Cyber, Kinetic Implications for the World

The eruption of war in Israel has sent shockwaves throughout the world. Zscaler Vice President and CISO Sam Curry, who has deep connections in Israel, pointed out that the global economy is vulnerable to this regional conflict, and the war can quickly escalate to the world stage – both through kinetic and cyberwarfare.

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“There are many single points of failure … so things that happen in Israel affect things in China and affect the United States or Brazil,” he said. “It’s worth talking to your board about real risks. And I don’t mean just blowing it off and reading it, I mean spending some time and workshopping it.”

Curry urged cybersecurity organizations to prioritize human life and employee well-being above all, and then focus issues such as productivity, supply chain resilience and risk management in the face of a potential global crisis.

Curry said that as governments around the world respond to the conflict, he hopes they don’t lose site of their core values of freedom. Democracy, while complicated, offers more freedom and potential for citizens than authoritarian regimes, so it’s worth defending, he said. “Liberty comes at a price,” Curry added.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Curry discussed:

• The implications of the Israeli conflict on global cyber threats and defense;
• The importance of risk management in today’s volatile landscape;
• How geopolitical tensions should influence cyber activities and security preparation.

Curry, who leads cybersecurity at Zscaler, previously served as chief security officer at Cybereason and chief technology and security officer at Arbor Networks. Prior to those roles, he spent more than seven years at RSA – the security division of EMC – in a variety of senior management positions, including chief strategy officer and chief technologist and senior vice president of product management and product marketing. Curry also has held senior roles at Microstrategy, Computer Associates and McAfee.