Between the Bytes

One of Executech's most popular blog articles is on improving your PC performance, written back in 2017. In this episode, James and Derik talk through each of the 10 tips to see how they hold up in 2024 and offer some additional tips to get your PC running smoother this year. Enjoy the show!

Join James and Derik with guest Matt Winters, Product Manager and Senior Technical Trainer at Utah Education Network, in a deep dive into AI's impact on education. Explore how AI enhances learning experiences, its potential to reshape the professional landscape for future generations, and the possible pitfalls and misinformation that AI can create. The trio discusses learning resources and ess...

For all of us last-minute shoppers, James and Derik put together a gift guide for the tech lover in your life. They've compiled a broad list of around 20 gift ideas for kids and adults with a wide range of prices from $30 and up. The list varies from the ultra-niche to smart home, audio, time/space savers, and things just for fun. None of the products listed are sponsors or affiliated with Bet...

In this eye-opening episode, James and Derik dive into Okta's most recent breach. The fallout was not just about the $2 billion hit to their stock but also the critical errors made in communicating the incident to the public - again. They discuss the prevalence of stolen credentials in today's digital landscape and the importance of safeguarding personal information. James and Derik also e...

In this episode of Between the Bytes, James and Derik dive deep into the world of API security with a special guest, Jeremy Snyder, co-founder of FireTail.io . Jeremy helps unravel the complexities surrounding the importance of securing your APIs in today's digital landscape. As businesses increasingly rely on APIs to connect and share data, the vulnerability of these gateways becomes a critic...

Join hosts James and Derik in a dynamic episode featuring Steve Orrin, Federal CTO at Intel. They discuss cybersecurity trends, Intel's role in government, and critical insights into technology and leadership. Learn about Intel's impactful partnership with government agencies, especially in the realm of supercomputers, and its role in driving innovation for significant topics like climate...

In this episode of Between the Bytes, James and Derik invite Chet Wisniewski, Principal Research Scientist at Sophos, to explore the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape. They discuss current and future cyber risks, the impact of AI on cybersecurity, selecting the best endpoint protection for your organization, and the crucial factor in preventing ransomware. Tune in to stay ahead in the fight ag...

Join James and Derik in an inspiring conversation with Wendy Novak, Chairwoman and CEO of ABC - Western Washington. Listen in as Wendy shares strategies to generate interest in trade careers and discusses the challenges and opportunities in this field. She also highlights the progress in promoting gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated industries like IT and construction. Discover the in...

Join James and Derik in this episode as they shed more light on the darker side of the digital age. First, they explore the fines imposed on Amazon and Ring for mishandling video recordings and giving access to the NSA (and just about anyone else who asked). They also talk about the mishandling of Amazon Kids accounts, compromising child account safety. They also delve into recent cyberattacks, fo...

Join Derik and Gary in this insightful episode as they delve into the dynamic world of cybersecurity with Samuel Hill, Product Marketing Manager at Cyolo . Unravel the concept of true Zero-Trust as Sam provides a fresh perspective on implementing this crucial practice. Explore the implications of slow government compliance standards and the need for agile strategies to stay secure in a rapidly cha...

In this episode, James and Derik cover a range of topics. They discuss the KSL report revealing the $6 million costs of cyberattacks on Utah agencies. They also explore the importance of communication between IT professionals and other staff. Additionally, they highlight Apple's decision to block employee use of Chat GPT and the Hundai-Kia $200 million settlement in "The Kia Challenge.&qu...

One of our co-hosts, James Fair, joined Data Leadership Lessons as a special guest appearance. Here's a repost of the episode in full. Enjoy! "This week, our guest is James Fair. James is a Senior Vice President for Executech. With over 35 years of experience in IT, 30 years in Leadership, and a dozen years in the interpersonal workspace, James combines his love for IT and cybersecurity a...

