Tag: Zero-Trust Issues
When The Cameras Show Up: Leading Through A Public Cyber Crisis (Ep. 15)

When The Cameras Show Up: Leading Through A Public Cyber Crisis (Ep. 15)

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What happens when a cyberattack becomes public and the person responsible for leading the response isn’t available? Without clear decision-making authority, backup leadership, and a rehearsed communication plan, an already difficult situation can become even more complicated.

In this episode of Zero-Trust Issues, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder discuss public cyber incident readiness with guest Lou Rabon, Founder & CEO of Cyber Defense Group. The conversation emphasizes executive participation, clear response roles, communication planning, and backup leadership.

Tony asks what a CEO can focus on in the first day or two, and why executive preparation influences the way teams respond. The discussion gives security leaders practical questions to bring into their next rehearsal.

Lou brings his incident response expertise to that host-led discussion. He explains how realistic rehearsals can reveal leadership and communication gaps. 

Key takeaways to explore:

  • How do I prepare our leaders for a cyber incident that becomes public?
  • What should a CEO do in the first 24 hours after a cyberattack?
  • Who should speak to customers after a data breach?
  • How can I get executives involved in a cyber tabletop exercise?
  • When should a security incident wake up the CEO?
  • How often should we practice our cyber incident response plan?
  • And more!

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Why Good Security Strategies Fail: From Planning to Execution ft. Beth Leonard (Ep. 14)

Why Good Security Strategies Fail: From Planning to Execution ft. Beth Leonard (Ep. 14)

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Cybersecurity requirements can feel expensive, complicated, and disconnected from daily operations. What changes when leaders treat compliance as ongoing risk management instead of paperwork?

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, speak with Beth Leonard, Chief Operating Officer of R3 LLC, about turning cybersecurity strategy into consistent execution. 

Beth explains how CMMC, NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, ISO standards, formal risk management, and regular leadership reviews can become part of everyday operations. She also shares firsthand examples of what can happen when organizations delay controls, confuse documentation with implementation, or treat compliance as a checkbox.

Beth discusses:

  • How cybersecurity controls can reduce financial, reputational, and operational exposure across a business
  • Why formal business risk management can make compliance planning and implementation easier to manage
  • How documentation and assessments can fall short when controls aren’t embedded into daily operations
  • Why leadership participation and regular management reviews help cybersecurity plans move into execution
  • How organizations can prioritize limited time, budget, and people according to their highest business risks
  • And more!

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How CMMC Drives Long-Term Security Maturity, Not One-Time Compliance ft. Rick Olivier (Ep. 13)

How CMMC Drives Long-Term Security Maturity, Not One-Time Compliance ft. Rick Olivier (Ep. 13)

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How should defense contractors respond to the CMMC pause? Questions about assessment timing, preparation costs, and CMMC requirements are leaving many organizations unsure whether to continue.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, speak with Rick Olivier, Director of Cybersecurity Advisory at Eide Bailly, about how contractors can prepare without overhauling their entire technology environment. Rick explains how controlled unclassified information determines CMMC scope, when a focused enclave may reduce cost and disruption, and how MSP access can expand the assessment scope. They also cover C3PAO assessments, continuous monitoring, and readiness gaps that can waste time and money.

Key takeaways:

  • How the CMMC pause is affecting assessment timelines and contractor preparation
  • Why locating controlled unclassified information is the first step in defining CMMC scope
  • When a focused CMMC enclave may reduce licensing costs and operational disruption
  • How MSPs, MSSPs, and other third parties can expand the scope of a CMMC assessment
  • Why continuous logging, monitoring, documentation, and response support ongoing readiness
  • And more!

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Cybersecurity Spending: How Saving Today Can Cost You Tomorrow ft. James Ganther (Ep. 12)

Cybersecurity Spending: How Saving Today Can Cost You Tomorrow ft. James Ganther (Ep. 12)

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If the FTC reviewed your car dealership today, could you prove that your cybersecurity practices match your written policies and protect customer data?

