In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Cynthia Brumfield, a prolific cybersecurity journalist and analyst. Brumfield discusses her reporting on the human toll of cybersecurity incidents, including mental health challenges and burnout among cyber professionals. She also explores the evolving role of deception technology in cyber defense and highlights key cybersecurity provisions in the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The conversation covers the growing...
Mar 05, 2025•42 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Andrew Howell, Vice President for Government Affairs at SentinelOne, and Kyle Klein, Deputy Director for Policy and Partnerships at the McCrary Institute. Together, they discuss the evolving cybersecurity legislative landscape in the early days of the 119th Congress. The conversation covers key bills like the Cyber Pivot Act, updates to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, efforts to designate space as critical infrastructure, AI r...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Sai Molige, the leader of the threat hunting team at Forescout. They discuss the key findings from Forescout’s 2024 Global Threat Roundup, including the growing role of bulletproof hosting services, increasing attacker dwell time, and targeted cyber intrusions on critical infrastructure. Molige explains how state-sponsored actors and cybercriminals are increasingly collaborating, and how the convergence of IT and OT security is res...
Feb 19, 2025•36 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo visits Birmingham to speak with Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr and Matt Massey, President of the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE). They discuss the origins of ASCTE, its rigorous curriculum, and its dual mission to educate top-tier students while expanding cyber education across the state. The conversation explores the school's national security significance, its unique hands-on learning model, public-private partne...
Feb 12, 2025•35 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast In this week's episode Frank Cilluffo speaks with Martin Matishak, a seasoned cybersecurity journalist currently with The Record and formerly with Politico and National Journal. They discuss China’s cyber threats, particularly the Volt Typhoon and Soft Typhoon campaigns, and their implications for critical infrastructure security and espionage tactics. Matishak also unpacks supply chain vulnerabilities, U.S. cyber policy challenges, and the evolving debate over Cyber Command 2.0, a U.S. Cyber Fo...
Feb 05, 2025•38 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Laura Galante, Director of the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC), and Lauren Goldman, head of Analysis and Analytic Integration at CTIIC. They discuss CTIIC’s evolving role in integrating intelligence across agencies and sectors, its initiatives to bolster critical infrastructure resilience, and its approach to public-private partnerships. The conversation also explores threats from adversarial nation-states li...
Jan 29, 2025•50 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Overview: In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo interviews Errol Weiss, Chief Security Officer at the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health ISAC). They discuss the evolving cybersecurity challenges in the healthcare sector, including ransomware, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the critical need for better security measures to protect medical devices and patient data. Weiss shares insights from his extensive experience in both healthcare and financial services cyb...
Jan 22, 2025•36 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Overview: In the first episode of Season Two of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo welcomes Matt Hayden, former Assistant Secretary at DHS, and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, former Executive Director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Together, they discuss the evolving cyber landscape under the incoming Trump administration. The conversation covers critical cybersecurity challenges, including regulatory reform, military mobility infrastructure, the separation of Cyber Command and NSA, and str...
Jan 15, 2025•46 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Manny Cancel, Senior Vice President at NERC and CEO of the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). The conversation explores the evolving threat landscape impacting grid security, including challenges posed by ransomware, physical attacks, and AI-driven cyber risks. Manny highlights the importance of public-private collaboration, resilience engineering, and supply chain security to mitigate nation-state and ex...
Dec 18, 2024•35 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast For this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Eric Geller, a leading cybersecurity journalist who contributes to top outlets like Politico , Wired , and The Record . Together, they unpack Eric's reporting on expectations for changes in AI regulation and cybersecurity under the incoming Trump administration. They also discuss the vulnerabilities within critical infrastructure sectors like agriculture and telecom. Geller offers insights into systemic challenges, the evolving ...
Dec 11, 2024•34 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo interviews Mark Green, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. Congressman Green, a combat veteran and healthcare entrepreneur, discusses key cybersecurity challenges, including workforce shortages, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and economic models that incentivize cybercrime. The conversation highlights the importance of initiatives like the Cyber Pivot Act, designed to address critical workforce gaps, and the need for harmonizing r...
Dec 04, 2024•30 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Overview: In this episode, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Cheri Caddy, former Deputy Assistant National Cyber Director at the White House and senior technical advisor at the Department of Energy. They discuss the cybersecurity challenges surrounding connected vehicles, examining how modern cars are effectively "computers on wheels" and the broader implications for privacy, data security, and national security. Cheri highlights the convergence of IT and OT systems in vehicles, the need for cy...
Nov 20, 2024•33 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo interviews Kiersten Todt, president of Wondros, a creative firm focused on social and policy change. Todt, who previously served as Chief of Staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and as a senior advisor on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, shares insights on the challenges and advancements in cybersecurity workforce development, public-private collaboration, and the critical role of community involvement in ...
Nov 13, 2024•34 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo interviews Patrick Wright, the Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Privacy Officer for the State of Nebraska. The discussion centers around the challenges and opportunities of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity strategies at the state and local levels. Patrick shares insights on leveraging AI to bolster cybersecurity, managing privacy implications, and building strategic public-private partnerships. The convers...
Nov 06, 2024•33 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Sonya Proctor, Assistant Administrator for Surface Operations at TSA (Transportation Security Administration). Proctor discusses TSA's evolving role in securing pipelines and other surface transportation sectors, emphasizing the agency's expanded cybersecurity focus following the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. The conversation delves into TSA's partnerships with industry, other federal agencies, and state and local law enfo...
Oct 30, 2024•36 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo discusses cybersecurity priorities for the incoming administration with Mark Montgomery, co-author and leader of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 Commission, and George Barnes, former deputy director of the NSA. They delve into the McCrary Institute's new presidential transition report that presents a strategic roadmap to maintain the progress achieved in cybersecurity. The report highlights eight lines of effort, ranging from regulatory harmonization an...
