No Password Required

Vice Admiral Mike McConnell is the former director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the current Executive Director of Cyber Florida. In this two-part episode, VADM McConnell stuns the No Password Required team to silence with stories of his life, which just so happens to resemble a riveting Grisham novel. A few highlights include the reason he refuses to drink cheap beer (or formaldehyde), some iconic moments during his time at the NSA, and more. Ernie, Jack, and Pablo break down the Strengthening Cybersecurity Act and the biggest commitment one can make: cowboy boots. In the Technologue segment, Pablo discusses the importance of cloud vulnerability evolution.

Vice Admiral Mike McConnell is the former director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the current Executive Director of Cyber Florida. In this two-part episode, VADM McConnell stuns the No Password Required team to silence with stories of his life, which just so happens to resemble a riveting Grisham novel. A few highlights include the reason he refuses to drink cheap beer (or formaldehyde), some iconic moments during his time at the NSA, and more. Ernie, Jack, and Pablo break down the Strengthening Cybersecurity Act and the biggest commitment one can make: cowboy boots. In the Technologue segment, Pablo discusses the importance of cloud vulnerability evolution.

Dr. Melissa Dark is the Founder of DARK Enterprises, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and supporting cybersecurity education at the secondary level. Before that, Dr. Dark worked in graduate and college cybersecurity education for over 20 years, as a professor at Purdue University. In this episode, Dr. Dark joins the No Password Required team to discuss her career in “training the trainers,” the early days of cybersecurity education as an academic subject, and how to encourage cybersecurity awareness among today’s students. Ernie and Jack discuss the Pinellas Park, Florida, cybersecurity analyst alleged to have stolen almost $600,000 in cryptocurrency and how he supposedly did it.

Larry Whiteside Jr. is the President and Director of Cyversity, an organization whose mission is to achieve consistent representation of women and underrepresented minorities in the cyber industry through programs designed to diversify, educate, and empower. As someone who has experienced the value of mentorship firsthand throughout his life, both as a child and an adult, Larry is passionate about creating a space in the cyber field where everyone is valued and heard. In this episode, Larry joins the No Password Required team to discuss the mentors who helped turn his life around as a teen, the coolest motorcycle-riding character of all time, and the value of honoring every person's individual perspective in life. Ernie, Jack, and Pablo discuss the potential cyber consequences of the Ukraine conflict. In the Technologue segment, Pablo breaks down the Cloud and its benefits.

Thomas Vaughn is the current Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the City of Tallahassee and the former CISO of Florida. A kindhearted introvert who began his career in the Army and then the U.S. Coast Guard, Thomas thrives on helping other people however he can, whether it’s with cybersecurity practices or serving as a volunteer fireman in his spare time. In this episode, Thomas joins the No Password Required team to talk about his journey from the military to cybersecurity, the top-tier candy that he can’t live without, and the philosophical lessons that he carries with him throughout his life. Ernie, Jack, and Pablo discuss the UCF student who created an algorithm to track Elon Musk’s private jet. In the Technologue segment, Pablo explains web tracking and what it means for the everyday internet user.

Debbie Janeczek is the Cyber Threat Management Leader and Technology Executive at Wells Fargo. At her core, Debbie is an outdoorswoman who is passionate about conquering the mountains of Colorado and beyond with her sidekick, her dog, Jack. In this episode, Debbie joins the No Password Required team to talk about her journey from becoming a Naval Intelligence officer where she hated all things cybersecurity to becoming a leader in the industry thanks to inspiration from the great leaders surrounding her (lucky for us!) Debbie is passionate about practicing mindfulness and embracing nature to maintain a healthy work-life balance and stay grounded in the chaos of the ever-changing cybersecurity world. Ernie and Jack (co-host Jack, not dog Jack) discuss the relaunching of the darknet market AlphaBay by one of the previous founders who escaped the bust in 2017, DeSnake, and the long-standing debate of how exactly to pronounce his name.

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In this early-pandemic episode, Allan Liska, a senior security architect at Recorded Future discusses ransomware, why the best cybersecurity advice will almost never land you a talk at Black Hat, and why calling someone JarJar cuts way deeper than calling them a script kitty. The team also discusses Alan's path into the cybersecurity world; we knew the No Password Required tradition of atypical paths into the cyber world was safe when he started his journey with a sociology degree and a willingness to crawl under a desk.

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In this lost episode from season 1 of No Password Required, Jack Clabby sits down with hosts Ernie Ferraresso and Bill McQueen to discuss cyber liabilities and the potential legal consequences that businesses face from cybersecurity breaches and, more importantly, what they can do to protect themselves. Note that this episode was recorded on 2/27/2020.

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Asim Fareeduddin is the Vice President of IT Security & Regulatory Controls Assurance at the RELX Group. In addition to his impressive professional resume, Asim is a guy who is never afraid to take a chance - from stand-up comedy to teaching masters-level students at Georgia State University; he’s done it all. In this episode, Asim joins the No Password Required team to talk about how he went from an accountant to Vice President of a global company, how becoming a dad has changed him, and his most cherished accomplishment - high-fiving Busta Rhymes at the 2006 B.E.T. Awards. Ernie and Jack talk about why fist bumps have officially surpassed handshakes as the coolest greeting. More importantly, they discuss cyber workforce development and why right now may be the best time for new workers to join the industry.

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