Rick Scot serves as the Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Elevate Textiles, bringing a dynamic, nontraditional career journey to the cybersecurity space. After two decades in the financial sector and stints at institutions like Bank of America and Bank of New York Mellon, Rick transitioned into the manufacturing world with a mission to bridge business understanding with cyber defense. Known for his insatiable curiosity, Rick has developed a reputation for uncovering critical vulnerabilities and spearheading innovation—earning 27 patents in cybersecurity and fraud prevention. At Elevate Textiles, Rick now leads security strategy across a global operation known for producing fabrics and threads that support industries ranging from apparel to first-responder equipment.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Why understanding the business you protect is key to effective cybersecurity
- Rick's unique path from Disney tech support to global cyber threat strategy
- How Bank of America fostered a culture of innovation through patents
- The role of threat intelligence in Rick’s daily cybersecurity routine
- How AI and deepfakes will accelerate cybercrime
- Why elder fraud has become both personal and professional for Rick
- How generative and agentic AI can be used for both good and harm
- Practical ways to reduce SoC noise with behavioral analytics
In this episode…
Rick Scot recounts his unexpected path to cybersecurity leadership, beginning with tech support at Disney and evolving into high-level roles at Bank of America and Bank of New York Mellon. He highlights how his passion for continuous learning and pattern recognition made data and threat intelligence natural fits, eventually landing him leadership roles tackling global cybercrime and even representing his organization in international forums like Europol and the G7.
Rick also opens up about the dark side of cybercrime—particularly elder fraud—and shares a personal story of how a scam disrupted his own family. He breaks down how fraud tactics have evolved and underscores how AI is lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, enabling even novices to launch attacks with sophisticated tools.
On the defensive side, Rick offers actionable advice on how AI can be strategically used to cut down on false positives and streamline operations in Security Operations Centers (SoCs). By monitoring patterns such as badge swipes and IP mismatches, organizations can gain deeper behavioral context without overwhelming analysts. Rick stresses the importance of testing and monitoring AI tools rigorously and calls for updates to vendor contracts to account for AI usage and data protections.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Matthew Connor on LinkedIn
CyberLynx
Rick Scot on LinkedIn
Elevate Textiles Website
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