Joe Erle sits down with Joshua Nicholson, Founder & CEO of DarkStack7 and Host of Cybersecurity America Podcast, to break down the critical incident response mistakes that leave companies with no choice but to pay ransoms.

Joshua exposes the most common breach vulnerabilities still being exploited in 2026 including unpatched firewalls, missing MFA, excessive local admin rights, and AI tools like Microsoft Copilot leaking confidential HR data. He explains why identity has become the new security perimeter, how removing local admin rights stops lateral movement, and why every organization needs pre-provisioned break-glass access before a crisis hits.

You'll also learn:

How to fix dangerous logging and licensing blind spots

Practical ways to patch systems without causing panic Lessons from real disaster recovery failures

How DDoS attacks are used to increase ransom pressure

A simple tabletop exercise playbook that actually works

How strong cyber hygiene helps satisfy cyber insurance underwriters

What Happens when AI Hacks Collide

Timestamps:

00:35 – Intro Teaser

02:38 – MFA and Security Hygiene

06:04 – Identity Perimeter Shift

06:55 – Local Admin and LAPS

08:25 – Least Privilege Culture

12:00 – Patching Without Panic

15:59 – Disaster Recovery Lessons

18:59 – DDoS and Ransom Pressure

22:00 – Tabletop Exercise Playbook

25:27 – Logging and Licensing Gaps

27:37 – Finding Joshua and Services

28:42 – AI Breaches and Microsoft Copilot

30:46 – AI Risks and Market Crash

33:40 – Wrap Up and Thanks

Guest: Joshua Nicholson | Founder & CEO, DarkStack7

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuarnicholson

Cybersecurity America Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@cybersecurityamerica_show

Hosts:

Joe Erle | Cyber Group Practice Leader, C3 Risk & Insurance Services

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle

X: https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok / Instagram / Facebook: @itscyberjoe

Ransomware Rewind is a practical cybersecurity podcast focused on real-world cyber risk, incident response, and resilience. We talk to the people on the front lines so you can protect your business before the next attack.

Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more insights on ransomware, cyber insurance, and building a stronger security posture.

You can also listen on Spotify or Apple podcasts!

I appreciate your support! Thx!

#Ransomware #CyberSecurity #IncidentResponse #MFA #IdentitySecurity #LeastPrivilege #CyberInsurance #AISecurity #MicrosoftCopilot #DarkStack7 #RansomwareRewind

Joe Erle interviews Sam Jadali of Melurna about how companies unknowingly leak sensitive data and how that data gets sold and used for retargeting and other nefarious puroses. Sam explains that Molerna "tags" data and tracks its journey across the internet to provide privacy and compliance intelligence, helping enterprises, carriers, and brokers understand what data is being exfiltrated and by which vendors. The discussion covers pixel/session replay risks, escalating class actions, and regulatory exposure (including HIPAA concerns), Gen Z's declining expectations of privacy, and AI-driven targeting that could intensify manipulation and even influence politics. They also discuss God Mode data access for $50 and what Sam learned from the experience. 00:00 Podcast Intro 01:03 What Melurna Does 01:37 God Mode Discovery 04:14 Inside Data Spy 05:56 Third Party Risk 07:20 Apps And Data Brokers 09:09 Gen Z And Consent 10:36 Health Data Retargeting 12:24 AI Hyper Targeting 14:31 Melurna For Compliance 16:56 Insurance And Pixels 18:08 Privacy Tools And Consent 19:50 Star Trek Or Skynet 21:55 Wrap Up And Contact Guest: Sam Jadali | Co-Founder of Melurna LinkedIn: / sam-jadali Website: https://securitywithsam.com/about-sam/ Host: Joe Erle | Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance LinkedIn: / joeerle X: https://x.com/joe_erle TikTok: / itscyberjoe Instagram: / itscyberjoe Facebook: / joeerle Host: Mike Dowdy LinkedIn: / mikedowdy Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more insights on industrial cybersecurity! Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, Data Brokers, Melurna, AI Surveillance, Ransomware, Pixel Tracking, Class Action Lawsuits RANSOMWARE REWIND is a deep dive into the reality of cyber risk. We talk to the people on the front lines to find practical ways to stay resilient in an uncertain digital world.

In this latest episode of Ransomware Rewind, we dive into the alarming surge of cyberattacks targeting the manufacturing sector and critical infrastructure.

