KBKAST

In this episode, we are joined by Mike Zachman (VP & CISO – Zebra Technologies), as we delve into the untapped potential of automation in security processes. Mike discusses how automation enhances data protection by reducing human error and facilitating faster threat detection and response. He emphasizes the importance of consistency in processes and the need to free up resources for more strategic tasks. The conversation explores challenges in implementing automation, the value of accurate and timely reporting, and the relevance of high fidelity signals in automation. Tune in to discover the key takeaways and insights on driving change and leveraging automation for improved security measures.

Mike Zachman is currently the Chief Security Officer (CSO) at Zebra Technologies, where he has global responsibility for its enterprise-wide product security, information security, corporate security and business continuity programs. Zachman is an experienced global leader with over 30 years of information security, risk management and information technology expertise.

Previously, Zachman was Chief information Security Officer (CISO) at Caterpillar, Ecolab, and Forsythe Technologies. Zachman holds an undergraduate degree in management information systems from Millikin University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Bradley University. He is a Certified Information Security Manager, Certified Internal Auditor and is Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT. He is an active volunteer with Junior Achievement and Easter Seals.

In this episode, we are joined by Jamil Farshchi (EVP & CISO – Equifax), as we dive deep into the world of leadership and the importance of driving the right behaviors in your team. We also explored the strategic partnerships between the government and corporate community, focusing on improving public-private collaboration to tackle cybersecurity threats. We discuss the challenges and progress made in information sharing, especially for small to medium-sized businesses. Jamil also shares their groundbreaking initiatives, including their open and honest approach to security reporting and real-time visibility for customers. Jamil emphasises the need for dialogue, diverse perspectives, and breaking down barriers in the security field, and highlights how cybersecurity has become a top priority for organizations worldwide, stressing the importance of investing proactively to avoid breaches.

Jamil Farshchi is EVP and Chief Information Security Officer of Equifax (NYSE: EFX). Farshchi joined Equifax in the aftermath of one of the most consequential data breaches in history. During his tenure, he led an unprecedented $1.5 billion transformation and has built what is regarded as one of the most advanced, effective, and transparent cybersecurity and privacy programs in business today.

Prior to Equifax, Farshchi was Chief Information Security Officer of The Home Depot, Chief Information Security Officer of Time Warner, Vice President of Global Information Security for Visa, Chief Information Security Officer of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Deputy Chief Information Assurance Officer of NASA.

Farshchi serves on the Board of Directors for UKG, is a Strategic Advisor for the FBI and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Technology Security Coalition. He was named a Top Voice in Technology and Innovation by LinkedIn.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the fascinating world of international careers and the challenges and triumphs that come with them. KB sits down with Amy Meyer (Founder – Aussie Recruit), who shares her experiences and insights, reflecting on how Australians can navigate the US job market, capitalize on their unique value proposition, and build successful careers across various industries. From cultural nuances to visa processes and the power of networking, this episode is a goldmine of advice for anyone considering making the move from Down Under to the land of opportunity. If you’ve been thinking about taking the leap necessary for your own international career breakthrough, tune in.

Amy is the founder of Aussie Recruit and has supported thousands of Australians with their US job search. She specializes in connecting Australians with jobs in the US at companies hiring Aussies on E-3 visas. Amy has 7+ years of experience recruiting in the US market.

Amy is a dual Australian-American. She relocated from Sydney to San Francisco 10 years ago. She has first-hand experienced and overcome the challenges Australians face getting jobs in the US.

Prior to starting Aussie Recruit, she was Head of People at an early-stage tech company and hired many Australians on E-3 visas. She also started and runs the Australians In San Francisco Bay Area.

You can find Amy sharing tips & stories on Instagram almost every day.

Amy is also a full-time mum of 3 and started Aussie Recruit when her 1st child was just a few months old.

In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of cybersecurity and the legal world, as Annie Haggar of Cyber GC takes us through the pros and cons of additional barriers to entry in the industry, the impact of regulations on quality assurance, diversity, and the existing skills gap. Annie also discusses how businesses can navigate and strategise in terms of compliance with industry-specific legislations, and how governments can strike a balance between effective regulation and reasonable costs for compliance.

