Getting defrauded is common. It happens everywhere but it’s underreported because of embarrassment. If you’re a victim of fraud the sooner you report the more likely you are to get a better outcome.

To learn more about fraud I’m pleased to welcome Marc Evans, a seasoned financial crimes detective and co-founder of Fraud Hero, who has spent over a decade investigating fraud schemes that affect everyday people. With expertise in social engineering, money laundering and credit card scams he has spent his career uncovering the ways criminals use to exploit victims. His passion for fraud prevention comes not only from his investigative experience but also from his personal experience of identity theft which almost derailed his entry into law enforcement. Through his work Marc has recovered millions of dollars for victims and trained thousands of people on how to recognize and prevent fraud before it happens.

In this episode Marc lifts the lid on the evolving world of financial fraud, revealing the most common scams and the sophisticated tactics criminals use to stay one step ahead of their victims. From bank imposters to phishing scams and CEO fraud he breaks down how these crimes work, why they are so effective and how law enforcement is trying to disrupt them. He also shares practical steps individuals and businesses can take to protect themselves including monitoring of financial accounts, reporting fraud quickly and using digital security tools.

Beyond his law enforcement career Marc’s passion for fraud prevention extends into his entrepreneurial venture Fraud Hero where he educates the public on how to protect themselves from financial deception. He believes knowledge is power and has developed resources to help individuals secure themselves personally and financially. As fraud continues to rise with criminals getting more resourceful and brazen, Marc's mission remains the same – to empower people to be their own first line of defence.

• [01:10] Marc is a fraud and financial crimes detective.  He's worked with law enforcement and is a certified fraud examiner and training coordinator. He also started Fraud Hero to help stop fraud and prevent people from becoming victims.
• [02:14] He's always been passionate about preventing fraud.
• [04:25] Marc was still learning when he began his fraud fighting career.
• [05:52] He sees all types of fraud. He's also seen a lot of social engineering tactics and imposter scams.
• [07:15] Marc has recently seen a lot of bank imposters. This includes a lot of email and message phishing attacks.
• [08:30] Scammers are being more specific now. When they call they even know the victims financial institution.
• [09:49] When it comes to getting your money back from the bank it depends on how long before you file your report.
• [11:44] Tricky scammers not using the sense of urgency tactic.
• [15:25] Marc talks about how quickly money can be withdrawn by scammers,
• [18:40] If a bank calls with a fraud situation, they can respond quickly.
• [21:12] Fraud has been increasing as criminals way risk versus reward. 
• [22:11] Prosecutors are beginning to understand better how fraud works and increasing charges.
• [24:03] How stealing mail is the tool of the fraudsters.
• [26:35] Benefits of informed delivery.
• [31:26] The number of victims reporting crime is really low.
• [33:34] Phone number and email spoofing are starting to look more legitimate with AI.
• [35:39] Educating people is the main goal.
• [41:13] Using digital wallets and keeping your cards safe.
• [43:43] Banks want you to show the police report when reporting fraud. 
• [45:18] Don't be afraid to learn, reach out, and share what's happened to you.

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In cybersecurity, we need to understand the mindset of hacking, which is not ethics. We also need to realize that even if we have cybersecurity experts get hacked, there is no reason to feel embarrassed or ashamed when it happens to us. In today’s show we’re going deep into the world of cybersecurity with one of the industry’s most seasoned experts, Sam Curry. With over 30 years of experience in information security, Sam has been defending against cyber threats, shaping security strategies and mentoring the next generation of cyber professionals. 

Currently the Global VP and CISO-in-Residence at Zscaler, Sam has also held leadership roles at companies like RSA, McAfee and Arbor Networks where he helped pioneer innovations in VPN technology and personal firewalls. But cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and encryption—it’s about mindset. Sam joins us to talk about the hacker mentality, zero-trust security and why even the best security professionals get hacked. 

From his early days in cryptography to mitigating major cyber breaches Sam shares his insights on how businesses and individuals can defend themselves in a digital world. If you’ve ever wondered how cybercriminals think, how AI is changing the security landscape or what you can do to stay one step ahead then this episode is for you. 

