Chicago CISO Executive Summit

Businesses stand to benefit from AI in unprecedented ways, but only if IT and security leaders overcome transformation challenges. This includes implementing a modern zero trust architecture to protect data and users, embracing AI while managing its risks, and handling the technical and financial implications of ever-expanding environments. A risk-based approach to security ensures CISOs deliver a secure, phased transformation.

Join this session to:

• Understand how zero trust and AI together, unlike firewalls, provide the strongest cyber defense by stopping threat actors from lateral movement within networks
• Learn strategies for protecting AI applications developed in data centers and the cloud, while preventing data leaks from public AI applications
• Discover how eliminating costly legacy hardware simplifies environments while cutting network and security costs

The level of risk one can comfortably accept might vary depending on the scope of their role. For example, those in the privacy space might be willing to take on more risk than those charged with securing or legally protecting the enterprise. A guaranteed point of agreement across all functions, however - The final word belongs to compliance regulators.

Rest easy as savvy practitioners and legal experts share:

• Their knowledge of modern liability norms and how they're enforced
• Ways of reconciling disjointed risk appetites across the business
• Expected changes to current regulations in 2025

Security leaders face unprecedented challenges as evolving threats, including those posed by GenAI, rapidly increase enterprise risk. While new technologies offer defenses, they also introduce vulnerabilities. A cyber-ready workforce is crucial for organizational resilience, but how do you equip your organization to face the future of threats with confidence?

Join this interactive boardroom to discuss:

• Acting decisively under pressure to manage and mitigate threats
• Maintaining stakeholder confidence and protecting reputation during disruptions
• Sharing threat intelligence and preparing for long-term attack consequences

In today's landscape of pervasive data breaches and cyber threats, organizations must enhance their cybersecurity strategies, especially as reliance on cloud computing, IoT devices, and interconnected networks grows. Implementing an effective edge security strategy offers a vital defense layer for internet-facing applications and APIs. Centralizing security at the edge simplifies policy enforcement, crucial for organizations using multiple cloud providers with varied security configurations.

Join this boardroom to discuss:

• Analyzing edge computing use cases that improve resiliency, performance, and scalability
• Addressing common challenges in extending the security perimeter
• Sharing best practices in securing multi-cloud environments

With seemingly countless users and your operations now based in one or more clouds, the bar for what qualifies as a fundamental security practice must rise. Answering modern demands with anything less than enhanced visibility, offline protocols and proactively installed lines of C-suite communication could be the difference between your business’s survival and its indefinite interruption.

Join this session to discuss the following with your peers:

• Cost-effective security practices applicable to multiple cloud environments
• Leveraging innovation without neglecting data privacy standards
• Proven methods for gaining the support of your executive leadership team

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

Being a CISO is an experience that differs from one cyber leader to the next, with one of the most influential variables in how one might handle the role being when they assumed it. Veteran CISOs remember a time and culture newbies will only ever hear stories about, while new CISOs are already managing an unprecedented set of powers and responsibilities.

Together, in conversation, new and established CISOs will:

• Compare their era-specific perspectives on the common issues of the role
• Identify the drawbacks and benefits of decades-long industry change
• Find where each can provide value unique to the other, be it wisdom or vision

As the significance of cybersecurity in the corporate world expands and transforms, leaders in cybersecurity need to establish a transparent connection between cybersecurity plans and the company's results and priorities.

Participate in this executive meeting to explore:

• Integrating cybersecurity strategy with corporate aims and targets
• Framing security as a contributor to value rather than an expense
• Cultivating a business-focused mindset within the security department

With the ever-increasing frequency and sophistication of threat actor attacks, continuous improvement in processes and tooling are needed to meet today’s heightened challenges for cyber resilience. Cybersecurity leaders have invested in increased capabilities and must be able to take advantage of those to increase velocity of response and understanding of risk at scale.

Join this session to:

• Discuss heightened expectations cybersecurity leaders should have of their tooling and teams
• Gauge industry trends and capabilities for leading platform integration, reducing or eliminating manual handoffs, and allowing faster risk identification and decision making
• Leverage a vast community and ecosystem to drive security innovation

Security teams are on the front lines of a dynamically changing threat landscape, especially in the cloud, where they need to understand their tech stacks while also building resilient processes. Detecting, investigating, and preventing threats in a multi-cloud environment, and ultimately securing those critical workloads, starts with visibility.

Join this closed-door conversation with your C-Level peers and:

• Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your current cloud environment 
• Evaluate the legitimacy of emerging, newsworthy or trending threats 
• Collaboratively address what is and isn't working for modern application security

Generative AI emerged rapidly, prompting companies to quickly establish responsible AI practices while developing their in-house AI products. Morningstar was an early adopter and released its first AI-powered offering in May 2023.

Join Morningstar's CISO and Head of Privacy, Legal for:

• An exploration of Morningstar’s journey to establish a balanced approach for a responsible AI program
• An emphasis on the importance of building a program tailored to your company’s unique culture
• A discussion on promoting innovation while managing risks and maintaining customer trust

Finish the day sharing lessons learned with your peers over light fare and drinks at this closing reception hosted by your governing body members.