

Phoenix Cast
Task Force Phoenix
A podcast about cybersecurity, technology and innovation issues in the military.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 18min
Quantum Frontiers and Warfighting
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest Capt Dan Choi for the first episode in a series about quantum technologies. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!Links:Videos:-Introducing: Quantum 101 with Katie Mack | Playlist (Perimeter Institute)-A Brief History of Quantum Mechanics - with Sean Carroll-Companies, countries battle to develop quantum computers | 60 Minutes-Majorana 1 Explained: The Path to a Million Qubits-Understanding Quantum Information & Computation Series Trailer | Playlist (IBM)-Quantum communication | QuTech Academy-Secure quantum communication: Safe from hackers-The Quantum Internet | Stephanie Wehner | TEDxVienna-Quantum Sensing Explained | SandboxAQBooks:-What Is Real?: The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics-Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of SpacetimePapers:-Quantum Information Processing, Sensing and Communications: Their Myths, Realities and Futures-Quantum Technology and the Military-Revolution or Hype? News/Blogs:-The Quantum Insider

Mar 28, 2025 • 1h 8min
Even More AI News
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle talk about AI in the news, and some reflections on what it means. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.Links: Disney employee article:https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/disney-hack-nullbulge-ai-slack-b2705487.html Cloudflare AI against AI:https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/cloudflare-turns-ai-against-itself-with-endless-maze-of-irrelevant-facts/ Bleeping computer AI training set data article:https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nearly-12-000-api-keys-and-passwords-found-in-ai-training-dataset/

Mar 9, 2025 • 1h 7min
Deep Research: Prompting for Garcia
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle talk about deep research. They cover what it is, some use cases, and the output of some prompts. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.Kyle’s Deep Research Video: https://youtu.be/mWThivNH75w Perplexity 1 - Make an AI FitRep ProcessPDF Doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IuFm58qRvcP2pS_79f6AiDTOX6xjzB3l/view?usp=sharingDirect Link:https://www.perplexity.ai/search/i-would-like-to-create-an-ai-p-HMg0s3n9TfKijhKSYfhJxgPerplexity 2 - Use cases for MarinesPDF Doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mh3bXy-P76cGqk1b_bqFomGPCbR5t5up/view?usp=sharingDirect Link: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/i-run-a-podcast-for-cyber-secu-YP.2kJRNSJmGlbPb6DfsXg

Feb 7, 2025 • 56min
MIU
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest Michael Frank and Jimmy Mastrom from the Marine Innovation Unit. Listen as they discuss the relationship between the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Marine Innovation Unit, how they are supporting Marines, and about innovation in general.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
Unit X
https://www.amazon.com/Unit-Pentagon-Silicon-Valley-Transforming/dp/1668031388
https://www.marforres.marines.mil/MIU/
https://www.marforres.marines.mil/MIU/Join/Application/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/marine-innovation-unit/posts/?feedView=all

Jan 17, 2025 • 32min
Cyber Trust Mark Reactions
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle discuss the new Cyber Trust Mark.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/fcc-launches-cyber-trust-mark-for-iot.html
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/07/white-house-launches-u-s-cyber-trust-mark-providing-american-consumers-an-easy-label-to-see-if-connected-devices-are-cybersecure/

Dec 20, 2024 • 1h 10min
Army CIO
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest Leonel Garciga, CIO of the Army. They discuss what a CIO does, how to serve as a principle advisor to a service secretary, and some thoughts on DEVOPS.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
Mr Garciga bio: https://www.cio.gov/about/members-and-leadership/garciga-leonel/
https://defensescoop.com/2024/03/09/army-new-policy-software-development-practices/
https://defensescoop.com/2024/04/22/army-rethinks-approach-ai-enabled-risks-project-linchpin/
Kurzgesagt YouTube video on finding the source of random info:
https://youtu.be/bgo7rm5Maqg?si=Gc6BojRJbIPVfBK8
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Machine-Origins-Rebellion-Against-ebook/dp/B09N3G2TG9
https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Tipping-Point-Overstories-Superspreaders/dp/0316575801

Dec 4, 2024 • 54min
What’s next for workloads, SSH concern, and WiFi attack
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle discuss some thoughts on where workloads are going, the potential for SSH to leak metadata, and a new WiFi attack.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
Broadcom / VMware / etc -
https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/22/broadcom_vmware_acquisition_first_anniversary/
VMware on AWS - https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/migration-and-modernization/whats-next-for-vmware-workloads-on-aws/
SSH keystroke bypass - https://crzphil.github.io/posts/ssh-obfuscation-bypass/
WiFi Attack -
https://www.wired.com/story/russia-gru-apt28-wifi-daisy-chain-breach/

Nov 15, 2024 • 1h 1min
MC Birthday, DORA State of DEVOPS, and much more
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle discuss excitement around the Marine Corps birthday, a graphic novel from Gene Kim, DORA’s DEVOPS report, Google joining JWCC, a podcast with Gen Nakasone, and some announcements from OpenAI.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
Marine Corps Birthday: https://www.cmc.marines.mil/Birthday/
Phoenix Proejct Graphic novel: https://a.co/d/5pDZdip
Origional Phoenix Project: https://a.co/d/a2Bapd3
Unicorn Project: https://a.co/d/cd4dwgn
DORA DEVOPS: https://dora.dev/
Google joins JWCC: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/10/full-house-google-to-be-final-jwcc-partner-authorized-for-secret-level-cloud-work-in-2025/
Nakasone on mic drop: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/180-mic-drop-exclusive-gen-nakasone-says-reports-about/id1225077306?i=1000675737757
OpenAI buys chat.com
https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/06/openai-acquired-chat-com/
OpenAI websearch
https://openai.com/index/searchgpt-prototype/

Oct 30, 2024 • 1h 1min
AI, Cyber Power, and Spying on Internet Traffic
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle discuss some recent articles on AI, cyber power, and widespread spying on the internet.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-unveils-experimental-swarm-framework-igniting-debate-on-ai-driven-automation/
https://github.com/openai/swarm
https://www.politico.com/sponsor-content/2024/09/11/chinas-strategy-to-annex-taiwan-is-more-about-cyber-power-than-firepower
https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/the-chinese-hackers-spying-on-us-internet-traffic/65f72237-a374-41da-907a-3dcaa9abbd55

Oct 8, 2024 • 1h 8min
Pagers/Radios, CISA white hot take & Spotlight on Multinational Tech Collab
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle discuss exploding pagers, CISA’s hot take, and international collaboration.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter: @USMC_TFPhoenix (Now verified!) Follow MARFORCYBER, MCCYWG, & MCCOG on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Leave your review on Apple Podcasts.
Links:
BBC pager article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz04m913m49o
NPR pager article:
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/g-s1-23812/lebanon-israel-exploding-pagers-hezbollah-international-law. Points of Interest: 1. One particular focus is Article 7(2) of the Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which was added to an international law focused on the use of conventional weapons in 1996. Both Israel and Lebanon have agreed to it; 2. It prohibits the use of booby traps or "objects that civilians are likely to be attracted to or are associated with normal civilian daily use;" 3. "U.S. Defense Department also references that same article from those amended 1996 protocols in its own "Law of War Manual," with an oft-cited example of communications headsets that Italian military units booby-trapped with explosives after retreating during World War II.
CISA: https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/20/cisa_software_cybercrime_villains/
AUKUS EW challenge article:
https://defensescoop.com/2024/09/26/aukus-inaugural-electronic-warfare-challenge-winners/
The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West
https://a.co/d/cqH7Nns


