OT After Hours

In this episode of OT After Hours, host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, sits down with Zach Woltjer and Connor Murphy, Technical Account Managers at Rockwell Automation to explore how the U.S. Department of Defense's SkillBridge program is helping veterans transition into civilian careers in OT cybersecurity.

Zach shares how his own journey through SkillBridge not only eased his transition out of the military but also inspired him to help set up the program at Verve. Connor recounts his path from military intelligence into OT security, proving that determination, adaptability, and soft skills can open doors—degree or no degree. Together, their stories highlight how military training and mindsets translate into critical skills for protecting industrial infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• SkillBridge as a bridge: A program designed to help military personnel transition smoothly into civilian careers, including cybersecurity roles.
• Soft skills are critical: Strategic thinking, adaptability, and communication—often honed in the military—translate directly to success in OT security.
• From intel to OT security: Zach and Connor share how experiences in military intelligence prepared them for cybersecurity careers.
• The value for companies: SkillBridge allows organizations to bring in talented veterans, "test drive" potential hires, and diversify teams with unique backgrounds.
• Degree not required: Connor's success story emphasizes that curiosity, drive, and continuous learning matter as much as formal education.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and overview of career-focused mini-sodes

02:30 – Introducing Zach Woltjer and Connor Murphy

03:08 – What the SkillBridge program is and why it matters

07:40 – Zach's path: military service, mentors, certifications, and SkillBridge experience

13:57 – Bringing SkillBridge to Verve and recruiting Connor into the program

17:20 – Connor's journey: transitioning out of the Air Force, overcoming doubts, and gaining new skills

24:18 – How SkillBridge works for companies: processes, intermediaries, and benefits

32:29 – Why veterans should consider SkillBridge when transitioning out

34:52 – Challenges of shifting from military to civilian culture

36:34 – Final reflections on SkillBridge and its impact on careers in OT cybersecurity

Guest Information

• Zachary Woltjer: Technical Account Manager at Rockwell Automation. A U.S. Air Force veteran who helped establish the SkillBridge program at Verve, bridging military expertise with civilian OT cybersecurity needs.
• Connor Murphy: Technical Account Manager at Rockwell Automation. An Air Force veteran who transitioned into OT cybersecurity through SkillBridge, now focused on supporting clients and advancing his cybersecurity career.

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In this episode, we trace the career of Tyler Bergman, Operations Team Lead at Rockwell Automation (formerly Verve Industrial), whose early fascination with computers and programming sparked a path that led through SCADA operations, utility cooperatives, and consulting before finding a home in OT cybersecurity. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, as Tyler shares how persistence, hands-on experience, and a thirst for knowledge shaped his expertise—and why networking fundamentals are the backbone of OT security.

Key Takeaways

• A lifelong passion for technology: From programming on a TRS-80 as a child to building custom systems for nonprofits, Tyler's curiosity and drive shaped his technical foundation.
• SCADA and utility experience: Years spent in municipal and cooperative environments provided hands-on exposure to the OT landscape long before "OT security" was a defined field.
• The value of persistence: Earning a CCNA after multiple attempts showed the resilience required to keep advancing in cybersecurity.
• Networking as the cornerstone: Understanding networks and how devices present themselves is one of the most critical skills in OT security.
• Bridging OT and IT: Tyler's background gave him unique insight into why protecting critical infrastructure requires a balance of availability, reliability, and security.

Timestamps

00:00 – Early fascination with robotics, the TRS-80, and programming in BASIC

03:06 – High school years, military service, and starting a consulting business

05:46 – Transition into networking, SCADA operations, and pursuing certifications

12:01 – Cybersecurity experiences, OT systems, and utility cooperative work

14:03 – Joining Verve Industrial and focusing on OT cybersecurity

18:30 – Reflections on career path, lifelong learning, and excitement for future challenges

Guest Information

• Tyler Bergman: Lead of the Field Deployment Team at Rockwell Automation (formerly Verve Industrial). With more than two decades of experience spanning SCADA operations, utilities, consulting, and networking, Tyler brings deep insight into the intersection of operational technology and cybersecurity. Passionate about hands-on problem solving, persistence in learning, and building secure critical infrastructure.

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In this episode, we follow the unique career journey of Natalie Kalinowski, Network & Cybersecurity Specialist at Verve Industrial, from teaching snowboard lessons to managing complex industrial network security. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, as Natalie shares how international internships, early career programs, and continuous learning shaped her expertise—and her advice for anyone looking to break into OT security.

