Firewalls and Fire Alarms: What to Do When Your Best Defenses Go Up in Smoke

Imagine your shock in seeing your newly installed “fireproof” wall completely engulfed in flames. In both fire safety and information security, we often think that we design layers of controls to prevent disaster. In reality, these layers are actually meant to delay disaster. But what happens when those trusted defenses fail? This talk draws on real-world scenarios where controls everyone assumed were in place—from fire doors to firewalls—unexpectedly gave way, leading to chaos and damage.

Using compelling examples from both fields, we’ll examine situations where preventative, detective, and containment controls fell short and explore the lessons they offer for information security. Attendees will learn how layered defenses, regular testing, and resilient response plans can make a difference when systems don’t perform as expected. By blending fire safety insights with actionable security strategies, this talk will prepare you to handle the flames when your own controls go up in smoke.