Welcome to Razorwire! Join me, Jim, and my guests Chris Dawson and Iain Pye, as we dive into the daily frustrations and pressing issues facing cybersecurity professionals. This episode is filled with insights, gripes, and laughable clichés that saturate our industry. From award ceremony hype to exaggerated LinkedIn credentials, we tackle it all. Stay tuned and subscribe for a candid look at the ups and downs of working in infosec.

• Key Talking Points:** **Real Talk on Compliance and Regulations:** Breaking down the importance of understanding and managing compliance requirements like GDPR and DORA without falling for marketing gimmicks. **Vendor Exaggerations vs. Reality:** The overblown claims around compliance and the serious implications for cybersecurity. **Grandstanding Egos:** The rise of self-proclaimed thought leaders and influencers and their role in fuelling fear, uncertainty, and doubt within the infosec community.
• The Struggles of Simplicity:**
• "Your average user will go out of their way to circumnavigate the controls that you've put in place." - Iain Pye
• Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform:** [https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen](https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen)
• In this episode, we covered:**
• **Annoying Infosec Practices:** A satirical look at the most irritating practices in the infosec industry.
• **Auditor Issues:** The frustrations of dealing with auditors.
• **Integrity at Work:** The importance of acting professionally in workplace settings.
• **Infosec Vendor Marketing:** How to stay wise to vendor marketing exaggerations.
• **Risk Management Complexity:** The abundance of acronyms and the importance of clear communication.
• **Compliance and Regulations:** Implications of compliance requirements like GDPR and DORA.
• **Exaggerated Professional Profiles:** The trend of elaborate and often exaggerated LinkedIn titles and qualifications.
• Resources Mentioned:**
• The Cyber Sentinel’s Handbook
• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act)
• LinkedIn
• Chat GPT
• Other episodes you'll enjoy:**
• **Preventing Burnout in Cyber Security:** [https://www.razorthorn.com/cyber-security-professionals-shortage-burnout-how-to-protect-against-it-razorwire-podcast/](https://www.razorthorn.com/cyber-security-professionals-shortage-burnout-how-to-protect-against-it-razorwire-podcast/)
• **SolarWinds’ CISO Under SEC Scrutiny:** [https://www.razorthorn.com/solarwinds-ciso-under-sec-scrutiny-the-impact-on-the-infosec-community/](https://www.razorthorn.com/solarwinds-ciso-under-sec-scrutiny-the-impact-on-the-infosec-community/)
• Connect with your host, James Rees:**
• Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cybersecurity professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and career stages, offering various viewpoints for improving your cybersecurity.

Catch new episodes every other Wednesday for insights, news, and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information or to ask questions, email podcast@razorthorn.com. Visit [www.razorthorn.com](https://www.razorthorn.com) for personalised cybersecurity consultation.