Hard Knocks: Tomás Maldonado, CISO of the NFL

Imagine you’re walking past the sports book in Las Vegas. People are betting on baseball, horses, and the usual fare. Something catches your eye, you look more closely and you can’t believe your eyes. People are betting on whether or not you're going to fail at doing your job this week!While this may sound far-fetched, this exact scenario played out for Tomas Maldonado, the then freshly minted CISO of the National Football League when the 2020 NFL Draft shifted to a virtual format unexpectedly due to the pandemic. Across Las Vegas, people were betting on the probability of a cybersecurity event disrupting the draft– the exact type of incident Tomás was hired to prevent. Our hour-long conversation with Tomás goes deep into the unique nature of “defending the shield” at the NFL, from concerns about drones at the games themselves to the elaborate planning that goes on before keystone events like the Superbowl. He gives us a window into the extent of information sharing across sports leagues that all face a combination of physical and cyber threats unseen in most areas of the security industry.Tomás explains how his pedigree at Goldman Sachs and 17 years in cybersecurity in financial services and beyond prepared him for his position at the NFL where he’s responsible for protecting all 32 teams who are equally customers and partners to his team. Beyond his current work, Tomás and Dave discuss not only what makes a great career but how to leave a legacy that outlives your time in the field so that your fingerprints remain long after you’ve hung up your cleats.

Om Podcasten

There are great stories in the security industry that aren’t being told. Fascinating people who fly below the radar and aren’t being heard. We know because we encounter them in hallways, hotel lobbies and just about everywhere imaginable across the globe. Everytime we think “I wish I had recorded that conversation so that everyone could hear it…” Our goal with Security Voices is to provide a place for clear-headed dialogue with great people that’s unencumbered by the hyperbole and shouting that’s far too common in security circles. We don’t have anything against sponsors or sales pitches, but they run counter to our goal of cutting through the noise, so we don’t have either. We’re aiming for 100% clear signal.