Agent of Influence

The Secret Service, Modern Bank Heists, Defensive Security, and More

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil talks with Tom Kellermann, Head of Cyber Security Strategy for VMware’s Security Business Unit. Listen to Tom discuss the interesting role the secret service plays in fighting financial crime, key findings from his recent research Modern Bank Heists 4.0, SolarWinds and the concept of island hopping, tips to accomplish an effective defensive posture, and how to achieve a secure hybrid cloud. Additionally, Tom shares insights from his time as a cyber security commissioner for the Obama administration.

The Evolution of Risk Management and the Chief Risk Officer

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil sits down with Jeff Sauntry, CEO and Founder of Risk Neutral. They discuss the evolution of the Chief Risk Officer, guidance for security and risk professionals interested in participating on advisory boards, how PCI standards are keeping up with new development practices, compliance fatigue, the convergence of physical and cyber security, and his experiences scuba diving.

How Well Do You Know Your Breach Preparedness, Incident Response, and Regulatory Obligations?

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil speaks with Matt Hartley, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at BreachRx. Hear Matt’s insights on the threats posed by criminal, nation state, and hacktivist attackers, business continuity and disaster recovery, the differences and similarities between privacy and security incidents, breach preparedness, how to navigate privacy regulations, and other post-breach obligations businesses need to consider.

Startup Security, Threat Modeling, Pre-Social Engineering, and More

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil speaks with Hadas Cassorla, Head of Security Engineering at Simple Finance. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of a security leader at a startup, the effectiveness of threat modeling, what “pre-social engineering” means, and unconventional, empathetic security training tactics. Additionally, Hadas shares security leadership lessons learned from doing improv, working in law, and being a serial hobbyist.

From Wealth Management to Vulnerability Management – Insights Gained from a Unique Career Path

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil meets with David Quisenberry, InfoSec Manager at Zapproved. They discuss how he applies his tenure in wealth management to his work in cyber security, the importance of empathy in leadership, best practices for finding a mentor, his experience with the local Portland chapter of the OWASP application security group, and more. For any bookworms listening, David also offers a few powerful book recommendations.

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast: Acquisition and InfoSec Insights from NetSPI’s New CTO

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil connects with NetSPI CTO Brady Bloxham. They discuss the importance of offensive security, entrepreneurship, characteristics of a successful infosec professional, and how he took his hobby building malware to the next level. They also talk about NetSPI’s acquisition of Silent Break Security, the company Brady founded, and provide advice for others in the midst of their own acquisition journey. 

Comfort is the Enemy: Leadership Advice from a Top Woman in Cyber Security

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil sits down with Jadee Hanson, CISO and VP of Information Systems at Code42 and founder of nonprofit Building Without Borders. She shares key learnings from her time as a ‘first responder’ during the 2013 Target breach, advice for security leaders getting too comfortable with their programs, and the imminent importance for application security – or “shifting left.” 

What Makes a Successful Technologist, A Day in the Life of a Security Firm CISO, and Lessons from an Effective Phishing Engagement

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil sits down with Roshan Popal, SVP of Cloud Operations and CISO at MicroStrategy. They discuss Roshan’s start in security, which includes getting caught hacking the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) at SUNY Buffalo, and share advice for emerging security professionals. They also discuss what it's really like to be a CISO at a security firm and reminisce about an effective phishing campaign that fooled Nabil when the two worked together and highlight the key business learnings from the engagement. 

Tech Resiliency Amid COVID-19 and Criteria for an Investment-Worthy Company

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil connects with technology investor Gus Alberelli, co-founder of Sunstone Partners. They discuss the economic and societal impact of today’s COVID-19 pandemic compared to 9/11, the resiliency of the technology sector, key criteria of an investment-worthy company, and their favorite soccer memories.

Wireless Security Challenges, SMS Evolution, 3G Flaws, and 5G Implications

In this episode of Agent of Influence, Nabil talks with Professor Guevara Noubir about unique security challenges related to wireless systems, the evolution of SMS, flaws in how 3G was implemented, and how the world may change once 5G is broadly available.