Safe Mode Podcast

Greg Otto talks with RSA CEO Rohit Ghai on the global shift toward passkeys and passwordless authentication. Together, they explore pressing issues including the differences between consumer and enterprise solutions, infrastructure vulnerabilities, regulatory challenges, and how emerging threats are evolving as passwordless adoption accelerates. The discussion also covers the complexities practiti...

Greg Otto talks with Eran Barak, CEO and co-founder of MIND, on the dramatic rise of insider threats in cybersecurity, exploring recent high-profile cases and the factors fueling this surge. He discusses which industries and data types are most at risk, how insider tactics have evolved, and practical strategies for organizations to detect and prevent internal threats. In our reporter chat, Greg ta...

Greg Otto talks with Rob Ragan, Principal Technology Strategist at Bishop Fox, as he shares his vision of building an “Iron Man suit” for human security testers that is shaping how AI is used in offensive cybersecurity. Rob dives into lessons learned from developing adaptive AI tools, the unique challenges and risks facing modern AI systems, and effective strategies for safeguarding against advers...

In this episode, Greg sits down with Olivia Rose, Founder and CISO of the Rose CISO Group, to talk about her role in "CISO: The Worst Job I Ever Wanted," a groundbreaking cybersecurity docuseries that reveals the real experiences of Chief Information Security Officers. This podcast uncovers the pressures, sleepless nights, and personal sacrifices these leaders endure while making critical decision...

In this episode, Greg sits down with Semperis CEO Mickey Bresman to explore how organizations can proactively prepare for cyber crises before they strike. The conversation centers on the power of tabletop exercises—simulated attack scenarios that test response plans, reveal hidden vulnerabilities, and build muscle memory across teams. Together, Greg and Mickey discuss why preparation is far more t...

In this episode, we sit down with Dave Merkel, CEO of Expel to take an honest, practical look at how AI and automation are reshaping the modern Security Operations Center (SOC). Our discussion covers the most tangible changes in daily SOC operations since AI adoption, cutting through industry hype to reveal which claims deserve skepticism and which use cases have delivered meaningful, measurable v...

In this episode, Greg talks with Alexander Leslie, Threat Intelligence Analyst for Recorded Future’s Insikt Group and his research on “Marko Polo” – a notorious cybercriminal empire that orchestrates an array of scams, primarily using infostealer malware. Discover how this sophisticated syndicate has victimized tens of thousands worldwide and raked in millions in illicit revenue. Our guest breaks...

On this episode of Safe Mode, Greg talks with Alex Pinto, Associate Director of Threat Intelligence at Verizon Business, as we unpack the key findings from this year’s Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). Pinto offers expert analysis on the most pressing cybersecurity trends impacting organizations worldwide—including ransomware’s dramatic spike, shifting attacker tactics, and evolving victim...

In this episode, Greg talks with Will Pearce, CEO and Co-founder of Dreadnode about the rapidly evolving field of offensive AI security. Greg and Will discuss the unique challenges researchers face in testing AI models for vulnerabilities compared to traditional software, unveiling how adversarial attacks impact AI security and the ethical considerations at play. We also examine the role of regula...

In this episode, Greg talks with Lior Div, co-founder and CEO of 7AI. Lior and Greg explore how security teams are being reinforced with AI Agents and identify the areas where CISO are embracing this technological shift to optimize their talent resources. We'll also discuss the specific security functions these agents are performing, including email security, threat hunting, and other critical cyb...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with Ken Bagnall, CEO of Silent Push Ken sheds light on the dynamics of the current cybercrime ecosystem. Ken reveals that a significant portion of the infrastructure is actually operated by affiliate networks using pre-existing technologies. During the discussion, Ken elaborates on how this ecosystem is fueled and examines the influential role played by affiliate...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with Edera co-founder and CTO Alex Zenla, charting her path from beginnings in Minecraft IRC channels to pioneering container isolation technology. Alex discusses her unique expertise in container security, GPU protection, and AI infrastructure, and how Edera is transforming the tech landscape with a commitment to balancing open-source benefits with robust security...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with FTI Consulting’s Allie Bohan exploring the challenges organizations face in maintaining effective communication during cyberattacks. Allie and Greg uncover essential strategies for incidents, ensuring companies remain connected with stakeholders even when digital channels are compromised. We also talk on how to keep morale boosted within an organization during...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with Sunil Mallik, the CISO of Discover Financial Services. Sunil shares his career path and the evolving challenges and responsibilities in cybersecurity, covering how he communicates with his board, strategic approaches to cybersecurity, and the importance of balancing technological investment with personnel training. In our reporter chat, Greg talks with Tim Sta...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with Dan Lorenc, CEO and co-founder of Chainguard. They explore the challenges organizations face with CVE management, where dealing with vulnerabilities often drains valuable engineering resources. They also discuss how new visualization tools are redefining this landscape by offering clear insights into CVE trends, empowering teams to make informed decisions and...