Oct 23, 2024•36 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Ambassador Toby Feakin, Australia’s first Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technologies. Feakin reflects on the evolving cyber threat landscape in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia's cybersecurity strategy, and its growing focus on balancing economic ties with China while addressing critical security risks. The conversation delves into Australia’s international partnerships, public attribution of cyber threats, and critic...
Oct 16, 2024•49 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo talks with Bob Kolasky, Senior Vice President at Exeter and former head of the National Risk Management Center at CISA. The conversation covers key topics related to supply chain risk, security, and national defense. Bob provides insights into the evolving threats within supply chains, especially those linked to cybersecurity and critical infrastructure. He also touches on legislative efforts and the role of public-private partnerships in mitig...
Oct 09, 2024•45 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Dave Luber, the Director of Cybersecurity at the NSA. Luber shares insights from his extensive career, spanning 37 years in the intelligence community. The discussion focuses on the NSA's dual mission in signals intelligence and cybersecurity, its collaboration with industry through the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, the importance of public-private partnerships, and the evolving threat landscape. Luber emphasizes the need for secu...
Oct 02, 2024•37 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, Frank Cilluffo interviews Brandon Wales, the former Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who served for over 19 years in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They discuss the evolution of the cyber threat landscape, lessons from significant incidents like SolarWinds, and the role of public-private partnerships in building cybersecurity resilience. Wales also shares insights on geopolitical concerns, including Chi...
Sep 25, 2024•53 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast In this special Cyber Focus Brief, Frank Cilluffo and Bob Kolasky discuss the impact of the recent pager and communication device attack in Lebanon, reportedly orchestrated by the Israeli government. The discussion explores the unprecedented scale and complexity of this operation, the sophisticated use of supply chain vulnerabilities, and the psychological and strategic implications for both nation-states and critical infrastructure. The conversation also highlights the importance of supply chai...
Sep 20, 2024•13 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, host Frank Cilluffo is joined by Dave DeWalt, founder and CEO of NightDragon, and Katherine Gronberg, Head of Government Affairs at NightDragon. They discuss the intersection of technology and cybersecurity, emphasizing the growing convergence of physical and cyber threats. The conversation highlights key areas such as AI, machine learning, quantum computing, and the need for greater resilience in critical infrastructure. Both guests offer insights into NightDragon’s investment ...
Sep 18, 2024•47 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Episode Overview: In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Robert M. Lee, CEO and co-founder of Dragos, a leading industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity firm. Rob shares his insights on the evolution of operational technology, the critical importance of ICS cybersecurity, and the increasing threat of cyber-enabled attacks on physical infrastructure. The discussion covers key incidents, including past cyberattacks on power grids a...
Sep 11, 2024•53 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Sean Connelly, the Executive Director for Zero Trust Strategy and Policy at Zscaler, to delve into the origins, challenges, and best practices of zero trust architecture. Connelly shares insights from his extensive experience, including his time at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), where he led significant zero trust initiatives. The conversation covers the evolution of cybersecurity strategies, the imp...
Sep 04, 2024•32 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, Frank Cilluffo chats with Charles DeBeck, a cyber threat intelligence expert from Google Cloud, about the latest insights from their Threat Horizons report. They explore how cyber threats are evolving, particularly in cloud environments, with a focus on issues like weak passwords and system misconfigurations that leave organizations vulnerable. Charles also shares how criminals are increasingly using cloud services for their attacks and discusses the growing role ...
Aug 28, 2024•38 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Frank Cilluffo interviews Dr. Marion Messmer, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House, about the policy institute’s recent report on cybersecurity in the civil nuclear sector. They discuss the evolving threats to nuclear infrastructure, the impact of emerging technologies like small modular reactors, and the challenges of international legal frameworks. Dr. Messmer also highlights the importance of integrating cybersecurity into nuclear systems from the beginning. Main Topics Co...
Aug 21, 2024•39 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus , host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Michael Barnhart, who leads North Korean operations at Mandiant. The discussion delves into the activities of APT 45, a North Korean cyber group responsible for an array of global cyber attacks. The conversation explores how APT 45 operates like a criminal syndicate, focusing on their ability to exploit vulnerabilities at speed, the role of insider threats, and their targeting of critical infrastructure. Barnhart highlights the ...
Aug 14, 2024•28 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, Frank Cilluffo speaks with John Katko, the former ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. They discuss Katko’s transition from focusing on terrorism to cybersecurity, the establishment and evolution of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the critical legislation Katko championed to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity defenses. Katko also shares insights on the importance of bipartisan cooperation, challenges in cybersecurity...
Aug 07, 2024•36 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Cyber Focus, Frank Cilluffo sits down with Ari Schwartz, Managing Director of Cyber Services at Venable, and Harley Geiger, Counsel on Cyber Issues at Venable, to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Chevron deference. They delve into the implications of this ruling on cybersecurity policy, regulatory practices, and the broader tech landscape. Main Topics: Understanding Chevron Deference Implications for Cybersecurity Policy Role of the Judiciary in Cybersecur...
Jul 31, 2024•44 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Tim Starks is a senior reporter at CyberScoop with over two decades of experience in cyber reporting. In this episode he dives into the landscape of spyware, highlighting its impact on national security and individual privacy. The discussion with Frank Cilluffo also touches on the actions taken by the U.S. and Poland to address spyware threats, the significance of BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) in internet security, and the regulatory approaches to cybersecurity. Tim provides insights into the co...
Jul 24, 2024•35 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast 
