Flexible Databases and Cyber Security with MongoDB Chief Information Security Officer Lena Smart

This week on How I Launched This: A SaaS Story, Stephanie Wong (@stephr_wong) is pleased to welcome Lena Smart from MongoDB. MongoDB is a force in the database industry, offering indexing and storage capabilities for any document.

We start the show with a thorough discussion of Lena's background and her journey to becoming one of the top Chief Information Security Officers in the business. With the vital importance of security online and the ever-changing laws and regulations proliferating the space, Lena tells us that security should be part of a business's culture. She offers tips for achieving this ideal, including instituting a policy of mandatory security awareness training and supporting your strongest link - your employees.

The episode continues as Lena tells the story of MongoDB's founding. With the growth of mobile and cloud technologies, it became clear that the world needed a better database. MongoDB rose to the challenge by providing an intuitive, easy, secure solution for companies that is scalable and customizable. We learn about MongoDB Atlas, a global database platform with out-of-the-box layered security measures and additional available add-ons like Atlas Data Lake. Lena explains this layered approach to MongoDB security, comparing it to the physical securities a brick-and-mortar business or home might employ. We learn about MongoDB's field level encryption specifically and how it's changing database security.

To wrap up the show, Lena talks about the hiring process for security personnel and how a few good team members can help influence and mentor others. She stresses the security culture mindset, emphasizing cooperation between departments. We talk about the partnership between Google and MongoDB and how these two companies have learned from each other. Lena leaves us with a powerful message to be yourself and continue to grow and learn.

Episode Links:MongoDBMongoDB AtlasMongoDB RealmMongoDB Atlas Data Lake