It’s an open secret that cybersecurity/technology vendors have a significant influence and impact in the enterprise information security space.

Vendors often try and gain your business with gifts such as dinners, lunches or more. While there’s nothing wrong with that in general, it becomes a slippery slope with the bigger and more lavish items that you might be offered. This can truly position you in a bad spot with vendors holding significant leverage over you.

With that said, there needs to be a certain level of ethics from cybersecurity professionals and cybersecurity leaders who are entrusted with purchasing and implementing technology at organizations. For instance, officers and directors at organizations (generally) have a duty of loyalty and a duty of care as they’re entrusted with steering the ship in the organization’s best interest. Regardless of your organizational role, breaching these principles can have lasting negative consequences, including the erosion of trust and respect across various teams and divisions within the organization. Once the organization and your peers no longer trust you, then you are setup to fail.

So if you’re reading this, always take a moment to reflect if that fancy vendor paid experience or trip is worth your dignity and respect. Think about the potential of losing your trust from peers by being persuaded with lavish gifts and experiences rather than what’s right for the org, and think about what kind of leverage vendors might be holding over you. Your career is worth more than that.