On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Mark Houpt, the Chief Information Security Officer at DataBank. We’re talking about cybersecurity fundamentals—current challenges, the global landscape, why relationships and communication are critical to cybersecurity success, and so much more.
DataBank is a leading provider of enterprise-class data center, cloud, and interconnection services, offering customers 100% uptime availability of data, applications, and infrastructure. DataBank’s managed data center services are anchored in world-class facilities. Their customized technology solutions are designed to help customers effectively manage risk, improve their technology performance and allow them to focus on their core business objectives.
During our conversation, we got into overall cybersecurity fundamentals, like why transparency and customer service are key values for Mark and Data Bank and how the biggest challenge in cybersecurity is not the technical aspects but the apathy and ignorance towards cybersecurity. And that was just the tip of the iceberg!
Topics covered in this episode:
● Mark’s Role as CISO and the CISO Corner podcast.
● Data Bank’s growth and expansion and their focus on security as a top priority.
● The current threat landscape and evolving security concerns.
● What’s happening in the changing landscape of cybersecurity threats?
● The importance of immutable backups.
● Why the regulatory environment, including privacy
● regulations like GDPR and CCPA, is a significant driver for security concerns.
● Cyber warfare between nations and why threats haven’t diminished.
● The vulnerability of small and medium-sized businesses and some advice for small business IT directors.
● Creating a strategic plan and addressing risks.
● Why building relationships and collaboration is critical for success.
● Shameless predictions for the future.
Links for this episode:
Mark’s Podcast: https://www.databank.com/resources/?resource-search=ciso+corner&resource-type=&year-num=
ABOUT MARK HOUPT
Mark serves as DataBank’s Chief Information Security Officer and is responsible for developing and maintaining the company’s security program road map and data center compliance programs. He brings over 30 years of extensive information security and information technology experience in a wide range of industries and institutions. Mr. Houpt holds an MS-ISA (Masters Information Security and Assurance), numerous security and technical certifications (CISSP, CEH, CHFI, Security +, Network+) and qualified for DoD IAT Level III, IAM Level III, IASAE Level II, CND Analyst, CND Infrastructure Support, CND Incident Responder, and CND Auditor positions and responsibilities.
Mark is an expert in understanding and the interpretation of FedRAMP, HIPAA and PCI-DSS compliance requirements. He is an active member of ISC2, ASIS International, COMPTIA, IAPP, and ISACA, among other leading national and international security organizations. Mark drives DataBank’s information security and compliance initiatives to ensure that the company’s solutions continuously meet rigorous and changing compliance and cyber-security standards.
CONTACT MARK
Web. https://www.databank.com/about-databank/leadership-team/
LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-houpt/