Episode 59: From B-52 Bomber to Cybersecurity CEO: Carl Herberger's Journey Through Military Aviation, Corporate Security, and Building DDoS Defense

Join host Den Jones as he sits down with Carl Herberger, CEO of Corero, for a fascinating conversation that spans from military aviation to cybersecurity leadership. Carl shares his unique journey from flying B-52 bombers to becoming a Pentagon cyber warfare pioneer, then transitioning to corporate security roles at Campbell Soup Company before founding multiple security companies. This episode explores the critical importance of DDoS protection and cyber resiliency in today's threat landscape.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:- Early Life and Military BackgroundCarl discusses his German-American upbringing and path to military serviceKey quote: "I was born in the US, but because my father was an electrician for, at the time, Transworld Airlines, he got laid off in the mid '60s, late '60s when I was born" - B-52 Aviation CareerDetails about his eight years as a B-52 aviator and the demanding nature of military flyingKey quote: "Being a military flight crew member, it is fundamentally rewires your brain. You learn things that maybe many other professions don't learn. You must fundamentally know everything about the machine" - Military Aviation MindsetHow military aviation shaped his approach to risk and decision-makingKey quote: "It's what you don't know or you didn't research, that's what will kill you. It's as simple as that" - Pentagon Cyber Warfare RoleTransition from aviation to becoming part of the initial cadre of cyber warriors in the mid-90sKey quote: "They were putting together a cadre of people and they put together disciplines that they believed would have sensibilities about this idea" - Life Philosophy and Career ApproachDiscussion about being open to unexpected opportunities and following your heartKey quote: "Your brain will never make you happy, never. There's no place in the world and no scenario in the world with thinking will make you happy. Only your heart will make you happy" - Personal Story PhilosophyCarl's perspective on life as an ongoing story you author dailyKey quote: "Every person is a story and you are the author. And the coolest thing about that journey is like any movie that you watch" - Campbell Soup Company ExperienceHis role as CISO covering diverse brands and business modelsKey quote: "Campbell's what people didn't realize, and they still own many of these businesses, they own a lot of product. I mean, Pepperidge Farm, you're probably familiar with" - Transition to EntrepreneurshipMoving from cost center to revenue-generating business rolesKey quote: "No matter what I did as a CISO, I would still always be a cost to the business... I was never going to be really fundamentally revenue relevant to Campbell's" - The DDoS ProblemWhy most CISOs don't prioritize DDoS protection despite its critical importanceKey quote: "Most CISOs don't care about it, truly... They prefer to deal with what I would consider to be more what people consider to be table stakes, security problems" - Availability as Critical SecurityThe fundamental importance of availability in the CIA triadKey quote: "If you can't keep your internet up, if you can't keep your application up, if you can't keep your system up, if you can't keep your service up, you're done" - Regulatory Changes in Cyber ResiliencyNew regulations driving demand for DDoS protection and cyber resiliencyKey quote: "There's something called the Digital Organizational Resiliency Act. And if you're a critical infrastructure provider, you have to prove that you're not just checking the box in this space" - DDoS as Major ThreatThe prevalence of DDoS attacks in the current threat landscapeKey quote: "The number two is cyber attack in the world. It's ransomware and DDoS"