The Hidden Cost of Closing the Door on Innovation | An RSAC 2025 Conversation with Phillip Miller
0In this episode of On Location at RSAC Conference 2025, Phillip Miller—Chief Information Security Officer and founder of Corporal—offers a candid and practical look at the current realities of cybersecurity leadership, innovation ecosystems, and the business-first mindset required to drive effective security outcomes.
With a unique background that blends enterprise cybersecurity leadership and hands-on work on his Virginia farm, Miller brings a grounded perspective to the CISO role. Over the past 18 months, he stepped away from a traditional enterprise seat to work directly with startups through his company, advising them on how to align their offerings with the real needs of security teams. His return to a full-time CISO position follows that immersive experience, giving him a renewed sense of what enterprise security leaders are missing when they close themselves off from emerging technology vendors.
Shifting the Buying Conversation
One of Miller’s strongest messages is that buying decisions should start with the security team—not just the CISO. Too often, tools are purchased at the top and handed down without enough input from those who will actually use them. Miller stresses that founders who are selling into the enterprise need to solve real problems with real people—and CISOs should invite that dialogue rather than block it.
He also encourages CISOs to think beyond the big names. While legacy providers are often the default, marketplace ecosystems (like AWS or GCP) and accelerator programs (such as those run by CrowdStrike) offer curated, credible entry points to newer solutions. These platforms can streamline the validation process while introducing fresh capabilities that legacy tools may lack.
Lead With the Business, Not the Tech
For Miller, the CISO’s most valuable contribution is helping business leaders understand their own risks—especially the ones they don’t associate with cybersecurity. By starting with “What are your biggest non-cyber risks?” Miller helps organizations connect the dots between core operations and digital exposure.
Whether working in manufacturing, retail, or financial services, his approach remains consistent: understand how the business creates value, then align security programs and tooling accordingly. The tech, he reminds us, comes second.
Catch the full conversation to hear more on third-party risk, building high-functioning teams, and why peer conversations at conferences like RSAC are essential to the health of the cybersecurity community.
___________Guest:
Phillip Miller, CISO and founder of Qurple | https://www.linkedin.com/in/pemiller/
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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Resources
Learn more and catch more stories from RSA Conference 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsa-conference-usa-2025-rsac-san-francisco-usa-cybersecurity-event-infosec-conference-coverage
Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage
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KEYWORDS
sean martin, phillip miller, rsac 2025, cybersecurity, ciso, startups, risk, marketplace, leadership, technology, event coverage, on location, conference