Cyber Sip

In episode 27 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™, host Kevin Szczepanski welcomes back his guest and good friend Brian Rice, chief information technology officer at specialty wholesale insurance broker Synapse LLC. Kevin and Brian explore the ethical and legal ramifications of ineffective cyber defense postures. Addressing the moral obligation for companies—whether a yoga studio, a law firm, or a multi-billion dollar concern—Kevin and Brian cover the duty to protect customer, employee, and business-sensitive data. As they wrap up, Kevin poses this question: What can a company do right now to improve its security posture and minimize exposure to these risks? Listen in for Brian’s top four tips now.

In this quick yet important chat with Brian Rice of Synapse Partners LLC, Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™ host Kevin Szczepanski discusses security controls for companies of any size and in any sector. Hear Brian’s point of view (which comes in part from working with companies ranging from seven to 700 people over the course of 20 years) on burning questions like: What’s the number one biggest liability for companies? And what’s the number one best defense against a potential invasion of your systems? Answer: Employees. And training them. Sure, having good cyber insurance coverage is important, but, as Brian says, having auto insurance doesn’t stop you from driving mindfully. Tune in for more on this important topic.

In this quick solo episode of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™, host Kevin Szczepanski clues listeners in on some lurking online pitfalls. While Kevin uses the example of attorneys being targeted, the information is applicable to non-attorneys as well. Kevin points out some red flags and some useful prevention techniques as he describes a typical potential scam. (Hint: The scam usually starts with an email that might seem just a little bit off.) Listen in as Kevin goes through five specific red flags to avoid being scammed. And stay tuned for another episode coming soon.

Join Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™ host Kevin Szczepanski as he welcomes Rich Sheridan, senior vice president, chief claims officer for Berkley Cyber Risk Solutions. In this informative episode, “Avoid Cyberattacks: Don’t Click That,” Kevin and Rich review the evolution of cyberspace, especially with regard to the most frequent types of claims insured clients make. Data breaches, malware and ransomware, and fraud frequently trigger claims. Less frequent, due to the rise of encryption, are claims for lost devices. Employee mistakes are still a major driver, asserts Rich, for example, clicking on a link they shouldn’t open. Listen in as Kevin and Rich share more information about how companies and individuals can shore up their defenses against cyber issues.

Check out episode 23 of the Barclay Damon Live podcast Cyber Sip™, during which host Kevin Szczepanski speaks with Ruth Promislow, a partner at Bennett Jones LLP, one of Canada’s top business law firms. A thought leader in the data-protection, privacy, and security space, Ruth joins Kevin for a lively conversation, starting with the basics: what does a US business with operations, customers, or employees in Canada need to do to comply with Canadian law? Then Ruth covers what constitutes personal information in Canada versus the US definition. Listen in for lots of valuable cross-border information.

Host Kevin Szczepanski is back with a new season of the Barclay Damon Live podcast Cyber Sip™. Listen to episode 22 as Kevin welcomes Bill Prohn, director of information technology for Dopkins & Company, an accounting and consulting firm, as well as the managing director of Dopkins System Consultants, an affiliate focused on technology. Bill is also a self-described cyber evangelist, who for years has urged people to try new technology and now advises with absolute conviction that cybersecurity is the underpinning for businesses. As we enter October and Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Kevin and Bill take a look at the month’s theme as described by the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, focusing on four key messages CISA has delineated. Tune in, and stay tuned for new episodes coming soon.

Join host Kevin Szczepanski for episode 21 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™. Kevin and guest Lizzie Cookson, director of incident response for ransomware remediation firm Coveware, offer an informative and wide-ranging discussion of Lizzie’s work, which includes data-driven profiling of ransomware actors to both predict their patterns and achieve better outcomes for victims. They also talk about how ransomware threats have evolved over the last few years and how they continue to evolve. Kevin and Lizzie then delve into possible results after a ransomware attack. Considering all the factors involved, Lizzie recommends that, when it comes to strategy, companies emphasize resilience over prevention. Listen in for more insights.

Disclaimer:

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a legal opinion, and no attorney-client relationship has been established or implied. Thanks for listening.

Host Kevin Szczepanski of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™ is back with Yosha DeLong, senior vice president and global head of cyber for Mosaic Insurance, to continue their discussion on the past, present, and future of cyber coverage. Kevin and Yosha consider the quickly shifting landscape, including hot topics carriers, underwriters, and policyholders are exploring. They cover what is included in policies, what is not, and how various policies may be worded (it can be difficult to find clarity). Kevin and Yosha agree that risk is increasing—and while the market is tightening, the industry response is expansion. Listen in to hear how underwriters are thinking about coverage in key areas to enable policyholders to manage their ever-increasing risks.

Disclaimer: 

Barclay Damon Live podcast transcripts and captions are automatically generated through artificial intelligence, and the texts may not have been thoroughly reviewed. The authoritative record of Barclay Damon Live programming is the audio file.

On this episode of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™, Barclay Damon colleague Nick DiCesare joins host Kevin Szczepanski to continue their conversation from Episode 17 about how companies can reduce their risk if and when they experience a data breach or other negative cyber event. Nick introduces his “wave” theory of data breach or ransomware incidents; from his experience as a breach response coach, Nick has noticed a pattern of post-incident activities repeatedly cresting and then subsiding. Reiterating some information from their previous conversation—such as preparedness, cyber insurance, and knowing your data—they dive deeper into the breach scenario, touching on additional cybersecurity elements that business owners and companies should keep top of mind.

DISCLAIMER: 

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a legal opinion, and no attorney-client relationship has been established or implied. Thanks for listening.

Host Kevin Szczepanski of Barclay Damon: Live Cyber Sip™ introduces another leader in the cybersecurity world: Yosha DeLong, senior vice president and global head of cyber for Mosaic Insurance, a NexGen global specialty lines insurer. Yosha’s 25-plus years of experience managing liability, professional, and cyber lines make her the perfect guest for episode 18, where she helps Kevin continue his exploration of cyber risk coverage, touching on its history, its shift from a “do we need it?” to a “gotta have it” product, and how Yosha helps educate those who, despite evidence to the contrary, may still not be convinced. And it’s only going to become more imperative, she says. Listen in for more.

Disclaimer:

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a legal opinion, and no attorney-client relationship has been established or implied. Thanks for listening.