The Segment

When personal trauma meets professional purpose, it can reshape an entire industry—just ask Dr. Kelley Misata.

Our guest today is Founder and CEO of Sightline Security and president of the Open Information Security Foundation. Dr. Misata brings a unique lens to the field, shaped by her personal journey as a stalking survivor turned cybersecurity advocate. From supporting nonprofits working with trafficking survivors to influencing how organizations manage open source risk, her work underscores the need to approach security with empathy, patience, and mission-first thinking.

Together, we explore why cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a siloed function. Instead, it must be embedded into every decision, guided by understanding and tailored to the needs of those it aims to protect—especially in the nonprofit world. The conversation spans the dangers of digital assumptions, the importance of storytelling in awareness training, and how open source communities can be as critical to resilience as enterprise vendors.

🎙️ Topics include:

• How personal experience shaped Dr. Misata’s mission to make security more accessible and human-centered
  
   
• The unique security challenges facing mission-driven organizations
  
   
• Why open source tools deserve enterprise-level attention
  
   
• The role of empathy, inclusion, and curiosity in building better cyber practices
  
   
• What it means to lead with listening in a field driven by risk
  
   

Whether you're a seasoned security professional or just starting to explore the digital safety landscape, this episode offers real talk, refreshing insights, and a powerful reminder: better security starts with better conversations.

Resources Mentioned:

RSAC Presentation: https://path.rsaconference.com/flow/rsac/us25/FullAgenda/page/catalog/session/1728257517998001QtNB 

Stay Connected with our host, Raghu on LinkedIn

For more information about Illumio, check out our website at illumio.com 

The Monday Microsegment for the week of April 28th. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• M&S battles a cyber incident that’s ‘anything but ordinary’
• Is AI code generation playing fast and loose with security?
• And SAP scrambles to patch a critical vulnerability after real-world attacks.

And Michael Adjei joins us for "Ask the Expert". 

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

Register to attend RSAC: https://www.illumio.com/resources/events/rsa-conference-2025

The Monday Microsegment for the week of April 21st. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• Russian hackers woo diplomats — with a glass of wine.
• AI flaws are going unfixed, even when they’re critical.
• And security leaders look for a way forward after CVE program is pulled back from the brink

And Christer Swartz joins us for "Boos and Bravos". 

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

Register to attend RSAC: https://www.illumio.com/resources/events/rsa-conference-2025

What if the biggest vulnerability in cybersecurity isn't the technology—but the people behind it? Dr. Erik Huffman, a pioneer in cyberpsychology, joins The Segment to break down the human factors behind digital attacks. 

Cyberpsychology—the blend of security, human behavior, and neuroscience—reveals that over 90% of data breaches involve human error or social engineering, not just technical exploits. The conversation shifts to why traditional cybersecurity awareness training isn’t enough—awareness is widespread, but true preparedness is lacking.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why even the most secure organizations still fall victim to cyberattacks
• The dangerous blame culture in cybersecurity and why it needs to change
• The intense pressure and burnout CISOs face in today’s fast-moving business world 
• What organizations can do to strengthen security beyond just investing in tech
• How attackers manipulate emotions
   

If you think only careless people get hacked, think again.
Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Huffman Ted Talk

The Monday Microsegment for the week of April 14th. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• China makes a cyber confession. Or was it a veiled warning?
• CISA director nomination blocked over another Chinese attack
• And ransomware attacks are up — but payouts are down.

And John Kindervag joins us for "Ask the Expert."

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

Register to attend RSAC: https://www.illumio.com/resources/events/rsa-conference-2025

The Monday Microsegment for the week of April 7th. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• TikTok gets more time in the U.S. — and a huge fine in Europe 
• You can always count on death, taxes, and in April, IRS-themed phishing attacks
• And a major cybercriminal gang is taking the “ware” out of ransomware attacks

And Trevor Dearing joins us for "Ask the Expert."

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

Register to attend RSAC: https://www.illumio.com/resources/events/rsa-conference-2025

Welcome to Season 3 of The Segment: A Zero Trust Leadership Podcast. This season, we’re exploring the intersection of trust, resilience, and human behavior — how cybercriminals weaponize trust, why resilience is about more than just prevention, and why human psychology remains the most exploited element in cybersecurity. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss these full-length interviews.

The Monday Microsegment for the week of March 31st. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• New “Morphing Meerkat” phishing kit packs a mighty punch
• Critical vulnerabilities cast a shadow over solar power systems
• And the risk prognosis is not looking good for many medical devices

And Gary Barlet joins us for "Ask the Expert."

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

Register to attend RSAC: https://www.illumio.com/resources/events/rsa-conference-2025

The Monday Microsegment for the week of March 24th. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• AI is supercharging organized crime, Europol warns
• Researchers fool major AI tools into helping them write malware
• And UK security leaders are confident — maybe too confident

And Christer Swartz joins us for a Boos and Bravos Segment

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

The Global Cost of Ransomware Study: https://www.illumio.com/resource-center/cost-of-ransomware

The Monday Microsegment for the week of March 17th. All the cybersecurity news you need to stay ahead, from Illumio's The Segment podcast.

• Accused LockBit ransomware developer facing lockup after U.S. extradition
• Medusa ransomware now targeting critical infrastructure
• You’re not a robot, and “ClickFix” is not a solution

And Gary Barlet joins us for a Book Club segment. 

Brooking's article: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/generative-ai-the-american-worker-and-the-future-of-work/

Head to The Zero Trust Hub: hub.illumio.com

The Global Cost of Ransomware Study: https://www.illumio.com/resource-center/cost-of-ransomware