“Harvest now, decrypt later.” This directive will be motivation for an expected surge in an emerging threat: quantum computing cyberattacks.

That is according to two experts on the matter who joined co-hosts Adam Dennison and Samara Lynn on the latest Ready.Set.Midmarket! podcast.

Lance Smith, co-founder and CEO of Cy4Data Labs, and John E. Young, COO of Quantum eMotion America, lent their extensive expertise on the subject of Q-Day and post-quantum computing (PQC) encryption.

Both describe how threat actors are currently harvesting encrypted data through cyberattacks. While the bad guys don’t have the means yet to decrypt this data, in the very near future they will have a way—through quantum computing.

The time frame for when threat actors will have relatively easy and widespread access to quantum computing power is what is known as “Q-Day.”

Smith and Young discuss what Q-Day is, when it’s expected to arrive, the catastrophes that can happen when hackers are able to break traditional encryption, and what midmarket leaders should do now to prepare.

In this episode of Ready.Set.Midmarket! hosts Adam Dennison and Samara Lynn discuss the critical topic of AI poisoning with experts Vrajesh Bhavzar, co-founder and CEO, Operant.AI, and Sarfraz Shaikh, CIO/CISO, One Mesa.The conversation explores the implications of AI adoption in midmarket companies, the security risks associated with AI, and the importance of implementing robust security measures to combat potential threats. The guests share insights on the current landscape of AI security, the challenges faced by organizations, and the solutions offered by Operant.AI to protect against AI poisoning attacks.

In this episode, Adam Dennison and Samara Lynn discuss the emerging concept of shadow AI with Peter Garraghan, co-founder and CEO of MindGuard, a security company that offers red teaming for AI vulnerabilities

The conversation delves into the implications of AI used without organizational oversight, the risks associated with shadow AI, and the role of security teams in managing those risks. Peter also shares insights from a recent survey on AI usage among cybersecurity professionals, highlighting the need for controls and visibility in AI adoption.

Resource-strapped midmarket organizations often have a single IT executive pulling double duty as CIO and CISO. When is it time to put on your CIO hat versus your CISO one, and what is the best way to juggle both leadership roles? John Michael Gross, CIO and CISO of Cascade Environmental, offers his experience and advice on being the CIO and the CISO.

This episode delves into the evolving landscape of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), emphasizing its importance for midmarket organizations. Experts Jawahar "Jawa" Sivasankar, who is the president of cybersecurity firm, Cyware, and Christopher J. Walsh, vice president and CISO for Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, discuss the shift from traditional cybersecurity tools to a more threat-centric approach, the integration of AI in cybersecurity, and the challenges of tool saturation.

In this episode of Ready, Set, Midmarket, host Adam Dennison and co-host Samara Lynn engage with CIOs Jay Ferro, Eric Tewey, and RC Woodson to discuss the current economic landscape and its impact on IT planning and spending. The conversation explores how organizations are adapting to economic uncertainties, the importance of strategic partnerships, and the role of technology and innovation in navigating challenges. The CIOs share insights on project management, cybersecurity concerns, and team dynamics during turbulent times, emphasizing the need for flexibility and proactive planning in their organizations.

In this episode of Ready, Set, Midmarket! the discussion revolves around agentic AI, its implications for midmarket organizations, and the associated security challenges. Daryan "D" Dehghanpisheh, president and co-Founder of Protect AI, shares insights on the rapid adoption of AI agents, the unique risks they pose, and the importance of integrating security measures as organizations navigate this evolving landscape. The conversation emphasizes the need for midmarket companies to adapt quickly, understand the implications of AI on labor, and develop robust security frameworks to manage the risks associated with AI deployment.

Technical debt costs organizations nearly $3 million a year. Tech debt accumulates when companies take short cuts when writing code, by not updating legacy hardware, and for other reasons. Adam Dennison, Vice President, Midsize Enterprise Services at The Channel Company, and Samara Lynn, senior editor of MES Computing, speak with Ken Knapton, a seasoned IT leader and the author of Unveiling Tech Debt: A Business Leaders Guide to Measuring and Managing Enterprise Tech Debt Leverage, about how midmarket IT leaders can recognize and address tech debt.

In this episode: The Girl Scouts have great cookies, but did you know they also have great technology? Join us in our discussion with Michael Pompey, the Chief Information and Transformation Officer of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. Hosts Adam Dennison and Samara Lynn speak with Pompey on AI's impact on corporate culture, the significance of "soft skills" for IT executives as well as the importance for a human connection in tech, policy making, and more.