Unspoken Security

In this eye-opening episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash welcomes notorious hacker and security expert Jayson E. Street to discuss why traditional security awareness training falls short. Jayson explains that most corporate security training is merely policy-driven compliance, not actual security education. Instead of focusing on checkbox exercises once a year, Jayson advocates for building...

Ransomware gangs aren’t faceless shadows. Jon DiMaggio knows—he’s talked to them. In this episode, A.J. Nash sits down with the Chief Security Strategist at Analyst1 to pull back the curtain on the hidden world of cybercriminals. Jon shares how he builds detailed personas, infiltrates ransomware crews like LockBit, and navigates the psychological toll that comes with living a double life. Jon brea...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash sits down with Chris Birch, an intelligence practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience, to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of social engineering. Chris's unique perspective comes from leading teams that actively engage with threat actors, turning the tables on those who typically exploit vulnerabilities. Chris details how social engi...

In this episode of Unspoken Security , host A.J. Nash sits down with Ramesh Rajagopal, Co-Founder and CEO of Authentic8, to discuss the evolving landscape of digital investigations. They explore how modern intelligence teams navigate the deep and dark web, conduct secure open-source research, and protect themselves from exposure. Ramesh shares how his platform, Silo, empowers analysts by providing...

The intelligence community is often misunderstood, shrouded in secrecy, and clouded by misinformation. In this solo episode, A.J. Nash pulls back the curtain on how intelligence actually works, breaking down the 18 agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community, their legal limitations, and the oversight that keeps them in check. He explains the different types of intelligence—SIGINT, HUMIN...

DEF CON is more than just a hacking conference—it’s a community. In this episode, host AJ Nash sits down with Ada Zebra, a longtime goon and leader behind DEF CON Hotline, a resource dedicated to handling security incidents, harassment reports, and crisis situations at the event. Ada shares her journey from a first-time attendee to a key figure in DEF CON’s security efforts, shedding light on the...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash sits down with intelligence and security expert Brian Kime to explore the often misunderstood world of industry analysts. With years of experience at Forrester, Brian pulls back the curtain on how analysts conduct research, engage with vendors, and influence the cybersecurity landscape. Together, they address the widespread belief that vendor eval...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, AJ Nash sits down with Ryan Cloutier, CEO of ScareBear Industries, to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. Ryan explains the evolution of AI, from its origins with Alan Turing to today's generative AI and large language models. He highlights the importance of understanding that AI, at its core, is mathematics. Ryan emphasizes the need for carefu...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash sits down with Jeff Daisley, Principal Security Intelligence Engineer at Comcast, to explore the multifaceted world of executive protection. Together, they unpack the growing convergence of physical and cyber threats facing high-value individuals, including executives, public figures, and their families. From cyberattacks and social engineering...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash dives into the shadowy world of data brokers with guest Lawrence Gentilello, CEO of Optery. They begin by exploring what data brokers are, revealing how these companies collect, buy, and sell personal information—from dating app details to home addresses—to virtually anyone with a credit card. The conversation sheds light on the breadth of the ind...

On this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash welcomes Gary Berman, CEO of Cyberman Security. AJ speaks with Gary about his harrowing journey from successful business owner to victim of a persistent insider threat campaign. What started as financial fraud quickly spiraled into years of cyberstalking orchestrated by a group with suspected ties to a religious cult. Gary's story unveils the...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host Aj Nash sits down with Charity Wright, Principal Threat Intelligence Consultant at Recorded Future, to dive into the complexities of foreign influence on U.S. elections. They explore the evolving tactics used by nation-states like Russia and China, focusing on cyber threats, disinformation campaigns, and election interference. Charity highlights the growi...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash sits down with Dominic Vogel, founder of Vogel Leadership & Coaching, to discuss the importance of bringing humanity back into the cybersecurity field. Dominic shares his journey from corporate burnout to becoming an advocate for kindness and authenticity in an industry often focused on metrics and technology. Dominic explains how leading wi...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash talks with Crystal Morin, Cybersecurity Strategist at Sysdig, about the world of threat hunting. Crystal shares her journey from military linguist to cyber defender, highlighting the skills that translate across these fields. The conversation dives into what threat hunting is and why it's crucial for proactive cybersecurity. Crystal explains...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash sits down with Emily Phelps, Director of Marketing Communications at CYWARE. They dive into the core challenges and strategies in cybersecurity marketing. Emily emphasizes the importance of not just attracting customers but ensuring they are the right fit to prevent churn and frustration. She highlights the need for authenticity in marketing messa...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash engages in an insightful conversation with Karla Reffold, Chief Product Officer at Surefire Cyber. The episode dives into the nuances of cybersecurity careers and leadership. Karla shares her journey from a background in recruiting and corporate governance to her current role in cybersecurity, highlighting her expertise in risk assessment and lead...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash sits down with Paul Ashley, Chief Technology Officer at Anonyome Labs, to explore the intricacies of decentralized identity. Paul explains how decentralized identity offers stronger security and better privacy compared to traditional centralized and federated identity systems. He emphasizes the role of identity wallets, which store user identities...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash welcomes Jeff Foley, founder and leader of the OWASP AMASS flagship project and Vice President and Distinguished Fellow of Research at ZeroFox. They dive into the critical importance of attack surface management (ASM) in cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for visibility from an adversarial perspective. Jeff explains how attackers spend most of th...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash welcomes Virgil Capollari, the founder of Adaptive Risk Strategies, to dive into the intricacies of insider threat programs. They discuss the often misunderstood aspects of these initiatives, emphasizing the importance of clear definitions and transparency to foster trust within organizations. Virgil, leveraging his extensive experience in intelli...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, A.J. Nash and Adam Darrah (Senior Director of Dark Ops, ZeroFox) dive into the symbiosis between intelligence backgrounds and cybersecurity. With his roots in the CIA, Adam brings a nuanced perspective on transitioning these skills to private-sector cybersecurity, emphasizing the value of human insight and technical prowess. The conversation underscores the bl...

In this episode of "Unspoken Security" - a turbo-charged special recorded live at the RSA Conference last week - host AJ Nash and guest Kayla Williams of DEVO dive into the evolving role of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in today’s fast-paced cybersecurity landscape. Kayla, a seasoned CISO with a non-traditional background in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), shares in...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash continues his conversation with guests Ana Aslanishvili & Shawn Abelson from Pine Risk Management as they dive into the intricacies of security risk management, challenging the conventional separation between cyber and physical security. They emphasize the critical need for a holistic security approach, shedding light on common assumptions a...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash welcomes Ana Aslanishvili and Shawn Abelson from Pine Risk Management. Together, they dive into the often-overlooked intersection of cyber and physical security. With a combined experience of 30 years, Ana and Shawn share their insights on the importance of integrating these two realms to fortify organizational defenses against evolving threats....

In this episode of Unspoken Security, AJ Nash is joined by Senior Threat Intelligence Analyst (and PhD candidate) Freddy Murre. Freddy brings his years of intelligence and security experience across military service and consulting into a discussion about one of the most common challenges many of us face: demonstrating the value of Intelligence. Freddy and AJ discuss some of the consistent challeng...

In this episode of Unspoken Security, AJ Nash is joined by Roman Sannikov, the President of Constellation Cyber LLC. Before his current efforts conducting research and delivering Intelligence reports for various clients, Roman has led multiple teams focused on combatting threats in the Deep and Dark Web. Roman and AJ give a brief overview of what we all mean when we say "Deep Web" or &qu...