Bill Swearingen
Cybersecurity executive, practitioner, and community builder with over two decades at the intersection of national security and enterprise defense.
From managing a $50M+ security budget at a Fortune 500 company to advising private equity firms on portfolio security, Bill's career spans the full spectrum of cybersecurity leadership: offense, defense, and strategy.
Professional Experience
TRIFIDENT Advisory
Founding Partner
Cybersecurity advisory for private equity firms and Fortune 100 organizations. Leads M&A cyber due diligence, portfolio company security assessments, and strategic security program development. Provides board-level counsel on cyber risk management and investment security posture evaluation.
IronNet Cybersecurity
Senior Cyber Strategist & Red Team Lead
At the NSA-founded cybersecurity firm established by General Keith Alexander (former NSA Director), served as Senior Cyber Strategist and Red Team Lead. Contributed to the development of cybersecurity strategy for allied nations. Led offensive security assessments and red team operations against sophisticated threat models.
CenturyLink (now Lumen Technologies)
Chief Information Security Officer
Served as CISO for a Fortune 500 telecommunications company, managing a $50M+ security budget and leading a 217-person global security organization. Guided the organization through major cybersecurity events with direct FBI coordination. Responsible for enterprise security architecture, incident response, threat intelligence, and regulatory compliance across global operations.
SixCyber
Founder
Founded SixCyber to bring enterprise-grade cybersecurity services to organizations of all sizes in Kansas City and nationwide. Provides penetration testing, incident response, vCISO/fractional CISO services, CMMC compliance preparation, security assessments, and strategic advisory services.
SecKC
Co-Founder
Co-founded SecKC in 2009 alongside other prominent figures in the Kansas City security community. What started as a small gathering of security enthusiasts has grown into the world's largest monthly cybersecurity meetup, drawing hundreds of practitioners, researchers, and professionals to Kansas City each month. SecKC hosts technical talks, hands-on workshops, capture-the-flag competitions, and networking events that have helped establish Kansas City as a Midwest hub for cybersecurity talent.
CCCKC (Cowtown Computer Congress)
Co-Founder
Co-founded Kansas City's hackerspace alongside other prominent community members. CCCKC provides workspace, tools, and community for technologists, hackers, and makers to collaborate on projects and learn together. It has been instrumental in fostering the local tech and security community, serving as a launchpad for countless projects and careers.
InfraGard Kansas City
President
Served as President of the Kansas City InfraGard chapter, the FBI-affiliated public-private partnership focused on critical infrastructure protection. Led efforts to facilitate information sharing between local businesses, government agencies, and federal law enforcement on cybersecurity threats affecting the region.
Certifications &
Recognition
CISSP
Certified Information Systems Security Professional, the gold standard in cybersecurity certification. Demonstrates deep technical and managerial security knowledge.
CISM
Certified Information Security Manager, focused on security governance, program development, and strategic leadership.
Former TS/SCI Clearance
Held Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, enabling work on the most sensitive national security programs.
DEF CON & Black Hat Speaker
Presented at the world's most respected cybersecurity conferences, contributing original research and insights to the global security community.
Kansas State University
Dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Management Information Systems and Business Administration (2000).
Open Source &
Contributions
Awesome Incident Response
Created and maintains a curated list of tools and resources for security incident response, used by thousands of security professionals worldwide.
SecKC Community
Co-founded Kansas City's premier cybersecurity community meetup, fostering a collaborative environment for security professionals to learn, share, and connect across the metro area.
Conference Speaker
Regular speaker at DEF CON, Black Hat, and other industry conferences. Shares research and practical knowledge on topics spanning offensive security, incident response, and security leadership.
Work with Bill.
Whether your organization needs a penetration test, strategic security guidance, or a fractional CISO, Bill brings the experience and judgment that comes from operating at the highest levels.