Key Takeaways

• Career pivots can start anywhere—Natalie's path began on the slopes and in hands-on engineering internships across the Dominican Republic and Germany.
• Rockwell Automation's EDGE program provided foundational OT automation skills, bridging the gap from theory to real-world application.
• Continuous upskilling through certifications (CISSP, CCNA, FEMA courses) and self-directed study is key to keeping pace in a fast-evolving field.
• Strong communication skills—especially with global teams—are as critical as technical knowledge in OT security.
• For newcomers: pursue foundational certifications, gain experience in IT or OT support roles, and immerse yourself in industry news and terminology.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction & early jobs: teaching snowboarding and discovering manufacturing

02:10 – Engineering studies at Marquette University & global internships (Dominican Republic, Germany)

04:15 – Why manufacturing offered the variety and challenge Natalie wanted

05:30 – Joining Rockwell Automation through the EDGE early-career program

07:20 – Gaining hands-on experience in networks, automation, and OT environments

09:00 – Transitioning to network and cybersecurity focus

10:15 – Rockwell's acquisition of Verve and upskilling in cybersecurity

13:00 – Certifications and training: PSIRT, CVSS, CCNA, FEMA, CISSP prep

15:40 – Overcoming imposter syndrome and building communication skills

19:05 – Working with global teams and adapting communication for non-native English speakers

21:00 – Advice for newcomers: certifications, entry-level IT/OT roles, learning the lingo, and staying informed

Guest Information

• Natalie Kalinowski: Network & Cybersecurity Specialist at Verve Industrial with a background in computer engineering, global manufacturing internships, and OT network design. Passionate about continuous learning, cross-cultural communication, and mentoring new entrants into the cybersecurity field.

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In this episode, we explore how an embedded-systems engineer became the leader of Verve's Special Projects & Protocols team—and what his journey says about recruiting, culture, and continuous learning in OT security. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guest Lance Lamont, Manager for Special Projects & Protocols, as they discuss career pivots, protocol reverse-engineering, and building low-ego teams that thrive on curiosity.

Key Takeaways

• Transferable skills matter: deep protocol expertise from product engineering can power OT-security research
• Flexibility attracts talent: "We want you for your skills, not your hours" sealed Lance's mid-pandemic move to Verve
• Low ego, high curiosity: teams grow faster when members admit mistakes and chase answers together
• Diverse entry points strengthen outcomes: mixing maker-space tinkerers, robotics alumni, and anime-inspired problem-solvers yields broader perspective

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

00:05 – From touch-screen drivers to a LinkedIn message that changed everything

02:45 – Turning down (then accepting) the offer: balancing parenting and remote work

05:20 – "Skill collector" mindset and early protocol wins

07:10 – Maker-space leadership and the value of empowering others

09:38 – Imposter feelings, confidence, and the culture of asking questions

11:30 – Hiring for curiosity and low ego: what Lance looks for in new team members

13:00 – Closing thoughts on continuous learning and career growth

Guest Information

• Lance Lamont: Manager, Special Projects & Protocols at Verve Industrial. Former embedded developer (power tools, automotive, touchscreens) who now leads a multidisciplinary research team reverse-engineering OT communication protocols.

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In this episode, we trace an unlikely career pivot from fine‑dining bartender to the helm of Verve's OT cybersecurity lab. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guest Andrew Wintermeyer, Team Lead, Device & Integration Research, as the latter discusses breaking into the field, learning on the fly, and why forgotten manuals can be more dangerous than zero‑days.

Key Takeaways

• Curiosity compounds — an hour of self‑study each week can snowball into deep expertise.
• Real‑world OT risks often hide in "maintenance" passwords and long‑running configs.
• A safe testing lab accelerates learning and de‑risks production environments.
• Soft skills from hospitality — patience, improvisation — translate surprisingly well to cybersecurity.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:05 – Holiday bartending burnout sparks a career rethink

01:40 – Six‑week help‑desk contract at Madison Power & Electric turns into a year

02:40 – Landing at Verve as a COVID‑era lab assistant

03:13 – First solo day in the lab: imposter syndrome & safety scares

03:50 – The breakthrough that changed everything

04:59 – Finding your place in the field

05:20 – Sunday‑night learning ritual and compounding knowledge

06:30 – What happens in the field matters

Guest Information

• Andrew Wintermeyer: OT Security Specialist and lead for Verve's North American lab. Former bartender turned Java programmer, now wrangles PLCs, SCADAPack, and virtualization stacks to keep client environments safer.

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In this episode, we take a look at how Verve Reporting, and in particular its ability to search and filter logs, can be useful for high-level forensic investigation. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guests Dustin Gogue (Technical Account Manager), Andrew Wintermyer (Team Lead, Device & Integration Research) and Zach Woltjer (ICS Security Specialist) as they dive into how Verve Reporting helped identify user account management and authentication issues.

