Matt Palmer on BBC News

About me

I have served as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Director for fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading financial institutions; advising both countries and corporations on cyber risk, resilience, and incident response.

As Director of Jersey Cyber Security Centre, my role is to lead Jersey’s cyber defence, overseeing the direction of JCSC to promote and improve cyber resilience across critical national infrastructure, businesses, communities, and citizens.

About this site

My occasional articles here are all about connecting boards and cyber security leaders together. They talk about what I’ve learned (and am still learning) about the challenge of aligning technical delivery to business goals and outcomes, and how this can best be achieved.

Whilst I make no promises on frequency of posting, everything I write on this site is focussed on security management and leadership; it’s suitable for board directors and NEDs, executives, operational leaders, CISOs, and cyber security professionals.

There’s loads of technical cyber security information out there but not so much for leaders and aspiring leaders; this is my attempt to help address that.

Please bear in mind that this site is a spare-time experiment; it may come and go like a ghost in the wires. So expect nothing and be positively surprised.

If you like, you can connect with me on Linkedin.

Or stop by, leave a comment, and say hello. I’d love to know if this was useful to you, otherwise I’m just talking to myself ;-)

Regards,

Matt

P.S. Please note that all views and comments on this site and social media are personal and do not represent any other person or organisation. I make reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy but of course this cannot be guaranteed, and in any case I do not know your specific circumstances, so any suggestions or advice have no warranty for suitability. Read widely, get different perspectives, and make your decisions :-)

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Featured
Introducing Incidentally: Why We Must Embrace Risk and Learn From Incidents
Introducing Incidentally: Why We Must Embrace Risk and Learn From Incidents

Progress demands risk, and incidents are inevitable. Based on 25 years of personal experience, Incidentally will explore the role of risk in driving success, particularly in cybersecurity, and how we can manage and learn from an incident or cyber crisis.

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Breaking Down Cybersecurity: The Real Meaning Behind the Jargon
Breaking Down Cybersecurity: The Real Meaning Behind the Jargon

What really is cyber security and why doesn't the traditional CIA triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability work?

And what's that got to do with footballs anyway?

I've written this simple breakdown of the five key cyber security terms - confidentiality, integrity, availability, authenticity and non-repudiation - with examples of what they mean in practice, and real life incidents illustrating what happens when they go wrong!

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Applying agile principles to public sector change
Jersey Cyber Security Centre
Applying agile principles to public sector change
Jersey Cyber Security Centre

Shortly after 2001, I was one of many to sign the agile manifesto for software development. This document went on to start a global movement and change how technology change is done: from grandiose projects that often failed, to iterative change that often delivered.

But agile principles can be applied in other fields too, perhaps nowhere more so than where people are most impacted: public services.

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Jersey Cyber Security Centre
Why is Jersey introducing a new Cyber Security Law?
Jersey Cyber Security Centre, cyber defence
Why is Jersey introducing a new Cyber Security Law?
Jersey Cyber Security Centre, cyber defence

under our proposed new Cyber Security Law, Jersey Cyber Security Centre (JCSC) will have no power to fine or penalise bad behaviour. We will have no power to insist, unless through adoption of our recommendations by an existing business or regulator. No power to name and shame those who don't do their bit. No power to investigate, to force compliance, or to require others to act.

We will in fact have one power, and one power only: the power to share information in confidence, and to have information shared in confidence with us.

And we will have one ability: the ability to help.

Here#s how it will work.

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Jersey Cyber Security Centre, cyber defence
Challenging password dogma
Challenging password dogma

Most best practice advice on passwords is terrible. But why? This article explains which password advice should be followed and which advice is harmful, and shows you what a good password policy should contain.

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10 steps to effective board leadership on cyber security
The Cyber NED
10 steps to effective board leadership on cyber security
The Cyber NED

Boards and non executive directors can lead from the front on cyber security and reduce risk for your organisation. Yet sometimes it is not easy to find a path forward to engage in a technical area. Here are 10 practice suggestions to take forward with your cyber security leader.

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The Cyber NED