Cyber Rants - The Refreshingly Real Cybersecurity Podcast

What's the difference between having an Incident Response Plan and just "winging it"? This week the guys talk about their real world cybersecurity incidents and share their knowledge about proper planning and preparation. Learn what goes into incident response planning, who should be involved, and how to ensure everyone is on the same page for quick response and minimizing damage du...

This week, the guys take a deep dive into the intricate world of Cyber Risk Assessments. They cover best practices from choosing an industry recognized cybersecurity framework, to scoping and preparing for your cyber risk assessment, plus how to make cybersecurity standards like NIST, CSF, and CIS Controls work for your company.  They discuss how these assessments work for different purposes and w...

 Cybersecurity is critical for financial services organizations but many mid-market and emerging companies struggle tremendously with their cyber risk management programs. This week, the guys talk about cybersecurity programs for financial institutions, sharing specific considerations for the industry including staffing, risk assessment, penetration testing, and compliance. Financial services comp...

This week, the guys talk about a topic that everyone loves, PCI (Payment Card Industry) Compliance! They rant about PCI-DSS compliance levels and standards, plus what first timers need to consider when preparing for a PCI audit. They share tips about how to make your PCI compliance process simpler throughout the year and how to deal with the QSA (auditor), especially when the auditor doesn't...

This week, the guys discuss cybersecurity for healthcare organizations. They dispel the myth that healthcare cybersecurity is completely unique while also sharing the healthcare nuances that don't apply as frequently in other industries. From healthcare risk assessment to policies, HIPAA compliance, and even physical intrusion testing, the guys share their experience and points of view on hea...

There's no "right way" to get started in cybersecurity but there are a lot of different paths. This week, the guys talk about their career paths starting from the ancient IT world and moving into modern day cybersecurity disciplines. They share some of the most important skill sets that you rarely hear about, plus tips and tricks to succeed. Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazo...

Zach and Lauro discuss 10 common cybersecurity myths that are causing business leaders to make poor decisions and making companies an easy target for cyber criminals. They clear up these myths and share how you can be better informed if you hear something that doesn't sound quite right.  Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit u...

This week, the guys discuss Social Engineering - the most common way cyber criminals get access to their targets. They discuss the controls smart companies are implementing to prevent their staff from falling for cyber criminal scams and how to minimize exposure resulting from human error.  Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us...

This week, the guys welcome back Ed Escobedo, former Head of Technology Risk Management for PayPal, CIO of Apollo Education Group, VP for DHL and Charles Schwab, and currently Silent Sector's Chief Strategy Officer. They share how to bust through the growth roadblocks that CISOs hit when improving their organizations' cybersecurity programs. They also share the unique Organizational Adop...

This week, the guys dive into the rapidly growing topic of SOC 2 Audits. The SOC 2 Audit is widely becoming a requirement for B2B technology companies serving large enterprise clients. As both SOC 2 auditors and the guys who help companies prepare for audits, they cover common misconceptions such as the SOC 2 being all about IT security. They talk about the important factors to consider when under...

This week, the guys dive into all the "fun" requirements that U.S. Government defense contractors are facing when working with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), including the NIST 800-171 Self-Assessment and getting CMMC certificatied. They share their insights and experience about how organizations align to these requirements and what's involved. Pick up your copy of Cyber...

Companies are turning to Virtual CISO and CISO as a Service providers for help as cybersecurity requirements continue to grow. Is hiring a vCISO always the right option? What are the pros and cons? How do you find a good one? This week the guys answer these common vCISO questions and more. Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us a...

The "cloud" is arguably one of the most common topics of discussion in technology today, primarily for its cost savings and accessibility benefits. However, it's also a hot topic for cybersecurity professionals and not always for the best reasons. This week, the guys discuss cloud considerations for organizations of all sizes, providing recommendations for transitioning to the cloud...

This week in the final part of our Penetration Test Mini-Series, the guys discuss the realities of automated vs. manual penetration tests and what those terms actually mean. They also talk about timeframes, approaches, and situations that seem to cause some confusion for companies undergoing their first penetration test.  Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Secur...

This week, the guys continue their penetration testing discussion, covering the following common questions: How often should your organization conduct a penetration test? What's the right approach, red team or purple team? What should you see in your penetration test reports? Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us at www.sil...

This week we take a deeper dive into penetration testing. The guys discuss why it's important to consider the reason behind a penetration test and some different methods of testing to consider. In addition, they cover options that companies can take in their testing initiatives, along with providing best practices for companies getting their first pen test.  Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants o...

Penetration tests are vital for nearly every organization to see how secure they really can be. While the demand for them is higher than ever, it can be a bit tricky on deciding what test which penetration test provider is best for you, along with figuring out if a penetration test is right for you. This week, the guys answer these questions and give their own advice on how to guide yourself throu...

This week the guys discuss why it's vital for an organization to have Network Architecture Diagrams, discuss best practices for building them (scotch can help), and explain why a little effort now will make your work life so much better.  Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us at www.silentsector.com .  Be sure to rate the p...

There is a lot of talk about "proactive cybersecurity" but what does that really mean and is it better than reactive security? On this week's show, the guys discuss proactive versus reactive cybersecurity considerations and where to focus. Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us at www.silentsector.com .  Be sure to...

The guys talk with Haidon Storro, who brings a different point of view to the conversation. Haidon is an exceptionally motivated cybersecurity professional who recently graduated college and started her career. She shares her journey from finding a passion in technology, to getting educated and finding her first full time role in the industry. It's a highly competitive market for finding tale...

Compliance. It's not the most attractive topic to discuss but for most organizations, it's a necessity. This week, the guys discuss compliance obstacles and pitfalls, how to overcome them, plus the investment that provides the biggest returns when it comes to cybersecurity compliance. Whether you're faced with PCI, CMMC, SOC 2 audits, GDPR, CCPA, or any other set of requirements, th...

Are we losing the war against cyber crime? What does winning look like? Where does the U.S. stand on a global spectrum of cyber protection? This week the guys discuss these alarming yet valid concerns. Pick up your copy of Cyber Rants on Amazon. Looking to take your Cyber Security to the next level? Visit us at www.silentsector.com .  Be sure to rate the podcast, leave us a review, and subscribe! 

How do you find the right people when other companies can pay them more? How do you make your rock stars want to stay? Does it make sense to hire a Senior VP of IT when they will also be handling the help desk function? What about entry-level staff running critical functions?  This week, the guys discuss the importance of finding and hiring the best talent for your company's cybersecurity pro...

This week, the guys discuss one of their favorite topics the comes up frequently in the CyberSecurity World: The difference between companies reaching out to meet compliance, rather than aligning to a secure Cybersecurity Framework, and how being compliant does not always mean being secure. They give tips and tricks on which framework would be best for your company, along with their own experience...

This week, the guys discuss a disconnect between employees working remotely and their corporate IT departments hindering productivity for both parties, along with how the debate between IT providers leaning towards a self-service model for IT help. In addition, the guys discuss the recent shutdown of Parler and the issue of companies relying on a cloud-based server, instead of relying on its own h...