CISO Stories Podcast (Audio)

Threat intelligence too often arrives as a steady stream of alerts that don't translate into clear, timely decisions. This episode explores how public-sector intel flows today through channels like CISA, MS-ISAC, and CIS—and why changes in funding and distribution can reshape what organizations actually receive and when. We also imagine an all-in state approach, where states take a bigger role in getting actionable cyber intel to local businesses and organizations. From a higher-ed security leadership lens, we connect student data privacy and regulatory realities to the broader public–private challenge—and highlight community-driven efforts like the Redwood Project that strengthen trust-based, peer-to-peer intelligence sharing. This segment is sponsored by Arctic Wolf. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/arcticwolf to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-222

CISO Jadee Hanson shares how Vanta "drinks its own champagne," running on NIST CSF with quarterly baseline reviews and using Vanta's GRC platform to turn every release into live UAT for privacy, governance, and compliance. We rethink third-party management—why point-in-time risk scores are fading and how AI drives continuous monitoring and outcome-based assurance. Bottom line: don't just audit—instrument your controls and prove trust in real time. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-221

Title: Keys Without People" — John Heasman on Cleaning Up Non-Human Access Summary: John breaks today's non-human identity mess into three buckets: core tools your business runs on, old/one-off integrations that linger, and engineer tokens left behind. His playbook is simple: decide what's truly critical, assign a clear owner, keep access minimal, and review it on a schedule. With AI spawning even more "non-human users," basics done well—prioritize, tighten, rotate, repeat—win the day. This segment is sponsored by Saviynt. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/saviynt to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-220

This episode was about agentic IAM—what it is and the risks that come with letting non-human agents act for customers. We defined external IAM, then traced how the industry moved from basic login and MFA to consent, delegation, and now agent-to-agent interactions. Along the way we unpacked key risks for CISOs and practitioners to consider. Segment Resources: https://www.loginradius.com/ https://customeriambook.com/ Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-219

CISO Sandy Dunn breaks down her blueprint for AI-ready defense—pairing MITRE ATT&CK v18 with MITRE ATLAS to move from policy to behavior-based detections. We hit practical AI governance, her early focus on defending and understanding AI, and how OWASP GenAI tools turn checklists into action. Segment Resources: Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/attck-v18-atlas-blueprint-ai-ready-defense-sandy-dunn-mafoc AI Cheat Sheet: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7388688396166238208/ OWASP LLM Governance Checklist: https://genai.owasp.org/resource/llm-applications-cybersecurity-and-governance-checklist-english/ OWASP Threat Defense COMPASS: https://genai.owasp.org/resource/owasp-genai-security-project-threat-defense-compass-1-0/ Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-218

Jennifer Selby Long reframes security awareness as more than training—it's about earning trust and influence with executives and security teams. She shares leadership lessons on how to build stronger alignment and support for security initiatives. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-217

Dawn Capelli, Head of OT-CERT at Dragos, unpacks the evolving risks to Operational Technology. From nation-state attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure to hacktivists targeting U.S. water systems, she explains the PIPEDREAM malware, the top five SANS critical OT controls, and how Dragos' OT-CERT program offers free resources to help organizations defend critical infrastructure now. Segment Resources: https://www.dragos.com/community/ This segment is sponsored by NowSecure. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/nowsecure to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-216

Kevin Nikkhoo joins the show to explore Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) and how it compares to traditional SOC models. He breaks down which organizations benefit most from this approach and how AI is reshaping modern SOC operations. Listeners will gain a clear understanding of how SOCaaS can enhance detection and response capabilities—and why embracing AI is key to the future of security operations. Segment Resources: https://www.xenexsoc.com/ https://www.xenexsoc.com/blog https://www.xenexsoc.com/ebooks This segment is sponsored by Tines. Tines' AI-enabled, secure workflow platform empowers your whole team regardless of their coding abilities, environment complexities, or tech stack. Learn more at https://cisostoriespodcast.com/tines Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-215

From Diagram to Cloud: Rethinking Cloud Security in an Age of Uncertainty Episode Summary: In this month's episode of CISO Stories, we dive deep into cloud security with cybersecurity veteran and cloud innovator Yogi Parulekar, founder of InviGrid. Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and tightening budgets, we explore how organizations can move from reactive security to proactive resilience. Yogi introduces the concept of "diagram to cloud" as a smarter, more efficient alternative to traditional "shift left" approaches, emphasizing secure-by-design principles powered by automation. We also unpack how governance, agility, and cost efficiency play a critical role in cloud strategy—especially when business survival is on the line. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-214