In this episode, Greg Otto talks with Virtru Co-founder and CEO John Ackerly , discussing the significance of open standards, the challenges and successes of implementing the Trusted Data Format across federal agencies, and the critical role of interoperability and compliance. John also gives us details on how close the country was to a national privacy law before the 9/11 attacks upended everythi...

In this episode, you will hear Cynthia Kaiser, deputy assistant director in the bureau’s cyber division talk about the implications of the Salt Typhoon breach, which she spoke about during CyberScoop’s Zero Trust Summit. Kaiser characterized the breach as “a different level of insidiousness” from Beijing, one that reflects its “ambition and reckless aggression in cyberspace.” In our reporter chat,...

Greg Otto talks with Jackie Burns-Koven, Head of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Chainalysis. They discuss research from Chainalysis that shows a 35% drop in ransom payments over the second half of 2024. They also discuss the growing refusal of victims to pay ransoms and how attackers are adapting their tactics. Additionally, she highlights the influence of Ransomware-as-a-Service, the evolution of d...

Greg Otto talks with John Hultquist, Chief Analyst for Google Threat Intelligence Group. They explore the qualitative differences between AI-generated and human-crafted social engineering tactics, and discuss the technical limitations of AI when used by less sophisticated threat actors like those in North Korea. Additionally, the episode addresses the challenges posed by AI in cybersecurity, inclu...

Greg Otto talks with Hugh Thompson, Executive Chairman for RSAC Conference. Greg and Hugh discuss how the SEC's cyber disclosure regulations have fallen short of their intended purpose, failing to provide investors with enhanced transparency due to ongoing debates about materiality and insufficient market consequences. Additionally, they discuss the evolving regulatory landscape for 2025 and recen...

Greg Otto talks with Exabeam’s Gabrielle Hempel about the complex terrain of AI regulation at both the federal and state levels, offering a deep dive into the legislative challenges, and the balancing act of fostering innovation while protecting public interests. They also reflect on how public interaction with AI systems is shaping legislative efforts, aiming to provide a comprehensive exploratio...

As we head into 2025, Greg talks with Jason Baker, a ransomware negotiator for Guidepoint Security, on how ransomware has shifted and evolved, and the challenges it poses for businesses and governments alike. Jason also sheds light on the top threat actors, the future of international regulations and where they might fall concerning the contentious issue of paying ransoms, and what businesses can...

In the first episode of 2025, Greg Otto dives into a conversation with Phil Venables, the Chief Information Security Officer of Google Cloud, who shares insights from his expansive career in cybersecurity. From his beginnings as Goldman Sachs' first CISO to his current role leading risk and security at Google, Phil discusses the evolving challenges CISOs face, including the impact of AI-powered cy...

In the latest episode of Safe Mode, Greg Otto talks with Vik Phatak, Chairman and CEO of CyberRatings.org. Cyber Ratings recently released a report assessing the native firewalls provided by major cloud service providers like Microsoft, Google, and AWS. These cloud-native firewalls, included with their instances, were put to the test by Cyber Ratings to evaluate their effectiveness. The findings r...

In the latest episode of Safe Mode, Greg Otto talks with Emily Crose about her new book “Hack to The Future: How World Governments Relentlessly Pursue and Domesticate Hackers.” Emily explains how the US government managed to weaponize a subculture widely seen as misanthropic and awkward into a lever of power that now has far-reaching geopolitical implications In our reporter chat, Greg Otto talks...