Secure Talk Podcast

From Punk Rock Anarchist to Bank Security Leader: An Unlikely Journey in Threat Intelligence | SecureTalk with Joe Rossi

Most threat intelligence programs can't prove their value. Joe Rossi's team at Zions Bank did the opposite—preventing $3 million in fraud annually while actually attracting new customers to the bank. In this episode, former punk rock kid turned threat intelligence leader Joe Rossi reveals why your most valuable security intelligence isn't from expensive vendor feeds—it's sitting in your own logs right now. He shares the hard lessons learned building CTI programs from scratch, why most organizations focus on the wrong threats, and how to make security a competitive advantage instead of just a cost center. Key insights: • Why your firewall logs are more valuable than threat intelligence feeds • The cultural mindset required before you invest in CTI • How to quantify security program ROI in terms leadership actually cares about • Dark web monitoring: reality vs. Hollywood expectations • When your organization is actually ready for threat intelligence Whether you're a CISO considering a CTI program or a security professional trying to prove value, this conversation offers practical frameworks for building security capabilities that directly impact the bottom line.

Inside CMMC Implementation: What November 10th Means for Defense Contractors | Secure Talk with Bob Kolasky

Bob Kolasky walked the halls where CMMC was built. As founding director of CISA's National Risk Management Center, he watched this policy evolve from concept to pilot program to federal law—surviving three presidential administrations because the need never changed. On November 10, 2025, that policy becomes mandatory reality for every defense contractor pursuing new DoD solicitations. Self-certification ends. Independent verification begins. And the defense industrial base faces its most significant security transformation in a generation. In this conversation with Justin Beals, Bob explains what contractors need to understand about the deadline—and what recent enforcement actions reveal about gaps that have existed all along. From Honor System to Accountability: For years, defense contractors self-certified compliance with NIST 800-171 cybersecurity requirements. The system worked on trust. Contractors checked boxes, DoD accepted attestations, and controlled unclassified information flowed through supply chains with security gaps nobody was measuring. Then came the settlements. Raytheon paid $8.4 million for failing basic security controls—no antivirus software on systems handling defense information, no system security plans, missing access controls. Penn State settled $1.25 million across 15 contracts. Georgia Tech paid $875,000 in the first DOJ intervention in a cybersecurity False Claims Act case. These weren't breaches. These were preventable failures that contractors had certified didn't exist. Katie Arrington's warning to the industry has been consistent: "If you go on LinkedIn one more time and tell me how hard CMMC is, I'm going to beat you. That ship sailed in 2014." Translation: adversaries are watching, and contractors broadcasting difficulties are revealing exactly where vulnerabilities exist. The November 10th Framework: After this deadline, every new contract solicitation includes CMMC requirements matched to data sensitivity: Level 1 handles federal contract information through annual self-assessment with SPRS score reporting. Level 2 manages controlled unclassified information and requires independent C3PAO assessor validation—affecting approximately 35% of DoD's contractor base. Level 3 involves breakthrough technology or critical CUI aggregations and demands direct government audit. The quantitative approach represents a shift. Instead of binary pass/fail, contractors receive scores reflecting actual security posture. An 88 out of 110 qualifies for Level 2 conditional status with plan of action and milestones. These numbers measure real capabilities across incident response, access control, and continuous monitoring. The Supply Chain Ripple Effect: Prime contractors bear new responsibility for subcontractor compliance. Before contract award, they must verify—not just accept—that subs meet requirements. Security questionnaires aren't sufficient anymore. Primes need evidence, validation, and continuous visibility. An affirming official—typically a senior executive—personally attests to the government that the organization actively manages supply chain risk. This accountability changes relationships throughout the defense industrial base. Practical Considerations: Bob addresses the questions contractors are asking: How do you define system boundaries when CUI flows through your infrastructure? Why does each information system need a unique CMMC identifier? What does "current CMMC status" mean for maintaining certification? How do you schedule C3PAO assessments when capacity is limited and 35% of contractors need certification? He also explains why technology becomes essential—automating compliance evidence collection makes continuous monitoring feasible without massive security staff increases. And he's candid about what the next two years bring: with Kirsten Davies nominated as new CIO and Katie Arrington driving implementation, expect aggressive rollout through 2026. Why This Policy Survived: Bob's experience spans Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations. The CMMC framework persisted through every transition because supply chain security isn't a partisan issue—it's a national defense imperative. Now at Exiger advising defense contractors, Bob bridges the gap between policy intent and practical implementation. This conversation provides clarity on November 10th's real meaning: not just a compliance deadline, but a fundamental shift in how the defense industrial base secures the supply chain supporting national security. Guest: Bob Kolasky, SVP Critical Infrastructure at Exiger | Former Founding Director, CISA National Risk Management Center | 15 years shaping federal cybersecurity policy #CMMC #November10th #DefenseContracting #Cybersecurity #DFARS #CISA #SupplyChainSecurity #DIB #ComplianceDeadline #NationalSecurity

