Lessons from the Frontlines

"Reading this book feels like sitting down with a trusted mentor who has lived through every security challenge you can imagine. Assaf writes with the simplicity and authenticity of someone who's been in the trenches, made hard calls, and learned from both wins and setbacks."
--ROSS HALELIUK, Security Industry Expert

"Building and sustaining security in major enterprises is much more than a technical discipline. Rather, it's an intense leadership challenge balancing influence, grit and team building. Assaf's personal journey revealed in this book contains lessons for all security professionals--whether you are starting out or an established leader you will love this."
--PHIL VENABLES, Former CISO at Goldman Sachs and Google Cloud, and a VC Partner

Master the human skills that effective cybersecurity leaders need with actionable advice from a 25+ year veteran of the industry

In Lessons from the Frontlines: Insights from a Cybersecurity Career, Chief Security Officer at Qualtrics, Assaf Keren, draws on over 25 years' experience in cybersecurity to offer clear, actionable guidance for leading cybersecurity teams. Keren tackles the most pressing problems security leaders face, including execution under pressure, burnout, organizational resistance, and the gap between technical rigor and business reality. He shows you how to address these challenges by replacing permission-seeking with intent-based action, communicating risk with realistic hope, and building teams that thrive amid nonstop change.

The book develops personal foundations (curiosity, grit, optimism), core leadership competencies (execution, change management, business and finance acumen, diplomacy, and communication), the human side of leadership (mental health, self- care, community), and strategic scale (leading diverse organizations, product thinking in security). Real-world stories--from incident command to rebuilding global security operations, and a case study on generative AI adoption--pair with frameworks you can apply immediately.

Perfect for current and aspiring CISOs, security directors, and team leads, Lessons from the Frontlines is also a must-read for all technical and business professionals interested in achieving or understanding cybersecurity leadership roles.