On Feb. 7, 1993, I was serving on the security detail of then-Director of Central Intelligence nominee James Woolsey. In response to a question in his confirmation hearing related to the perceived demise of the Soviet Union, Director Woolsey answered: “We have slain the dragon, but we live now in a jungle filled with a bewildering variety of poisonous snakes.”
What I thought was an interesting comment in 1993 became the challenge of my daily life as Deputy Director and Director of Security at the CIA from 2016 to 2020. The problem today for both government and industry is that the snakes have multiplied, and the dragons have returned with a vengeance. With the recent uptick in ransomware attacks, companies will look to invest more in cybersecurity tools and proper updating and maintenance of information systems. However, organizations should not lose sight of the larger picture.