Paul Proctor, a Gartner analyst for 20 years, joins the show to discuss practical approaches businesses can apply to make cybersecurity more effective. Through thousands of hours of outreach, Proctor sees a broken system that can improve with better communication and partnership between executives and chief information security officers to create strategies based on 'outcome-driven metrics.' One example is identifying the cost to return systems online in a specific time frame following a breach, while understanding that cutting funds to that effort jeopardizes the timeline. Hosts Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Jamil Farshchi, FBI strategic engagement advisor, discuss the importance of cybersecurity 'fundamentals' and how measured approaches can lead to more success in a field more complicated than many think. Commenting on current events in the 'Top Three' segment, Vorndran and Farshchi highlight DeepSeek AI, the new updates to United HealthGroup’s breach, and new reporting requirements for critical infrastructure cyber incidents (Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act, or CIRCIA). Listen to Ahead of the Threat episodes, read the transcripts, and find related material at fbi.gov/aheadofthethreat.