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CISO Criminal Liability: Understanding the US v. Joe Sullivan Trial
CISO & CTOLevel: Intermediate
Overview
The 2022 criminal conviction of Uber's former Chief Information Security Officer Joseph Sullivan marked a turning point in how courts, regulators, and boards view the personal legal accountability of security executives. This course uses U.S. v. Sullivan as a detailed case study, examining the specific facts, federal charges, jury verdict, and sentencing to draw out the legal principles that matter most for today's security leaders and the organizations they serve. Participants will gain a grounded understanding of the conduct the government found criminal, why the CISO rather than other executives bore personal liability, and what that precedent means for how security incidents are reported, escalated, and documented going forward. The course is designed to help organizations and their leadership teams make more informed decisions about governance structures, disclosure obligations, and the boundaries of a CISO's authority and accountability.
What you’ll learn
- Explain the specific facts, federal charges, and legal findings that led to Joseph Sullivan's criminal conviction
- Identify the conduct and decision-making patterns the government characterized as obstruction and concealment
- Distinguish between a CISO's operational responsibilities and the disclosure obligations that attach to an organization following a data breach
- Assess how U.S. v. Sullivan reshapes personal criminal liability exposure for security executives
- Recognize the governance and escalation structures that can reduce individual and organizational legal risk after a security incident
- Evaluate how legal advisors, boards, and executives can better define and document a CISO's authority and limits in light of this precedent
Skills you’ll gain
Explain the specific facts, federal charges, and legal findings that led to Joseph Sullivan's criminal convictionIdentify the conduct and decision-making patterns the government characterized as obstruction and concealmentDistinguish between a CISO's operational responsibilities and the disclosure obligations that attach to an organization following a data breachAssess how U.S. v. Sullivan reshapes personal criminal liability exposure for security executivesRecognize the governance and escalation structures that can reduce individual and organizational legal risk after a security incidentEvaluate how legal advisors, boards, and executives can better define and document a CISO's authority and limits in light of this precedent
Audience and prerequisites
Who this is for
This course is most relevant for CISOs and security team leaders, board members, executives with incident-response oversight responsibilities, and legal advisors who counsel organizations on cybersecurity governance and breach disclosure.
Prerequisites
None — designed for non-technical professionals, though a general familiarity with corporate incident response processes will be helpful.
Curriculum
- Video coming soon
1. CISO Criminal Liability: Understanding the US v. Joe Sullivan Trial
In this seminar, our expert panelists give a comprehensive overview of the U.S. v Joseph Sullivan case, beginning by introducing the facts of the case and explaining from a legal perspective the relevant technical information of the case. Next, our speakers discuss the charges against Mr. Sullivan and the issues considered in the case. Our speakers then review the ruling and provide observations about the outcome of the case, concluding with key takeaways about what this case means for criminal liability for CISOs. Topics covered in this webinar: CISO Criminal Liability: U.S. v. Joseph Sullivan Facts and Background Issues and Charges Ruling, Sentencing, and Observations Key Takeaways: Dispelling Cyber Criminal Liability Rumors
Free preview
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