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In this conversation, Tammy Klotz discusses her journey as a leader and author, focusing on her book 'Leading with Empathy and Grace.' She shares insights on the importance of empathy, vulnerability, and authenticity in leadership and the challenges and rewards of writing a book. The discussion highlights the significance of acknowledging personal lives in the workplace and the foundational role of trust in professional relationships. If you are an aspiring leader in Cyber, this episode is for you. Tammy shares her secrets to successful leadership.

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In this conversation, MK Palmore shares insights from his diverse leadership journey, spanning the Marine Corps, FBI, and cybersecurity. He emphasizes the importance of a people-centered leadership approach, the balance between technical and leadership skills, and the significance of effective communication. MK reflects on his experiences, the impact of mentorship, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in leadership roles. MK highlights the challenges in attracting diverse talent to cybersecurity and the necessity of nurturing new professionals. He concludes with insights on continuous learning and the importance of maintaining a beginner's mindset.

Takeaways

• Diverse experiences shape leadership philosophy.
• Mentorship plays a significant role in professional development.
• Silence from leaders can lead to assumptions and uncertainty.
• Leaders should increase communication during times of uncertainty.
• Maintaining a mindset of continuous learning is vital for personal growth.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Leadership and Music

02:57
Diverse Leadership Experiences

06:05
The Importance of People-Centered Leadership

09:05
Technical Skills vs. Leadership Skills

11:49
Communication as a Leadership Skill

14:53
Learning from Mistakes in Communication

18:01
The Impact of Silence in Leadership

20:44
Navigating Uncertainty in Leadership

25:06
Bridging the Gap: Technical and Business Communication

30:22
Building Personal Brand and Eminence

32:53
Overcoming Barriers in Cybersecurity Talent Acquisition

38:31
Staying Sharp: Continuous Learning and Adaptability

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In this conversation, Lance Spitzner shares his unique journey from a military tank officer to a pioneer in cybersecurity, detailing the evolution of his career and the inception of the Honeynet Project. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the human element in security, advocating for a shift from mere security awareness to fostering a robust security culture within organizations. Spitzner discusses practical steps for security teams to enhance their approach, including leveraging AI to improve communication and engagement. He concludes by reflecting on the impact of his work and the growing recognition of the human side of cybersecurity.

Takeaways

• The Honeynet Project was born from a need for cyber threat intelligence.
• Security culture is broader than security awareness; it encompasses attitudes and beliefs.
• Changing the environment is key to changing organizational culture.
• AI can be leveraged to enhance communication and simplify security policies.
• Positive interactions with security teams build a stronger security culture.

Chapters
00:00 From Military to Cybersecurity Pioneer
03:04 The Birth of the Honeynet Project
05:59 Understanding the Human Element in Security
09:13 Security Culture vs. Security Awareness
11:51 Changing Organizational Culture for Security
14:46 Practical Steps for Security Teams
17:55 Leveraging AI in Security Culture
21:11 Measuring Success in Cybersecurity Training

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In this conversation, Dr. Chase Cunningham, aka Dr. Zero Trust, shares his unique journey into the cybersecurity field, emphasizing the importance of purpose and self-care in a high-stress industry. He discusses the challenges of implementing zero trust strategies in organizations, the significance of understanding offensive tactics to enhance defensive measures, and the need for systemic change in national cybersecurity. Dr. Zero Trust also provides valuable advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, highlighting the supportive community and the importance of continuous learning.

Takeaways

• Zero Trust is a strategy, not a product.
• Self-care is critical in high-stress environments.
• Understanding offensive tactics is essential for defense.
• Start small when implementing Zero Trust.

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In this conversation, Steve Martano discusses his journey from writing about baseball analytics to becoming a key player in cybersecurity executive search and strategy. He emphasizes the evolving role of CISOs, the importance of aligning with business objectives, and the need for strong leadership skills. The discussion also covers trends in CISO compensation, the mental health challenges faced by security leaders, and the significance of organizational culture in driving satisfaction and effectiveness in cybersecurity roles.

The Latest CISO Compensation Trends & Benchmarks.

Takeaways

• Understanding economics can enhance a CISO's effectiveness.
• Compensation data must be contextualized for accurate benchmarking.
• Low attrition doesn't always indicate job satisfaction.
• CISOs face increasing pressures and scope creep in their roles.
• The job market is expected to become more active in 2025.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Journey from Baseball to Cybersecurity
• 05:53 The Intersection of Leadership and Cybersecurity
• 12:00 Mental Health and Satisfaction Among CISOs
• 17:49 Preparing for Future Attrition in Cybersecurity Roles
• 26:29 Engagement and Satisfaction Beyond Compensation
• 32:13 The Evolving Role of Cybersecurity Leadership
• 38:15 Mentorship and Professional Growth

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Nate Lee discusses his transition from a CISO role to fractional CISO work, emphasizing the importance of variety and exposure in his career. He delves into the rise of AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), and the associated security concerns, including prompt injection risks.

Nate highlights the critical role of orchestrators in managing AI interactions and the need for security practitioners to adapt to the evolving landscape. He shares insights from his 20 years in cybersecurity and offers recommendations for practitioners to engage with AI responsibly and effectively.

Takeaways

• Nate transitioned to fractional CISO work for variety and exposure.
• Prompt injection is a major vulnerability in LLM systems.
• Orchestrators are essential for managing AI interactions securely.
• Security practitioners must understand how LLMs work to mitigate risks.
• Nate emphasizes the importance of human oversight in AI systems.