Annie is the founder and principal of Cyber GC – a legal and consulting practice dedicated to helping Australian businesses prepare for and fight cyberattacks. Annie is a multi-award-winning cybersecurity lawyer and was recently awarded General Counsel of the Year (Australian Law Awards – Lawyers Weekly – 2021).

She brings to Cyber GC the experience gained in 20 years as a technology lawyer, 12 years working for one of the largest technology companies in the world and 6 years as global legal counsel for Accenture Security, one of the largest security companies in the world. She specialises in advising on enterprise security risk, cyber regulation, procurement risk management, and the impact on the whole organisation of cybersecurity issues.

Based in Canberra, Australia, she lives with her two little girls (3 and 5), husband Tony and fur baby, Scout the Jack Russell-Foxy cross. Outside of work and volunteering, you will find her tending to her bees, cooking Ottolenghi, tending her veggie patch and sewing, quilting, knitting and crafting.

In this episode, we are joined by EJ WISE (Principal and Founder – Wise Law). From tailoring preparedness measures for different audiences to the importance of customizing business continuity plans, EJ Wise highlights the pitfalls of generic templates and the need for proper training. She also explores the parallel between physical safety measures and cyber security preparedness, challenging organizations to identify their cyber wardens. Plus, we’ll discuss the potential HR and morale problems associated with neglecting policy updates and the importance of keeping policies relevant and engaging. Don’t miss out on the valuable advice EJ has to offer as she addresses the legal aspect of cyber preparedness, the role of communication teams during incidents, and the necessity of regular practice in handling cyber incidents effectively.

Professor EJ Wise (she/her) is Principal and Founder of Wise Law in Melbourne and: 

EJ has 29 years legal experience in Australian Federal and State Governments as well as in private practice and academia, specialising in cyber law, policy, strategy, governance, international law & international humanitarian law and is an internationally recognized cyber law expert. 

EJ’s 21 years of service in uniform as a Legal Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force includes postings in the RAAF’s cyber and information operations squadron and on exchange with the United States Air Force’s JAG Corps in the Pentagon for three years.  EJ is a decorated veteran who served twice in the Middle East during Australia’s engagement in international armed conflict.  EJ’s volunteer roles have ranged from working in a Community Legal Centre to providing CPD to the Federation of Community Legal Centres in Victoria, being on the International Humanitarian Law Committee of the International Committee of the Red Cross to membership of Cyber Security Advisory Boards and Committees. 

EJ has assisted in drafting laws, relevant texts and manuals in Australian, International and US jurisdictions. She has assisted in law enforcement as well as cyber operations. EJ has strong community values and gives her time to community and not for profit organisations as her contribution to a fairer, more inclusive and equitable society for everyone. 

Cyber Security Law 

Cyber Operations 

Cyber Warfare 

Information Operations 

International Humanitarian Law 

Cyber Policy, Risk, Strategy & Governance 

Military Law 

LLB 

LLM 

MA (Policy & Strategy) 

Grad Dip (Legal Practice) 

Grad Dip (Strategic planning & management) 

Grad Dip (Defence studies)  

Using tech without cybersecurity is like driving a car without a seatbelt and with no idea of its service history 

– EJ Wise, founder of Wise Law

In this episode, we are joined by Special Forces team commander, Adam O’Donnell (CEO, Convergence Systems), as we explore the challenges and opportunities faced by SMBs in understanding their cybersecurity needs and finding affordable solutions. Together, we explore the complex ecosystem of cyber and the intricacies in finding the right balance between usability and security, which is no easy feat!

As a Special Forces team commander, Adam O’Donnell successfully led high-performing teams in some of the most hostile and volatile places on earth.

Looking back, he’d be the first to agree that his transition into the world of cybersecurity was something of an accident but he soon found that the decision-making, planning and leadership skills that served him so well leading combat operations and peacekeeping missions around the world also paved the way to a very successful corporate career leading cyber resilience uplift programs across government and large enterprise.

