Building a billion-dollar cybersecurity company | Guest Sam King

Veracode CEO Sam King is an icon in the realms of secure coding and application security, and she joins the podcast, along with Infosec CEO Jack Koziol, to discuss her cybersecurity journey, the President’s directive on software security and so, so many more topics. You really don’t want to miss this one, folks.

– Download our FREE ebook, Developing cybersecurity talent and teams: https://www.infosecinstitute.com/ebook
– Start learning cybersecurity for free: https://www.infosecinstitute.com/free
– View Cyber Work Podcast transcripts and additional episodes: https://www.infosecinstitute.com/podcast

0:00 - Intro 
3:10 - Origin story
5:05 - Ground floor of cybersecurity 
7:54 - The “aha!” moments 
12:30 - Point were you thought industry would grow
14:28 - Changes implemented at Veracode
19:52 - Nation’s approach to cybersecurity
24:10 - Federal government security 
26:25 - Government oversight 
28:14 - Secure coding practices 
31:52 - Veracode’s app security report
40:04 - How to learn web application security 
43:46 - Mistakes to avoid when applying  
47:13 - Bringing in more diverse candidates  
51:36 - Maintaining Veracode’s edge
54:25 - Advice to move into a new cybersecurity role
56:24 - Outro 

Sam King is the chief executive officer of Veracode and a recognized expert in cybersecurity, DevSecOps and business management. A founding member of Veracode, Sam has played a significant role in the company’s growth trajectory over the past 15 years, helping to mature it from a small startup to a company with a billion dollar plus valuation. Under her leadership, Veracode has been recognized with several industry distinctions including a seven-time consecutive leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, leader in the Forrester SAST Wave and a Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice for Application Security. Sam has been a keynote speaker at events such as Gartner Security Summit, RSA and the Executive Women’s Forum, on topics ranging from cybersecurity to empowering women and creating diverse and resilient corporate cultures. She has been profiled in business publications such as the Huffington Post, CNNMoney, Financial Times, InfoSecurity Magazine and The Boston Globe.

Sam received her masters of science and engineering in computer and information science from University of Pennsylvania. She earned her BS in computer science from University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, where she earned the prestigious Charles Babbage Award, awarded to the student with the highest academic achievement in the graduating class. She currently sits on the board of Progress Software. Sam is also a member of the board of trustees for the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, where she was a charter member of the 2030 Challenge: a Tech Compact for Social Justice in efforts to bring more diversity to the local workforce.

About Infosec
Infosec believes knowledge is power when fighting cybercrime. We help IT and security professionals advance their careers with  skills development and certifications while empowering all employees with security awareness and privacy training to stay cyber-safe at work and home. It’s our mission to equip all organizations and individuals with the know-how and confidence to outsmart cybercrime. Learn more at infosecinstitute.com.