Link to Nate's research with the Cloud Security Alliance.

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Summary
In this conversation, Chris Hetner discusses the evolving role of boards of directors in cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for improved communication and understanding of cyber risks. He highlights the challenges boards face in adapting to new SEC rules and the importance of leveraging AI responsibly. Hetner also shares insights on tools for quantifying cyber risk and prioritizing investments while advocating for continuous learning and proactive engagement with board members.

Takeaways

• Boards are becoming more aware of cybersecurity risks.
• Cybersecurity discussions often receive limited airtime in board meetings.
• The SEC's new disclosure rules can drive more frequent discussions on cyber risk.
• AI governance is crucial as AI technologies become more prevalent.
• Collaboration with general counsel and risk officers is essential.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background on Cybersecurity and Boards
03:05 Current Challenges Facing Boards in Cybersecurity
06:11 Understanding Cyber Risk and Communication with Boards
08:58 Improving Board Engagement with Cybersecurity
11:56 Leveraging SEC Guidelines for Cyber Risk Discussions
15:02 The Role of AI in Cybersecurity Governance
18:05 Tools for Quantifying Cyber Risk
21:12 Prioritizing Cybersecurity Investments
24:02 The Importance of AI Governance
26:57 Staying Informed in Cybersecurity
30:13 Final Thoughts and Continuous Learning

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Meg Anderson, the CISO at Principal Financial Group, discusses her 17-year tenure as a CISO and the factors contributing to her long-term success. She attributes her longevity to her passion for the job and the opportunities for growth and development at Principal. Meg emphasizes the importance of understanding the business impact of cybersecurity and holding people accountable. She also highlights the significance of focusing on the basics of cybersecurity and not getting caught up in the latest trends. Meg shares her experience with mentorship and its role in her career. She also discusses the programs implemented at Principal to attract and retain cyber talent, such as a formal mentorship program and a robust internship program.

Takeaways

• Passion for the job and naivete can contribute to long-term success as a CISO.
• Understanding the business impact of cybersecurity and holding people accountable is crucial.
• Focusing on the basics of cybersecurity is essential, rather than getting caught up in the latest trends.
• Mentorship plays a significant role in career development.
• Taking time away from work is essential for personal growth and avoiding burnout.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Long-Term Success as a CISO
• 03:15 The Importance of Naivete and Passion
• 06:34 The Role of Mentorship
• 10:54 Attracting and Retaining Cyber Talent
• 12:50 Organizing a Cyber Youth Summit
• 21:13 Building a Cyber Program Around Company Culture
• 28:07 Focusing on the Basics of Cybersecurity
• 36:19 Personal Growth and Parting Words

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Purav Desai is a Microsoft 365 incident responder at a large financial institution (name withheld to protect the innocent). He shares his journey and expertise in the field. He explains how his early exposure to Microsoft security solutions and their constant innovation led him to specialize in 365 security and incident response. He discusses the importance of mentors and influential figures in his career, highlighting the lessons he learned from them. He then dives into his popular project, Deciphering UAL (Unified Audit Logs), which aims to make sense of the complex logs in Microsoft 365. 

Purav shares an incident response scenario involving a banking Trojan and how he used telemetry and logging to investigate and remediate the issue. He concludes by discussing effective threat detection methods in Microsoft 365, including threat hunting with KQL and leveraging Zero-Hour Auto-Purge (ZAP) to prevent the spread of attacks. 

In our conversation, we dive into:

• How specializing in Microsoft 365 security and incident response can be a wise choice due to the constant innovation and market demand for Microsoft solutions.
• How having mentors and influential figures in your career can provide valuable guidance and inspire you to push yourself and try new things.
• His personal project, Deciphering UAL (Unified Audit Logs), aims to make sense of the complex logs in Microsoft 365, providing insights for digital forensics and incident response.
• How proper licensing and logging configuration are crucial for effective incident response.
• How native tools like Purview Audit and eDiscovery provide valuable insights for forensic analysis.

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This month, we welcome Eric Gagnon, Team Lead of Adversary Simulation, Purple Teaming, and Tradecraft Development at Desjardins. The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to cybersecurity, including purple teaming, red teaming, blue teaming, and Eric's journey in cybersecurity. Eric shares insights on certifications, threat hunting, cloud security, and the importance of knowledge exchange between red and blue teams. He also discusses the use of AI in cybersecurity and the need to stay sharp in the field.

Takeaways

• Purple teaming involves collaborative operations to exchange ideas, evaluate security controls, and test out tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) real threat actors use.
• Certifications in cybersecurity, such as Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and Offensive Security Certified Expert (OSCE), provide valuable knowledge and an edge in the field.
• Threat hunting involves looking for a granular activity that may indicate a compromise, filtering out the noise, and focusing on the suspicious behavior of threat actors.
• Cloud security requires automation, cyber hygiene, and visibility, focusing on prioritizing techniques and testing them against the enterprise's environment.
• Knowledge exchange between red and blue teams during a purple team engagement is essential and should include a common language, centralized documentation, and reporting against the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
• Staying sharp in cybersecurity involves continuous learning, participation in CTFs, engaging with passionate individuals, and challenging oneself through talks, podcasts, and specialized training.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Purple Teaming and Cybersecurity Journey

08:09
Certifications and Insights in Cybersecurity

15:08
Threat Hunting and Granular Activity Detection

35:02
Knowledge Exchange in Purple Teaming: Red and Blue Collaboration

39:57
Staying Sharp in Cybersecurity: Continuous Learning and Engagement