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Opinion: Equifax CEO hired a music major as the company’s chief security officer
Market Watch ^ | 9-15-17 | Brett Arends

Posted on 09/15/2017 12:49:39 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic

When Congress hauls in Equifax CEO Richard Smith to grill him, it can start by asking why he put someone with degrees in music in charge of the company’s data security.

And then they might also ask him if anyone at the company has been involved in efforts to cover up Susan Mauldin’s lack of educational qualifications since the data breach became public.

It would be fascinating to hear Smith try to explain both of those extraordinary items.

If those events don’t put the final nails in his professional coffin, accountability in the U.S. is officially dead.

Equifax “Chief Security Officer” Susan Mauldin has a bachelor’s degree and a master of fine arts degree in music composition from the University of Georgia. Her LinkedIn professional profile lists no education related to technology or security.

This is the person who was in charge of keeping your personal and financial data safe — and whose apparent failings have put 143 million of us at risk from identity theft and fraud. It was revealed this week that the massive data breach came due to a software vulnerability that was known about, and should have been patched, months earlier.

(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: equifax; infosysh1b; music; richardsmith; security; securitybreach; susanmauldin
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To: Reno89519

BS. The could have walked all over her and tell her a pile of shit was roses. She didn’t even know the right questions to ask. Total incompetence. It really isn’t her fault. Her ego got her the job. Probably all of her jobs and she was lucky up to the point until she wasn’t.


41 posted on 09/15/2017 1:14:56 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Gene Eric

Except one thing... If you don’t have a degree and specific experience in the field, how do you know what that security team needs to be doing?

You can’t just take their word for it.

She failed. There is a reason for it. You can’t simply say, “Oh, I hired a great team, but they failed me.”


42 posted on 09/15/2017 1:15:10 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Trump now FR public enemy number one. Man how the MSM, DU, & HP must be thrilled tonight.)
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To: taxcontrol

I can confirm that money (in a company that always turned a profit) was the reason my last gig was vehemently-resistant to implementing even basic security. That, and rank stupidity.

In that case, it was the locals guys, not corporate, that were the immovable roadblock.


43 posted on 09/15/2017 1:15:23 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: central_va; All
No technical education means she has to trust everything her subordinates tell her

No FORMAL technical education. Lots of other ways like OJT and self-teaching to obtain a technical education. This article also doesn't mention whether she took any tech classes. It only beefs that her major and degree aren't tech-related.

I suppose Zuckerberg has no tech education either. Steve Jobs studied physics, literature, and poetry, so he didn't know anything.

I also don't think Rush Limbaugh was a Poli-Sci major, so what the heck does he know?
44 posted on 09/15/2017 1:15:44 PM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: AndyTheBear

I hear pudding is hard on a good security infrastructure.


45 posted on 09/15/2017 1:16:22 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Trump now FR public enemy number one. Man how the MSM, DU, & HP must be thrilled tonight.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I’m surprised they did not pick a Gender Studies major. Sounds like discrimination to me.


46 posted on 09/15/2017 1:16:32 PM PDT by madprof98
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To: Political Junkie Too

Without knowing exactly how the breach occurred, it’s difficult to know where and why she failed.

Sadly the do-nothing-right Congress will beat their chests.


47 posted on 09/15/2017 1:16:50 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: SaveFerris

s/b “, it was the locals”

or

“it was the local guys”


48 posted on 09/15/2017 1:17:03 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: taxcontrol
It has been my experience that the main reason that cyber security programs do not get implemented is because the Sr leadership / board do not want to invest the time, effort or money.

Bingo....especially when you say "money". But at least they have a person to scape-goat and destroy.
49 posted on 09/15/2017 1:17:08 PM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: Reno89519

How would she know where to start, when building a set of technical requirements needed to assemble a team of experts?


50 posted on 09/15/2017 1:17:10 PM PDT by catbertz
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To: Gene Eric

I’ll third that.


51 posted on 09/15/2017 1:18:09 PM PDT by KEVLAR (Liberty or Death)
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To: mmichaels1970

Clearly the result of her being hired are clear for all to see. I could see her in charge of HR - maybe.


52 posted on 09/15/2017 1:18:20 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Gene Eric
Without knowing exactly how the breach occurred, it’s difficult to know where and why she failed.

Now why let that get in the way of publicly tearing a person apart?
53 posted on 09/15/2017 1:19:10 PM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: central_va

Those are practically persona non grata in a lot of places nowadays.


54 posted on 09/15/2017 1:19:40 PM PDT by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: PIF

Looking at the picture, I can bet she never played the Skin Flute!


55 posted on 09/15/2017 1:19:48 PM PDT by Cowboy Bob
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I’ve been EQUIF*CKED!


56 posted on 09/15/2017 1:20:30 PM PDT by 2harddrive
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To: ThinkingBuddha

I would usualy agree with your comment because I’ve been there and done that without a computer relat d degree but these days and with the unique position equifax is in they really needed a very qualified person in that position. I see many C suite types headed for the door over this.


57 posted on 09/15/2017 1:20:50 PM PDT by WeWaWes (When I look in the mirror I see an elephant--a bad ass elephant)
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To: DoughtyOne

Education in a particular field of science is a good and often necessary thing, but that won’t provide the management skills required to run a security operation — that only comes with many years of experience in the field.

I’m not at all saying she’s not accountable. My point concerns the focus of failure which to me is a failure.


58 posted on 09/15/2017 1:21:02 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: mmichaels1970

Maybe a start up but security for a fortune 500 company and Equifax? That is the big f***ing league. She was an amateur.


59 posted on 09/15/2017 1:21:26 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va
Clearly the result of her being hired are clear for all to see.

I just don't see enough facts as to what specifically happened for it to be clear to me. Not saying she isn't incompetent. But to base judgement on whether she has a degree and its specialty is too broad and vague. Maybe there is more info on the specifics that I haven't seen. I'm only basing my opinion on this article.
60 posted on 09/15/2017 1:21:45 PM PDT by mmichaels1970
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