With over 2,100 ransomware attacks recorded in the first three quarters of 2025 alone, industrial environments are now the primary frontline for cyber risk. Joe Erle and Mike Dowdy sit down with Josh Ross, Co-Founder and CEO of Ironloop, to dismantle the myth of the "air gap" and explore how modern hackers are moving laterally from IT networks into the factory floor.

Josh explains why critical systems from water utilities to overlooked cyber-physical assets like HVAC are becoming high-impact attack paths. We discuss the harsh reality that replacing end-of-life legacy systems is often impossible, making defense-in-depth and practical remediation the only viable path forward.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

The Air Gap Illusion: Why your systems aren't as isolated as you think.

Exploiting Firewalls: How IT/OT connections become gateways for ransomware.

Securing Underfunded Infrastructure: The unique challenges of protecting water and public utilities.

Practical Remediation: Why Ironloop focuses on configuration validation and lifecycle monitoring. On-Prem Privacy: Building a security architecture that never touches the cloud. If you are a CISO, a plant operator, or a security leader in the industrial space, this episode provides a masterclass in reducing downtime risk and protecting legacy environments.

Episode Chapters — Key Moments

00:00 – Intro Highlight

01:55 – Ransomware and Manufacturing: The 2025 Data

04:08 – Air Gaps Aren't Enough: The Myth of Isolation

06:01 – Water Systems and Defense in Depth

08:26 – Firewalls Exploited: Lateral Movement into OT

10:21 – Old vs. New: The Problem with Legacy Systems

22:12 – Manufacturing Drones and the Future of Logistics

25:17 – AI in Manufacturing: Predictive Maintenance or Risk?

31:13 – Budgetary Concerns: Security for Underfunded Plants

33:53 – The Data Problem: Monitoring Without Cloud Exposure

36:05 – Starting a Software Company Now: Ironloop's Origin

Expert Guest: Josh Ross | Co-Founder of Ironloop

LinkedIn: / josh-ross1

Website: https://www.ironloop.com

Host: Joe Erle | Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

LinkedIn: / joeerle

X: https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok: / itscyberjoe

Instagram: / itscyberjoe

Facebook: / joeerle

Co-Host: Mike Dowdy

LinkedIn: / mikedowdy

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more insights on industrial cybersecurity!

Ransomware Rewind, OT Security, Manufacturing, Cybersecurity 2026, SCADA, Industrial Control Systems, Josh Ross, Ironloop, Cyber Insurance, Risk Management

In this episode of the Ransomware Rewind podcast, host Joe Erle (@joe_erle) interviews John Bruggeman, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at CBTS and OnX, on emerging cybersecurity threats like AI model poisoning and prompt injection attacks. With over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, John explains how unsanitized inputs and as few as 250 malicious data points can cause "brain rot" or model decay in large language models (LLMs), resulting in unreliable outputs, hidden backdoors, and long-term AI vulnerabilities.

John explains real-world AI attack vectors, including tool poisoning through hidden HTML code in emails, agent session smuggling in enterprise tools like Microsoft Copilot, and remote code execution risks that enable data exfiltration or excessive resource consumption. The discussion also covers recent DNS outages at Microsoft and AWS, illustrating how critical infrastructure weaknesses exacerbate AI security risks.

John shares practical cybersecurity best practices for protecting AI systems: always sanitize inputs, enforce human-in-the-loop oversight, keep clean backups for model recovery, and integrate ethical guardrails inspired by Isaac Asimov's laws of robotics. They explore ethical concerns in AI, such as Reddit-driven misinformation campaigns, AI's psychological impact on vulnerable users like teenagers, and why LLMs aren't truly sentient (they're just advanced next-word predictors). Plus, a lively debate on AI's future: utopian Star Trek scenarios vs. dystopian Skynet dangers.

Packed with actionable insights on AI security, data poisoning prevention, and cybersecurity strategies, this episode is a must-listen for CISOs, IT leaders, security professionals, and businesses deploying AI in high-risk environments. Tune in to Ransomware Rewind for expert advice on safeguarding your AI models, preventing prompt injection, and staying ahead of cyber threats. Available now. Listen on your favorite podcast platform!

