Endor Labs, a leader in open-source software security, has announced that industry veteran Karl Mattson has been named as the company’s first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Karl’s 25 years’ experience encompasses not only cybersecurity but broader responsibilities in technology strategy – he’s led large teams at major corporations and guided disruptive new players. He’s also held senior positions in industries ranging from financial services to retail. This diverse background will serve him in his new role at Endor Labs, which is dedicated to securing the software supply chain by identifying and remediating hidden dangers within open-source software dependencies and the software development lifecycle.
“The role of CISO is always critical, but it takes on even greater importance at a security-focused venture like ours,” said Varun Badhwar, co-founder and CEO of Endor Labs. “Besides keeping our own systems safe, Karl in many ways represents the voice of our largest customers and will help us better serve them.”
Mr Mattson was previously CISO at Noname Security, recently acquired by Akamai, which specialised in application programming interface (API) and application security. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions in the financial service sector, including serving as CISO for City National Bank and PennyMac Financial Services. He’s also been active in industry advocacy as a member of the FS-ISAC Mortgage Risk Council, President of the LA Cyber Lab and Financial Services Sector Chief for InfraGard, the national non-profit organisation serving as a public-private partnership between US. businesses and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a graduate of the FBI CISO Academy, holds Masters degrees from Boston University and Auburn University and has been on the Adjunct Faculty at the University of Minnesota for over 10 years.
“I’ve always been drawn to companies that are truly able to look ahead even as they deal with the problems of the present,” Mattson said. “Endor Labs does that by creating secure software capabilities that actually make developers more productive – a huge boon to the entire community. The company also has a visionary management team with a sterling track record, a talented and diverse staff, financial stability and a unique approach to solving a critical challenge. I’m very excited to join Endor Labs and I look forward to a long future with this great company.”
