FIRST Impressions Podcast

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 speaker, Umair Bukhari and discuss his conference session: “Extra-Ordinary Vulnerability Coordination – A Method to the Madness”. Umair highlights Ericsson’s newly established PSIRT framework for Extra-Ordinary Vulnerability Coordination (EVC) and the necessary actions, work streams, and communication that must be put in place to efficient...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 speaker, Dr. Eugene Spafford and his partner, Dr. Pattie Spafford. Together they discuss their recently published book, “Cybersecurity Myths and Misconceptions” co-authored by Leigh Metcalf, and Josiah Dykstra. They touch on the importance of communication and clear terminology that surpasses cultural barriers. Cybersecurity is people-cent...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 Diamond Sponsor Rep, Vinay Bansal, the CTO of Cisco’s CSIRT. Vinay discusses Cisco’s long history with FIRST and its Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and shares details on Cisco’s new initiative for Attack Surface Management. This episode highlights the importance of information sharing and mentoring and how FIRST conferences have been a pla...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 speakers, Kevin Hagopian and Emer O’Neill, and discuss their conference session: “Small But Mighty - The Crucial Role a PSIRT Plays in Customer Trust, Adoption and Renewal”. Kevin and Emer highlight the evolution of a PSIRT within a software company, and how to best adapt processes and policies to protect a company’s brand.

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 speaker, Jaromir Horejsi, and preview his upcoming conference session: “Abusing Electron-Based Applications in Targeted Attacks”. Jaromir provides an overview on Electron frameworks and how they are targeted and attacked by infection vectors.

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON23 speaker, Koen van Hove, and preview his upcoming conference session: “SPooFd: How to Spoof Mails, Even with Full SPF and DMARC Protection”. Providing a brief history of the internet and email, Koen explains how email spoofing started and transformed. Koen spotlights big vendors and how they approach email security. In his talk, Koen will d...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview Jay Jacobs, who is a co-chair of the Exploit Prediction Scoring System Special Interest Group (EPSS SIG) and one of the founders of the Cyentia Institute. Evolving over the last year and a half, EPSS works to gather as much data as possible on vulnerabilities and look for indicators that something will be exploited in the future. Scores are updated d...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview Peter Lowe, co-chair of the DNS Abuse Special Interest Group (DNS SIG). SIG member turned chair, Peter was also appointed as FIRST’s DNS Abuse “Ambassador” and has been tasked with representing the Forum within the DNS space. Peter chats about how DNS has become a hot topic in the public consciousness. He also explains why the SIG is trying to better...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview James Chappell and Krassimir Tzvetanov, co-chairs of FIRST’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Special Interest Group (CTI SIG). Along with a third co-chair, Adrian Hendrik, this group focuses on creating best practices and CTI training materials. With the goal of education, the SIG focuses on creating a common body of Cyber Threat knowledge and terms. Filli...

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview Désirée Sacher-Boldewin who joined the FIRST Board of Directors in June 2022. Désirée has also taken on the role of co-coordinator for FIRST’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The SIGs cover a variety of topics with efforts to create new standards, map existing protocols, and make best security practices accessible to all. In 2023, the FIRST Impressio...

The FIRST Podcasters interview various team members of SentinelOne, a Diamond Sponsor of FIRSTCON22, which is a fully autonomous EDR solution for businesses and enables basic end point detection and response. The team shares insight into current investigations around the world as well as observable attacker patterns to stress the importance of taking a layered approach to security.

The FIRST Podcasters interview Maddie Stone of Google Project Zero on the current 2022 threat landscape and past Zero Day patterns. Maddie shares insight into how security professionals should work to make exploitations more difficult for attackers. With an evolving approach to Zero Days, we can create continuous solutions that treat patches as an opportunity to dive deeper.

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview Rebecca Taylor of Secureworks on the importance and structuring of knowledge management. Rebecca provides valuable insight into the processes, frameworks, and templates that must be incorporated to create a roadmap of understanding and interconnected relationships. She stresses the value of feedback loops, work streams, and ongoing evolution.

In this episode, the FIRST Podcasters interview Crowdstike’s Senior Consultant, Emma Jones, on the importance of diversity. The umbrella term describes all sorts of efforts, from belonging to inclusion to equality and representation. Emma discusses how every day actions build in processes of trust and how thinking differently isn’t wrong; it’s imperative. How do we create a stage where everyone is...

In this episode, FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON22 Speakers Raphaël Vinot and Quinn Norton on their tool Lookyloo. This open-source project was made to capture and record all the happenings on a website in real time. After a news website fell victim of malvertising, Raphaël and Quinn were called in to investigate. After a failed search for a tool to monitor the page, they created their own. Us...

In this heavy-hitting episode, FIRST Podcasters interview team Ukraine. The CERT-UA group share insights and revelations as they compare 2021 cyber incidents to 2022 and discuss attacker tactics. A large time frame of exploits came in early January, just as Ukrainians were receiving warnings of potential war. Sowing disorder, the disinformation campaign had a cyber component, as assailants attempt...

In this episode, FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON22 Speaker, Vishal Thakur, who is the Director of DFIR at Ankura Consulting. Together the group discusses how to live in the on-going “ransomware pandemic” and the importance of practicing good security hygiene. Tune in for tips on how to successfully communicate and streamline communication when attacked and how tabletop exercises can better pre...

In this episode, FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON22 Diamond Speaker and Sponsor, Ganesh Pai who is the Founder and CEO of Uptycs, a cloud-native security analytics platform. Ganesh reflects on the magic of past FIRSTCONs as he looks forward to Dublin. With the focus on people over tools, Ganesh marvels at the opportunity to watch new industry professionals grow and shares a deeper dive into Upt...

The FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON22 Speakers, Thomas Schmidt and Jens Wiesner, on the subject of their conference session: "Securing the Supply Chain Together - Through Automation of Advisories and Vulnerability Management". Working in separate departments of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Schmidt and Wiesner are experts at standardizing advisories. Get a taste of...

The FIRST Podcasters interview FIRSTCON22 Speaker, Helen Patton, on the context of her conference session: "How to Talk to a Board so the Board will Talk Back". Helen explains how perspectives may differ between security practitioners in the weeds of vulnerabilities and an upper management’s big picture point of view. Get a taste of Helen's conference presentation as she discusses how to establish...

2022 Conference Chair, Brian Honan, talks all things FIRSTCON as we prepare to hold the next gathering in Dublin this June. The 34th Annual FIRST Conference: "Neart Le Chéile: Strength Together" will take place June 26 - July 1, 2022.

In this episode, Naama Ben-Dov, a strategy merger and acquisition manager at Microsoft, discusses a developer’s journey and the importance of planning for the future. Together with the podcasters, she points out how what a customer may want is often in opposition to what they need and in turn, encourages difficult conversations. Tune in to hear how the human psyche drives innovation. Disclaimer: T...

Iren Reznikov is a Cyber Investor based in Israel specializing in deep tech security startups. Together with the FIRST Impressions podcasters, she opens a dialogue into the lifecycle of acquisitions and how current political tensions may affect the cyber landscape. Disclaimer: The views expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and their participation on the podcast does not imply an endorse...

Join the interview in progress! Chris, Martin, and Andy chat building teams, navigating within organizations, career change, and interpretive dance. Andy Ellis is the Advisory CISO at Orca Security, where he helps companies embrace secure practices while leaping into the cloud era. He is a 2021 Inductee into the CSO Hall of Fame, an Operating Partner at YL Ventures, the CEO of leadership training...

Neil is Lead Architect in BBC Digital Distribution, focusing on website traffic management and supporting technologies. Disclaimer: The views expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and their participation on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.