How to Lose a CISO in 10 Words (or Less) | Straight Talk, Not Spin: Black Hat’s Hard Truths | On...
0Black Hat USA 2025 has wrapped, and for Sean Martin, CISSP, Co-Founder of ITSPmagazine, and Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder of ITSPmagazine, the end of the event is both an exhale and a moment to reflect on what was learned, heard, and felt. After days of conversations with industry leaders, CISOs, vendors, and attendees from around the globe, one recurring message stands out: cybersecurity decision-makers are tired of buzzwords and hungry for real solutions.
Sean shares that during sessions and informal meetups, CISOs expressed frustration with marketing pitches that fail to connect to their real challenges. Sitting across from security leaders, marketers heard it directly—stop with the jargon and explain how your solution genuinely makes their lives easier, reduces stress, and improves security outcomes. In other words, trust and honesty carry far more weight than flashy claims.
Marco emphasizes that hype not only wastes time but also adds “noise” to the already complex job of running a security program. The more a vendor can be direct about what they do—and what they don’t do—the more likely they are to earn a lasting relationship with a CISO and their team. Both agree that connecting the dots between a product and an organization’s operational reality is key: what does adoption require, how will it fit into existing systems, and will it force a major operational shift?
Beyond the messaging critique, the duo reflects on the community element of Black Hat. They reconnected with peers, met new contacts from as far as Toronto, and discussed future events in places like Melbourne, Barcelona, and Amsterdam. They also teased the upcoming “Transatlantic Broadcast” podcast series, which will explore cybersecurity voices from across Europe while maintaining a global view.
While the Black Hat booths are now dismantled and the floors mopped, the conversations are far from over. Sean and Marco head back to Los Angeles ready to produce interviews, publish articles, and share the many stories captured during the week—stories that cut through the noise and get to the heart of what matters in cybersecurity.
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Hosts:
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com/
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Episode Sponsors
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Stellar Cyber: https://itspm.ag/stellar-9dj3
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Resources
Learn more and catch more stories from our Black Hat USA 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/bhusa25
Learn more about ITSPmagazine Studio: https://www.itspmagazine.studio/
Learn more about ITSPmagazine Europe: https://www.itspmagazine.com/europe
Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage
ITSPmagazine Webinar: What’s Heating Up Before Black Hat 2025: Place Your Bet on the Top Trends Set to Shake Up this Year’s Hacker Conference — An ITSPmagazine Thought Leadership Webinar (https://www.crowdcast.io/c/whats-heating-up-before-black-hat-2025-place-your-bet-on-the-top-trends-set-to-shake-up-this-years-hacker-conference) | https://www.crowdcast.io/c/whats-heating-up-before-black-hat-2025-place-your-bet-on-the-top-trends-set-to-shake-up-this-years-hacker-conference
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KEYWORDS
sean martin, marco ciappelli, black hat usa 2025, ciso, cybersecurity, vendors, marketing, trust, ai, community, event coverage, on location, conference