Be Fearless Podcast by SquareX

Bryson Bort, CEO and founder of Scythe and West Point graduate, breaks down the uncomfortable truths about modern cybersecurity that most vendors won't tell you. From real purple team stories to the "NSA problem" plaguing enterprises, Bryson explains why understanding post-access behavior matters more than prevention. If you're tired of security theater, this conversation will change how you think about defending your organization.0:00 From West Point to cybersecurity: the early days of "information assurance" and building offensive cyber capabilities17:10 Why industrial control systems are just old computers that change the physical world31:46 How AI revolutionizes knowledge management but increases vulnerability39:31 The two truths of cybersecurity: money matters and dwell time kills47:25 Purple teaming philosophy and the Grim Reaper brand story🔔 Follow Bryson and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brysonbort/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Perry Young brings 25 years of cybersecurity expertise across three continents, from network engineering to serving as Director and ASEAN CISO at Kyndryl. In this conversation with SquareX Field CISO John Carse, he discusses CISOs challenges, why CISOs must be technically competent and why continuous learning is critical.0:00 Episode highlights and Perry's career journey and the biggest challenge for CISOs19:18 When network security people don't understand networks27:09 Perry's work, Center for Internet Security (CIS) and the concept of secure by default38:16 Why Perry chose to go back to formal education48:25 AI in cybersecurity and security for AI56:59 Career advice for aspiring CISOs🔔 Follow Perry and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryyoung/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

This episode of the Be Fearless Podcast features Evgeniy Kharam, Chief Strategy Officer at Discern Security and Security Architecture Podcast host. With 25+ years in cybersecurity—from Navy networking to enterprise consulting—Evgeniy explains why traditional security fails in today's browser-first world. He reveals shadow SaaS proliferation realities, describes how we've shifted from protecting a "needle" to a "desert" of attack surfaces, and shares practical enterprise security adaptation strategies.0:00 From Navy networking to CheckPoint13:04 Evgeniy's work at Discern Security16:34 Compliance doesn't always equal security32:34 The Shadow SaaS Crisis and Browser Security Gaps43:28 Common mistakes security startups make when selling to enterprises🔔 Follow Evgeniy and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekharam/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Satyen Desai, VP of Sales for Asia Pacific at ColorTokens, discusses enterprise cybersecurity's evolution and why traditional security approaches fail. With over 25 years at IBM, SAP, Cisco, Oracle, and Cloudflare, he explains why organizations must shift from preventing breaches to being "breach ready." Satyen shares insights on micro-segmentation, building trust with seasoned CISOs and what it takes to succeed in enterprise security sales.0:00 Satyen's cybersecurity journey4:41 What is micro-segmentation and why it matters15:27 The difference between enterprise security sales and tech sales30:03 Winning over tough customers and entering new markets44:04 Why AI and autonomous breach readiness are the next big shifts48:16 Building resilient teams and leadership advice🔔 Follow Satyen and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/satyen-desai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Brian Fricke's cybersecurity journey started with fixing a malware outbreak that crippled his Marine squadron. Fast forward two decades, and he's now the CISO of City National Bank of Florida, protecting millions in assets while managing both physical and cyber security programs. This conversation dives deep into how Brian transformed from an avionics technician to the cybersecurity domains, the link between physical security and cybersecurity, and why the best leaders make decisions with only 70% of the information they'd like to have.0:00 Introduction and how a Marine Corps initiative launched Brian's cyber career14:39 The link between physical and cyber security18:51 The secret to explaining complex security to stakeholders24:56 Safeguarding the browser - the window to the world31:19 Protecting identities in the age of AI-powered threats37:05 Why rehearsals and preparedness are critical during security incidents39:53 The importance of being able to execute on imperfect information43:20 The power of human connection in cyber security🔔 Follow Brian and Aleksandra on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrfricke/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Nicholas Muy's cybersecurity journey started with a six-year-old's rebellion against his father's TV timer, leading him from the Department of Homeland Security to securing billions in travel transactions at Expedia, and now to his role as CISO at Scrut Automation. In this conversation with Aleksandra, Nicholas shares his experience securing massive e-commerce platforms, and navigating the fast-paced startup world and understanding the business is key to choosing the right security solutions. 0:00 From childhood hacking to a cybersecurity career7:19 From the Department of Homeland Security to securing Expedia's massive platform17:22 Working in large enterprises vs cybersecurity startups20:49 Travel tech's fraud and security challenges32:26 Preventing GenAI data leakage41:21 “Not every solution is the solution that your company needs”48:49 Closing: on the abundance mindset🔔 Follow Nicholas and Aleksandra on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasmuy/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Jon Baker, Director & Co-founder of MITRE's Center for Threat-Informed Defense (CTID) joins us for a deep dive into the beginnings of the eponymous concept. In this episode, Jon shares how he started his journey in MITRE, discusses the intricacies of protecting the browser and practical advice on building threat-informed defense programs.0:00 Episode highlights and how the CTID started and how the concept of threat-informed defence came about8:45 Why chasing vulnerabilities is a losing battle15:24 Getting started with a threat detection cycle24:53 How MITRE ATT&CK became the industry standard and how it’s evolved35:39 Browser attacks in the SaaS-dominated world46:23 A mistake sophisticated security teams make: trying to do too much51:22 Closing and how you can get involved in the community🔔 Follow Jon and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanobaker/https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

