Cybersecurity and cybersecurity professionals 08-10

From Bitcoin and Blockchain to hacks and ransomware, security is a hot topic in tech. According to a recent Cybersecurity Ventures Report, the cost of cybercrime damage is predicted to reach $6 trillion by 2021, and global spending on cybersecurity products and services for defending against cyber crime is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2021. With that much at stake, the business world certainly has security on their minds.

It’s critical for technology marketers to stay on the pulse of today’s trends – and what better way to do so than by following influential peers on LinkedIn? To learn from today’s best writers, content curators, and opinion leaders on all things security, look no further.

Below, we’re showcasing five professionals providing a helpful portal into the world of security – those that can keep you — and your organization — in the know!

Bill Brenner, Infosec Scribe at Sophos

Bill has been on a number of “top tech” lists, and for good reason. He is active in the LinkedIn security community and focused on sharing real-time info about the current state of the industry. Following him ensures that you’ll be alerted about recent ransomware attacks – and fed great articles on how to combat it.

One of Bill’s recent posts shared an angle not often seen, talking about his own “Rockstar” status in the security world and how it caused his content and point of view to become stale. When an influencer takes time to step back and assess his or her influence and POV, it’s anything but stale; Bill is a breath of fresh air in an oftentimes cluttered conversation.

Tech marketer takeaway: If you think you’ve learned everything about a particular topic or industry, you’re probably wrong. As Bill put it, “Never stop seeking truth.” Your customers and prospects will thank you for this – it’s never fun talking to a person or company who thinks they have all the answers. Keep an open mind when it comes to new content, ideas and perspectives, and you’ll be a much better marketer for it!

Maya Schirmann, CMO at Deep Instinct

Maya is a great go-to connection when it comes to security marketing. Her company, Deep Instinct, is “the first company to apply deep learning to cybersecurity” and she also takes a “deep learning” approach to her own content. Tech marketers can benefit from her great approach to discussing security. As data breaches and hacks are in the headlines more often than not these days, Maya shares frequent helpful updates, podcasts and go-to lists on the all of the latest cybersecurity news. She also covers a number of insightful topics  in her published posts such as weak password management, “hacking highlights” and an Oscar-themed awards post containing actionable security advice for organizations both large and small.

Tech marketer takeaway: Creatively tying your topic of choice to current events and impactful discussions is a great way to get noticed – and it’ll pique the interest of potential customers. Tying content into interesting trends and current events is an effective way to set your content apart.

Steve Morgan, Founder & Editor-In-Chief, Cybersecurity Ventures

Steve is a veritable fountain of security info – he’s written dozens of reports on cybercrime, cybersecurity products and services, and launched the “Cybersecurity 500” list of the hottest cybersecurity companies to watch each year. He shares updates on cybersecurity employment, defense firms, hacks and data breaches – and how companies can be proactively preparing for their IT security futures. Many of his shared posts are helpful because they are so proactive – they often include step-by-step instructions for companies looking to boost their cybersecurity efforts, where to best spend their security budgets and what risks they should be most aware of and on the lookout for. Steve doesn’t just want companies to be in the know – he wants them to do something about it!

Tech marketer takeaway: Simply knowing about the current trends and buzzwords in an industry isn’t enough. To be truly effective as a security marketer, you must provide actionable insights to your customers and prospects. Everyone knows that cyberattacks can and will hit: but are you contributing to the conversation and equipping people who are preparing for the worst?

Yotam Gutman, VP Marketing at CyberDB

Yotam not only frequently posts interesting cybersecurity trends, he actively wants to engage and have meaningful discussions with his LinkedIn audience of almost 15,000 followers. He takes cybersecurity incredibly seriously and shares intricate, detailed data – but he also doesn’t shy away from sharing a fun story or video with his followers now and then. Yotam often attends IT security events around the world and takes the time to share what he’s learned –  reminding his followers and their companies that amongst the hustle and hype around cybersecurity, it’s important to define who you are and have a definitive brand for your organization.

Tech marketer takeaway: You don’t have to be a technical expert in all things security to come at this topic from a new angle and appeal to your tech buyers with your insights. Tech professionals want to be part of an active community that both gives out relevant info and engages in a more meaningful way (and events are a great way to do this). It’s all about the conversation!

Bob Carver, Manager of Network Security, Verizon

Bob knows his stuff when it comes to risk management, cyber resiliency and strategy, incident management and threat intelligence – he’s monitored tens of thousands of infected endpoints at Verizon, at one point overseeing the company’s Security Incident Response team. Follow Bob for a more in-depth take on many IT security conversations, from Botnet monitoring and cryptocurrency to the NSA. Bob’s content comes from the fact that he’s most likely “seen it all” throughout his career – and he wants to put that in-depth knowledge to good use for companies around the globe looking to proactively fight cyberattacks.

Tech marketer takeaway: A little technical in-depth info goes a long way. It might take some serious time and a lot of research to truly understand complex security topics that your customers care about – but it’s worth the hassle in the end.

As security is becoming more and more of a priority for many in the tech industry, it’s important to stay abreast of the latest security trends and innovations. These security leaders are invaluable within the LinkedIn technology community, and each showcases the true power of the LinkedIn network: that anyone can both access and participate in greater industry discussions across the globe. It’s time to take what we learn from them and put it into action!