New Chief Information Security Officer Named to Protect Information Assets and Manage Risks

Nate Howe

UT Dallas has appointed Nate Howe as the University’s new director of information security and chief information security officer.

Howe will manage all aspects of the information security program and will develop partnerships, measure the risk environment and build a culture of security awareness. His first day on the job was March 17.

“Organizations continue to struggle with the concept of risk elimination versus risk management; it is too disruptive and expensive to eliminate all risks,” Howe said. “Instead, I create conversations between stakeholders and together we identify scenarios most likely to have a significant impact on security. I can then direct resources where we get the greatest benefits.”

Prior to joining UT Dallas, Howe established the security office at Western Federal Credit Union in 2006 as information security manager. He was promoted to vice president of risk management and provided leadership to the internal audit, insurance and physical security functions. His accomplishments included regulatory compliance, Web application testing, mobile device protection, awareness training, vendor management and call center procedures that reduced customer account takeovers.

“The traditional view of information security focused on IT systems, viruses and network firewalls,” Howe said. “Those continue to be important, but today everyone must recognize their impact on security because risks include information on paper, information shared with third parties, and simply the way we handle information when we work or study. I locate information assets in any format, then seek a balance between convenience and control.”

Earlier in his career, Howe managed IT audits at Ameriquest Mortgage Company, NASDAQ and Arthur Andersen. These experiences allowed him to compare information security practices in a variety of environments.

Howe graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s in business administration and management information systems in 2001 and earned an MBA from the University of California, Irvine, in 2013. He also holds the following professional certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor and Global Information Assurance Certification.