Episode #195. No Simulation Mode: What Happens When the Worst-Case Scenario Is Real, with Tim Brown, Chief Information Security Officer and VP of Security for SolarWinds
Thu Feb 05 2026
When a nation-state attack turns theory into reality, security leadership is tested in ways no playbook can fully prepare you for.
In this episode, Tim Brown, Chief Information Security Officer and VP of Security for SolarWinds, reflects on his journey from security product builder to frontline CISO during one of the most consequential supply-chain attacks in history. He shares firsthand lessons from the SolarWinds breach, including how incident response plans held up under unprecedented scale, public scrutiny, and nation-state sophistication. Tim explains how muscle memory, cross-functional trust, and radical transparency became essential to stabilizing the organization and rebuilding customer confidence. He also discusses how the CISO role fundamentally changes post-incident and what it takes to lead through crisis, recovery, and long-term transformation.
Tune in to hear what security leaders and future CISOs need to know when the unthinkable becomes real.
Resources:
Connect with and follow Tim Brown on LinkedIn.
Follow SolarWinds on LinkedIn and discover their website!
For more information and ways to increase risk awareness and safety, visit us at www.censinet.com.
Music by David Cosgrove an accomplished composer, musician, producer, and engineer. Listen to his latest project Del Piombo.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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When a nation-state attack turns theory into reality, security leadership is tested in ways no playbook can fully prepare you for. In this episode, Tim Brown, Chief Information Security Officer and VP of Security for SolarWinds, reflects on his journey from security product builder to frontline CISO during one of the most consequential supply-chain attacks in history. He shares firsthand lessons from the SolarWinds breach, including how incident response plans held up under unprecedented scale, public scrutiny, and nation-state sophistication. Tim explains how muscle memory, cross-functional trust, and radical transparency became essential to stabilizing the organization and rebuilding customer confidence. He also discusses how the CISO role fundamentally changes post-incident and what it takes to lead through crisis, recovery, and long-term transformation. Tune in to hear what security leaders and future CISOs need to know when the unthinkable becomes real. Resources: Connect with and follow Tim Brown on LinkedIn. Follow SolarWinds on LinkedIn and discover their website! For more information and ways to increase risk awareness and safety, visit us at www.censinet.com. Music by David Cosgrove an accomplished composer, musician, producer, and engineer. Listen to his latest project Del Piombo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices