Code and Country

In this episode of Code and Country, Ian L. Paterson speaks with Matt Holland, founder and CEO of Field Effect, about protecting small to medium businesses from cyber threats at scale. Matt shares his journey from Canada's Communication Security Establishment to founding Field Effect, and challenges the biggest misconception: that small businesses aren't targets. He explains how AI enables attacke...

In our inaugural episode of Season 2, Ian L. Paterson sits down with Carey Frey, Chief Security Officer at TELUS, who leads security for one of Canada's largest telecommunications providers. Drawing on nearly two decades at the Communications Security Establishment—including roles as Director General of Cyber Defense and Director General of Cybersecurity Partnerships—Frey brings a rare dual perspe...

In this episode of Code and Country, Ian L. Paterson speaks with Craig Newmark, Craigslist founder and philanthropist, about his $200 million commitment to U.S. cybersecurity. Craig outlines his vision for "cyber civil defense"—a World War II-style mobilization where every American helps protect against nation-state threats like China's Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon campaigns targeting critical in...

In this episode of Code and Country , Michael Daniel, President and CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance and former White House Cybersecurity Coordinator, shares lessons from the frontlines of national cyber policy.  From shaping early government cyber budgets to confronting incidents like the Sony hack and OPM breach, Daniel reflects on how U.S. policy thinking matured in real time.  He outlines the...

In this episode of Code and Country, Ian Paterson continues his conversation with Dmitri Alperovitch, CrowdStrike co-founder, Silverado Policy Accelerator executive chairman, and author of World on the Brink. Dmitri explains how China’s Volt Typhoon campaign marks a shift from espionage to battlefield preparation by infiltrating water utilities, small telecom providers, and local power grids.  The...

In this episode of Code and Country, Ian Paterson sits down with Dmitri Alperovitch, CrowdStrike co-founder, Silverado Policy Accelerator executive chairman, and author of World on the Brink. Dmitri shares his journey from teenage encryption entrepreneur to leading some of the most consequential cyber investigations in history, including Operation Aurora. He discusses the evolution of cyber threat...

Ollie Whitehouse, CTO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), joins Code and Country to unpack what it really takes to secure a nation in the age of AI, ransomware, and quantum threats. Drawing from three decades of experience across public and private sectors, Whitehouse offers a candid assessment of the broken cybersecurity market, why the incentives are misaligned, and what meaningfu...

Katie Moussouris, founder and CEO of Luta Security, joins Code and Country to trace her path from MIT to pioneering vulnerability disclosure and launching “Hack the Pentagon.” She dives deep into the economics of the exploit market, the dangers of vulnerability disclosure laws, and how AI is shifting the dynamics of cybersecurity offense and defense. Katie also shares first-hand stories from her t...

In this episode of Code and Country , host Ian Paterson is joined by Robert Young Pelton, renowned war correspondent and author of Licensed to Kill and The World's Most Dangerous Places . Pelton shares firsthand accounts from his time embedded with the Taliban, Special Forces in Afghanistan, and rebel groups in Chechnya. He discusses the evolution of cyber warfare, the dark intersections of state...

What do spies, skateboarders, and startups have in common? Security. In this episode of Code and Country, former CSIS technical ops lead Andrew Amaro shares how his background in physical infiltration and cyber operations shaped his approach to enterprise security. We cover why insider threats remain the most overlooked risk, how physical access is still a cyber problem, and why org charts are fai...

In this special episode of Code and Country, we bring together insights from some of the world’s foremost experts in cybersecurity, intelligence, law, and defense.   Built around the theme of geopolitics and digital conflict, this compilation traces how nation-state tensions, ransomware groups, and AI threats are converging to reshape the cyber battlefield. Civilian infrastructure is now a target....

Nation-states don’t steal data, they wage war. In this episode of Code and Country, former US Intelligence Community CIO, CISO at Bank of America, and Chief Security Officer at Bridgewater Associates, Patrick Gorman exposes how cyber warfare threatens North America’s federal systems, higher education, BFSI, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Gorman reveals: How nation-state intent flips overni...

What does it take to defend 32 nations across five domains in an era of AI, quantum, and nation-state threats?  In this episode of Code and Country , we sit down with NATO’s first-ever CIO and CISO, Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer , for an inside look at the alliance’s approach to cybersecurity, digital transformation, and geopolitical defense.   We explore why NATO consensus creates stronger decisions,...

When a ransomware attack hits, the headlines focus on the ransom. But what happens after the payment clears? In this episode of Code and Country, we bring in Partner and Data Breach Coach Brent Arnold of Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP to uncover the truth about data breach response, the limits of cyber insurance, and the legal frontlines of cybersecurity litigation. We take you inside why even “successf...

In this episode of Code and Country, former CSIS and CBSA intelligence expert Neil Bisson explores the rising threats facing Canada and its allies. Cyber attacks, geopolitical tension, and cross-border crime are converging to reshape Canada’s security landscape. Cyber and physical threats are no longer separate. Nation-state actors and cybercriminals are launching digital attacks that disrupt infr...

Canada’s next election is already under attack—and most voters don’t even know it Foreign adversaries are not waiting for ballots to be cast before interfering in Canada’s 2025 federal election. The fight isn’t happening at polling stations—it’s happening online, in misinformation campaigns, and through AI-driven influence operations. In this episode of Code and Country, former CSIS Director Richa...

Ep. 6: Code and Country: The Security Agency You’ve Never Heard Of  In this episode of Code and Country, we dive into the high-stakes world of cybersecurity, national security, and geopolitical threats with former Chief of Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada’s top cyber intelligence agency, Shelly Bruce. With more than 30 years at CSE, Bruce drove critical efforts in signals intell...

Join us on Code and Country as we delve into the high-stakes world of cybersecurity with one of Canada’s top experts, Sami Khoury. Currently serving as the Senior Official for Cyber Security for the Government of Canada, Sami has a storied career spanning over three decades at the forefront of national and international cyber defense. From his early days as an engineer to leading the Canadian Cent...

In this episode of Code and Country, we talk to Elizabeth Sizeland, former U.K. Deputy National Security Adviser and Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Resilience and Security, to explore the evolving intersection of cybersecurity, resilience, and national security.  From her leadership experience shaping U.K. cyber policies and managing domestic security crises, Elizabeth talks about how nation...

What does it take to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity? VADM Mike McConnell, USN (Ret.), former Director National Intelligence (DNI), Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Vice Chairman of Booz Allen Hamilton, joins Code and Country to share unparallelled insights on the critical issues shaping the digital defense landscape today. From tackling advanced ransomware...

In this episode of Code and Country, cybersecurity expert Ed Hammersla explores the evolution of cybersecurity in both the government and commercial sectors. With decades of experience at IBM, Raytheon, and Trusted Computer Solutions, Ed discusses cutting-edge topics like trusted Linux systems, cross-domain solutions, and securing sensitive data. Discover how automation, artificial intelligence, a...

In the inaugural episode of Code and Country, Plurilock CEO Ian L. Paterson and Chris Lynam of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police talk about cybersecurity, national security, and law enforcement's evolving role in combating cybercrime. Learn about Chris' career, the NC3's mission to reduce the impact of cybercrime on Canada, their collaboration with international partners, and the challenges posed...