• [00:55] Sam is Global VP and CISO-in-Residence at Zscaler. For the last 32 years, he's been involved in every part of security at some point.
• [01:23] He teaches cyber and used to run RSA Labs at MIT. He currently teaches at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and he also sits on a few boards.
• [02:41] We learn how Sam ended up working in cyber security. He has patents in VPN technology, and was one of the co-inventors of the personal fire law which was sold to McAfee.
• [04:14] There were security principles before 1996.
• [07:38] Sam feels a need and a mission to protect people. It's very personal to him.
• [08:40] He was there for the breach that RSA had. He's also been spearfished.
• [12:47] The shepherd tone is an audio illusion that makes sound that can make people sick because it sounds like it's always increasing.
• [16:31] Scams are way under reported because people are too embarrassed to report them.
• [19:31] Challenges of keeping security up. In peacetime we have to remember to build resilience and be antifragile.
• [22:10] Zero trust is a strategy and architecture for minimizing functionality.
• [28:14] There are immediate benefits from a security perspective to start creating zero trust.
• [30:17] Problems need to be defined correctly.
• [33:03] Even people who've done incredible research on hacking techniques have gotten hacked. There's no shame in it.
• [34:02] We need the hacker mindset. It's an important part of the human community.
• [36:44] The importance of making things easier to understand.
• [38:18] Advice for people wanting to get into cybersecurity is being just this side of ready and tackling things that are a little too big and a little too scary. Also find allies and a network.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. 

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Managing money isn’t about numbers, it's about making informed decisions that shape your future. Whether you’re a seasoned saver or just starting out on your financial journey understanding the basics of personal finance can make all the difference.

Today’s guest Joel Larsgaard has been helping people take control of their finances for over 15 years. As the co-host of How To Money and a weekly radio show Joel breaks down the often confusing world of personal finance. His passion for financial literacy comes from personal experience and he’s been recognized for his work including being on the Forbes Advisory Board.

In this episode we’ll cover common financial mistakes, smart saving strategies and how to avoid financial pitfalls so you can make better money decisions.

• [00:53] Joel co-hosts the How To Money podcast with his best buddy Matt. It's about helping people learn how to handle their finances well.
• [01:29] So many people are missing the information they need about money, yet it's a tool that touches every aspect of our lives.
• [02:32] Joel's parents had money troubles. He always wanted to learn about money so he wouldn't have problems. He also worked for Clark Howard who was a consumer advocate and money guy.
• [05:30] Everyone has different dreams and financial goals.
• [06:29] We learn Joel's scam story. A kid sold him fake Blockbuster gift cards. 
• [08:32] Common financial traps include not saving enough and not tracking expenses and knowing where the money is going.
• [09:15] Knowing where your money is going is the first step to finding leaks.
• [10:38] Using credit cards and discriminately buying now and paying later is another big pitfall. A lot of people are using BNPL on top of credit cards.
• [12:04] You have to have a plan. Know your debts, know your interest rates. Where's the Gap where you can find extra savings?
• [13:30] Paying off your debt feels amazing.
• [14:58] Online budgeting software can make it easier.
• [16:00] Think of a budget as not being restricted but something that helps you accomplish what you want.
• [18:08] Once you write it down, you're dealing with reality.
• [20:11] The joy of spending your money proactively on what you want and cutting back on other things.
• [21:08] Finding savings by shopping for insurance yearly.
• [22:56] You can also save with a defensive driving course.
• [23:41] Look at subscriptions and bundling. Sign up with deals. Keep track of when you should cancel. 
• [28:11] Bank loyalty will cost you money.
• [29:29] There are some highly competitive online savings accounts like CIT, Discover, and Ally. 
• [31:29] Be sure the online bank you are doing business with is FDIC insured. Make sure you're dealing directly with the bank.
• [33:30] Tips for looking for legitimate investments. Simplicity trumps most things.
• [34:59] Building wealth slowly with average returns.
• [42:00] There are a lot of wealth building options open for people who aren't making a lot of money.

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Scams come in many forms but receiving a freebie from a scammer doesn’t make sense. If something shows up at your door that you didn’t order, should you be worried? Brushing scams are becoming more common and while they may seem harmless at first they can be a gateway to fraud, identity theft and financial loss.

