In this episode of Simply ICS Cyber, co-hosts Don C. Weber and Tom VanNorman are joined by maritime and energy cybersecurity expert Marco (Marc) Ayala — vOT-CISO, Senior Principal Advisor for Energy, Oil, and Gas at the Cyber Infrastructure Protection Innovation Center (CIPIC), President of InfraGard Houston Members Alliance, and National Sector Chief of Energy for InfraGard.

Marc has spent his career at the intersection of ICS/OT security, maritime operations, and critical infrastructure protection. His work includes advancing cybersecurity for the energy and oil & gas industries, driving innovation at CIPIC, and building collaborative bridges between public and private sectors to defend against nation-state and criminal threats.

If you’re interested in the challenges of maritime cyber resilience, industrial control systems, operational technology, or energy sector defense, this episode offers rare insights from one of the field’s most active leaders.

Connect with Marc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-marc-ayala-a3b26934

Episode Links:

• InfraGuard: https://www.infragardnational.org/
• ISA Fellows: https://www.isa.org/membership/recognition/fellows
• Port of Corpus Christi, Texas: https://portofcc.com/
• Port of Galveston, Texas: https://www.portofgalveston.com/
• Port of Houston, Texas: https://porthouston.com/

👉 Subscribe to Simply ICS Cyber for more expert-driven conversations on ICS/OT security, critical infrastructure protection, and emerging cyber threats.

Connect with your hosts on LinkedIn:
- Don https://linkedin.com/in/cutaway
- Tom https://linkedin.com/in/thomasvannorman
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Deputy Managing Director at the Cyber Readiness Institute Lessie Skiba joins host Bryson Bort to discuss the CRI’s new program connecting small- and medium-sized water utilities with cyber coaches to strengthen their resilience.

What if the most effective cybersecurity solution isn't a new piece of technology, but a human connection? How can we empower small businesses to tackle cyber threats, even with limited resources? And if Lessie could wave a magic, air-gapped wand, what is one fundamental change she would make to our digital landscape?

Join us for this and more on this episode of Hack the Plan[e]t. 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of their employers. 

Hack the Plant is brought to you by ICS Village and the Institute for Security and Technology. 

In this essential rewind episode, Dino Busalachi and Craig Duckworth address a fundamental challenge facing practitioners in the field: effectively securing operational technology (OT) environments through local expertise and proper data collection.

The Power of Local Partnership

Dino emphasizes a crucial principle that often gets overlooked in cybersecurity implementations: "The only way you can act local is you've got to work with those folks that are in those plants every day, all day."

This insight highlights why external cybersecurity consultants must forge strong partnerships with on-site operational teams who possess intimate knowledge of their industrial environments.

These local experts understand the nuanced details that can make or break a security implementation. This includes everything from vendor schedules and machine operations to maintenance windows and downtime planning.

They know when critical systems are most vulnerable and which processes absolutely cannot be interrupted.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Why Local Collaboration is Critical for Cybersecurity Success
• 00:01:07 - Meet Dino and Craig: Experts in IT/OT Integration
• 00:01:49 - Unpacking the Challenges of IT/OT Convergence
• 00:02:28 - Why IT and OT Teams Often Struggle to Align
• 00:04:48 - Building Collaborative Frameworks for Stronger Cybersecurity
• 00:07:33 - The Role of CIOs and CISOs in Driving Change
• 00:08:44 - Navigating the Complexities of Diverse Plant Environments
• 00:10:23 - Partnering with Vendors to Enhance Security Outcomes
• 00:11:16 - Key Questions to Evaluate System Integrators Effectively
• 00:16:35 - Using Tabletop Exercises to Align IT and OT Teams
• 00:22:20 - Closing Thoughts: Bridging the Divide for Unified Cybersecurity

Links And Resources:

• Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.
• Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedIn
• Cybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedIn
• BW Design Group Cybersecurity
• Dino Busalachi on LinkedIn
• Craig Duckworth on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this episode, host Aaron Crow is joined by Kathryn Wang, Principal of Public Sector at SandboxAQ, for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the critical role AI and quantum technology are playing in today's cybersecurity landscape. 

Kathryn and Aaron break down complex concepts like quantum cryptography and the growing risks of deepfakes, data poisoning, and behavioral warfare - all with real-world examples that hit close to home. They dig into why cryptographic resilience is now more urgent than ever, how AI can both strengthen and threaten our defenses, and why your grandma shouldn’t be left in charge of her own data security.

From lessons learned in power plants and national defense to the nuances of protecting everything from nuclear codes to family recipes, this episode dives deep into how we can balance innovation with critical risk management. 

Kathryn shares practical advice on securing the basics, educating your network, and making smart decisions about what truly needs to be connected to AI. Whether you’re an IT, OT, or cybersecurity professional—or just trying to keep ahead of the next cyber threat - this episode will arm you with insights, strategies, and a little bit of much-needed perspective. Tune in for a mix of expert knowledge, humor, and actionable takeaways to help you protect it all.

Key Moments: 

04:02 "Securing Assets in Post-Quantum Era"

07:44 AI and Cybersecurity Concerns

12:26 "Full-Time Job: Crafting LLM Prompts"

15:28 AI Vulnerabilities Exploited at DEFCON

19:30 AI Data Poisoning Concerns

20:21 AI Vulnerability in Critical Infrastructure

23:45 Deepfake Threats and Cybersecurity Concerns

28:34 Question Everything: Trust, Verify, Repeat

33:20 "Digital Systems' Security Vulnerabilities"

35:12 Digital Awareness for Children

39:10 "Understanding Data Privacy Risks"

43:31 "Leveling Up: VCs Embrace Futurism"

45:16 AI-Powered Personalized Medicine

About the guest : 

Kathryn Wang is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of leadership in the technology and security sectors, specializing in the fusion of cutting-edge innovations and cybersecurity strategies. 