One of our co-hosts, James Fair, joined That Tech Show as a special guest appearance. Here's a repost of the episode in full. Enjoy! "This week, we’re talking with James Fair. A man with 35 years of experience under his belt, working his way up from IT support to Senior Vice President at Executech, but what’s probably most interesting is his work in Utah-based Feature Films for Families,...

Gary and Derik welcome Lee Weech, Director of Sales @ Executech, back to share insights on how businesses can determine whether to use in-house IT or outsource their IT needs. Lee provides examples of when each solution makes sense and emphasizes the importance of communication, collaboration, and a deep understanding of business needs. The episode also covers new cybersecurity requirements for bu...

In this episode, Derik covers a recent phishing scam targeting SharePoint users. He explains how the scam works, and how it is able to bypass email filtering, web filtering, and MFA to steal login credentials. Additionally, Derik provides tips and strategies from our cybersecurity team for preventing this type of attack and safeguarding your SharePoint account. By the end of this episode, you will...

In this week's episode, Gary & Derik interview Howard Headlee, President of the Utah Banker's Association, to discuss various banking-related topics. The conversation delves into the unique landscape of banking in Utah, how Utah stacks up to the rest of the country, and the role banks play in the American dream. Howard also gives terrific insight into what it takes for people (specific...

James, Gary, and Derik talk about the recent discovery of a dangerous Microsoft exploit. This exploit not only gave unauthorized access to thousands of Outlook accounts, but it also gave access to personal information via Teams as well as the ability to manipulate Bing search results. This news broke right around the time Microsoft announced the launch of Security Copilot, a partnership with Chat...

James, Gary, and Derik get back to the very basics of cloud computing and backup in this episode. Because it can be such a vague and ambiguous term, we want to lay out exactly What it is Why a company would use it How hard is the transition How would a company get started This episode should help get anyone started on their research into cloud, no matter how new you are to the subject. For more in...

Gary and Derik talk with Jim Christensen, CEO @ Lochbox, about how his company handles communications security for the DoD, their push to make comms security a compliance requirement for 3rd party government contractors, and why it should be a much larger concern for companies across the US as a whole. Lochbox is the result of over 30 years of experience in the secure communications space with the...

FEI Utah and Executech got together live for this informative meeting where James navigates through the cyber risks facing businesses in 2023. Get a breakdown of a real risk register for your business. Understand the essential layers of cyber protection that will help prevent an attack and the key planning steps and tools you should put in place to react and recover from a cyber incident. If you&#...

Gary and Derik welcome back Chet Wisniewski, Principal Research Scientist at Sophos, in this episode as they explore the latest developments in AI and the challenges it presents for cybersecurity. We discuss the impact (or lack thereof) of AI on various aspects of our daily lives, how bad AI is at coding malware, what it actually can do well, and the latest cybersecurity risk to start making headl...

Join us as James, Gary, and Derik talk about what to expect on the cybersecurity front this year.  James also covers Executech's next cybersecurity initiatives and how other organizations can implement these measures as well.  Enjoy the show! 

Welcome to Between the Bytes by Executech, where we discuss cybersecurity, tech news, business, and leadership with specialists from all over. Our goal is to keep listeners informed and up to date on technology and cybersecurity trends to help keep their organizations secure. We want to help you train your staff in the most simple yet effective manner possible, prioritize IT/cyber inside your orga...

Gary, James, and Derik talk about a few news stories in this episode, as well as some cost-saving tips for organizations to strengthen budgets without weakening security.  The Royal Mail in the UK was recently hit hard with ransomware, causing a downtime in overseas shipping for almost a week. They cover this as well as yet another T-Mobile attack (making 8 major hacks since 2018) that affect...

Gary and Derik welcome a new guest, Henry O'Connell, Co-Founder and CEO @ Canary Speech .  Canary Speech works toward improving the quality of care and quality of life in healthcare with their AI engine that uses vocal biomarker technology. Canary's patented technology screens for mood, stress, and energy levels using a single 20-second audio clip.  Henry joins us to talk about Canary, A...