Cyber Sip

Kevin Szczepanski and guest Laura Zaroski, managing director of Gallagher's law firms practice, discuss law firms’ varied responses regarding the use of generative AI: some embrace it while others prohibit it. They also explore benefits and risks of using AI, including the importance of checking work, avoiding sanctions, and client disclosures. They then touch on the potential impact on insura...

Kevin Szczepanski welcomes Jessica Copeland of Bond, Schoeneck & King back for a lively discussion on why (and whether) attorneys and firms of all sizes should use artificial intelligence. As a refresher, they remind listeners of the definition of AI and some of its uses. As with many things lawyer related, the answers come down to “it depends.” Law firms need to look at their priorities, capa...

In this conversation, Kevin Szczepanski and Jessica Copeland of Bond, Schoeneck & King define generative AI as basically the use of large language models to create natural language responses. They note that AI has been used for decades—examples of it in everyday life include personalized recommendations on Amazon and Netflix. They then move on to the use of generative AI and AI governance. Gen...

Kevin and his guest, Jodi Daniels, founder and CEO of Red Clover Advisors, discuss the importance of privacy as a fundamental human right, noting that building trust is a two-way street. Jodi explains that a privacy consultancy helps companies comply with data privacy laws and build trust with their customers. Jodi emphasizes that privacy is both a legal compliance issue and a market opportunity....

Kevin and guest Ziming Zhao, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo, discuss Ziming’s work in systems and software security. They focus on ethical hacking and its goal of responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities to vendors. Ziming says that hacking can be fun and doing it ethically serves a purpose, though he emphasizes that ethical hac...

In this episode, host Kevin Szczepanski and his guest, Bill Haber of TEKRiSQ, discuss tips to prevent phishing attacks, which, they remind listeners, are “fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information through electronic messages.” Kevin and Bill highlight the prevalence and success of phishing attacks, emphasizing the need for vigilance from both individuals and organizations. Covering exampl...

Kevin Szczepanski and Arun Vishwanath, chief technologist of Avant Research Group, discuss the urgent need for cyber-hygiene education for children, including about security and privacy. They highlight frequent cyberattacks targeting schools and other education systems, which often have outdated technology and may lack sophisticated IT security skills and resources. The conversation also touches o...

Kevin Szczepanski and Kyle Cavalieri, president of Avalon Cyber, discuss the increasing risks of funds transfer fraud, covering topics such as understanding this type of fraud, how it works (including fake invoicing and “vishing” attacks), red flags, and how to respond. Red flags can include unexpected calls or emails, and it’s important to be prepared for when these contacts occur. Kevin and Kyle...

More than ever, cybersecurity risk assessments are essential for businesses of all sizes to understand and mitigate their risks. Done appropriately, assessments can provide help with remediation and a plan for moving forward and can even assist with pursuing insurance coverage. This episode, which features Bill Haber, co-founder of the cybersecurity company TEKRiSQ, emphasizes the need for actiona...

From Barclay Damon’s new podcast studio, Kevin welcomes back University at Buffalo Professor Siwei Lyu. To start this fast-moving conversation, Siwei notes that what sets generative AI apart from analytical AI is that generative AI focuses on creating content rather than just answering questions or sorting through data, and he sheds light on what seemed to be the technology’s “sudden appearance.”...

Join Kevin Szczepanski as he explains his five need-to-know cyber action items for the year. They involve 1) conducting a cyber risk assessment, essential for identifying and prioritizing risks, 2) developing an incident response plan to help respond to and mitigate cyber incidents, 3) conducting tabletop exercises, which give organizations the opportunity to do run-throughs of real incidents, 4)...

“Compliance” doesn’t have to be a dirty word. Check out the final episode of Season 2 of Barclay Damon Liv e: Cyber Sip™ when, for the first time ever, host Kevin Szczepanski welcomes two guests: his Barclay Damon colleague Bridget Steele and the founder and CEO of Opollo Technologies, Ryan Young. Using Ryan’s company as an example, you’ll hear how embracing compliance rather than avoiding it can...

In episode 46 of Barclay Damon Liv e:  Cyber Sip™ , Justin Daniels, an attorney with Baker Donelson and cohost of the podcast “She Said Privacy/He Said Security,” shares with host Kevin Szczepanski his thinking around the use—and risks—of AI in business. His concern comes with the explosion of tools like ChatGPT and the attitude of many business owners, investors, and software designers that if (o...