Episode Chapters — Key Moments

00:00 First Leak — Prompt attacks begin 02:00 Breaches & Insurance — Who pays when it breaks 05:30 Human Error — Why people cause most damage 10:00 Model Decay — When systems slowly forget 15:30 Training Data Risk — Bad data, bad outcomes 22:00 LLM Attacks — Hackers follow the spotlight 30:00 Red Teaming — Break it before they do 38:00 Guardrails — Rules that keep speed safe 46:00 Startups — Small teams, big targets 55:00 The Future — What keeps CISOs awake

Guest: John Bruggeman, Chief Information Security Officer at CBTS and OnX

LinkedIn: / johnbruggeman

Website: http://www.huc.edu/

Host: Joe Erle, Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

LinkedIn: / joeerle

X: https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok: / itscyberjoe

Instagram: / itscyberjoe

Facebook: / joeerle

Mike Dowdy

LinkedIn: / mikedowdy

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to follow the pod and leave a review.

Ever wondered what handling deadly anthrax at the US Capitol has in common with battling ransomware in 2025? What if the next big cyber attack isn't from hackers in a basement—but from quantum computers shattering your encryption overnight? In this unmissable episode of Ransomware Rewind, cybersecurity legend Wil Klusovsky spills insider secrets that could save your business from total chaos.

Wil, a 24-year US Marine vet turned cyber strategist (LinkedIn: /wilklu, host of Keyboard Samurai), draws chilling parallels between war and digital battles. From post-9/11 preparedness drills to why most orgs still suck at basics like asset management, he breaks it all down with no-BS advice.

Episode Highlights That'll Keep You Up at Night:

• War-to-Cyber Transition (00:02:01): How Wil's unit cleaned up anthrax and ricin at the Capitol—tying it to cyber incident response: "It's all about preparedness; incidents are inevitable."
• Evolution of Threats (00:06:01): Remember Snort boxes? We've come far, but pen tests aren't auto-wins anymore thanks to segmentation and CISOs. Yet, humans remain the weak link—Gen Z's privacy-for-convenience trade-off fuels phishing.
• Human Trust Traps (00:09:25): "People are too trusting." Attackers mosaic tiny data bits from "low-value" targets (e.g., China's IP theft via small breaches) to build massive wins. Pro tip: "If you didn't make the call, don't give info."
• Real Espionage Stories (00:12:47): Chinese hacks on Alcoa and DuPont (laptop cloning in hotels), backdoors in Cisco hardware, and why state actors like China/Russia are unstoppable.
• Future Nightmares (00:47:12): Quantum will kill encryption; target nuclear/energy for blackouts or autos for terror (hack Teslas remotely via SiriusXM?). Plus, fun riffs on simulation theory, Skynet vs. Matrix, and chemtrail jokes.
• Actionable Defenses (00:08:50): Ditch "best practices" buzzwords—focus on zero trust, attack surface reduction, and educating non-tech folks.

This episode is rocket fuel for CISOs, IT pros, and anyone dodging 2025's AI-powered phishing beasts. Wil's blend of humor, history, and hard truths makes it a must-listen. Catch it now before the next breach hits—because as Wil says, "You're going to deal with an incident; be ready to move fast."

Tune in to Ransomware Rewind for more breakdowns on cyber threats, data breaches, and security solutions. Stay ahead of ransomware attacks, phishing scams, and emerging cyber risks.

Guest: Wil Klusovsky, Cybersecurity Podcaster & IT Advisor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilklu/

Links: https://www.wilklu.me/linktree

Keyboard Samarai Pod: https://www.youtube.com/@KeybdSamurai

Hosts: Joe Erle — Cyber Group Practice Leader, C3 Insurance

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle

X/Twitter: https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itscyberjoe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscyberjoe

Meta/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeerle

Questions about cyber insurance? Email [email protected] or go to www.c3insurance.com/cyber

Mike Dowdy — Voice AI Developer & Entrepreneur

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedowdy

Thanks for listening and don't forget to like and subscribe for more episodes like this!

ransomware, cybersecurity, cyber threats, security training, human element in security, cybersecurity strategy, IT risk management, cyber resilience, security program design, business continuity

CISOs, CEOs & Business Owners: What To Say (and NOT Say) When Ransomware Hits – Or You'll Lose Millions in Reputation

90% of companies survive the hack… but die from the crisis communications disaster that follows.