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, speak with James S. Ganther, Owner and CEO of Mosaic Compliance Services, about FTC Safeguards Rule compliance for car dealerships. They explain why written policies and purchased technology aren’t enough without testing and verification. The conversation covers phishing, employee training, risk assessments, qualified individuals, and network vulnerability assessments. James also explains how dealerships can document that their cybersecurity controls work as intended.

Key takeaways:

  • What the FTC Safeguards Rule requires car dealerships to document, monitor, test, and verify in practice
  • Why a written information security program must reflect the dealership’s real cybersecurity controls and risks
  • How phishing and stolen credentials can expose customer records, dealership systems, and daily operations
  • What network vulnerability assessments can uncover about missing controls and customer data exposure
  • How qualified individuals, employee training, technology partners, and regular audits support compliance
  • And more!

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From Research to Reality: How Universities Are Driving Cybersecurity Forward (Ep. 11)

From Research to Reality: How Universities Are Driving Cybersecurity Forward (Ep. 11)

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As organizations face growing cybersecurity hiring challenges, cybersecurity staffing shortages, and uncertainty around how AI will impact cybersecurity careers, security leaders are being forced to rethink how they recruit, develop, and retain talent.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, sit down with Julia Armstrong, Executive Director of the Institute for Cybersecurity and Digital Trust at The Ohio State University, to discuss the cybersecurity talent shortage, skills-based hiring, workforce development, and the future of cybersecurity careers. Their conversation explores how universities, industry, and government can work together to prepare the next generation of cyber professionals and build stronger, more resilient security teams.

Key takeaways:

  • Why the cybersecurity talent shortage continues to impact organizations.
  • How skills-based hiring is changing cybersecurity recruitment.
  • What role AI may play in future cybersecurity careers.
  • Why workforce development is critical to cyber resilience.
  • How collaboration between academia, industry, and government can help close the cybersecurity skills gap.
  • And more!

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Connect with Julia Armstrong:

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What Cyber Psychology Teaches Us About Smarter Decision-Making ft. Rick Mishka (Ep. 10)

What Cyber Psychology Teaches Us About Smarter Decision-Making ft. Rick Mishka (Ep. 10)

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Security incidents don’t usually start because someone is careless. They often start because someone is human, busy, tired, rushed, and trying to do the right thing.

In this conversation, Tony Pietrocola and Joe Marquette sit down with Rick Mischka, Head of Resilience and Senior Director of Education Enablement at AVANT Communications, to break down the psychology behind cybersecurity. They explore why people shouldn’t be dismissed as the “weakest link,” how attackers target attention and trust, and what leaders need to understand about building security programs around real human behavior.

Key takeaways:

  • How AI is accelerating cyber threats and security capabilities
  • Why the human element remains critical in cybersecurity
  • The role Zero Trust plays in reducing organizational risk
  • What business leaders should focus on as AI adoption grows
  • Practical ways to strengthen cyber resilience
  • And more!

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Connect with Rick Mischka:

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Mythos: The Emerging Threat Security Teams Can’t Ignore (Ep. 9)

Mythos: The Emerging Threat Security Teams Can’t Ignore (Ep. 9)

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What happens when AI starts finding vulnerabilities faster than security teams can respond? As AI becomes a force multiplier for both defenders and attackers, organizations face a new reality where speed, scale, and decision-making matter more than ever.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, are joined by Andrew Desender, Senior Security Consultant at AgileBlue, and Dylan Marcoux, Founder and Principal Consultant at Aurora Cybersecurity. 

Together, they explore how emerging AI models are accelerating vulnerability discovery, changing how threat actors operate, and creating new leadership challenges for organizations trying to balance security, resilience, and operational continuity.

Key Takeaways:

  • AI is dramatically accelerating the discovery and exploitation of vulnerabilities, including weaknesses hidden in long-standing systems.
  • Threat actors are increasingly using AI for reconnaissance, social engineering, and exploit development, even when AI is not the primary attack driver.
  • Operational Technology (OT) environments face unique challenges because availability and safety often limit traditional patching approaches.
  • Organizations should focus on protecting their digital crown jewels through threat modeling and risk-based prioritization.
  • Security leaders must look beyond patching and build layered defenses through hardening, segmentation, governance, and human expertise.
  • And more!