Today we’re diving into how these scams work, why they exist and the real dangers behind them. Our guest is Dr. Venkat Margapuri, an assistant professor of computer science at Villanova University. His research focuses on AI applications in agriculture and healthcare but he’s also spent time studying online fraud and digital security. He’s here to help us understand what’s really going on when scammers send you something for free and most importantly what you should do about it.

• [00:44] Venkat is an assistant professor in the department of computer science at Villanova University. A lot of his research is focused on artificial intelligence, image processing, and security.
• [01:53] Brushing scams are where you receive products that you haven't ordered. It's a fraudulent e-commerce scheme. They try to get reviews or add additional sales for their product.
• [04:48] Venkat explains why it's not a good idea to scan those QR codes in products. You don't want to put your credentials into the website.
• [05:41] This is where brushing leads to phishing scams by getting people to enter information into a fake website.
• [06:20] The major risk of receiving these packages is identity theft.
• [09:30] Scam charges on Amazon can be used to verify stolen credit card credentials and overconfidence often leads to being scammed.
• [10:52] We discuss where these scammers find people's addresses.
• [13:05] A lot of scammers are really smart people who got into the wrong business. Key qualities include narcissism and psychopathy.
• [17:05] When you receive these packages just dispose of them. Don't scan the QR codes.
• [21:25] A scam where they send emails with the link to free Apple Gift Cards. Be careful about what you post on social media.
• [22:43] Assume unsolicited contact is a scam.
• [23:50] Don't share personal information. Look out for things that are out of the norm.
• [27:04] Venkat talks about advance fee scams.
• [28:14] Being careful about geographic perceptions. 
• [31:18] Be cautious if you are being rushed. 
• [32:18] Whenever you suspect something isn't right, err on the side of caution and don't do it.

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Cybersecurity isn't just a concern for large corporations. It's vital for businesses of all sizes. It's essential for companies to know how to protect sensitive data, restore from backups, and regularly test their systems with internal pen tests to keep their teams safe. Today's guest is Bryce Austin. Bryce is the CEO of TCE Strategy, a cybersecurity advisory firm. They provide vulnerability scans, penetration tests, fractional CISO services, and incident response services. He is also a professional speaker on ransomware. Bryce is the fractional CISO to many companies, including one on the S&P 500.

We talk about the key aspects of cybersecurity for businesses, and how to be proactive with patching, training and strong password management. He shares his experiences with major cyber incidents including ransomware, phishing and the Target breach, and how defense in depth, backups and financial controls are key. Bryce also mentioned the use of password managers, regular vulnerability scanning and external monitoring to increase cyber resilience. We share practical tips for all businesses to protect against ever changing cyber threats.

• [00:59] Bryce started TCE Strategy in 2016. It's their goal to keep their clients one step ahead of cybercriminal risk.
• [01:32] He has a degree in chemistry. Technology was just for fun. He ended up working in the payroll space which was ripe for cyber security concerns.
• [03:00] He was really pushing cybersecurity and then their company was purchased by Wells Fargo. It ended up being amazing training for starting his own cybersecurity business.
• [05:24] Bryce shares how he was affected by the Target security breach. He ended up unemployed and was deeply affected by food stamp requirements for his family. 
• [07:34] He wanted to make sure he would never go through this again and started his company.
• [08:19] His public speaking began in 2011.
• [09:17] He was indirectly affected by the Target breach, and he also shares his indirect personal one.
• [12:59] Bryce was actually spearfished in 2018.
• [14:36] Incident response is when something happens from a cybersecurity standpoint and damage has occurred. Oftentimes data is encrypted. This is a ransomware attack.
• [17:18] Bryce tells the story about how a hotel was hacked and a large payment was able to be intercepted.
• [18:31] Phishing attacks are where someone clicks on a bad link.
• [20:38] His biggest Christmas gift was none of his clients getting hacked.
• [21:05] They also had a ransom demand where they had to pay a million dollars.
• [23:02] If they would have been looking harder this wouldn't have happened.
• [26:26] Issues with hooking up to the Internet and having default passwords.
• [28:07] Why it's impractical to make ransomware illegal.
• [31:12] Even criminals have a reputation to uphold and usually hand over the encryption key.
• [33:56] Bryce talks about some of the preventative things that people can do. 
• [34:47] Be proactive and have diligent patching.
• [35:37] Don't use the same passwords over and over. Use a password keeper. 
• [36:54] Have offline backups.
• [38:09] Follow all processes and procedures when moving money. Use unique passwords.
• [39:27] It's important to encrypt your backups.