Beyond Big Cities: Understanding Cybersecurity in Mid-Sized Communities | with Lars Kruse

When we think about cybersecurity, images of tech giants and major financial centers come to mind—but what about the towns where most of us actually live? This SecureTalk episode with cybersecurity researcher Lars Kruse explores an often-overlooked question: how do communities of 20,000-100,000 residents protect themselves in an increasingly digital world? Host Justin Beals and Kruse, who studies at Sweden's Defense University, discuss the practical realities of implementing cybersecurity in resource-constrained environments. Through his research on over 600 European municipalities and validation interviews with consultants and administrators, Kruse reveals fascinating insights about the gap between written policies and daily operations. The conversation opens with a real-world incident from Germany where 72 towns simultaneously lost access to their IT systems—not through sophisticated hacking, but through preventable security oversights. This case study illustrates why understanding operational security matters just as much as regulatory compliance. Key topics explored include: - How mid-sized communities differ from "smart cities" in their security approach - The balance between regulatory requirements like GDPR, NIS2, and DORA - Why employee training consistently ranks as the most critical security investment - Practical frameworks for managing third-party technology vendors - The role of political leadership in prioritizing cybersecurity budgets - How research institutions contribute to better security policies Kruse shares optimistic findings too: many organizations already practice good security fundamentals—they just need guidance connecting their existing processes to compliance requirements. The episode emphasizes that cybersecurity isn't about expensive technology alone; it's about building resilient practices that protect community services and citizen data. Perfect for professionals in public administration, IT management, business operations, or anyone curious about how digital security works beyond headlines. This conversation offers practical knowledge about protecting the digital infrastructure we all depend on daily. SecureTalk features conversations with experts shaping the future of cybersecurity and compliance, hosted by Justin Beals, CEO of Strike Graph. #Cybersecurity #PublicSector #DigitalSecurity #CommunityResilience #SecurityEducation #DataPrivacy #TechPolicy #LocalGovernment #CyberAwareness #ITSecurity

Preparing for the Quantum Era: Why Blockchain is Leading the Charge | James Stephens

