Ahead of the Threat: The FBI Cyber Podcast

On this episode of Ahead of the Threat, FBI Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran and FBI Strategic Engagement Advisor Jamil Farshchi speak to Kevin Mandia, founder and CEO of Mandiant, one of the world’s leading cyberthreat intelligence and incident-response firms. Drawing on his vast industry experience, Kevin talks about game-changing breaches and the history of cybersecurity, the increasing prevalence of voice cloning and other artificial intelligence tools in social engineering schemes, and the changing role of the chief information security officer (CISO). Kevin also shares the top four questions every CEO or corporate board should ask their CISO to assess cyber readiness. At the start of the episode, Bryan and Jamil discuss trending topics like Sophos’ acquisition of Secureworks, the cyberattack on American Water, and the new CISO hire at UnitedHealth Group. Listen to Ahead of the Threat episodes, read the transcripts, and find related material at fbi.gov/aheadofthethreat.

In December 2021, UKG Kronos was hit with a ransomware attack that impacted thousands of business customers. On this episode of Ahead of the Threat, FBI Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran and FBI Strategic Engagement Advisor Jamil Farshchi speak to Aron Ain, former CEO and current executive chair at UKG, who gives a firsthand account of what it’s like to lead a multinational technology company during a major cyber incident. Learn how Aron handled the extreme pressure of the situation, prioritized transparency to rebuild customer trust, and made enduring structural reforms to supply-chain security and cybersecurity at the board level.

At the start of the episode, Bryan and Jamil discuss trending topics like Iran’s brazen effort to interfere in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telecoms, and recent supply chain compromises.

Watch FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement on the Iranian election interference indictment at fbi.gov/video-repository/director-wray-on-indictment-of-iranian-cyber-actors-092724.mp4/view. You can read the indictment itself at justice.gov/opa/pr/three-irgc-cyber-actors-indicted-hack-and-leak-operation-designed-influence-2024-us.

Listen to Ahead of the Threat episodes, read the transcripts, and find related material at fbi.gov/aheadofthethreat.

Welcome to Ahead of the Threat, the FBI's new podcast miniseries that brings together an FBI cyber executive and a private sector chief information security officer. Join Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Jamil Farshchi, a strategic engagement advisor for the FBI who also works as an executive vice president and CISO of Equifax, as they discuss emerging cyber threats and the enduring importance of cybersecurity fundamentals.

Featuring distinguished guests from the business world and government, Ahead of the Threat will confront some of the biggest questions in cyber: How will emerging technology impact corporate America? How can corporate boards be structured for cyber resilience? What does the FBI think about generative artificial intelligence? Listen to new episodes biweekly and stay Ahead of the Threat.