Originally published on LinkedIn · August 2020.
This week two senior security industry figures — a CEO and a former CISO — were charged with felonies. My response is not condemnation. My response is active, and it starts with perspective.
These are sons and daughters. Possibly wives and husbands. Possibly fathers and mothers. They are facing significant personal and professional consequences. That reality does not change what they are accused of doing. But it shapes how I respond.
My Action Plan
- Prayer — for restoration of integrity for both individuals and their families, regardless of outcome.
- Personal reflection — to identify any ethical vulnerabilities in my own conduct. Before I look at anyone else’s mirror, I look at mine.
- Education — to share these cases with my team and network as a teaching moment, not a gossip moment.
- Availability — if either of these individuals needs someone to listen or pray, I am available. That offer is genuine.
- Curriculum update — I will update my Absolute Integrity class with these examples. Not to shame, but to illustrate.
- Challenge to colleagues — examine yourself rather than focusing solely on the consequences for others.
The Real Response
The security industry does not need more commentary. It needs people willing to use these moments to strive to make the person in the mirror better.
Security professionals operate with access, authority, and trust that most people in organizations do not have. That is not a license — it is a responsibility. When people in our field fail that responsibility, the entire profession carries some of the weight.
The response is not outrage. The response is self-examination, continued commitment to absolute integrity, and grace for people who are, like all of us, fallible humans.