Financial Services, Cybersecurity and the Evolving Threat Landscape
Financial Services, Cybersecurity and the Evolving Threat Landscape
Publish Date: 2026-05-20 12:00:00
Source Domain: www.securitymagazine.com
Security magazine talks with Leilani Farol, SVP and CISO at First Horizon Bank about how financial institutions can manage the threats associated with an evolving cyber landscape.
Security magazine: Tell us about your career and background.
Farol: My career has spanned cybersecurity, risk management and technology leadership, primarily working within financial services companies and other regulated organizations both within the United States and internationally. In my role as SVP and Chief Information Security Officer at First Horizon, I am focused on developing and overseeing the bank’s information, cyber and technology security.
Over the course of my 25+ year career, I’ve seen cybersecurity evolve from a more technical function to a core business priority. CEOs, boards and shareholders understand that security can’t be an afterthought. The most cyber-resilient organizations today aren’t operating in silos. They’re strengthening resilience as part of their daily business operations, and that’s exactly what my team and I are focused on at First Horizon.
Security: What are your thoughts on the evolving threat landscape? How can financial institutions strategically manage these risks?
Farol:
The threat landscape is accelerating faster than ever before, fueled by AI-powered threats and growing regulatory pressures. While AI is creating powerful opportunities to strengthen cyber defenses, threat actors are also leveraging AI to enhance and scale their attacks.
The financial services industry is seeing more frequent and sophisticated phishing and business email compromise attempts. Identity theft, ransomware, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and third-party risk are also top of mind. The good news is that, as a long-standing leader in cyber collaboration, governance and risk management, the financial sector is well positioned to stay ahead of this evolving threat landscape.
As a financial institution and partner, we don’t just manage…