Key Takeaways

• Proper user account hygiene (especially timely user off-boarding) is a key component of a robust security strategy.
• Maintaining named user accounts for key personnel is important for non-repudiation during investigations.
• OT software is sometimes installed in a way that binds its services or application authentication to a particular user account, which can present a challenge when and if that user needs to be off-boarded.
• The ability to collect, filter, and search event logs quickly and easily is a key component of forensic and incident investigation.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

00:27 – Welcome to Season Two of OT After Hours

00:37 – Guest introductions: Dustin, Andrew & Zach

01:30 – Quick overview of what logs are

02:19 – Why logs are important to digital forensics

04:43 – Dustin steps through the process of investigating an influx of logs and discovering key issues

12:50 – Identifying an improperly off-boarded user account within the authentication logging data

13:30 – The complexities of user off-boarding in OT environments

16:32 – Zach on incorporating user account privileges and user employment status into risk calculations

24:15 – Value of the Verve Reporting platform and roundtable discussion

32:33 - Outtro and thank yous

Guest Information

• Dustin Gogue: Technical Account Manager at Verve Industrial
• Andrew Wintermyer: Device & Integration Research Team Lead at Verve Industrial
• Zach Woltjer: ICS Security Specialist at Verve Industrial

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In this episode, we grapple with a deceptively simple question: in an operational technology environment, which element of the CIA triad—confidentiality, integrity or availability—should reign supreme? Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guests Natalie Kalinowski (OT Security Analyst), Tyler Bergman (Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer) and Zach Woltjer (ICS Security Specialist) as they debate real-world incidents, legacy system constraints and industry priorities that shape how we secure critical infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• Availability often takes center stage in OT—downtime can cost millions and trigger regulatory shutdowns.
• Integrity attacks (like Stuxnet-style tampering) are scarier than outright outages: misleading data can hide dangerous conditions.
• Confidentiality matters too—information gathering paves the way for future, highly targeted attacks.
• In practice, availability and integrity are inseparable: validating data flow can bolster both pillars simultaneously.
• A holistic, risk-based "crown jewels" assessment helps organizations focus on the devices and data that matter most.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

00:43 – Welcome to Season Two of OT After Hours

01:06 – Guest introductions: Natalie, Tyler & Zach

04:00 – Defining confidentiality, integrity and availability

07:57 – Tyler on why availability skyrockets in OT environments

11:53 – Natalie on integrity attacks and the legacy of Stuxnet

25:05 – Ken and team explore integrity-based attack scenarios and encryption trade-offs

39:47 – Natalie on confidentiality's long-term impact (Ukraine grid outages, HAVoC)

43:04 – Roundtable closing thoughts: tying availability & integrity together

47:12 – Outro and how to submit your questions

Guest Information

• Natalie Kalinowski: OT Security Analyst at Verve Industrial, specializes in vulnerability management and threat research.
• Tyler Bergman: Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer at Verve Industrial, expert in SCADA availability and risk mitigation.
• Zach Woltjer: ICS Security Specialist at Verve Industrial, focuses on OT-IT convergence and strategic assessments.

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In this episode, we explore how often OT teams really need to refresh asset-inventory data and what MITRE's near-miss funding lapse for the CVE program means for vulnerability management.

Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guests Natalie Kalinowski (OT Security Specialist), Lance Lamont (Team Lead, Special Projects & Protocols), Andrew Wintermeyer (Senior ICS Architect), and Tyler Bergman (Principal Security Consultant) as they discuss scan cadences, change-detection value, and building redundancy into threat-intel pipelines.

Key Takeaways

• Context drives cadence. Fan speed may need minute-level polling, firmware often does not.
• Redundancy is resilience. Blend NVD, CISA, MITRE, and vendor advisories to survive feed outages.
• CVE is a language, not the cure. Losing it wouldn't add vulnerabilities, but it would cripple prioritization.
• Change detection turns inventory data into real-time alerts for unauthorized config tweaks.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

03:30 – Why "asset-data freshness" landed on today's agenda

04:10 – MITRE CVE funding scare: what happened and why it matters

10:50 – OT vs. IT views on vulnerability backlog and enrichment

18:00 – Mapping scan frequency to business need

24:40 – Change management and configuration-drift detection

33:00 – Diversifying data sources beyond NVD

38:50 – The proposed "CVE Foundation" for long-term stability

42:40 – Building redundancy into threat-intel pipelines

44:50 – Listener poll results: hard-rock "Legacy Code" wins

46:15 – Sign-off and credits

Listener Q&A

We're happy to announce that the hard rock version of Legacy Code on the Conveyor Belt was far-and-away the fan favorite! Download it now!