Kevin Dinino (Head of Communications at top cybersecurity PR firm KCD PR) reveals the exact playbook that saved Fortune 500 companies during real breaches — and the fatal mistakes that tanked others.

You'll learn:

✅ The 48-hour rule that saves reputations (and stock prices)

✅ 3 statements that instantly destroy trust & trigger lawsuits

✅ CEO media-training crash course you can run in one afternoon

✅ Why cyber insurers now reject claims without a comms plan

✅ How deepfakes + AI leaks are rewriting breach PR in 2025

✅ Step-by-step ransomware crisis comms playbook + templates

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro 00:04 – Ransomware Rewind

06:45 – The 48-hour reputation rule

12:30 – Real breach war stories

19:20 – Executive media training

27:40 – Deepfakes & AI crisis nightmare

34:15 – Your 2025 ransomware PR playbook

👤 Guest: Kevin Dinino – Head of Communications, KCD PR

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevindininokcdpr/

Website: https://www.kcdpr.com

🎤 Hosts: Joe Erle – Cyber Insurance Practice Leader, C3 Insurance

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle

X/Twitter: https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itscyberjoe

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itscyberjoe

Need cyber insurance help? → [email protected]

Mike Dowdy – Voice AI Developer & Tech Entrepreneur

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedowdy

🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cyber-insiders/id1540640713

👉 Subscribe so you're ready BEFORE the ransom demand lands.

#Ransomware #CrisisCommunications #CyberBreach #ReputationManagement #CyberInsurance #CISOTips #DataBreach #PublicRelations #ExecutiveMediaTraining #Deepfakes #Cybersecurity2025

ransomware crisis communication, cyber breach PR, what to say during ransomware attack, CEO media training, cyber insurance requirements 2025, deepfake crisis, KCD PR, Kevin Dinino, Joe Erle, Ransomware Rewind

What happens when a brutal ransomware attack flips your entire career upside down—and launches you into the front lines of the biggest cyber war of our time?

In this explosive episode, cybersecurity advisor Nick Oles (Entoo Security) pulls back the curtain on his wild origin story: the day ransomware hit him personally, ignited an obsession, and ultimately birthed his must-read book, How to Catch a Phish.

Nick doesn't hold back. We dive deep into:

• How phishing has mutated into a terrifyingly sophisticated beast in 2025
• Why remote and hybrid work handed attackers the keys to the kingdom
• The AI arms race: how bad guys are weaponizing ChatGPT & Co. to craft undetectable attacks… and how the good guys are fighting back even harder
• Real-world war stories that will make you rethink every email you've ever opened
• Dead-simple, no-BS tactics you can implement TODAY to bulletproof yourself and your team

Whether you're a seasoned CISO or someone who just wants to stop being low-hanging fruit, this conversation is pure rocket fuel—packed with eye-opening insights, laugh-out-loud moments, and immediately actionable defenses.

Hit play now and turn your "it won't happen to me" into "try me."

🔗 Guest

Nick Oles Cybersecurity Advisor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-o-8b5b6349

Website: https://www.entoosecurity.com/

Support Nick by purchasing his book here on Amazon

🎙 Hosts

Joe Erle, Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

X: /joe_erle

https://x.com/joe_erle

TikTok: /itscyberjoe

https://www.tiktok.com/@itscyberjoe

Instagram: /itscyberjoe

https://www.instagram.com/itscyberjoe/

Meta: /joeerle

https://www.facebook.com/joeerle/

LinkedIn: /joeerle

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle/

Questions about cyber insurance?

📩 Email: [email protected] or request a quote at www.c3insurance.com/cyber

Mike Dowdy, Voice AI Developer & Entrepreneur

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedowdy/

cybersecurity, phishing, how to catch a phish, nick oles, entoo security, ransomware rewind, cyber insurance, cyber insurance podcast, cyber threats, cybersecurity podcast, cybersecurity training, phishing awareness, ciso, cybersecurity for small business, cyber risk, ransomware, cyber attacks, incident response,, remote work security, AI cybersecurity, joe erle, c3 insurance, mike dowdy, cyber podcast, cyber security expert interview

In this episode of Ransomware Rewind, Joe and Mike sit down with Andrew Klucsarits, Director and IT Security and Risk Manager at IT Solutions to talk Cybersecurity including modern ransomware trends and operational security for enterprise business.

