Cybersecurity Where You Are (audio)

In episode 145 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager begin their mid-year review of 12 Center for Internet Security® (CIS®) experts' cybersecurity predictions for 2025. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:14 . Verizon's Data Breach Investigations Report as a source of enlightenment and humility 02:28 . The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to finely...

In episode 144 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Carlos Kizzee , Senior Vice President of Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®). Together, they discuss how the MS-ISAC's new funding model helps to carry on the character and culture of this collaborative cyber defense community. Here are so...

In episode 143 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by John Cohen , Executive Director of the Program for Countering Hybrid Threats at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®). Together, they discuss Iran's evolving multidimensional threat activity following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:49 . Lessons from...

In episode 142 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Anthony Essmaker , former Product Marketing Manager at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®); and Randy Rose, VP of Security Operations & Intelligence at CIS. Together, they discuss the nuanced, empathetic approach that's required to help U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government organizations to add...

In episode 141 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager is joined by Phyllis Lee , VP of SBP Content Development at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®); and Julie Haney , Computer Scientist & Human-Centered Cybersecurity Researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Together, they use a human-centered understanding of security to discuss password policies, incl...

In episode 140 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by John Cohen , Executive Director of the Program for Countering Hybrid Threats at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®). Together, they discuss travel safety tips informed by today's evolving multidimensional threat environment. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:30 . The most overlooked security risks we need to...

In episode 139 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager is joined by Amelia Gifford , Sr. Manager, Administration, at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®); and George Bailey , Director of Purdue cyberTAP . Together, they discuss how the 2025 grant from the Alan Paller Laureate Program will support Purdue cyberTAP's mission of community building for the cyber-underserved. Here are some highlig...

In episode 138 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Timothy Davis, Lead Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®). Together, they discuss how organizations can use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to refine how they develop Tabletop Exercises (TTXs). Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:49 . Why TTXs function as a "b...

In episode 137 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Terry Loftus , Assistant Superintendent (Chief Information Officer) of Integrated Technology Services at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE); and Netta Squires , President of Government Affairs, Cybersecurity, & Resilience at Open District Solutions (ODS). Together, they discuss how the Multi...

In episode 136 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined live by Lynn Dohm , Executive Director of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS). Together, they discuss how WiCyS works to advance women in cybersecurity. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:03 . A mission of recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in cybersecurity 05:38 . How community-focused conferences...

In episode 135 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined live at RSAC Conference 2025 by five attendees, including two Center for Internet Security® (CIS®) employees. He conducts a lightning chat with each attendee to get their thoughts about the conference, how it reflects the changing cybersecurity industry, and the role CIS plays in this ongoing evolution. Here are some highlights...

In episode 134 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Randy Rose, VP of Security Operations & Intelligence at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®); and Timothy Davis, Lead Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at CIS. Together, they discuss how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) lowers the barrier of entry for cyber threat actors (CTAs). Here are some highligh...

In episode 133 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Lauren McFayden, Threat Intelligence Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) hacktivism of DieNet and how the group continues to evolve its Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs). Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:22 . An overview of...

In episode 132 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Valecia Stocchetti, Sr. Cybersecurity Engineer of the CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss what the first day, step, and dollar of implementing a controls framework look like for organizations stepping into their cybersecurity journey. Here are some...

In episode 131 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager is joined by Stan Stahl, PhD , Founder and President of SecureTheVillage . Together, they discuss how SecureTheVillage, a nonprofit and inaugural Alan Paller Laureate Program awardee , is using a collaboration-driven approach to enhance reasonable cybersecurity awareness and practices within Southern California (SoCal). Here are some highli...

In episode 130 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by John Gilligan , President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Set against the backdrop of the 2025 CIS Annual Full Staff Meeting, they celebrate 25 years of CIS, including the "serendipity" by which the company became a global cybersecurity thought leader. They also...

In episode 129 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson discusses best practices for embedding cybersecurity in project management. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:34 . Elements for connecting the dots between cybersecurity risk assessment and project risk assessment 03:06 . How our conceptualization of a project changes under a zero trust implementation 04:02 . What security ma...

In episode 128 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Joshua Palsgraf , Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they examine how cyber threat actors use cryptocurrency for financial fraud and how professionals like Joshua track this illicit activity. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:35 . What a data-driv...

In episode 127 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Scott Alldridge , President and CEO of IP Services and the IT Process Institute. Together, they use Scott's book, " Visible Ops Cybersecurity: Enhancing Your Cybersecurity Posture with Practical Guidance ," to discuss how visible IT operations (Visible Ops) provide a foundation for cybersecurity. Here are som...

In episode 126 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Casey Cannon, Lead Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they review what a regular day looks like for a CTI analyst. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:46 . How a service-oriented mindset factors into a CTI career 03:55 . What task prioritization looks like...

In episode 125 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Waldo Perez , Human Resources Support Specialist at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®); and Penny Davis , Sr. Manager of Leadership Development at CIS. Together, they use the CIS Leadership Principles and other examples from CIS to understand how leadership influences and nurtures the organization's workplace culture....

In episode 124 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Timothy Davis, Lead Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they explore the many layers of a malware takedown operation. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:58 . A high-level overview of what a malware takedown might involve 04:11 . Some of the key players who...

In episode 123 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Gina Chapman , Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they use examples from CIS to identify elements of an operational playbook for making an impact in the cybersecurity industry. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:21 . Business development and organiz...

In episode 122 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Rian Davis , Associate Hybrid Threat Intelligence Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®); and Timothy Davis, Lead Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst at CIS. Together, they discuss security and utility considerations surrounding the DeepSeek AI model. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:31 . What e...

In episode 121 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Tyler Moore, Ph. D. , Chair of Cyber Studies at the University of Tulsa. Together, they discuss the role of economics in cyber risk quantification and cybersecurity decision-making. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:55 . How incentives, market failures, and other economic principles intersect with...