All the Gear and No Idea: What's Actually Going Wrong in Security with Gary Hibberd
Razorwire Cyber Security & InfoSec InsightsShow Notes
The industry is full of people making security sound complicated so they can sell you the fix. Gary Hibberd and Jim talk about what actually works in cybersecurity. Welcome to Razorwire, where we bring you directly into honest conversations with the minds shaping our industry. I’m your host, Jim, and in this episode, I sit down with Gary Hibberd, co-founder of Consultants Like Us and a veteran of the security, data protection and privacy world. We talk about why so many organisations pour money into security tools and chase compliance without doing the real work underneath, and why it still leaves them exposed. Gary makes the case that one of the biggest security challenges right now is simply speed, that people and organisations are moving too fast to think clearly, and that slowing down is one of the most effective things you can do. We discuss where the industry is heading, why the focus needs to shift from cybersecurity as a purely technical discipline towards genuine organisational resilience and what it takes to cut through the noise of influencers and vendors selling quick fixes that don't exist. We also get into the challenges facing people newer to the industry who are trying to work out who to listen to, why communication and understanding risk matter just as much as technical skills, and why owning your place at the boardroom table is something the security community still needs to get better at. Key Talking Points: Why technical tools and frameworks aren't enough: Gary uses his marathon analogy to explain the issues with buying security kit without doing the work underneath. He and Jim share examples from the field and discuss why leadership and commitment matter more than the software you’ve bought. Beyond cybersecurity: why organisational resilience is the real goal: If your organisation treats security as a purely technical problem, it's missing the bigger picture. Gary and Jim make the case for why the industry needs to move beyond siloed thinking and start building genuine organisational resilience, and what that actually looks like in practice. How to avoid security "false prophets" and spot real expertise: Gary talks about the rise of influencers selling easy compliance that doesn't exist, from GDPR vendors promising a magic fix to people with big platforms and limited experience. He and Jim discuss what to look for in trustworthy voices and why critical thinking still matters more than following whoever shouts the loudest.
Join us for an episode filled with real-world insights, practical takeaways, and a reminder that believing in yourself, and your value at the table, is the ultimate career defence. On why products alone won't protect you: "People go, oh, I've got IDS, I've got a SOC, I've got SIEM, I've got this platform, I've got that thing. And you're going, okay, so when was the last time you sat down as a team and talked about what it means to you as a business?" Gary Hibberd
Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: From IT to Infosec Find out how Gary's path from office admin and Lotus Notes programming through to European crisis management at GE Money shaped his approach to practical security thinking. Hacker Culture & Mindset Explore why the original meaning of "hacker" was never a negative term, and how curiosity and a desire to push technology beyond its limits drove a whole generation into information security. Evolution of Security Challenges Learn why organisations are moving too fast to make good security decisions and why slowing down might be one of the most effective defences available. Impact of Compliance & Frameworks Understand why standards like ISO 27001 and GDPR had to be introduced because organisations weren't securing data on their own and what that tells us about where the industry still falls short. False Prophets in Cyber Find out how the rise of influencers with big p
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