Hello! I’m Donnie Wendt. Thanks for stopping by.
I am a cybersecurity professional and researcher with over two decades of experience in the financial services industry. I focus on researching the latest cybersecurity solutions and emerging threats. Also, I am an adjunct professor of cybersecurity at Utica University. I am a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with a Doctorate of Science in Computer Science, an MS in Cybersecurity, and a BA in Business Administration. My research focuses on securing machine learning and cybersecurity automation.
When not working, teaching, or studying, I enjoy playing with my guitars (Meredith, Elena, Destiny, Tris, McKayla, and Avril), running, and scuba diving.
Publications
Combating Threats and Reducing Risks Posed by AI. 2024. FS-ISAC Working Group
Generative AI Vendor Risk Assessment Guide. 2024. FS-ISAC Working Group
Addressing Both Sides of the Cybersecurity Equation. 2019. CSIAC Journal
Exploring the Strategies Cybersecurity Specialists Need to Improve Adaptive Cyber Defenses Within the Financial Sector. 2019. Doctoral Dissertation in ProQuest
Driving Forces for Security Automation. 2019.The Evolution of the Cybersecurity Ecosystem by IACD and CIS
Cyber-Warfare and the Laws of Armed Conflict- Implications of Considering a Cyber-Attack an Act of War. 2016. Master’s Thesis in ProQuest
Media & Interviews
Adversaries May Be Poisoning Your Machine Learning Engine – Interview by B. Barth, scmagazine.com, 09/29/2022
The Reality of Deception for Cyber Resilience – Interview by R. Hegde, kuppingercole.com, 03/21/2022.
Speaker Spotlight: Mastercard’s Donnie Wendt on Machine Learning in Cybersecurity – Interview by F. Süß, kuppingercole.com, 10/26/2021.
Banks Cautiously Consider Expanding Automation’s Role in Incident Response by B. Barth, scmagazine.com, 10/10/2021.
Appearances
02/22/2024 – Misinformation in the Age of Generative AI @ Palmetto Cybersecurity Summit – Columbia, SC
11/09/2023 – Misinformation in the Age of Generative AI @ Kansas City Cyber Security Conference – Kansas City
10/11/2023 – Securing Machine Learning for Cybersecurity @ The Summit on Security & Third-Party Risk – Austin
09/25/2023 – Misinformation in the Age of Generative AI @ Infosec World – Orlando, FL
05/05/2023 – Securing Machine Learning in the Software Supply Chain @ Cyber Security Supply Chain Summit – Barcelona, Spain
02/22/2023 – Strategies to Defend Against Emergent and Future Threats to Business Environments @ Foundry Future of Security 2023 – Seoul, Korea,
11/10/2022 – A Picture is Worth a Thousand Lies: Deepfakes or AI-Generated Synthetic Media @ Cybersecurity Leadership Summit, Berlin Germany
11/09/2022 – Best Practices for Implementing Enterprise Security Automation for Threat Detection and Intelligence (Panel Discussion) @ Cybersecurity Leadership Summit, Berlin, Germany
11/09/2022 – Security Automation Strategies to Succeed or Fail: You Choose @ Cybersecurity Leadership Summit, Berlin Germany
09/25/2022 – Machine Learning: A Friend and Enemy of Cybersecurity @ InfoSec World 2022, Orlando, FL.
06/22/2022 – Security Automation: Why and Why Not? @ KuppingerCole Live – Managing Complexity: How to Define an Enterprise Cybersecurity Fabric that Delivers.
05/12/2022 – Vampires & Cybersecurity: Using Deception to Increase Cyber Resilience @ European Identity and Cloud Conference 2022, Berlin, Germany,
03/28/2022 – Machine Learning: Cybersecurity’s Friend & Foe @ FS-ISAC Spring Summit, Orlando, FL
12/15/2021 – Machine Learning: Cybersecurity’s Friend & Foe @ Kansas City Cyber Security Summit, Overland Park, KS
11/09/2021 – Machine Learning: Cybersecurity’s Friend & Foe @ Cybersecurity Leadership Summit, Berlin, Germany, virtual
10/18/2021 – Security Automation: Research Findings, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned @ (ISC)2 Security Congress, Orlando, FL
09/15/2021 – Security Automation in the Financial Sector: Research Findings, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned @ European Identity and Cloud Conference 2021, Munich, Germany, virtual
05/27/2021 – AI & ML: Both Your Organization’s Friend and Foe @ (ISC)² Think Tank Webinar Series
10/14/2020 – Security Automation and Adaptive Cyber Defense – Research Findings from the Financial Sector @ FS-ISAC Fall Summit, virtual
10/08/2019 – Security Automation and Adaptive Cyber Defense Strategies for Success – Experiences from the Financial Sector @ Borderless Cyber, Washington, D.C.
04/11/2019 – Closing the Gap: Automating Responses to Threats at Machine Speed (Panel Discussion) @ BITS Security Steering Committee, Washington D.C.
10/03/2018 – Addressing Both Sides of the Equation: Security Automation and Deception @ Integrated Cyber, Laurel, MD
05/22/2018 – IACD Financial Services Pilot (Panel Discussion) @ FS-ISAC Annual Summit, Boca Raton, FL
05/02/2018 – Automating the Threat Intelligence Process: A Financial Services Example @ Integrated Cyber, Laurel MD
10/16/2017 – Automating Critical Security Controls: Barriers and Opportunities (Panel Discussion) @ Integrated Cyber, Laurel MD