How CISOs Can Survive the Personal Toll of a Breach with Tim Brown, General Partner and CISO in Residence at Team8

 

What’s it like to be at the center of the storm that is a cyber crisis? You can prepare as much as you want, but you don’t really know until you’re in it. 

Recorded live at Black Hat 2026, this episode features Tim Brown, General Partner and CISO in Residence at Team8 and former CISO of SolarWinds. Tim shares the story of the week he learned the SEC was charging him personally—and then had a heart attack. He explains why CISOs need to confirm Board support in writing before a crisis hits, why recovery is critical for managing stress, and what startup founders get wrong about CISOs. 

Tim led SolarWinds through the aftermath of one of the most significant cyberattacks in history. He is also a Distinguished Engineer, one of only six Dell Fellows worldwide, and appears in Semperis’ new documentary Midnight in the War Room.