Fraud Management & Cybercrime , Managed Detection & Response (MDR) , Ransomware

Effective Communication Is Key to Successful Cybersecurity

Clear communication forms the foundation of effective cybersecurity operations. Successful defense requires integrating people, processes and technology. According to Tyler Zito, senior solutions architect at Expel, without well-defined processes and communication, even advanced technology and skilled personnel can't effectively secure the enterprise.

Zito, an experienced mountain rescue team member, pointed out that the thing that really matters for both first responders and cyber incident responders is timelines. Both jobs require timely detection, response, mitigation, notification and recovery, he said.

"In day-to-day security operations, we need to make sure that we know who's in command, who's responsible for what and how to execute a plan. So, making sure that we bake in communication at the beginning of the planning phase, in the middle to check in on how things are going, and then after [the incident], we need to debrief, understand what went well, what didn't," Zito said.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at ISMG's North America Midwest Summit, Zito also discussed:

• Why cultural fit and teamwork are crucial for building strong cybersecurity teams;
• How mock scenarios and training help refine communication skills and improve incident response;
• The importance of creating a culture that encourages continuous improvement.

Zito has expertise in cloud security, cloud computing, solutions engineering, information security and technical sales. Previously, he served as a partner solution architect at VMware.