Security Matters

In the spring of 2022, Costa Rica was hit with a series of large-scale, long-lasting ransomware attacks, which wreaked havoc on the government and healthcare system – and paralyzed imports and exports. The ripple effects were far-reaching and the economy was crippled. President Rodrigo Chaves declared a national state of emergency. Trust was shaken. On today’s episode, Vinicio Chaves Alvarado, acting CISO at BAC Credomatic, the Costa Rica-based international bank, talks with host David Puner about being on the frontlines of stabilizing and building back trust. As he puts it, "We are not only cybersecurity professionals – we not only create cybersecurity controls or detect or react to threats. We create trust."

Being a Chief Information Security Officer is a tough job. CISOs are on the front lines, protecting against the unknown day after day, week after week. It's no wonder mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are surging in our industry. There are a lot of things that need to change, but on a positive note, this once-taboo subject is starting to get the attention it so desperately deserves. This is in part thanks to security leaders like Kirsten Davies, CISO at Unilever, stepping forward. On today’s episode, host David Puner talks with Davies about some of her passions, including the humanization of the teams in our cybersecurity community. She's equally passionate about being an innovative cyber protector and finding solutions to the multitude of challenges high-level CISOs face on a daily basis. The timing of the episode is apropos because October is both Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Depression and Mental Health Awareness and Screening Month. Time to elevate this critical conversation, advocate against stigma, and bring awareness to the various resources available to those who need them.

Even when looking at layered enterprise solutions designed to thwart attacks and contain them, we must always go back to cybersecurity basics at the individual level. And that’s what, on today's episode, guest Bryan Murphy, CyberArk’s Senior Director of Architecture Services and Incident Response stops by to talk with host David Puner about. Murphy also dives into the importance of cyber hygiene as an essential preventive measure for protecting identities, as part of a defense-in-depth strategy. It’s a perfect fit for October, which happens to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM). Raise your awareness and give it a listen!   

U.S. government agencies are warning that ransomware actors are "disproportionately targeting the education sector," especially K-12. That’s because sensitive student data, overworked staff and competing priorities make investing in cybersecurity talent and tools a major challenge. On today's episode, host David Puner checks in with Matt Kenslea, CyberArk's Director of State, Local and Education (SLED), for a discussion about these targeted cyberattacks, the challenges they pose – and what schools can do.

Len Noe – our favorite cyborg and CyberArk resident technical evangelist and white hat hacker – is back! On today’s episode, he’s talking with host David Puner about risky QR codes. On first blush it may seem like a simple subject, but attackers are having a field day with them and there seems to be a general lack of awareness about it. Help stop the havoc-wreaking and find out what you can do to protect yourself.

Sports, at their highest levels, are shaped by lifetimes dedicated to practicing, strategizing and anticipating. The same goes for cybersecurity. Although, in our world, it's not a game and there are no set parameters. On today’s episode, host David Puner speaks with Clarence Hinton, CyberArk Chief Strategy Officer, Head of Corporate Development about looking into the future and preparing for the unknown. Like hockey, it’s about skating to where the puck’s going – not where it’s been. 

If you're in the business of collecting consumer data these days, you better be in the business of protecting that data. Or you could find yourself with no business. On today's episode, host David Puner talks with Thomas Tschersich, Chief Security Officer of Deutsche Telekom (parent company of T-Mobile) and Chief Technical Officer of Telekom Security, about the new rules of data privacy and protection and how telecommunication providers must live and breathe trust as they operate critical infrastructure. 

Udi Mokady, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of CyberArk, delves into the fascinating world of identity security, where machine identities outnumber human ones by 45 times. He shares insights from the recent Impact Conference, emphasizing collaboration and innovative solutions in cybersecurity. The conversation uncovers rising challenges, spotlighting a ransomware attack on Costa Rica. Udi also discusses CyberArk's pivotal role in safeguarding businesses and the importance of proactive measures like zero trust in an evolving digital landscape, all while sharing a lighter note about guitar playing.

How do we stand a chance against emerging cyber threats? It's because, in large part, there are researchers at the cutting edge – dedicated to the pursuit and understanding of novel threats and vulnerabilities – by thinking just like attackers. That's the world in which Lavi Lazarovitz, CyberArk Labs’ Head of Security Research, lives and thrives. Lazarovitz leads an elite group of white hat hackers, intelligence experts and cybersecurity practitioners. Host David Puner talks with Lazarovitz about deconstructing the attack cycle and various ways to better understand how threat actors operate – in the ongoing effort to stay ahead of them.

Securing critical infrastructure that powers our way of life can be a sleepless job. But sometimes that's the cost of being a protector... Today's guest, Carla Donev, is no stranger to working round-the-clock. As Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at NiSource, she leads security operations for one of the largest utilities in the country, which delivers gas and electricity to millions of citizens across six states. Host David Puner talks with Donev about the evolving threat landscape and how building safer, more resilient operations is key to preserving trust.