The challenge, he realised, was that his work was actually creating another problem – small and medium enterprises were being left behind in the cyber arms race and becoming increasingly vulnerable to attackers who only ever seem to grow in their sophistication and numbers.  As CEO of Convergence Systems, a Melbourne-based startup, he’s leading the creation of an eXtended Detection & Response system designed specifically for the cloud-based SME market and delivered at a price they can afford.

In this episode, we are joined by Edwin Kwan (Head of Application Security and Advisory – Tyro Payments), as he sheds light on the meticulous risk acceptance process and shares his insights on using open source software to build applications swiftly with freely available parts. We explore the challenges of ensuring the security of open source software and the need for due diligence when downloading such software. Edwin raises thought-provoking questions about software verification, maintenance, and security, highlighting the tricky balance between maintaining security protocols and accommodating a wide range of individuals in the workplace.

Stay tuned as we examine the potential risks of using open source software and the complexities of explaining security issues to individuals who may not fully grasp their implications. Edwin shares captivating stories and real-life examples, including incidents where businesses chose to accept high-severity risks rather than investing in their mitigation.

Edwin a cybersecurity specialist whose approach towards security is to raise awareness, provide light touch controls to the software development life cycle to increase visibility of security issues, and work closely with engineering teams to quickly develop secure applications.

He started out as a software engineer and transitioned into application and information security to lead a range of security initiatives when the company was working towards obtaining an unrestricted banking licence.

He has presented at several events, including RSA, AISA, All Day Dev Ops, AppSec Day, OWASP and DevSecOps Leadership Forums.

Edwin is also a contributing journalist to the It’s 5:05 Podcast, a daily podcast on open source and cybersecurity news.

Protecting customer data has become a critical priority for banking and financial institutions worldwide. With the ever-increasing threat landscape and the potential devastating consequences of data breaches, organizations are taking significant steps to enhance their data security measures. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of banking compliance and cybersecurity regulations as Syed Ubaid Ali Jafri brings us his expertise as the (Head of Cyber Defense & Offensive Security – HBL), one of the leading banks in Pakistan. Ubaid shares insights on achieving Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance, the challenges faced by banks in meeting these strict requirements, and the importance of trust and verification in the zero-trust model. We also explore the banking regulations in Pakistan, the measures taken to reduce the threat landscape and potential attacks, and the additional controls that have significantly reduced breaches.

Ubaid Jafri is a dynamic and talented motivational speaker renowned for his distinctive ability to seamlessly weave real-life experiences into captivating presentations. With over 12 years of invaluable experience in the commercial banking and risk management consultancy sectors, he has carved a niche as an expert in Information Security. His speaking engagements are not only entertaining but also deeply enriching, offering audiences practical insights into real-world work scenarios across diverse industries.

Ubaid Jafri’s professional journey encompasses leadership roles that define his expertise. Currently serving as the Head of Cyber Defense and Offensive Security at Habib Bank Limited, he previously held the position of Senior Manager Cyber Security & Forensic Technology at KPMG. His proficiency extends to Cyber Defense, Offensive Security, Red Teaming, Cyber Analytics, IoT, Digital Forensics, Incident Handling & Response, and various other crucial areas.

Ubaid Jafri’s impact on the cybersecurity landscape is marked by a series of achievements that demonstrate his tenacity and expertise. He has conducted numerous communication and cybersecurity intrusions, as well as penetration red-team attacks, for a diverse array of organizations, including utilities, power companies, Banking & Financial Institutions, and more. These proactive initiatives have consistently unearthed critical vulnerabilities, thwarting unauthorized access, system compromises, sensitive information disclosures, and control hijackings. His vigilant approach has significantly contributed to safeguarding organizations from the looming threat of massive cyber breaches.

Ubaid Jafri’s speaking engagements, fueled by engaging narratives, practical insights, and heroic anecdotes, position him as an exceptional motivational speaker. His mission is to empower audiences with the tools to navigate the digital era confidently, equipped with the knowledge to safeguard against evolving cybersecurity challenges.