Guest Information

• Natalie Kalinowski: OT Security Specialist at Verve Industrial; leads proof-of-value engagements and vulnerability mapping.
• Lance Lamont: VP, Solutions Engineering at Verve Industrial; directs driver development and asset-inventory strategy.
• Andrew Wintermeyer: Senior ICS Architect at Verve Industrial; designs secure network architecture for critical infrastructure.
• Tyler Bergman: Principal Security Consultant at Verve Industrial; focuses on risk prioritization and framework alignment.

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In this episode, we explore the complexities of asset management in operational technology (OT) security. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, and his guests Tyler Bergman, Zachary Woltjer, Natalie Kalinowski, and Lance Lamont as they discuss the challenges of tracking and securing assets in industrial environments, the impact of legacy systems, and the best strategies for improving visibility and resilience.

Key Takeaways

• Asset management is a foundational element of OT security, yet many organizations struggle with visibility.
• Manual, passive, and active asset discovery each have unique benefits and limitations.
• IT/OT convergence presents additional challenges in integrating and securing legacy systems.
• The right combination of asset discovery methods is critical for maintaining security and operational efficiency.
• Organizations must balance security with practicality when implementing asset inventory strategies.

Listener Q&A

Cast your vote for your favorite version of Legacy Code on the Conveyor Belt!

• Version 1: https://suno.com/song/0fdc46c7-38b2-4c37-b390-9f2d54843e7a?sh=55oBq3xyYmqjUYRO
• Version 2: https://suno.com/song/550ed070-758d-4398-8a06-7e57fe8e19f8?sh=eQsUbG7WrF8iJdgS

Want to ask a question for the experts at Verve to answer? Let us know!

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

06:00 – Why asset management is critical to OT security

10:30 – The impact of legacy systems on asset visibility

15:20 – Manual asset discovery: Pros, cons, and best practices

22:10 – Passive asset discovery: Leveraging network traffic for insights

30:55 – Active asset discovery: Gaining deeper visibility without disrupting operations

40:30 – IT/OT integration challenges and strategies

50:10 – Closing thoughts and recommendations

Guest Information

• Tyler Bergman: Operations Manager, providing insights into the practical challenges of cybersecurity in industrial environments.
• Zachary Woltjer: Customer Success Specialist at Verve Industrial, with expertise in helping organizations implement OT cybersecurity solutions.
• Natalie Kalinowski: Cybersecurity Specialist, bringing research-driven insights into network security and asset discovery.
• Lance Lamont: OT Security & Asset Management Expert, discussing best practices for inventorying and securing critical assets.

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In this episode, we explore the challenges and best practices for identifying and inventorying assets in operational technology (OT) environments. Join host Ken Kully, Systems Support Lead at Verve Industrial, along with guests Lance Lamont, Andrew Wintermeyer, Tyler Bergman, and Rick Herzing, as they discuss how to establish trust, safely discover assets, and navigate network complexities without disrupting operations.

• Establishing Trust & Engagement: Successful asset identification starts with building relationships with site personnel, including ICS engineers and facility managers.
• Safe Asset Discovery Techniques: Using non-disruptive methods like passive network monitoring, ARP table collection, and targeted scans is key in OT networks.
• Common Challenges: Mismatched documentation, unknown legacy devices, and unconventional network setups often complicate the process.
• Collaboration is Crucial: Teams at Verve integrate expertise from research, engineering, and cybersecurity to ensure efficient and secure asset inventorying.
• Continuous Monitoring & Adaptation: The process doesn't end with identification—maintaining an up-to-date inventory is an ongoing effort.

Listener Q&A

Want to ask a question for the experts at Verve to answer? Let us know!

00:00 – Introduction and sound check

01:10 – Welcome back to Season 2 of OT After Hours

03:14 – What is the core functionality of Verve in OT environments?

06:45 – Trust-building and engaging with OT personnel

12:30 – Real-world surprises: Unexpected device discoveries

18:05 – How Verve safely identifies assets without disrupting operations

27:38 – Leveraging Verve's capabilities for accurate inventorying

41:11 – Importance of communication and customer engagement

46:53 – The evolving role of Verve and IT-OT integration

Lance Lamont – Lead, Special Projects & Protocols, Verve Industrial

Andrew Wintermeyer – Lead, Device & Integration Team, Verve Industrial

Tyler Bergman – Lead, Field Deployment Team, Verve Industrial

Rick Herzing – OT Systems Support Analyst, Verve Industrial

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