The Role of Lawyers in Cybersecurity Aren't What You Think — Here's Why It Matters

Security Unfiltered

Security Unfiltered
The Role of Lawyers in Cybersecurity Aren't What You Think — Here's Why It Matters
Feb 03, 2026 Episode 221
Joe South

Send a text

Most cybersecurity talks focus on technical solutions, but this episode reveals a game-changing perspective: building trust is at the core of cybersecurity success. Danielle Sheer, Chief Trust Officer at Commvault, shares how her legal background and emotional connection strategies transform organizations’ approach to security—making cybersecurity relatable, manageable, and resilient.

You'll discover:

The surprising skills lawyers develop that elevate cybersecurity leadership—like seeing multiple sides of a problem and translating complex threats into business language.
How trust, not just technology, is the secret to effective security—why relationships matter more than firewalls alone.
Practical insights on handling breaches, from crisis communication to resilience strategies that go beyond spending more.
The role of AI in expanding the threat landscape, and why understanding and simplifying cybersecurity is crucial as attacks get more advanced.
Why the future of cybersecurity hinges on your ability to foster trust, build internal alignment, and communicate clearly across technical and non-technical teams.
If you're a security professional, a leader trying to bridge the tech-human gap, or anyone interested in how trust can be your greatest shield—this episode is your must-listen. Danielle Sheer’s unique journey from law to security offers lessons on leadership, relationship-building, and proactive resilience that could redefine how your organization defends itself in a digital age.

Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction to Danielle Sheer and her career journey
02:07 - From law to leadership: Building emotional connections and trust
04:28 - Defining the Chief Trust Officer role and its organizational value
05:59 - Skills gained in law school that translate across industries
08:38 - The importance of perspective-taking and storytelling in cybersecurity
09:34 - Strategies for communicating cybersecurity issues effectively to non-technical stakeholders
11:53 - Managing internal security processes and building trust through transparency
13:12 - The anatomy of breaches and translating between technical and business language
15:24 - The importance of resilience, employee education, and business continuity plans
17:00 - Conducting effective tabletop exercises and lessons from breach simulations
20:36 - Ransomware payments and industry responses to emerging threats
22:29 - How AI is transforming cybersecurity: skill gaps and threat detection challenges
26:13 - State-sponsored attacks, malware timelines, and geopolitical cybersecurity concerns
28:37 - The need for global cooperation and continuous vigilance in cybersecurity
30:27 - Final thoughts: connecting organizations and sharing resources

Support the show

Follow the Podcast on Social

Support the show

Follow the Podcast on Social Media!

Tesla Referral Code: https://ts.la/joseph675128

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@securityunfilteredpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secunfpodcast/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SecUnfPodcast

Affiliates
➡️ OffGrid Faraday Bags: https://offgrid.co/?ref=gabzvajh
➡️ OffGrid Coupon Code: JOE

➡️ Unplugged Phone: https://unplugged.com/
Unplugged's UP Phone - The performance you expect, with the privacy you deserve. Meet the alternative. Use Code UNFILTERED at checkout

*See terms and conditions at affiliated webpages. Offers are subject to change. These are affiliated/paid promotions.

Episode Artwork The Role of Lawyers in Cybersecurity Aren't What You Think — Here's Why It Matters 39:21 Episode Artwork Agentic Robots Are Here—And Your Security Strategy Is Broken with Ben Wilcox 51:03 Episode Artwork Building Safer Online Habits Without Becoming Paranoid 49:13 Episode Artwork The Grind and Growth: A Podcaster's Journey With Jack Rhysider From Darknet Diaries 49:08 Episode Artwork Your Next Hire Might Be a Deepfake With Brian Long CEO of Adaptive Security 44:24 Episode Artwork Master The Fundamentals, Then Change The System 57:21 Episode Artwork Power Without Stealth: Should America Flex In Cyberspace Or Starve Cartels Online 1:13:48 Episode Artwork Unlocking Data Protection: Vishnu Varma on Cybersecurity Challenges 53:55 Episode Artwork From Sewers To Subsea: Rethinking Data Centers And Defense 52:57 Episode Artwork Inside The Global Push For Offensive Cyber And Smarter Defense 45:32 Episode Artwork The FUTURE of Device Authentication is Here NOW 45:11 Episode Artwork The Future Hides In Plain Sight: Will We See It In Time? 56:20 Episode Artwork Inside Offensive AI: From MCP Servers To Real Security Risks 1:05:29 Episode Artwork What If AI Took Over Your Data Security Tomorrow? 50:04 Episode Artwork Top SAP Security Threat Hunting Strategies Used by Elite Researchers 52:15 Episode Artwork From Apple’s Inside to a New Kind of Phone: Privacy, Free Speech, and Building a Third Platform 48:40 Episode Artwork Your AI is not as secure as you think it is, and here's why 50:51 Episode Artwork Cloud, AI, and the Future of Identity Access Management 45:18 Episode Artwork Hack Your Way to Achievement: One Small Step at a Time 42:50 Episode Artwork The Future of AI: Security, Ethics, and Human Augmentation 39:31 Episode Artwork Breaking the Sky: How Vulnerable Are Our Satellites? 55:37 Episode Artwork Navigating the AI-Driven Job Market 54:00 Episode Artwork Finding Your Niche: How Specialization Drives Success in a Crowded Market 44:10 Episode Artwork From Russia with Code: A Malware Analyst's Journey 47:27 Episode Artwork Finding Zero Days in Salesforce Industry Clouds 45:40