Cybersecurity forecasting with MongoDB’s CISO Lena Smart

Lena Smart, Chief Security Information Officer at MongoDB and a prominent figure in cybersecurity, outlines her strategic priorities, including team expansion, enhanced visibility of software endpoints, and improved foreign travel management. Having successfully unified MongoDB's security systems, she emphasizes the benefits of diverse hiring facilitated by remote work opportunities, with nearly half her team being female. Her team is tasked with auditing all software applications to identify potential risks and manage network traffic effectively, recognizing the challenges posed by unknown software. Smart is also focused on mitigating risks associated with employees' foreign travel, emphasizing the importance of considering security in even minor aspects like company branding. She shares valuable insights on selecting security tools, stressing the importance of technical due diligence, trust-building, and leveraging team experiences, while advocating for transparency and communication with the Board of Directors.