CO = Security: Janelle interviews Gail Coury of Silverline at F5 for the week of 01/03/21

#192, January 4, 2021 Interview with Gail Coury

This week on the Colorado = Security podcast, Janelle interviewed Gail Coury, Vice President and General Manager of Silverline at F5 Networks. Listen to the entire podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-465317241 

Gail’s career in computers and cybersecurity began in high school, when she enrolled in a computer class at the suggestion of her high school counselor. After graduating from college, where she earned a degree in Computer Science, she moved to Colorado and began working as an Applications Developer. From there she went to IT Audit, among other things looking for banking fraud, and spent eight years in audit at Galileo International, then moved on to the CISO position at JD Edwards, which later became PeopleSoft. She discussed how “finding problems” led to her being asked to solve the problems she found, which moved her into cybersecurity, and that many technical people find their way to this field in a similar manner.

Gail believes cybersecurity challenges are much more sophisticated today, and because companies’ security perimeters have been removed due to cloud technology, there is more of a need to address application vulnerabilities and create secure connections between users and applications. She also discussed “reading the room” and knowing your audience when addressing upper management and that now as GM, she can engage with executives because she has also spent a significant amount of her career on the technical side. Gail reminds us to bring up the cost of a security breach to both the bottom line and the company’s reputation and goodwill when talking cybersecurity to upper-level managers. Often, managers don’t find the money for security safeguards until the damage has been done, at which time the budget becomes limitless.

Security Magazine recently named Gail Woman of the Front Line. She is also an ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association) board member, in which capacity she works on developing the next generation of female IT and Cybersecurity workers and leaders, emphasizing diversity and inclusion while noting the different needs, approaches, and career trajectories women have. She also recently helped ISACA launch a non-profit which focuses on creating a digital world we can be proud of and that is safe, secure, and equal.  Check out more here: https://oneintech.org/about-us/our-leadership/ 

Gail strongly believes in supporting and mentoring the next generation — it’s her way of “giving back.” She noted that the cybersecurity industry is experiencing tremendous growth and she encourages women to explore the wide variety of professional opportunities within the field.

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This week’s news:

• Join the Colorado = Security Slack channel

• Denver notches its 8th driest year in 149 years of record keeping

• Greyhound Station block in downtown Denver sold to joint venture

• Denver unicorn EverCommerce acquires telehealth company

• Colorado's top 10 tech and startup fundings of 2020

• 3 Colorado-Born, Next-Gen Medical Wearables

• Trukno: "On A Mission To Deliver Cyber Intelligence, Not Cyber News"

• Coalfire Federal Among First C3PAOs Authorized to Perform CMMC Audits

• The Digital Partridges in the Cybercrime Pear Tree

• Evidence of SolarWinds Vulnerabilities on the Darknet

• How to Build Successful Security Awareness Training Programs in 2021 and Beyond