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The CISO role is constantly changing. With all the shifts in cybersecurity, it's crucial to find ways to attract new talent to close the growing skills gap. CISOs now juggle complex systems managed at multiple levels and handle burnout amongst many other responsibilities.

Today's guest is Jill Knesek. Jill is the Chief Information Security Officer for Blackline, a company that does financial SaaS solutions. It’s based out of the Los Angeles area. She’s been there almost three years now as the CISO, running the information security team.

She previously served as Chief Security Officer for BT Global Services. She has more than 15 years' experience directing security programs, including service as a special agent for the FBI assigned to the Cyber Crime Squad in Los Angeles Field Office, where she was involved in several high-profile cases, including Kevin Mitnick. 

In this episode, we cover the CISO role evolving from low visibility to a C-level position, managing multi-cloud infrastructures and aligning with other teams and the ongoing cybersecurity skills gap and burnout. Jill also talks about incident response and crisis management and collaboration within the cybersecurity community to fill the blind spots and strengthen the defenses.

• [01:23] She's now the Chief Information Security Officer for Blackline, a company that does financial SaaS solutions.
• [02:00] She was also an FBI special agent for 3 and 1/2 years working cybercrime. She was super excited, because this was her lifelong dream.
• [03:35] She loved the FBI, but she knew she could do more for the industry on the private side.
• [04:21] Jill talks about how the CISO role has evolved. It's now a C-level position.
• [06:26] Some of the boards were very interested in what was going on with security. There has to be a balance with funding and proving your success.
• [07:39] Now complexity is an issue. 
• [09:03] The cloud adds so many connecting services. 
• [11:45] CISOs are getting more responsibility and need more qualified people in their teams. There's a gap with not enough people coming into the cybersecurity industry.
• [12:30] How the idea of stress and working nights and weekends can deter some graduates from the cybersecurity industry.
• [15:15] Boards and executive committees expect the CISO to be right in the middle of things. They want real-time updates and to know what everyone is working on right now.
• [17:47] The importance of keeping a calm level-headed view when something goes wrong.
• [21:41] We learn about the flow of straightening out curves or incidents. Learn during the small incidents and practice the process.
• [23:57] The importance of not scolding the team for being too quick to react. It's better to have a false alarm than to ignore a serious problem.
• [25:10] Jill does a one-to-one with everyone on her team each quarter. She tries to Mentor them with some of the things that she's learned.
• [30:29] We hear about a couple of incidents where ransomware got into the environment. 
• [35:01] When someone else reported that something weird was going on in the network.
• [38:27] To help with the talent gap, we need to start introducing cybersecurity at the high school level.
• [42:15] It's important for CISOs to be connected with other groups and events.

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With the increase in targeted cyber attacks, it's more important than ever for organizations to quickly identify and respond to threats. AI is helping security teams by acting as virtual analysts, handling much of the investigation work. However, human oversight is still essential for the final steps and judgment.

Today's guest is Michael Lyborg. Michael is the Chief Information Security Officer at Swimlane. Prior to taking his current role, Michael was Global Vice President of Advisory Services, a highly sought-after expert by the world's largest Fortune 500 companies and global government agencies to advise on the creation and operation of industry-leading security operations.

In this episode Michael shares his experience and wisdom on today’s cybersecurity challenges. We talk about the balance of automation and human oversight, the risks and rewards of putting AI into security operations, and defense in depth strategies. Michael also covers how military style threat assessments can help with cybersecurity, how AI is evolving for threat prioritization and analysis, and the need for continuous testing and monitoring to prevent automation failures. If you want to know how to stay ahead in a complex cyber world, this episode is full of practical advice.