In this episode, we explore the crucial role of cultivating a strong security culture to drive change in AppSec, where training and collaboration are key. Our distinguished guest, Danielle Ruderman, discusses the importance of executive support in ensuring that application development isn't just about churning out apps on time, but also about adopting a secure-by-design approach. We also dive into how to empower developers, foster psychological safety, and make security everyone's responsibility. Tune in for actionable insights on transforming your security culture within your applications team and beyond. Segment Resources: • AWS Security Blog How the unique culture of security at AWS makes a difference: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-the-unique-culture-of-security-at-aws-makes-a-difference/ • AWS Security Blog How AWS built the Security Guardians program, a mechanism to distribute security ownership: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-aws-built-the-security-guardians-program-a-mechanism-to-distribute-security-ownership/ • AWS Security Blog How to build a Security Guardians program to distribute security ownership (part 2): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-build-your-own-security-guardians-program/ • Application Security in the AWS Well Architected Framework: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-build-your-own-security-guardians-program/ • AWS Security Blog How to approach threat modeling: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-approach-threat-modeling/ • GitHub: Threat Composer is a simple threat modeling tool to help humans to reduce time-to-value when threat modeling: https://github.com/awslabs/threat-composer • Workshop: Threat Modeling the right way for builders: https://catalog.workshops.aws/threatmodel/en-US Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-213

In this episode, Erika Dean dives into the evolution of attack surface management (ASM) in financial tech. From foundational strategies to future-focused threats, she explores how shifts in the fintech landscape demand deeper organizational awareness, ongoing tabletop exercises, and proactive preparation. This segment is sponsored by Axonius. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/axonius to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-212

Mandy Andress joins our show to discuss leveraging cyber liability insurance for risk reduction. They explore the importance of strong broker relationships and key steps for selecting or renewing a policy—starting with assessing organizational needs. Learn strategies to lower premiums while increasing coverage. Segment Resources: https://www.elastic.co/ This segment is sponsored by Sophos. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/sophos to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-211

In this episode of the CISO Stories Podcast, we're joined by Mike Miller, a seasoned penetration tester and audit and compliance SME, to explore the real-world impact of incident response controls. From technical to managerial and physical safeguards, Mike shares eye-opening stories from the field—including how he once penetrated a network with nothing more than a dozen doughnuts. We dive into the importance of layered security approaches and practical tips for strengthening incident response frameworks. Don't miss this blend of humor, insight, and actionable advice for cybersecurity leaders. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-210

In this episode, we sit down with author and AI expert Rock Lambros to explore the evolving landscape of AI governance. We discuss the risks of AI chatbots, comparing OpenAI and DeepSeek, and examine current and emerging governance frameworks. As AI adoption accelerates, organizations must determine the right guardrails and critical questions to ask. This conversation provides insights into how companies are shaping their AI strategies for a more secure and responsible future. Segment Resources: https://www.youtube.com/@RockOnCyber https://genai.owasp.org https://owaspai.org Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-209

In this episode, we sit down with experienced CISO Gavin Reid to explore the escalating online threats to privacy, focusing on adversaries and companies illicitly scraping website data for profit. We dive into the implications of such unauthorized data collection and its impact on individual and organizational privacy. Reid also shares insights from his team's involvement in dismantling BadBox, a coordinated global attack exploiting connected TV (CTV) devices, highlighting the intersection of cybersecurity and privacy concerns. HUMAN's Satori threat intelligence team has published the following resources on BadBox: https://www.humansecurity.com/company/satori-threat-intelligence/badbox https://www.humansecurity.com/learn/blog/badbox-peachpit-and-the-fraudulent-device-in-your-delivery-box https://www.humansecurity.com/newsroom/human-disrupts-digital-supply-chain-threat-actor-scheme-originating-from-china Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-208

In this episode of CISO Stories, Jess Hoffman and Sheena Thomas explore the challenges of cloud security in higher education. They discuss trust issues with cloud providers, the importance of understanding data sensitivity, and navigating regulatory compliance. Sheena highlights the vulnerabilities educational institutions face, the value of incident response playbooks, and the balance between trust and risk in cloud services. The conversation underscores the need for due diligence, awareness, and collaboration to secure higher education in the cloud era. This segment is sponsored by Fortinet Cloud Security. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/fortinet to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-207

Jessica Hoffman and Melina Scotto discuss the evolution of cybersecurity, focusing on cloud security, business responsibilities, and the importance of basic cyber hygiene. They highlight the role of communication, consulting, and integrating security into business operations, concluding with advice for future cybersecurity professionals. This segment is sponsored by Fortinet Cloud Security. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/fortinet to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-206

Jess and Adam discuss cloud security challenges for SMBs, emphasizing strategic planning, compliance with regulations like CMMC, and vendor due diligence. They highlight common pitfalls like the illusion of security and inadequate staffing while offering cost-effective solutions like virtual CISOs. Practical tips help SMBs secure their data, navigate legal concerns, and maximize available resources. This segment is sponsored by Fortinet Cloud Security. Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com/fortinet to learn more about them! Visit https://cisostoriespodcast.com for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://cisostoriespodcast.com/csp-205