One of security’s most well-known figures, Anton Chuvakin, coined the term EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) during his stint at Gartner, pioneering the “DR” naming convention we’re all familiar with today. Now Senior Security Staff at Google’s Office of the CISO, he shares his thoughts on securing the cloud, the need for observability with browsers, how AI has shifted from “helpful” to “indispensable” and more.0:00 Anton’s work in cybersecurity5:27 Securing the cloud and how “it’s a different beast”9:02 Evolution from EDR to XDR and the “something-DR” naming trend15:19 What constitutes "Detention and Response"?26:29 AI (and shadow AI) are here to stay32:29 The need for observability, detection and response in the browser37:43 “Active Directory plays a central role in most breaches”40:50 How startup vendors underestimate the complexity of enterprises45:05 Closing and how Gemini has become indispensable for Anton🔔 Follow Anton and Aleksandra on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuvakin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Dr. Chenxi Wang, Founder and General Partner of Rain Capital, has fascinating patterns in cybersecurity investing that most people miss. In this conversation, we dive deep into the mismatch between what founders are building versus what CISOs actually need, female representation amongst cyber founders and why being fearless isn't just a podcast name - it's a practice to incorporate into your very life.0:00 Chenxi’s accidental start to cybersecurity in academia4:17 A rising trend in cybersecurity: securing AI and AI agents9:23 Unpacking the founder-investor mismatch15:37 Breaking barriers for women in cybersecurity21:48 Being data-driven and challenges in early-stage venture investing34:17 Why hardware security could be a rising investment area43:02 Common founder mistake: not focusing on user experience46:54 How personal habits can compromise browser security🔔 Follow Chenxi and Aleksandra on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenxiwang88/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0

Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and co-founder of Recorded Future (which was recently acquired by Mastercard), breaks down the evolving cybersecurity landscape with SquareX's field CISO John Carse. From his journey building Spotfire to creating the world's largest threat intelligence company, Ahlberg shares critical insights on nation-state actors today, the challenges facing modern CSOs, and why predictive threat intelligence is no longer a luxury in today’s world. 0:00 How a computer scientist went to hunt cyber criminals14:46 Your network is NOT safe if your neighbour’s isn’t27:43 How adversaries always find the weakest link39:26 “Some of the best hackers are actually pretty good social engineers”44:03 Bridging the gap between technical teams and executives51:46 Predictive threat intelligence is essential🔔 Follow Christopher and John on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherahlberghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/johncarse/🔥 Powered by SquareXDeployed as a lightweight extension, SquareX turns any browser, on any device, into a secure enterprise browser. Find out more about SquareX at https://hubs.la/Q03rPcbf0