• [01:06] Michael has been with Swimlane for about 7 years mainly focusing on larger enterprises, government clients, and partners. He's helping with the automation journey and experience. He also built security programs for other companies and was a Marine.
• [02:07] Prior to the Marines, he did IT and network security. Michael is originally from Sweden.
• [04:22] Operational risk management or conducting a limited threat assessment. He's always thinking like a hacker and looking for gaps in security.
• [06:29] Michael tells a story about his wife's recent experience with a cybersecurity scam.
• [12:11] How a company decides what level of friction is appropriate to implement proper security.
• [13:59] Michael talks about balancing what is and isn’t automated.
• [16:16] Michael shares the story about his early days of automation.
• [17:23] Continuously review and monitor your automations.
• [18:41] Starting with documentation is a good first step.
• [21:45] Michael talks about how awesome it is being able to work in security and automation and help businesses grow and achieve outcomes. He believes in automating the mundane tasks.
• [22:26] We learn about AI being involved in the defensive side of cybersecurity. 
• [24:50] AI can also bridge the gap between the security team and non-technical people.
• [26:33] We discuss places where AI probably shouldn't be used.
• [27:58] Find where AI works for you and then think about incorporating it in your security services.
• [31:01] The importance of having controls in place when using AI whether it's for security or data analysis.
• [33:00] Risk can be reduced by training on specific tasks.
• [34:18] Michael shares the value of mixing human and artificial intelligence through Swimlane. 
• [39:08] The importance of bridging gaps and getting rid of silos.

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The landscape of cybersecurity training and collaboration is changing, interactive education sessions and cross team communication is key. Building a security culture and staying ahead of the modern threats has never been more important. Today’s guest is Howard Goodman, Senior Technical Director at Skybox Security.

With over 20 years of experience Howard has become a well known figure in the cybersecurity world, he combines strategic planning with hands-on application across many industries. In this episode we talk about; security culture, the evolution of cybersecurity training and how Howard got phished during COVID. We also cover organisational challenges, best practices and the future of cybersecurity.

• [00:48] Howard has a doctorate in cyber operations from Dakota State University. Besides working for Skybox Security, he's also an adjunct professor teaching graduate courses about cyber security.
• [01:48] Howard shares a phishing experience when he and his wife were selling on eBay during COVID.
• [03:34] If the pros can fall for something, regular people can too. We need to be on our game 100% of the time.
• [04:53] We talk about opportunities for adversaries to get in when companies have large cybersecurity teams with a lot of moving parts.
• [05:29] A lot of people ignore phishing attempts instead of reporting them. 
• [06:04] It comes down to organizations training their people properly. Cyber security training is becoming more interesting, because the boring stuff just doesn't hold people's attention. 
• [10:13] When talking about threats, they focus on the exposure side and the exploitability side. With most businesses, functionality comes before security.
• [12:47] Formal testing is required before upgrading security patches to make sure that they don't break down the whole system.
• [13:47] The importance of being able to leverage other security controls while testing patches. Teams need to be able to communicate and act fast.
• [14:52] Knowing about potential risk is the only way to be proactive.
• [16:36] Looking at costs and gaps in technology. Failures are often due to a breakdown in communication.
• [19:33] The approach of starting out security first.
• [25:08] Best practices include cross-training. Working together and training together. Organizations need to run simulations and see how they react as an organization.
• [31:06] Skybox talks to organizations about gaps in security.
• [35:57] We discuss the loss that can happen from not having proper security measures in place.

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With phishing and password breaches on the rise, passkeys could offer a more secure, user-friendly solution that could reshape how we protect our online identities. Today's guest is Christiaan Brand. Christiaan is the co-founder of Entersekt, a financial services security firm and a key player at Google in their security and identity teams. 

A respected voice in cybersecurity, Christian co-chairs the FIDO2 technical working group focusing on standardizing robust online security protocols in advancing the use of passkeys. He has been at the forefront of the shift toward more secure, password-free systems. We’ll hear his insights on the challenges and opportunities of implementing passkeys to create safer online environments for users and organizations.

