Security leadership is often associated with emerging threats and advanced technologies, but much of the role comes down to disciplined execution, thoughtful decision-making, and balancing protection with business continuity. In CISO Diaries, we speak with leading CISOs around the world to understand what the role actually looks like beyond frameworks and incident headlines, how security leaders structure their days, where they focus their attention, and the habits that shape their approach to risk.

This series explores the human side of cybersecurity leadership, where judgment, patience, and operational clarity are often as important as technical controls. By spotlighting routines, leadership philosophies, and long-term perspectives, CISO Diaries offers a closer look at how modern CISOs navigate evolving threats while building programs that are resilient, pragmatic, and aligned with business priorities.

About Victor-Andrei Nicolae

Victor-Andrei Nicolae is Chief Information Security Officer at RightClick Solutions, where he leads enterprise information security and IT risk management strategy, working across business units to strengthen security governance, improve risk management processes, and enhance the organization’s information security framework. His experience spans a broad range of IT and security environments, from infrastructure design and cloud administration to enterprise security controls, compliance, and operational resilience.

With expertise across AWS, Microsoft environments, Trellix security solutions, and ISO 27001-aligned security management, Victor brings a practical, systems-oriented perspective to the CISO role. Known for his emphasis on disciplined execution and sustainable risk management, he focuses on building effective controls that support business operations while preparing organizations for emerging challenges, including the rise of AI-driven threats and the shift toward more adaptive, intelligent defense strategies.

How do you usually explain what you do to someone outside of cybersecurity?

I’m responsible for protecting the organization’s systems, data, and infrastructure by identifying risks, implementing security controls, and ensuring everything runs securely and reliably. This includes securing networks and systems, managing access, monitoring for threats, and responding to incidents to keep the business operating safely.

What does a “routine” workday look like for you, if such a thing exists?

A typical day involves monitoring systems and security alerts, reviewing logs and vulnerabilities, managing access and security configurations, and addressing any incidents or risks. It also includes coordinating with teams, improving security controls, and ensuring compliance with policies and standards.

What part of your role takes the most mental energy right now?

Balancing security requirements with business needs—prioritizing risks, making decisions on limited resources, and ensuring controls are effective without impacting operations—takes the most mental energy.

What’s one security habit or routine you personally never skip? (Work or personal.)

Ensuring all systems and applications—both work and personal—are consistently updated with the latest security patches is a habit I never skip.

What does your own personal security setup look like? (Password manager, MFA, backups, devices, at a high level.)

I use a password manager for all credentials, enforce MFA on all accounts, keep devices encrypted and regularly updated, and maintain secure, periodic backups to ensure data can be recovered if needed.

What book, podcast, or resource has influenced how you think about leadership or security? (Doesn’t have to be technical.)

Leadership and security cannot function without a strong sense of responsibility. Rather than being shaped by a specific book or resource, my approach has been influenced by observing my father and how he handles situations and responsibilities in his daily life, which has had a lasting impact on how I think and act.

What’s a lesson you learned the hard way in your career?

One key lesson I learned the hard way is the importance of patience. Rushing decisions or expecting immediate results—especially in security and infrastructure—can lead to mistakes or overlooked risks. Taking the time to properly assess situations and act thoughtfully leads to better, more sustainable outcomes.

What keeps you up at night right now, from a security perspective?

The rapid growth and accessibility of AI, particularly how it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks such as advanced phishing, social engineering, and automated exploitation, is a key concern. It significantly lowers the barrier for threat actors while increasing the complexity of detecting and mitigating risks.

How do you measure whether your security program is actually working?

I measure effectiveness through maintaining ISO 27001 certification, which requires regular audits, continuous risk assessments, and ongoing improvement of security controls. Successful audit outcomes and adherence to defined policies and KPIs indicate that the security program is functioning as intended.

What advice would you give to someone stepping into their first CISO role today?

Focus on understanding the business first, not just the technology. Build strong relationships across the organization, prioritize risks realistically, and communicate security in a way that supports business goals. Most importantly, stay pragmatic—perfect security doesn’t exist, but effective risk management does.

What do you think will matter less in security five to ten years from now?

Over time, purely perimeter-based security will matter less. With cloud adoption, remote work, and increasingly distributed systems, the focus is shifting away from defending a fixed network boundary toward identity, access control, and continuous verification (Zero Trust).

Looking ahead 10 years, what do you believe security teams will spend most of their time on that they don’t today?

Security teams will spend significantly more time leveraging AI to defend against AI-driven threats. As attackers increasingly use automation and intelligent systems, defenders will need to adopt similar technologies to detect, respond, and adapt in real time, making AI-driven defense a core part of security operations.

The post CISO Diaries: Victor-Andrei Nicolae on Practical Security, Patience, and AI-Driven Defense appeared first on CISO Whisperer.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from CISO Whisperer authored by JJ Javier. Read the original post at: https://cisowhisperer.com/ciso-diaries-victor-andrei-nicolae-on-practical-security-patience-and-ai-driven-defense/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ciso-diaries-victor-andrei-nicolae-on-practical-security-patience-and-ai-driven-defense