Endor Labs has appointed cybersecurity industry veteran Karl Mattson as the company’s first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Mattson has 25 years of extensive experience in leadership roles in both cybersecurity and broader technology strategy across a variety of industries.
Mattson previously served as CISO at Noname Security, a company that specializes in application programming interfaces (APIs) and application security and was recently acquired by Akamai. Mattson has also held key roles in the financial services sector, serving as CISO at both City National Bank and PennyMac Financial Services. Additionally, Mattson contributes to industry advocacy efforts as a member of the FS-ISAC Mortgage Risk Council, president of the LA Cyber Lab, and head of the Financial Services division of InfraGard, a public-private partnership between U.S. companies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Mattson holds master’s degrees from Boston University and Auburn University, is a graduate of the FBI CISO Academy, and has been an adjunct instructor at the University of Minnesota for over 10 years.
Endor Labs, which focuses on securing the software supply chain by identifying and addressing open source software dependencies and hidden dangers within the software development lifecycle, highlighted the importance of Mattson’s new role. “The role of the CISO is always important, but even more so at a security-focused startup like ours,” said Varun Badhwar, co-founder and CEO of Endor Labs. “In addition to keeping our own systems secure, Karl will be the voice for our largest customers in a variety of ways and help us better serve them.”
Mattson commented on his appointment, “I have always been attracted to companies that can address current problems while also truly looking to the future. Endor Labs does that by creating secure software capabilities that actually make developers more productive, which is a great benefit to the entire community. The company also has a strong track record, a talented and diverse staff, financial stability, and a visionary management team with a unique approach to solving important challenges. I am excited to join Endor Labs and look forward to a long career with this great company.”
Endor Labs looks to leverage Mattson’s expertise to strengthen its security posture and enhance its service offerings, and his extensive experience in both the financial services sector and cybersecurity advocacy will make him an valuable addition to the company’s leadership team.