• [00:52] - Christiaan is part of the security team for Google accounts. He's been with Google for 9 years. Prior to that he had a startup.
• [01:30] - He joined the FIDO Alliance around the same time Google joined in 2013. When he joined Google, he was able to continue with the same type of work.
• [02:35] - Each of the big tech companies represents a portion of the market when it comes to how we interact with the web and apps.
• [04:06] - He became interested in security when he started thinking about what could go wrong with new technology solutions. He wanted users to be able to access their financial information in a safe and secure way.
• [05:06] - 2FA began gaining traction with Google in 2011. It coincided with the launch of Google Authenticator. 2FA was also used by a gaming company.
• [07:54] - Usability is important, that's why having an app that displays the codes was one of the first forays into making the technology more accessible.
• [08:34] - Passkeys allow us to move beyond passwords, leaving the extra hassle of traditional multi-factor authentication behind.
• [11:05] - Key fobs were one of the earlier ways to try and bring usability to security. Now the technology is being moved to smartphones.
• [12:33] - Passkeys are a replacement for a password manager.
• [13:35] - Passkeys are extremely long and asymmetric in nature. You and the site you're going to both have the passkey.
• [14:27] - The service will have the public part of the passkey, and you'll have the private part. Even if the public part leaks out, your passkey will still be secure. Passkeys can never be revealed to phishing sites.
• [15:47] - FIDO brings the second authentication step in. The service also has to identify themselves.
• [20:04] - Password managers try to balance security and convenience. Logging in or accessing a passkey is a unique challenge for providers.
• [22:20] - Phone numbers are a way to get users back into their accounts.
• [25:19] - Single device users have extra challenges.
• [26:08] - There are pros and cons to external sources of identity.
• [29:44] - The FIDO website has many certified solutions.
• [33:21] - To get passkeys into daily users' lives, we need to start using them on daily applications where we log in frequently.
• [35:49] - Hopefully this passkey solution will stand the test of time.
• [37:34] - Attacks are beginning to shift to session hijacking.
• [38:24] - DBSC or device-based session credentials is a new standard parallel to FIDO.

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How do phishing scams, AI-powered attacks, and strategic governance intersect? Together, they're redefining the future of cybersecurity. Organizations are navigating a mix of challenges and implementing innovative solutions to proactively address today's threats. 

Today's guest is Kelly Hood. She is the EVP and cybersecurity engineer at Optics Cyber Solutions. She is a CISSP who specializes in implementing cybersecurity and privacy best practices to manage risks and to achieve compliance. She supports the NIST cybersecurity framework and serves as a CMMC registered practitioner, helping organizations strengthen their cybersecurity posture and develop effective risk management strategies.

• [01:06] - Kelly is a cyber security engineer at Optic Cyber Solutions. It's her job to help companies protect themselves.
• [02:17] - Don't be embarrassed if you fall for a phishing scam.
• [03:01] - These attempts are getting more realistic. Kelly shares how she was briefly fooled by a phishing scam that looks like an email from her mother.
• [05:25] - The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a voluntary framework for defining cybersecurity. An update was put out in February of 2024. They also added a new function.
• [06:01] - The five functions that organize a cybersecurity program have been to identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover. They recently added the govern function.
• [06:38] - The govern function is about defining your business objective and then putting protections in place that makes sense for those objectives.
• [09:01] - The identify function is focused on knowing what we have.
• [09:40] - Protect includes everything from identity management, authentication, training, data security, and platform security.
• [10:12] - Detect is looking at what's happening around us. It's continuous monitoring and knowing what happens if something goes wrong.
• [11:00] - Respond is knowing what the plan is when something does happen.
• [12:01] - Recover is about getting back to normal after something happens.
• [16:22] - Data centers want to make sure that they have redundant power supplies.
• [17:33] - We discuss some of the things that people might forget when identifying cybersecurity assets. Data and people need to be thought about as well as systems and hardware.
• [21:00] - We need to write things down and understand what systems and data connections we have.
• [23:10] - We talk about the importance of being aware of the physical space and who is actually supposed to be there.
• [24:46] - Data is one of the assets that often gets overlooked for protection. There are many new requirements that require data to be protected.
• [27:54] - Monitoring to understand what traffic you should expect and what is and isn't normal activity is also important.
• [31:10] - Transparency and communication are paramount for creating trust.
• [33:51] - Sometimes recovery doesn't mean 100%. Get up and running and prioritize the systems that matter most.
• [36:56] - With governance, you really want to look at what you're trying to do with the business and then translate cybersecurity to fit that objective.
• [37:27] - Have guidance documentation in place and have oversight.

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