Future Tech DC 2026 Keynote Presenters

The Sunburst Journey – From breach to closure in 5 years

Presenter: Tim Brown (SolarWinds)

Tim Brown was the CISO for SolarWinds during and after the breach of 2020. He will walk you through the lessons learned through the 5 year process. Starting with the Nation state attack, the recovery, the legal actions and finally the SEC dismissal of the case. It has been a journey for me personally as well as the company and the industry.

Learning Objectives:

• What is a nation state attack like?
• How do you regain trust after an attack?
• How did this affect the security industry?
• What is the human toll?
• What finally led to a dismissal of the SEC case?

The Expanding CISO Role: A Live Debate on Developing Leadership That Delivers

Moderator: George Kamide (The CISO Society)
Panelists: Ira Winkler (CYE Security) and Larry Whiteside Jr. (CONFIDE)

The CISO role demands more than ever before. Expectations vary widely from one organization to the next and continue to evolve as digital transformation accelerates, AI adoption expands, and threats become more sophisticated. In some companies, the CISO is expected to be a technical authority. In others, a business executive, board influencer, workforce strategist, and innovation enabler. The most effective CISOs have learned to navigate all of these dimensions at once.

In this lively keynote debate, highly experienced CISOs bring decades of real world leadership experience to the stage to challenge assumptions and debate what it means to succeed in the role today and what will be required to succeed tomorrow. Drawing on decades of leadership across different organizations and operating models, they will explore whether it is actually possible for a CISO to get the role right when the expectations themselves are constantly shifting.

Learning Objectives:

• Compare differing expectations of the CISO role across organizations and understand how context impacts influence, authority, and success.
• Evaluate contrasting approaches to leadership and workforce development based on real world experience from seasoned CISOs.
• Apply debated strategies for enabling innovation at speed while managing evolving threats and maintaining trust and resilience.

Tim Brown
CISO @ SolarWinds

Tim Brown joined SolarWinds in 2017 as vice president of security and is now the CISO for SolarWinds, overseeing internal IT security, product security, and security strategy. After the SUNBURST attack in December 2020, Tim Brown led the response and remediation efforts. Tim has spoken to thousands of customers and has been instrumental in all customer remediation support and services. He has worked closely with the SolarWinds ® CEO in designing the future state of security and their “Secure by Design” philosophy. This new philosophy on software design will not only benefit SolarWinds but the industry as a whole, and it sets a precedent for responses to future cyberattacks. As a former Dell Fellow and CTO, Tim deeply understands the challenges and aspirations of the person responsible for driving digital innovation and change. Tim has over 25 years of experience, and his trusted advisor status has taken him from meeting with members of Congress and the Senate to the Situation Room in the White House. He’s also an avid inventor and holds 18 issued patents on security-related topics.

George Kamide
Head of Community @ The CISO Society

George Kamide is the Head of Community for The CISO Society, where he oversees the organization’s membership of 2000+ cybersecurity leaders. He co-hosts the award-winning technology podcast Bare Knuckles & Brass Tacks, which examines the society and human impacts of the technology. He speaks frequently on the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, as a panelist and main stage presenter. He has spoken at RSA Conference, GrrCon, and numerous other conferences on value creation and risk management with AI. He has briefed US Cyber Command and the Congressional Cyber Caucus on the mechanics of influence operations, and has been invited to speak at organizations, from international NGOs to Fortune500 enterprises.

Ira Winkler
Field CISO @ CYE Security
CISSP

Ira Winkler, CISSP is the Field CISO for CYE Security, former Chief Security Architect at Walmart, and author of You Can Stop Stupid, Security Awareness for Dummies, and Advanced Persistent Security. He is considered one of the world’s most influential security professionals, and has been named a “Modern Day James Bond” by the media. He did this by performing espionage simulations, where he physically and technically “broke into” some of the largest companies in the World and investigating crimes against them, and telling them how to cost effectively protect their information and computer infrastructure. He continues to perform these espionage simulations, as well as assisting organizations in developing cost effective security programs. Ira also won the Hall of Fame award from the Information Systems Security Association, as well as several other prestigious industry awards. CSO Magazine named Ira a CSO Compass Award winner as The Awareness Crusader. He was named 2021 Top Cybersecurity Leader by Security Magazine, and most recently 2022 Cybersecurity Champion of the Year by the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland.

Ira is also author of the riveting, entertaining, and educational books, Advanced Persistent Security, Spies Among Us and Zen and the Art of Information Security. He also writes for a variety of online sites, including RSA Conference, DarkReading and ComputerWorld, and for several other industry publications.

Mr. Winkler has been a keynote speaker at almost every major information security related event, on 6 continents, and has keynoted events in many diverse industries. He is frequently ranked among, if not the, top speakers at the events.

Mr. Winkler began his career at the National Security Agency, where he served as an Intelligence and Computer Systems Analyst. He moved onto support other US and overseas government military and intelligence agencies. After leaving government service, he went on to serve as President of the Internet Security Advisors Group, Chief Security Strategist at HP Consulting, and Director of Technology of the National Computer Security Association. He was also on the Graduate and Undergraduate faculties of the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. Mr. Winkler was previously elected the International President of the Information Systems Security Association, which is a 10,000+ member professional association.

Mr. Winkler has also written the book Corporate Espionage, which has been described as the bible of the Information Security field, and the bestselling Through the Eyes of the Enemy. Both books address the threats that companies face protecting their information. He has also written hundreds of professional and trade articles. He has been featured and frequently appears on TV on every continent. He has also been featured in magazines and newspapers including Forbes, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, Planet Internet, and Business 2.0.

Larry Whiteside Jr.
Co-Founder & President @ CONFIDE

A former United States Air Force Officer with over 30 years of experience building and leading cybersecurity programs, Larry Whiteside Jr. is a seasoned CISO, CSO, and CTO with a track record of success across industries including the Department of Defense, Federal Government, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Critical Infrastructure. Guided by his faith and a deep sense of purpose, Larry approaches leadership with humility, integrity, and a calling to serve others—believing that every opportunity is part of a greater plan.
In addition to holding executive leadership roles, Larry serves as a Board Director, advising organizations on how to strengthen their security posture and achieve long-term strategic impact. He integrates his values into every facet of his work, striving to uplift others, build trust, and lead with conviction.

As the Co-Founder & President of CONFIDE, a boutique cybersecurity reseller and advisory firm, Larry supports organizations of all sizes—from early-stage startups to global enterprises. Under his leadership, CONFIDE helps security leaders cut through the noise of the cybersecurity marketplace, align technology investments with business risk, and drive results through trusted partnerships and expert guidance.
Larry regularly advises CISOs, CEOs, and board members across the Fortune 2000. He’s helped private cybersecurity companies optimize sales, marketing, and customer retention strategies, while also contributing thought leadership to major media outlets and conferences such as the RSA Conference, Gartner Security Summit, SC World Congress, Black MEA, SecureWorld, and InfoSec World.

A purpose-driven leader, Larry is also the Co-Founder of Cyversity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to increasing the representation of minorities and women in the cybersecurity field. His mission—to use his God-given platform to open doors for others, lead with love, and build a more secure and inclusive future—remains at the heart of everything he does.