Opinion: Equifax CEO hired a music major as the company’s chief security officer

Market Watch ^ | 9-15-17 | Brett Arends

[central_va]

BS. The could have walked all over her and tell her a pile of shit was roses. She didn’t even know the right questions to ask. Total incompetence. It really isn’t her fault. Her ego got her the job. Probably all of her jobs and she was lucky up to the point until she wasn’t.

[DoughtyOne]

Except one thing... If you don’t have a degree and specific experience in the field, how do you know what that security team needs to be doing?

You can’t just take their word for it.

She failed. There is a reason for it. You can’t simply say, “Oh, I hired a great team, but they failed me.”

[SaveFerris]

I can confirm that money (in a company that always turned a profit) was the reason my last gig was vehemently-resistant to implementing even basic security. That, and rank stupidity.

In that case, it was the locals guys, not corporate, that were the immovable roadblock.

[mmichaels1970]

No technical education means she has to trust everything her subordinates tell her

No FORMAL technical education. Lots of other ways like OJT and self-teaching to obtain a technical education. This article also doesn't mention whether she took any tech classes. It only beefs that her major and degree aren't tech-related.

I suppose Zuckerberg has no tech education either. Steve Jobs studied physics, literature, and poetry, so he didn't know anything.

I also don't think Rush Limbaugh was a Poli-Sci major, so what the heck does he know?

[DoughtyOne]

I hear pudding is hard on a good security infrastructure.

[madprof98]

I’m surprised they did not pick a Gender Studies major. Sounds like discrimination to me.

[Gene Eric]

Without knowing exactly how the breach occurred, it’s difficult to know where and why she failed.

Sadly the do-nothing-right Congress will beat their chests.

[SaveFerris]

s/b “, it was the locals”

or

“it was the local guys”

[mmichaels1970]

It has been my experience that the main reason that cyber security programs do not get implemented is because the Sr leadership / board do not want to invest the time, effort or money.

Bingo....especially when you say "money". But at least they have a person to scape-goat and destroy.

[catbertz]

How would she know where to start, when building a set of technical requirements needed to assemble a team of experts?

[KEVLAR]

I’ll third that.

[central_va]

Clearly the result of her being hired are clear for all to see. I could see her in charge of HR - maybe.

[mmichaels1970]

Without knowing exactly how the breach occurred, it’s difficult to know where and why she failed.

Now why let that get in the way of publicly tearing a person apart?

[wally_bert]

Those are practically persona non grata in a lot of places nowadays.

[Cowboy Bob]

Looking at the picture, I can bet she never played the Skin Flute!

[2harddrive]

I’ve been EQUIF*CKED!

[WeWaWes]

I would usualy agree with your comment because I’ve been there and done that without a computer relat d degree but these days and with the unique position equifax is in they really needed a very qualified person in that position. I see many C suite types headed for the door over this.

[Gene Eric]

Education in a particular field of science is a good and often necessary thing, but that won’t provide the management skills required to run a security operation — that only comes with many years of experience in the field.

I’m not at all saying she’s not accountable. My point concerns the focus of failure which to me is a failure.

[central_va]

Maybe a start up but security for a fortune 500 company and Equifax? That is the big f***ing league. She was an amateur.

[mmichaels1970]

Clearly the result of her being hired are clear for all to see.

I just don't see enough facts as to what specifically happened for it to be clear to me. Not saying she isn't incompetent. But to base judgement on whether she has a degree and its specialty is too broad and vague. Maybe there is more info on the specifics that I haven't seen. I'm only basing my opinion on this article.