Outcomes, Process, and Technology always come second. People. That’s where we should focus our efforts, and everything else will fall in place.
Keep it Simple.
Business Enablement.
If the programs and processes we put in place don’t enable business, then we have failed. I preach customer success to all of my teams no matter where in an organization they sit. We have to consider the customer first. What do they need? What do they want? Do they understand the services we provide? Can they engage us easily? Can they consume our deliverables quickly?
I'm Andrew Alaniz, founder of CipherNorth and a cybersecurity and risk leader with 18+ years of experience. I've led security programs at Fortune 500 companies, global banks, and high-growth startups — building programs from scratch, maturing teams through regulatory exams, leading incident response under real pressure, and helping executives make sense of cybersecurity risk in business terms.
I started this blog in 2017 to write honestly about what I've learned.. Cybersecurity strategy, leadership, career advice, and the occasional opinion that might not be popular but needs to be said.
I also write about my time as a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and technical rescue operator. The fire service teaches many of the same principles that matter in incident response — operating under uncertainty, making decisions with incomplete information, coordinating across teams that don't normally work together, and staying calm when the stakes are real, and constantly learning and preparing. The overlap is more than a metaphor.
Outside of security and the fire service, I spend my time outdoors — hiking, climbing, and exploring the places where cell service doesn't reach with my family.
I'm based in Birmingham, Alabama. If you want to talk about cybersecurity, leadership, or working together, the best way to reach me is through CipherNorth or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Perspective.
One of the core tenants of any team I put together is understanding three perspectives. If we approach something with only one, then we will leave too much on the table to offer value. We must consider the Business Perspective. What does the business need from this? We must consider the Technology perspective. How and where does technology fit? And we must consider the Information Perspective. What does the information flow look like. These three things are essential to delivering technology services successfully.
Some of my thoughts.
You can ask anyone who has worked with me. You don’t have to guess what I am thinking. Understanding the nuances of the programs we build is key. I build programs and I build teams. Here is some insight into the technical philosophies I implement.