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Joe Sullivan, Bug Bounties & CISO Liability: The Legal View with Aravind Swaminathan
Episode 66

Joe Sullivan, Bug Bounties & CISO Liability: The Legal View with Aravind Swaminathan

The Professional CISO

May 21, 20251h 26m

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Show Notes

Sponsor: Magic Mirror Security (www.magicmirrorsecurity.com/thpc)

🎙 When the Lawyers Come for CISOs — Aravind Swaminathan on Risk, Responsibility & the Law

Guest: Aravind Swaminathan, Global Co-Chair, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Orrick


Episode Summary

CISOs have always managed risk — but are they ready to manage legal exposure? In this gripping episode, David Malicoat sits down with Aravind Swaminathan, a leading cyber attorney and former federal prosecutor, to unpack the legal landscape threatening CISOs today. Aravind shares behind-the-scenes insights from the Joe Sullivan case, explains the chilling implications of the Ninth Circuit’s decision for bug bounty programs, and delivers straight talk on CISO liability, reputation, and professional protection.

Whether you’re a seasoned CISO or an aspiring security leader, this episode will sharpen your understanding of how legal, privacy, and reputational issues intersect with cyber leadership in 2025.


What You’ll Learn

  • The human and legal realities behind the Joe Sullivan case
  • Why mission, vision, and values must guide breach response
  • The evolving role of legal counsel in cybersecurity crises
  • What every CISO must know about indemnification and D&O coverage
  • Where cyber and privacy overlap — and why it matters
  • The importance of storytelling in incident response and litigation
  • Why CISOs need to ask the right legal questions during job offers

Guest Bio

Aravind Swaminathan is a Partner and Global Co-Chair of the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice at Orrick. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and CHIP prosecutor, he has led responses to hundreds of cybersecurity incidents and represents organizations and executives facing some of the most complex legal issues in cyber today — including serving as the attorney for Joe Sullivan.


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Related Episodes

  • Joe Sullivan – The Human Cost of Prosecution
  • David Chamberlain – Crisis Communications for CISOs

#Hashtags

#CISO #CybersecurityLaw #BugBounty #JoeSullivan #LegalRisk #ProfessionalCISO #DataPrivacy #IncidentResponse #CyberLaw #SEC #CyberLeadership

Topics

CISOcybersecurityinformation security
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