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The Business of Cyber Partnerships: How MSPs & MSSPs Can Scale & Stand Out ft. Jason Collins (Ep. 8)

The Business of Cyber Partnerships: How MSPs & MSSPs Can Scale & Stand Out ft. Jason Collins (Ep. 8)

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Cybersecurity isn’t just something the IT department handles anymore; it’s become a business issue that leaders across the organization must consider every day.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, sit down with Jason Collins, Chief Information Security Officer at Fit Technologies, a 100% employee-owned MSP based in Cleveland, Ohio.

They talk about how cybersecurity has changed over the years, from a behind-the-scenes IT function to a major part of business operations and decision-making. Jason shares why MSPs need to be more intentional about how they grow their security capabilities, how AI is accelerating both threats and innovation, and why people still play such a big role in successful phishing attacks. He also talks about the importance of understanding your environment before adopting new AI tools, and why real partnerships matter far more than simply stacking vendors.

Key takeaways:

  • Cybersecurity has shifted from an IT responsibility to a business-wide leadership priority
  • The difference between a vendor and a true partner can completely change security outcomes
  • MSPs must balance operational speed with thoughtful, risk-based security leadership
  • AI is accelerating both cybersecurity innovation and cyber threats at an unprecedented pace
  • Strong asset management and data visibility are foundational before adopting AI tools
  • And more!

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Connect with Jason Collins:

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Women Who Secure the World: Breaking Barriers and Building the Future of Cyber Leadership (Ep. 7)

Women Who Secure the World: Breaking Barriers and Building the Future of Cyber Leadership (Ep. 7)

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Most cybersecurity conversations focus on tools and threats. The better ones focus on people, trust, and how leaders actually show up when things go sideways.

In this episode, Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and Joe Marquette, CEO and Co-founder, sit down with Becky Cross, Vice President of Client Partnerships at FIT Technologies.

They get into how cybersecurity leadership is shifting, what clients actually need in high-pressure moments, and why the way we communicate risk matters just as much as the technology behind it.

Becky brings a perspective that’s grounded in real client experience. Less noise, more clarity. Less fear, more trust. And a clear argument for why different perspectives lead to better decisions when it matters most.

Key takeaways:

  • What it looks like to lead with clarity when clients are under pressure
  • How asking better questions changes the outcome of client relationships
  • Where confidence and perception can get misaligned in leadership roles
  • Why diverse teams tend to make stronger, more balanced decisions
  • How representation continues to shape the future of cybersecurity
  • And more!

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Keeping the Lights On: How Critical Infrastructure Leaders Defend the Systems We All Rely On (Ep. 6)

Keeping the Lights On: How Critical Infrastructure Leaders Defend the Systems We All Rely On (Ep. 6)

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What happens when the systems we rely on every day stop working? A former Army officer shares how real-world failures reveal the hidden connections inside critical infrastructure.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, sit down with Chelsea Treboniak, U.S. Army veteran, West Point graduate, and owner of Critical Ops. Drawing from her experience deploying with the 82nd Airborne Division and working across critical infrastructure sectors, Chelsea explains why financial systems, energy, identity access, and supply chains are deeply interconnected.

The conversation explores why modern cybersecurity challenges go far beyond traditional IT environments. Chelsea shares how disruptions in one system can ripple across entire sectors, why disaster recovery plans often fail when they are not tested, and how leaders must rethink risk in a world of tightly coupled digital and physical systems. The discussion also tackles the growing role of automation and AI in security operations. While these tools can improve efficiency, Chelsea emphasizes that human judgment, accountability, and leadership remain essential when systems face unexpected failures.

Key takeaways:

  • Critical infrastructure failures rarely happen in isolation; disruptions in one system often cascade across others.
  • Financial services play a larger role in infrastructure resilience than many leaders realize.
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery plans only work when they are tested under real conditions.
  • Automation and AI can improve efficiency, but human decision-making remains essential in high-pressure situations.
  • Leaders must embrace humility and curiosity to identify hidden risks across interconnected systems.
  • And more!

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Connect with Chelsea Treboniak:

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