Quantum computing represents one of the most significant advances in computer science we'll see in our lifetimes. We're watching error correction rates improve faster than predicted, with Google's Willow chip achieving benchmarks that compress development timelines dramatically. For security professionals, this creates an exciting challenge: how do we architect systems today that remain secure as computing power evolves? What makes this particularly interesting is that blockchain and Web3 technologies are at the forefront of this transition—not because they're more vulnerable, but because they're leading the way in implementing quantum-resistant solutions. Unlike traditional systems where encryption happens behind closed doors, blockchain's transparency means every transaction, every wallet, every cryptographic operation is visible on a public ledger. When post-quantum cryptography becomes necessary, these systems can't just patch quietly in the background. They need to migrate entire ecosystems while maintaining trust with users who can see every change on-chain. In this episode, we sit down with James Stephens, founder and CEO of Krown Technologies and a certified cryptocurrency forensic investigator, to explore how the blockchain industry is pioneering quantum-resistant infrastructure that will inform security practices across all sectors. What We Discuss: * Why blockchain and DeFi are leading quantum-resistance innovation * How transparent, public ledgers change the security equation * The practical steps security leaders can take now to prepare * Why true randomness requires physics, not just algorithms * Lessons from a decade of cryptocurrency forensic investigations * How to build quantum-resistant infrastructure without sacrificing user experience * Assessing vendor roadmaps for quantum readiness across any industry James brings practical experience from both investigating cryptocurrency breaches and building quantum-resistant blockchain infrastructure. His forensic work revealed that most losses come from key mishandling and social engineering rather than cryptographic breaks—insights that shaped how he approaches designing secure systems for any environment. This conversation covers both the technical innovation happening in quantum computing and the architectural decisions security teams need to make to prepare their organizations for this next era of computing power. About the Guest: James Stephens is a recognized authority in blockchain security and cryptocurrency forensics with over a decade of experience at the intersection of digital assets, cybersecurity, and quantum innovation. He holds certifications including CBE, CCFI, and CORCI, and is the author of "Quantum Reckoning: Securing Blockchain and DeFi in the Post-Quantum Era." #Cybersecurity #QuantumComputing #PostQuantumCryptography #Blockchain #Web3 #DeFi #InfoSec

Breaking Cybersecurity's 12 Hidden Paradigms: A Futurist's Guide to Security Evolution with Heather Vescent

Discover how strategic foresight is revolutionizing cybersecurity thinking. In this compelling SecureTalk episode, renowned futurist Heather Vescent reveals the 12 invisible paradigms that have shaped our entire approach to cybersecurity - and why breaking them could transform how we defend digital systems. Back in 2017, Vescent applied strategic foresight methodology to cybersecurity, uncovering fundamental assumptions like "security always plays catch-up," "the user is always wrong," and "we are completely dependent on passwords." Her research, published in 2018, predicted the passwordless revolution that's now mainstream reality. This isn't just theoretical - Vescent demonstrates how appreciative inquiry flips traditional problem-solving approaches. Instead of asking "what's broken and how do we fix it," she explores "what's working well and how do we amplify it?" This methodology helped identify paradigm shifts that seemed radical in 2018 but are now industry standard. Key insights include: - How to shift from reactive to proactive security postures - Why attack surface analysis needs systematic approaches - The role of AI as thought partner rather than replacement - How transparency reduces insider threat attack surfaces - Practical applications of decentralized identity technologies - Why security teams should focus on strengths, not just vulnerabilities Vescent also addresses the commercialization challenges facing promising technologies like self-sovereign identity, explaining how ethical innovations often get compromised during market adoption. Her work bridges the gap between cybersecurity's technical realities and its broader societal implications. For CISOs, security leaders, and technologists seeking to influence rather than just react to the future, this conversation provides actionable frameworks for anticipating threats and building more resilient systems. Vescent's strategic foresight methodology offers a roadmap for moving beyond endless problem-solving cycles toward security that creates value rather than just preventing loss. Resources:  Shifting Paradigms Paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330542765_Shifting_Paradigms_Using_Strategic_Foresight_to_Plan_for_Security_Evolution  Threat Positioning Framework GPT: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68100f6a8c7481919d693ec9d4d9faab-the-threat-positioning-framework-gpt-by-h-vescent Self Sovereign Identity Book : https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Guide-Self-Sovereign-Identity-ebook/dp/B07Q3TXLDP?&linkCode=sl1&tag=vescent39-20&linkId=2797fe6ea49dff79952bc866ec8e8baf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl  Heather's  email list: https://research.cybersecurityfuturist.com/