The cyber war book business leaders are actually reading
Cyber War: One Scenario
Cyber War: One Scenario by Mark Lynd is a 72-hour scenario walking through a coordinated attack on US critical infrastructure across energy, water, transportation, healthcare, and financial services. The book is written for the audience that needs to understand what cascade dynamics actually look like at the national scale: boards, executives, regulators, policymakers, insurance and reinsurance leadership, and the critical infrastructure operators who would be on the calls. Mark Lynd is a 5x CIO/CISO with Thinkers360 Top 10 global rankings across five disciplines simultaneously, including #1 globally in Cybersecurity in 2023. He is a US Army veteran of the 3rd Ranger Battalion and 82nd Airborne Division, currently Head of Executive Advisory and Strategy at Netsync, and the author of three published cybersecurity books. Cyber War: One Scenario draws on his direct enterprise and government advisory work, his 150+ facilitated executive tabletop exercises, and his operating experience as a CIO and CISO across organizations with critical infrastructure exposure. The book is structured as a literary tabletop exercise: each hour of the 72-hour scenario describes the attacker actions, the defender responses, the executive coordination dynamics, and the public communication picture. The format allows readers to step through the cascade as it would actually unfold, with the regulatory clocks, the press cycle, the insurance and continuity decisions, and the inter-agency coordination challenges that determine whether the response holds or fails. What Cyber War: One Scenario is not is a vendor brief, a fear-marketing document, or a policy paper. It is an operational scenario written by a practitioner for executives who need to think clearly about what coordinated critical infrastructure attack actually looks like and what the leadership team has to do about it. Mark speaks on the themes of Cyber War: One Scenario at critical infrastructure conferences, government and SLED events, insurance and reinsurance forums, board education sessions, and industry-specific events in energy, water, transportation, and financial services. Reach out through the contact form for event date and audience type.
Live on stage · International keynote
Book by Mark Lynd
Cyber War: One Scenario
A 72-hour scenario built around a coordinated OT-targeting attack on US critical infrastructure, the executive playbook for what leaders actually have to decide when the lights go out.
Quick Answer
Cyber War: One Scenario by Mark Lynd is a 72-hour scenario walking through a coordinated attack on US critical infrastructure across energy, water, transportation, healthcare, and financial services.
Last updated: April 2026 · Verified by Mark Lynd, 5x CIO/CISO with 25+ years of experience
Keynote Topics
The 2026 Executive Briefing on Cyber War: One Scenario
A current-quarter executive briefing on cyber war: one scenario, calibrated for boards, C-Suites, and senior leadership audiences. Built from active advisory work, not retrospective case studies.
Best for: Boards, executive offsites, association annual meetings
Duration: 45-90 minutes
The Operator's View of Cyber War: One Scenario
Mark's view of cyber war: one scenario from the 5x CIO/CISO seat: what is actually shipping, what is failing, and what executives should prioritize in the next 90 days.
Best for: Practitioner and operating-leadership audiences
Duration: 45-90 minutes
Board Briefing on Cyber War: One Scenario
A 30-60 minute board-level briefing on cyber war: one scenario, structured for decision-grade communication. Covers what the board owns and the framework for the quarterly governance cycle.
Best for: Board events, audit committee sessions, governance summits
Duration: 30-60 minutes
I don't give speeches. I bring the view from the frontlines, what I'm actually seeing this quarter running enterprise AI and cybersecurity programs and advising boards, so your audience leaves with something real.
, Mark Lynd, 5x CIO/CISO, Head of Executive Advisory & Strategy at Netsync
Why Executives Are Reading This Cyber War Book
Verified Thinkers360 Top 10 global rankings in five disciplines. Currently #3 Data Center, #4 Cloud, #4 Security, #5 Cybersecurity, #7 AI. Audited recognition held simultaneously across five disciplines is rare on the global thought leader register.
5x CIO/CISO still in the operating seat. Content from current advisory work at Netsync this quarter, not from a closed consulting engagement or research project.
Named frameworks audiences take back and implement. The 72-Hour IR Executive Playbook, the Cyber Insurance Readiness Score, the Enterprise AI Trust Score, the Agentic AI Security Framework, and the AI Board Briefing Triangle are practical tools event attendees present to their own leadership.
US Army veteran, three published books, two weekly newsletters. 3rd Ranger Battalion and 82nd Airborne Division. A Leader's Playbook for Cyber Insurance, Cyber War: One Scenario, Cybersecurity Life Skills for Teens. Cybervizer and AI Bursts newsletters reaching a global enterprise audience.
Speaker Reel
Watch Mark on Stage
A sampling of keynotes, panels, and live broadcast appearances , RSA, Oracle CloudWorld, Dell Technologies World, ESPN College Football Awards, and the Technology Ball.
What Audiences Say
Feedback From Event Hosts and C-Suites
Mark stands apart. His credibility isn’t rooted in a title from years ago , it’s built through the work he’s doing every day in the field. When he speaks about our technology, enterprise buyers pay attention because they know his perspective is grounded in real-world experience.
Shira Rubinoff
CEO, The Cybersphere Group
Mark delivers more than a presentation , he delivers operational insight from the front lines. Instead of theory, he shares what is actually working in real environments. Our audience of CISOs and security leaders left with practical strategies they could begin implementing immediately.
Jo Peterson
CIO, Clarify360
Where Has Mark Spoken?
According to venue records, Mark has delivered keynotes at: RSA Conference · Oracle CloudWorld · Cisco Partner Summit · Dell Technologies World · IBM Think · T-Mobile Events · Gartner Security & Risk · InfoSecurity · ISACA Conferences · ISSA Events · Cloud Security Alliance · CyberSecurity Summit · BSides · FLGISA · MISAC · SMU Cox School of Business · and 100+ more.
How Do You Book Mark Lynd for Your Event?
The booking process is straightforward and typically completes within 3 business days. Mark customizes every keynote to the audience, industry, and event objectives.
- Submit an inquiry. Fill out the contact form with your event date, audience, and objectives. Response within 48 hours.
- 15-minute discovery call. Discuss your event in detail, including audience makeup, key messages, and desired outcomes.
- Proposal & contract. Receive a tailored proposal with format options (keynote, workshop, panel), fee, and travel terms.
- Customization. Mark customizes content to your audience, industry examples, and desired takeaways.
- Expert delivery. Mark brings 25+ years of real-world executive experience to every stage.
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Ready to Book Mark?
Mark customizes every keynote to the audience, industry, and event objectives. Contact the booking team to check availability.
100+ keynotes · audiences from 50 to 5,000+
Formats: In-person, virtual, hybrid · international available
Duration: 30–120 minutes depending on format
Custom by event · educational pricing available