CISO Trainings , Leadership & Executive Communication , Training & Security Leadership

Respect in Security: A Pledge to Eliminate Harassment

Co-Founders of Initiative Describe Effort to Eradicate Abuse
Lisa Forte, founder, Red Goat Cyber Security; Rik Ferguson, vice president, security research, Trend Micro

A group of cybersecurity professionals has launched Respect in Security to take a stand against all forms of harassment within the industry. Initiative co-founders Lisa Forte and Rik Ferguson describe their commitment to creating workplaces free from harassment and fear.

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Forte says the organizers of the initiative have heard stories from security pros that show "the breadth of harassment and abuse that goes on is shocking."

Ferguson states that the initiative's goal is to help create an industry that doesn't tolerate abusive or harassing behavior and ensure that "abusers do not get the chance to thrive on misuse of position or power or get the chance … to abuse - whether it's about misuse of position or power or not."

In a video interview with Information Security Media Group, Forte and Ferguson discuss:

  • The genesis and goals of the Respect in Security initiative;
  • How organizations can sign up to take the Respect in Security pledge;
  • Steps the industry can take to better support individuals who've been victims of bullying, harassment or abuse.

Forte started her career in security trying to stop pirates from attacking ships off the coast of Somalia. She then worked in U.K. counterterrorism intelligence before moving into a U.K. police cybercrime unit. She founded the company Red Goat Cyber Security in 2017.

Ferguson is the vice president of security research at Trend Micro and a special adviser to Europol’s European Cyber Crime Center. He has over 25 years of experience in the field. In April 2011, he was inducted into the Infosecurity Hall of Fame. He previously served as a security and privacy infrastructure specialist at EDS and as senior product engineer at McAfee.


About the Author

Anna Delaney

Anna Delaney

Director, ISMG Productions

An experienced broadcast journalist, Delaney conducts interviews with senior cybersecurity leaders around the world. Previously, she was editor-in-chief of the website for The European Information Security Summit, or TEISS. Earlier, she worked at Levant TV and Resonance FM and served as a researcher at the BBC and ITV in their documentary and factual TV departments.




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