She currently serves as the Public Sector Principal at SandboxAQ, where she bridges advancements in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and data protection with the mission-critical needs of government agencies. Her work focuses on equipping these organizations with a zero-trust approach to securing sensitive systems against the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber threats.

During her 16-year tenure at Google and its incubator Area120, Kathryn drove global efforts to develop and implement Secure by Design principles in emerging technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI.

How to connect Kathryn : 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-wang/

Connect With Aaron Crow:

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at [email protected]

Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts:

Apple   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4

In this episode, Craig and Dino break down the FBI’s latest cybersecurity advisory and what it means for industrial organizations.

From Cisco hardware vulnerabilities on the plant floor to the widening gap between IT and OT security teams, they address the critical blind spots that attackers often exploit.

They discuss why manufacturing has become ransomware’s “cash register,” the importance of continuous monitoring and asset visibility, and why every organization must have an incident response plan in place before a crisis.

This episode is packed with real-world insights and actionable strategies. It's a must-listen for CISOs, CIOs, OT engineers, and plant leaders safeguarding manufacturing and critical infrastructure.

Chapters:

• 00:00:52 - Welcome to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider Podcast
• 00:01:21 - A New FBI Advisory on Nation-State OT Threats
• 00:02:37 - Cisco Hardware on the Plant Floor Targeted in Advisory
• 00:03:18 - The IT/OT Disconnect: OT Assets are Often Invisible to InfoSec Teams
• 00:04:19 - The Awareness Gap: Critical Security Alerts Fail to Reach OT Operations
• 00:04:54 - The OT Cybersecurity Skills Gap and Cultural Divide
• 00:07:32 - Why All Manufacturing is Critical, Citing the JBS Breach
• 00:08:37 - The Staggering Economic Cost of OT Breaches
• 00:09:33 - The "Cash Register" Concept: Why Attackers Target Manufacturing
• 00:10:29 - OT as the New Frontier for Attacks on Unpatched Systems
• 00:11:28 - The "Disinterested Third Party": When OEMs See Security as the Client's Problem
• 00:12:31 - The Foundational First Step: Gaining Asset Visibility & Continuous Monitoring
• 00:13:53 - The Impracticality of Patching in OT Due to Downtime and Safety Risks
• 00:15:25 - Academic vs. Practitioner: Why High-Level Advice Fails on the Plant Floor
• 00:18:25 - The Minimum Requirement: A Practiced, OT-Inclusive Incident Response Plan
• 00:18:58 - Why CISOs Must Build Relationships with Key OT Partners
• 00:22:46 - Practice, Partner, and Protect Now

Links And Resources:

• Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.
• Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedIn
• Cybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedIn
• BW Design Group Cybersecurity
• Dino Busalachi on LinkedIn
• Craig Duckworth on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!

Healthcare organizations are prone to the same weaknesses that any other office or manufacturing site may have. Sonu Shankar, Chief Product Officer at Phosphorus Cybersecurity, explains how the devices you might not suspect might be the ones to bring down your organization if they’re not secured. That includes the printer used to print patient wristbands.

Welcome to another episode of Protect It All, where we dive deep into the world of IT and OT cybersecurity! In this episode, host Aaron Crow sits down with Patrick Gillespie, OT Practice Director at GuidePoint Security, for a candid conversation that's as insightful as it is relatable. Patrick, whose journey has taken him from working in manufacturing and building freight trains to leading OT security initiatives, shares real-world stories about the challenges and realities of protecting operational technology. 

Together, Aaron and Patrick discuss the blurred lines between IT and OT, the importance of understanding business priorities in security, and why collaboration rather than heavy-handed mandates makes all the difference in securing critical infrastructure. 

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just getting started in cyber, you’ll come away with practical insights on risk management, building trust with operations teams, and the vital role of mentorship in developing the next generation of OT security experts. 

Stay tuned for a grounded, actionable conversation that reminds us all: when it comes to securing the intersection of IT and OT, it’s about more than just technology -it’s about people, process, and the bigger business picture.

Key Moments: 

05:53 IT and OT System Confusion

07:43 Implementing Fortigate and Managing Risks

11:21 Outdated Systems and Patch Challenges

15:43 Comprehensive Onsite Assessment Toolkit

17:56 AI or Traditional? Balancing Approaches

21:16 "Securing OT: Remote Access and Training"

25:47 Cybersecurity Skill Growth Forecast

26:38 "Mentorship in Cybersecurity Careers"

30:22 Understanding Your Network Setup

35:39 Balancing Security and Accessibility

36:09 Leveraging Operational Team Buy-In

39:27 IT Budget Prioritization for OT Needs

42:44 Challenges in OT Security Adoption

46:56 Tech Growth & Infrastructure Expansion

About the Guest : 

Patrick Gillespie has spent over 15 years immersed in the world of cybersecurity, with the last three and a half years serving as the OT Practice Director at GuidePoint, a leading value-added reseller specializing in cybersecurity products. 

At GuidePoint, Patrick leads a dedicated team of OT engineers focused on securing both operational technology (OT) environments and the rapidly growing array of IoT devices. Recognizing that clients often CISOs may not directly own OT assets or remediation processes, Patrick excels at bridging the gap between IT security leaders and their operational counterparts, such as plant managers and controls engineers. 

Through his work, Patrick guides organizations to understand and address the unique challenges of OT security, helping them build collaboration across teams to strengthen their overall cyber defenses.

How to connect Patrick : 

GuidePoint Security University: https://www.guidepointsecurity.com/gpsu/

MilMentor: https://www.milmentor.com/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpgillespie/

Connect With Aaron Crow:

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at [email protected]

Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts:

Apple   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4