
Nate Lee: Building a GenAI Security App for Fun (and No Profit)
12/11/23 • 50 min
Nate Lee, CISO at Tradeshift, talks about creating cloud security capabilities, working with engineering, and how he built a GenAI security question answering bot.
About Nate:
Nate is currently CISO at Tradeshift, a B2B SaaS platform where he built the security program that has secured over $1 trillion in global business transactions. Previous to that, he led various technical teams including the company’s Platform Operations, Site Reliability Engineering and Corporate IT functions.
He got his start as an engineer doing consulting, building systems and networks before joining Target Corporation. At Target, he built and secured systems that ensure the smooth flow of goods at one of the largest retailers in the country.
In 2010, after relocating to the Bay Area, Nate joined the videoconferencing startup Fuze (later acquired by 8x8) as a Senior Architect before swiftly expanding his purview and leading the operations, security and escalated support teams.
Like most in tech, he’s currently spending an inordinate amount of time digging into AI and the practical implications it has to businesses, focusing on building secure-by-default systems and driving internal efficiencies.
SPONSER NOTE:
Support for Cloud Ace podcast comes from SANS Institute. If you like the topics covered in this podcast and would like to learn more about cloud security, SANS Cloud Security curriculum is here to support your journey into building, deploying, and managing secure cloud infrastructure, platforms, and applications. Whether you are on a technical flight plan, or a leadership one, SANS Cloud Security curriculum has resources, training, and certifications to fit your needs.
Focus on where the cloud is going, not where it is today. Your organization is going to need someone with hands-on technical experience and cloud security-specific knowledge. You will be prepared not only for your current role, but also for a cutting-edge future in cloud security.
Review and Download Cloud Security Resources: sans.org/cloud-security/
Join our growing and diverse community of cloud security professionals on your platform of choice:
Nate Lee, CISO at Tradeshift, talks about creating cloud security capabilities, working with engineering, and how he built a GenAI security question answering bot.
About Nate:
Nate is currently CISO at Tradeshift, a B2B SaaS platform where he built the security program that has secured over $1 trillion in global business transactions. Previous to that, he led various technical teams including the company’s Platform Operations, Site Reliability Engineering and Corporate IT functions.
He got his start as an engineer doing consulting, building systems and networks before joining Target Corporation. At Target, he built and secured systems that ensure the smooth flow of goods at one of the largest retailers in the country.
In 2010, after relocating to the Bay Area, Nate joined the videoconferencing startup Fuze (later acquired by 8x8) as a Senior Architect before swiftly expanding his purview and leading the operations, security and escalated support teams.
Like most in tech, he’s currently spending an inordinate amount of time digging into AI and the practical implications it has to businesses, focusing on building secure-by-default systems and driving internal efficiencies.
SPONSER NOTE:
Support for Cloud Ace podcast comes from SANS Institute. If you like the topics covered in this podcast and would like to learn more about cloud security, SANS Cloud Security curriculum is here to support your journey into building, deploying, and managing secure cloud infrastructure, platforms, and applications. Whether you are on a technical flight plan, or a leadership one, SANS Cloud Security curriculum has resources, training, and certifications to fit your needs.
Focus on where the cloud is going, not where it is today. Your organization is going to need someone with hands-on technical experience and cloud security-specific knowledge. You will be prepared not only for your current role, but also for a cutting-edge future in cloud security.
Review and Download Cloud Security Resources: sans.org/cloud-security/
Join our growing and diverse community of cloud security professionals on your platform of choice:
Previous Episode

Steve Tran: Hacker, Magician, Police Officer, and CISO
Steve Tran, CISO at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), opens up about his personal challenges, finding his path through hacking and magic, and his passion for helping the next generation.
ABOUT STEVE:
Steve is the Chief Security Officer for the Democratic National Committee, where he leads the organization's Information Technology, physical security, and cybersecurity strategies and programs. Prior to this, Steve was the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for MGM Studios. There, he played a pivotal role in several high-profile mergers and acquisitions, including the successful $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM Studios by Amazon. Steve has a diverse background. He has worked at Mattel, Target Corporation, Fox Studios, and Deloitte, and also served as a police officer.
When not defending against dedicated adversaries, you can watch his “off the cuffs” performances at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.
Follow Steve on these socials:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveishacking/
https://defcon.social/@stevetran
SPONSER NOTE:
Support for Cloud Ace podcast comes from SANS Institute. If you like the topics covered in this podcast and would like to learn more about cloud security, SANS Cloud Security curriculum is here to support your journey into building, deploying, and managing secure cloud infrastructure, platforms, and applications. Whether you are on a technical flight plan, or a leadership one, SANS Cloud Security curriculum has resources, training, and certifications to fit your needs.
Focus on where the cloud is going, not where it is today. Your organization is going to need someone with hands-on technical experience and cloud security-specific knowledge. You will be prepared not only for your current role, but also for a cutting-edge future in cloud security.
Review and Download Cloud Security Resources: sans.org/cloud-security/
Join our growing and diverse community of cloud security professionals on your platform of choice:
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