They analyze high-impact supply-chain attacks (including discussion of the Dragon Force incident and vendor risks tied to tools like ConnectWise).

In addition, they outline how adversaries exploit human and vendor weaknesses through social engineering exploits.

Lastly, they provide pragmatic guidance for building resilient defenses using data-driven security programs and third-party risk assessments.

Disaster recovery planning and AI risk mitigation is also covered in this info-packed episode.

Guest: Andrew Klucsarits

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewklucsarits/

Hosts: Joe Erle, Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

X / /joe_erle

Tiktok / / itscyberjoe

Insta / / itscyberjoe

Meta / / joeerle

LinkedIn / / joeerle

Questions about cyber insurance?

Email [email protected]

Mike Dowdy, Voice AI Developer & Entrepreneur

LinkedIn / / mikedowdy

Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe.

ransomware, supply chain attack, Dragon Force, ConnectWise, third party risk, third party vendor security, disaster recovery, backup strategy, AI security, social engineering, incident response, cybersecurity podcast, data driven security, vendor risk assessment, ransomware recovery, cyber resilience

Kevin O'Neill, founder and CEO of CYVA Research Corporation dives deep into the current challenges surrounding data privacy and control, advocating for a paradigm shift towards self-protecting and self-governing data systems. He shares his vision for a more secure digital future where individuals have control over their personal information, irrespective of the device or platform.

00:00 Introduction to Data Control

01:33 The Evolution of Data Protection

02:03 Ralph Nader and Data Safety

02:58 Welcome to the Podcast

05:15 Privacy and Data Ownership

07:32 The Role of Public Cloud

14:09 Concerns Over Data Consolidation

23:01 Whistleblowing and Corporate Ethics

24:51 Confronting the Colonel

26:14 The Birth of a New Data Control Concept

27:09 Introducing the Personal Information Agent

28:22 Business Applications and Trustworthiness

30:49 The Data Broker Industry and Privacy Concerns

32:35 Challenges in Implementing Privacy Solutions

33:52 Quantum Computing and Security

35:19 The Need for Better Data Management Tools

42:25 Frustrations with Venture Capital and Big Tech

42:53 The Role of Hospitals and Privacy

44:23 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Guest: Kevin O'Neil

Website / http://www.cyva.com/

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-o-neil-cissp-b121849/

Hosts:

Joe Erle, Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

X / https://x.com/joe_erle

Tiktok / https://www.tiktok.com/@itscyberjoe

Insta / https://www.instagram.com/itscyberjoe/

Meta / https://www.facebook.com/joeerle/

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle/

Questions about cyber insurance? Email [email protected]

Get the 14 Steps to protect your data here: https://c3insurance.com/secure-your-companys-data/

Mike Dowdy, Cloud Solutions Consultant

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedowdy/

Thanks again for listening to the show - Don't forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

In this episode of the Ransomware Rewind podcast, we interviewed David Ritter, CEO and co-founder of Penta Privacy Lock. David elaborates on the complexities of privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA amidst recent significant data breaches. He discusses the importance of privacy compliance in addition to robust cybersecurity measures and introduces Privacy Lock as a tool for mitigating the fallout from privacy breaches.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:49 Recent Ransomware and Privacy Breaches

01:36 Regulations and Privacy Laws Overview

03:37 Challenges in Privacy Compliance

05:20 Blockchain and Privacy Compliance

07:05 Privacy Lock and Mitigating Breach Fallout

11:04 Costs and Fines for Privacy Breaches

16:29 Healthcare Data Privacy

28:33 Consumer Privacy Rights and Future Trends

32:46 Conclusion and Contact Information

Guest: David Ritter

Website / https://www.myprivacylock.io

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidritter1984boulder

Host:

Joe Erle, Cyber Group Practice Leader at C3 Insurance

X / https://x.com/joe_erle

Tiktok / https://www.tiktok.com/@itscyberjoe

Insta / https://www.instagram.com/itscyberjoe/

Meta / https://www.facebook.com/joeerle/

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeerle/

Questions about cyber insurance? Email [email protected]

Get the 14 Steps to protect your data here: https://c3insurance.com/secure-your-companys-data/

Co-Host:

Mike Dowdy, Cloud Solutions & AI Consultant

LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedowdy/

Thanks again for listening to the show - Don't forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!