • Contact
1.800.917.5719
Podcast
    • NuHarbor
    • Industry Insights
April 22, 2019

As Facts Change So Does My Opinion

Justin Fimlaid Justin Fimlaid

Sponsor: https://nuharborsecurity.com

Contact Me: https://justinfimlaid.com/contact-me/

Twitter: @justinfimlaid

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfimlaid/

My opinion of
security has changed. We are not keeping up. 
Companies keep getting breached.

First things first,
the idea and concepts of security have been around for a while.  In the most general terms, truth is we have
senior industry and junior skill set. 

Our collective
industry is not helping us be better. 
Security product companies are coming to the market with new half
solutions and big marketing budgets. 
Advisory companies are coming to the table with new buzzwords and hollow
concepts.  And “thought
leaders” and “trusted advisors” are still trying to figure this
out, and probably not giving the best advice yet.  All these things take our collective eye off
the ball, cause us to loose focus, and distract us from doing well at security
fundamentals.

For those listening
to this unfamiliar with our space, here’s some examples what we’re dealing
with:

  1. People failing to understand that IT Operations and security are completely different disciplines.  It’s like building a house, you need someone to lay out the blueprint, someone to pour the foundation, someone frame house, someone to do the electricity, someone to the plumbing.  These are not the same people.  IT Operations and IT Security professionals are not the same people.  If you want your house built to code like you want good security hygiene you should hire a security professional.
  2. Accounting firms pretending internal controls translates to good security operations.  This is a problem.  Internal control is destination, but you need a map and relevant mechanism of transport to get to you destination.  While I’m sure there are some accountants who play in security, articulating the map and which vehicle to use can be a problem and due to CPA independence rules they are sometimes prohibited from providing tactical guidance.
  3. Value added resellers (VAR’s) being incentivized to push one product over another. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get some hate mail from this, but I don’t think anyone would disagree that vendors and resellers push products to maximize their fiscal standing versus seeking best of breed when it might not be the companies best interest.  This creates a ton of confusion in security and really muddies the water, when this happens the only objective measure is price…which is always a bad space to be.

Those are some
examples, but it’s not all bad.  We need
stay focused though. In order for our security industry to get better we need
get back to basics of good security hygiene. 
I admit this is easier said than done, its going to take time to get
there.  Until we do this we can’t start
to think about automation because if you do crappy security and automate it,
security automation will allow you just do crappy security faster.  You don’t need blockchain, if you don’t
believe it do some research in European Election Security…they use good
old-fashion asymmetric encryption.  If
you’re getting started, or need a realignment go back the fundamentals, good
policy, good security architecture, good security hygiene of accounts,
etc.  When you’ve done this, then
hopefully you have a good handle on requirements for security technology and
you have the expertise on how the technology should work in your environment.

Justin Fimlaid
Justin Fimlaid

Justin (he/him) is the founder and CEO of NuHarbor Security, where he continues to advance modern integrated cybersecurity services. He has over 20 years of cybersecurity experience, much of it earned while leading security efforts for multinational corporations, most recently serving as global CISO at Keurig Green Mountain Coffee. Justin serves multiple local organizations in the public interest, including his board membership at Champlain College.

Related Posts

Breach of the Week: Amtrak Has Gone Off The Rails Listen Now
Without Wax: The Quest for Perfection Listen Now
Pwned Breach of the Week: The Case of the Missing CD-ROM Listen Now

Subscribe via Email

Subscribe to our blog to get insights sent directly to your inbox.

Subscribe Here!

Latest Pwned episodes

Episode 200 - Reflections of Pwned...Until Next Time
April 03, 2024
Episode 200 - Reflections of Pwned...Until Next Time
Listen Now
Episode 199 - When a BlackCat Crosses Your Path...
March 21, 2024
Episode 199 - When a BlackCat Crosses Your Path...
Listen Now
Episode 198 - Heard it Through the Grapevine - Beyond the Beltway, 2024
March 08, 2024
Episode 198 - Heard it Through the Grapevine - Beyond the Beltway, 2024
Listen Now
NuHarbor Security logo
NuHarbor Security

553 Roosevelt Highway
Colchester, VT 05446

1.800.917.5719

  • Solutions
  • Services
  • Partners
  • Resources
  • Company
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Connect
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • YouTube
©2025 NuHarbor Security. All rights reserved.