About
The Standard Pitch
Chris Hoff has over 19 years of experience in high-profile global roles in network and information security architecture, engineering, operations, product management and marketing with a passion for virtualization and all things Cloud.
Hoff is currently Director of Cloud and Virtualization Solutions, Data Center Solutions at Cisco Systems. Prior to Cisco, he was Unisys Corporation’s Systems & Technology Division’s Chief Security Architect. Additionally, he served as Crossbeam Systems’ Chief Security Strategist, was the Chief Information Security Officer for a $25 billion financial services company, and was founder/Chief Technology Officer of a national security consultancy.
Hoff regularly speaks at high profile conferences, is interviewed regularly by the media, is a featured guest on numerous podcasts and blogs at http://www.rationalsurvivability.com/blog. Hoff has spoken and presented at numerous high-profile security conferences including Black Hat, DefCon, Microsoft’s Bluehat, Source, SecTor, and Troopers. He is regularly interviewed by analysts and the press and consults with the largest corporations and governments around the globe.
Hoff is a CISSP, CISA, CISM and NSA IAM. He was twice nominated as the Information Security Executive of the Year and won the Security 7 award in Financial Services in 2005.
One-Line Bio
Security Strategist, Architect, CISO and Evangelist/Prophet, Brick layer, priest and short order cook…Product manager, product marketeer, CTO, advisor and board member.
Biography
Like anyone who’s been in the security “racket” for some time, the realities and vagaries of the truth behind six degrees of separation makes me laugh out loud when I realize just how small this world really is.
Yes, I have a CISSP, CISM, CISA, IAM and about 10 other certifications/credentials, and unlike some others, I’m neither horribly allergic or blowing my own horn because of them. I get to meet some interesting people because of them, however. Does that cause you to revoke my membership in the “counter culture club?” Oh well.
I’ve done 3 start-ups (and the odd up-start,) raised venture funding, lost my ass, made it all back again, been a CEO, CISO, CTO and still haven’t figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I’ll let my kids tell me what I should do next — they’re wiser than you and I.
The coolest thing I can look back on and be proud of professionally is that at 120% of capacity I always look for more. I get accused (rightfully) of having ADD but at the same time when it’s time to lock and load, I think I do a fine job.
I’ve been featured in numerous articles, works of non-fiction, reviewed and technically-edited books. I present and keynote at a lot of conferences. I contribute to podcasts and numerous community efforts. I make a lot of Kiva loans. I specialize in emerging and disruptive innovation and what it means to security.
I have no idea why you’ve continued reading all the way to this part — I’m a boring person so I can only assume it’s 1:40 am and you’ve run out of things to type into Google.
Interests
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and various physical exercise routines. Tattoos. Big ones. Small caliber firearms, power tools, anything with wheels and an engine that puts me in harms way – supercharged small blocks, motorcycles and 125cc shifter karts, especially.
Kentucky bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and fine sipping rums. Cigars — usually the kind that curl your toes and puts hair on your palms. paintball, jumbalaya and bbq’ing anything that at one time had a face and was not in the same genus/species fork as I am/was.
I really dig virtualization and cloud computing.
In love with my kids and wife.
The Good Ole Days - 125cc Honda 6-speed Shifter - 120mph on the backstraight @ Willow Springs Raceway
One of my modified Mustangs - Click on the picture for the link to the story (Cover Car)
Don’t tell me you are retired Navy… Love the BIO… I think I found my twin…. but I don’t have all of those fancy certifications/credentials, I just know what they all are and what they do or don’t do…. I am laughing with you…. From what I remember, either it’s on or off and if it’s on you have to have a way to mine/use the data… no point in having it on if you don’t. Don’t tell me you are 48 years old like me and have a birthday in a month or so… John Zarlino
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I love your passion and the fact that you have been out in the guts of doing a startup and failing then getting up and doing it again. There is no MBA class that can be taught this except for this real pain of building the dream. I’m glad I was reffered over to your blog. Warmest Regards, Cheray
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Hi Hoff
See the PwC publication on Cloud Computing at http://www.pwc.com/us/en/technology-innovation-center/publications.jhtml (Technology Forecast, Summer 09). It features a conversation with Eran Feigenbaum of Google on security issues in cloud services.
Regards
Johann
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I have to know…is that a functional electric guitar, if so what brand and where did you get it.
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