Episode 63: John Hollenberger, Fortinet, FIRSTCON26 Speaker

Recorded live at FIRSTCON26 in Denver, Colorado, this episode of FIRST Impressions features an interview with John Hollenberger of Fortinet to discuss his FIRSTCON26 presentation on ChaosStack, a fresh approach to tabletop exercises designed to better prepare incident response teams for real-world crises. Rather than following a traditional step-by-step scenario, John explains how ChaosStack intentionally overwhelms participants with multiple competing events at the outset, mirroring the uncertainty, pressure, and decision fatigue that security teams face during actual incidents. Topics discussed include: why traditional tabletop exercises often fail to recreate the realities of incident response; how the ChaosStack methodology introduces multiple simultaneous "injects" to simulate competing priorities and high-pressure decision making; the importance of helping teams learn how they collaborate under stress, and more! The conversation highlights an important takeaway: incident response isn't just about technical expertise, it's about how people communicate, collaborate, and make decisions when the pressure is at its highest.