I am a CISO in the Boston area. If you are like me, you get numerous event invitations per week. What CISO events do you attend to gather the most insight? Which have you found to be a waste of time?

I find the Gartner Security and Risk Summit one of the best of the year. Evanta also has numerous events by CISOs for CISOs. Outside of those, I scrutinize the topic and who is speaking to get maximum value. 

So, since I'm in the EMEA region, I can give you a general approach, but it really depends on what you want to get out of these events. I particularly enjoy events that facilitate networking opportunities with peers, as valuable insights are often shared unofficially in those settings. When seeking to expand my knowledge in a specific area, such as TPRM, I prioritize events that provide relevant content. Before registering for an event, I make sure to review feedback from previous attendees to ensure its suitability. Or just asking my peers about them. 

When they are a "networking dinner" event with just one vendor, they are a very expensive waste of time.

I receive a lot of invitations but I only go to a few.  From the ones I have recently assisted, Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit is the best one for insights and updated information.  For networking and new vendors, the best event is RSA.