The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim

Author:Gene Kim
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IT Revolution Press

John looks awful. If his shirt were just a little more wrinkled, and maybe had a stain or two in front, he could almost pass as a homeless person.

“John, are you coming down with something? You don’t look so hot,” I say.

His expression turns ugly, “Do you know how much political capital I’ve spent over the last two years, trying to get everyone to do the right thing? This organization has been kicking the information security can down the road for a decade. I put absolutely everything on the line. I told them the world would end if they didn’t go beyond lip-service, and at least try to fix some of these systemic it security issues… I mean, we need to at least pretend to care.”

From the other side of the room, I see Erik turn to look at us. The audit partner doesn’t seem to have heard John. Nevertheless, Erik puts his arm around him and collegially moves the conversation into the hallway, closing the door loudly behind him.

Oblivious, John continues, “You know, there are times when I think I’m the only person in this entire company that actually cares about the security of our systems and data. Do you know how it feels to have the entire Dev organization hiding their activities from me, and having to beg people to tell me where they’re meeting? What is this, elementary school? I’m only trying to help them do their jobs!”

When I don’t say anything, he just sneers at me. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you look down at me, Bill.”

I look at him with genuine surprise.

“I know you never read my e-mails. I have to call you to even get you to open them up—I know, because I get the read receipts while we’re on the phone, you asshole.”

Ah.

But I’ve read many of his e-mails without him having to call me first. However, before I can respond, he barrels forward, “You all look down on me. You know, I used to manage servers, just like you do. But I found my calling doing information security. I wanted to help catch bad guys. I wanted to help organizations protect themselves from people who were out to get them. It came out of a sense of duty and a desire to make the world a better place.

“But ever since I’ve been here, all I do is fight the corporate bureaucracy and the business, even though I’m trying to protect them from themselves.” Laughing harshly he says, “The auditors were supposed to put the screws on us. They were supposed to punish us sinners for our ungodly ways. And you know what? All afternoon, we just watched the audit partner pamper us with kid gloves. What is the point of even having an information security program at all? Even the auditors don’t care! Everything just got brushed under the rug for the cost of a golf game.”

John is almost shouting, “Our auditors should be put on trial for incompetence! All those findings they dismissed were basic hygiene issues! We live in a churning cesspool of risk.

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