This keynote offers expert, strategic guidance on how organizations can improve their cybersecurity operations in response, including enhancing security awareness training, educating employees to identify and resist manipulation, understanding the importance of cultural variances and how board-level decision-making can directly influence attacks.
Written by a renowned cybersecurity leader, the book draws on interviews with ex-criminals and top experts in the field to share rich insights and a wide range of case studies profiling notable groups, such as Anonymous, Lapsus$, FIN7, Nigeria’s Yahoo Boys, Sandworm, and the Lazarus Group. The human side of cybersecurity has never been so important.
Sarah Armstrong-Smith is one of the most influential voices in cybersecurity and crisis management. With nearly 30 years of frontline experience, she has guided global organizations through some of the most complex digital disruptions of the modern era. Formerly Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft and Group Head of Crisis Management at the London Stock Exchange, Sarah is known for her calm authority, deep technical insight, and ability to translate complex cyber risks into clear, actionable strategy. Her Amazon bestselling book Understand the Cyber Attacker Mindset and her acclaimed first title Effective Crisis Management have positioned her as a thought leader on the psychology of cybercrime, leadership under pressure, and organizational resilience.
As a global keynote speaker, media commentator, and trusted advisor, Sarah has spoken at high-profile platforms including NATO, the World Energy Council, and Sky News. Her presentations deliver a compelling blend of strategic foresight, leadership development, and practical crisis response. Sarah helps businesses and government agencies alike anticipate cyber threats, respond confidently to crises, and build a culture of security that drives sustainable success.
Sarah Armstrong-Smith is one of the most influential cybersecurity leaders in the industry.
With three decades of front-line experience, including roles as Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft and Group Head Crisis Management at The London Stock Exchange, Sarah delivers transformative strategies to help organisations build resilience to digital disruptions and global crises.
In 2022, Sarah published her debut book ‘Effective Crisis Management’ which explores the traits and leadership skills required to thrive in the face of adversity. Her second book is Amazon best seller ‘Understand the Cyber Attacker Mindset’, which dives deep into the psychology of cyber warfare.
As a global advocate and trained PR spokesperson, Sarah has appeared in multiple industry publications, media outlets, and global conferences, as a keynote speaker, panellist and conference chair. This includes NATO, World Energy Council and Sky News.
Sarah Armstrong-Smith’s engaging style is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and industry leaders worldwide.
Book a specialist like Sarah to deliver market-leading guidance and actionable insights from one of the industry’s most captivating voices.
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In this short introduction, cybersecurity strategist Sarah Armstrong-Smith shares her mission to help organizations stay resilient, secure, and human-centered in a digital world.
In this three-minute video, Sarah Armstrong-Smith introduces her role as a cybersecurity and crisis management leader, outlining her approach to helping organizations manage uncertainty in an interconnected world. She discusses the growing complexity of the digital landscape and the importance of human-centered leadership in managing cyber risk. Drawing from her experience at Microsoft and the London Stock Exchange, Sarah highlights how successful crisis response depends on preparation, empathy, and clear communication. She emphasizes that cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline—it’s a leadership imperative that touches every level of an organization. With a calm, authoritative delivery, Sarah encourages audiences to view resilience not as a reactive skill, but as a proactive mindset. Her message is clear: in times of disruption, trust, transparency, and decisive leadership define long-term success.
00:31–01:10: The evolving landscape of cybersecurity and leadership responsibility.
01:11–02:00: Lessons from crisis management and digital resilience.
02:01–02:30: The human side of cybersecurity—trust and communication.
02:31–03:00: Closing message – inspiring confidence and readiness for the future.
In this keynote, Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor Sarah Armstrong-Smith shares powerful insights on digital trust, attacker psychology, and leading through cyber crises.
In this 18-minute keynote, Sarah Armstrong-Smith delivers a masterclass on modern cybersecurity leadership. Speaking from her position as Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor and Fellow of the British Computer Society, she explores how organizations can prepare for and respond to escalating cyber threats in a volatile global landscape. Sarah opens by addressing the rapid evolution of cybercrime—from sophisticated state-sponsored attacks to social engineering and ransomware—and highlights the growing interdependence between technology, people, and process.
She emphasizes that effective defense is not just about tools and systems but about building a resilient culture that prioritizes awareness, communication, and collaboration. Drawing from real-world crises, including major financial and infrastructure incidents, Sarah shares lessons in decision-making under pressure and maintaining organizational trust during disruption. She underscores the importance of psychological preparedness—understanding attacker motivations, predicting behavior, and mitigating human error through leadership and training.
The talk concludes with a call for empathy-driven leadership: empowering teams to act with confidence, fostering diversity of thought, and viewing cybersecurity as a shared responsibility that extends beyond IT.
01:46–04:15: The evolving cyber threat landscape and global digital risks.
04:16–06:50: The psychology of attackers and human factors in cybersecurity.
06:51–09:10: Lessons from crisis management at the London Stock Exchange.
09:11–12:30: Building organizational resilience and trust through leadership.
12:31–15:00: Decision-making, communication, and composure during crises.
15:01–17:30: Empowering teams through mindset, training, and shared accountability.
Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor, Sarah Armstrong-Smith, explains how modern attackers innovate and what organizations must do to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.
In this 9-minute presentation, Sarah Armstrong-Smith offers a sharp, forward-looking analysis of how cyber attackers continue to adapt and evolve their tactics. Speaking from her experience as Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor, she explores how global threat actors leverage automation, artificial intelligence, and cloud environments to expand their reach and sophistication. Sarah outlines the shift from opportunistic to highly targeted attacks, where adversaries study business operations and exploit trust relationships to infiltrate networks.
She discusses the growing role of supply chain compromise, identity-based attacks, and social engineering—stressing that human error remains the leading vulnerability in most organizations. Sarah advocates for a proactive, layered defense built on zero-trust architecture, real-time threat intelligence, and collaborative information sharing between sectors. Throughout the talk, she highlights the importance of culture, communication, and leadership in shaping effective cyber resilience. Her closing message is clear: while attackers are evolving fast, so too can defenders—through awareness, agility, and a shared commitment to learning.
01:01–02:45: How automation and AI amplify threat capabilities.
02:46–04:15: The rise of identity-based and supply chain attacks.
04:16–06:10: Human factors and the psychology of exploitation.
06:11–08:00: Building proactive, layered defenses through zero trust.
08:01–09:20: Collaboration and intelligence sharing across industries.
She integrates technical expertise with behavioral and leadership psychology to help organizations respond to cyber threats with intelligence and empathy.
Sarah works across finance, energy, government, and technology sectors, advising Fortune 500 companies and global institutions.
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