Episode 45 of Barclay Damon Live : Cyber Sip™ addresses a critically important topic: “Building Trust One Deal at a Time: Due Diligence in M&A Transactions.” Once again, Brian Haugli, CEO of SideChannel, founder of RealCISO, and creator and host of CISO Life Podcast , joins host Kevin Szczepanski. This time, they’re covering cyber due diligence, assessments, and risks related to mergers and ac...

Welcome to Barclay Damon Liv e: Cyber Sip™ . In episode 44, host Kevin Szczepanski welcomes Brian Haugli, SideChannel CEO, founder of RealCISO, creator and host of CISO Life Podcast , and more, for “Your Cybersecurity Roadmap: Targeting Gaps and Assessing Risks.” Brian and Kevin first address a misconception: If you tick off the common boxes for security controls, you’ve done all you need to do. N...

Welcome to Barclay Damon Liv e: Cyber Sip ™ episode 42, “‘California Emissions’: Is the CCPA a Bellwether for the Rest of Us?” Michelle Merola, leader of Hodgson Russ’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Practice, returns to talk with host Kevin Szczepanski about the changing landscape of privacy laws and specifically how California leads the way with its recently revised California Consumer Privacy Act...

Welcome to Barclay Damon Liv e: Cyber Sip™. In episode 42, “Social Engineering: The People Problem of Cybersecurity,” host Kevin Szczepanski is joined by Arun Vishwanath, a cybersecurity thought leader, author, and chief technology officer at Avant Research Group. Arun discusses his latest book from MIT Press, The Weakest Link: How to Diagnose, Detect, and Defend Users From Phishing , wrapping it...

Kevin Szczepanski, host of Barclay Damon Live Presents Cyber Sip ™, welcomes Chicago-based Brian Dusek, senior vice president and head of Americas cyber with Mosaic Insurance Company. Brian is a cyber insurance underwriter and frequent speaker in this space, and he shares current ideas on a range of topics regarding the sustainability of the cyber insurance market. It’s a constantly evolving indus...

It’s episode 40 of  Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip ™. Host Kevin Szczepanski is joined for the first time by Michelle Merola of Hodgson Russ, where she is a partner and leader of the law firm’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Practice. Kevin and Michelle start off by defining “privacy” as it’s currently conceived, which includes the right to protect your personal information and data. They then delve i...

Learn about the hot topic of deepfakes in the newest episode of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™. In episode 39, Siwei Lyu, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor at the University at Buffalo, returns to talk with host Kevin Szczepanski about this polarizing issue, addressing both the notable harms and potential benefits of “generative AI technology” (that’s Siwei’s preferred, less inherently scary term f...

Episode 38 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip ™ finds host Kevin Szczepanski talking about cybersecurity claims and coverage trends with John Farley, managing director of Gallagher Insurance. The landscape is constantly shifting, says John, and he’s seeing claims rising slightly after they dipped last year. John describes some of the many factors affecting trends in cyberattacks, and hence cyber cov...

Listen in to episode 37 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™, which finds host Kevin Szczepanski delving into the fascinating and sometimes unsettling topic of artificial intelligence with Siwei Lyu, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor at the University at Buffalo. Siwei and Kevin begin with a basic definition of artificial intelligence, or AI, and how it works. They then move into recent innovations li...

Welcome to Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™ episode 36. Host Kevin Szczepanski talks with Kyle Cavalieri, president of Avalon Cyber, about tabletop exercises. (No sit-ups involved.) Kevin and Kyle define the practice as a moderated exercise that tests an organization's ability to respond to a cyberattack. It’s helpful to evaluate incident-response plans; to gain clarity around stakeholders’ awar...

It’s episode 35 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™! Host Kevin Szczepanski and returning guest Reggie Dejean of Lawley Insurance take a look at the future of cyber liability coverage. Kevin kicks it off by noting that some in the insurance industry are making noises about cyber risk becoming uninsurable. Reggie, a 20-year veteran of the field, counters that, because cyber insurance (and reinsurance...

In episode 34 of Barclay Damon Live: Cyber Sip™, host Kevin Szczepanski welcomes back Bryan McCarthy of Transatlantic Reinsurance Company to discuss limiting exposure to biometric privacy claims. They continue the conversation they started in episode 28 about the effects of Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). BIPA is intended to protect residents of Illinois but has ramifications...