Former NSA Analyst | Two-Time CISO | LinkedIn Learning Instructor

Lora Vaughn

Cybersecurity leader who's protected billions in assets, now helping organizations get security right through speaking and fractional CISO services.

Book Me to Speak Hire Me as Fractional CISO

ISC2 Security Congress (4.7/5.0) CISOs Connect A100 — 2024, 2025 LinkedIn Learning Instructor Former NSA Analyst Two-Time CISO

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Engaging keynotes with actionable insights, no vendor pitches or buzzwords.

"Best presenter all day."
— ISC2 Security Congress 2025

"Best talk so far in clarity and content value."
— ISC2 Security Congress 2024

"Amazing speaker, actionable content."
— ISC2 Security Congress 2025

For Security Teams

Plan for Chaos: Why Most IR Plans Fail Big

Real stories from incident response failures: what actually breaks and how to build muscle memory before you need it.

For General Audiences

The Spy in Your Pocket: Mobile Security for Everyone

Your smartphone knows more about you than your closest friends. Here's what to do about it, no jargon required.

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Vaughn Cyber Group

Need a Fractional CISO?

Not ready for a full-time hire? I help startups, SMBs, and community banks build security programs that actually work, without the enterprise price tag or consultant-speak.

✓ Fractional CISO services:Part-time security leadership
✓ SOC 2 & compliance readiness:Audit prep without the panic
✓ Incident response planning:Build the playbook before you need it
✓ Post-incident stabilization:Just had a breach? Let's fix it.

Explore Consulting Services

Why companies hire me:

CISO at MoneyGram (150M+ customers)
CISO at Simmons Bank ($20B+ assets)
Led security at Fastly (10% of internet traffic)
Former NSA analyst
CISSP certified

How I Think About Security

No buzzwords. No vendor pitches. Just real talk.

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Why Your Incident Response Plan Will Fail (And What to Build Instead)

Most IR plans fail not because they're poorly written, but because plans don't survive contact with reality. Here's how to build response capability instead of just documentation.

The Drinking Bird at the Nuclear Plant

Sam Altman wants to give AI full access to everything. Your users will too. Your AI security strategy isn't competing against attackers; it's competing against tedium. Tedium wins.

SIEM vs. MDR for Community Banks: What Actually Works (And What's a Waste of Money)

A practical guide for community banks choosing between SIEM and MDR solutions. Real costs, what examiners actually want, and a decision framework for banks under $2B in assets.

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