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As AI makes it easier for attackers to launch account takeover campaigns at scale, organizations face mounting pressure to protect their customers and their brand. Israel Mazin, Co-Founder and CEO of Memcyco, joins the conversation to discuss how real-time detection and protection capabilities are changing the game. Memcyco is built on four products within a unified platform, each designed to detect and block both traditional and AI-driven attacks in real time. Unlike reactive threat intelligence solutions, Memcyco identifies victims as they interact with fake sites, provides detailed attacker data, and even deploys credential deception to neutralize stolen information before it can be used. With an agentless deployment that takes just minutes to implement, Memcyco delivers more than 10x ROI for customers across financial services, retail, airlines, logistics, and hospitality. The company has achieved nearly 300% year-over-year growth, serving organizations across North America, Latin America, Europe, and beyond. This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight GUEST Israel Mazin, Co-Founder and CEO of Memcyco On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/israel-mazin-62215b/ RESOURCES Memcyco: https://www.memcyco.com/ Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight KEYWORDS Israel Mazin, Memcyco, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, account takeover, ATO fraud, digital impersonation, phishing protection, real-time fraud detection, credential deception, website spoofing, AI-driven attacks, fraud prevention platform, agentless security Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jensen Huang Just Won IEEE's Highest Honor. The Reason Tells Us Everything About Where Tech Is Headed. IEEE announced Jensen Huang as its 2026 Medal of Honor recipient at CES this week. The NVIDIA founder joins a lineage stretching back to 1917—over a century of recognizing people who didn't just advance technology, but advanced humanity through technology. That distinction matters more than ever. I spoke with Mary Ellen Randall, IEEE's 2026 President and CEO, from the floor of CES Las Vegas. The timing felt significant. Here we are, surrounded by the latest gadgets and AI demonstrations, having a conversation about something deeper: what all this technology is actually for. IEEE isn't a small operation. It's the world's largest technical professional society—500,000 members across 190 countries, 38 technical societies, and 142 years of history that traces back to when the telegraph was connecting continents and electricity was the revolutionary new thing. Back then, engineers gathered to exchange ideas, challenge each other's thinking, and push innovation forward responsibly. The methods have evolved. The mission hasn't. "We're dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity," Randall told me. Not advancing technology for its own sake. Not for quarterly earnings. For humanity. It sounds like a slogan until you realize it's been their operating principle since before radio existed. What struck me was her framing of this moment. Randall sees parallels to the Renaissance—painters working with sculptors, sharing ideas with scientists, cross-pollinating across disciplines to create explosive growth. "I believe we're in another time like that," she said. "And IEEE plays a crucial role because we are the way to get together and exchange ideas on a very rapid scale." The Jensen Huang selection reflects this philosophy. Yes, NVIDIA built the hardware that powers AI. But the Medal of Honor citation focuses on something broader—the entire ecosystem NVIDIA created that enables AI advancement across healthcare, autonomous systems, drug discovery, and beyond. It's not just about chips. It's about what the chips make possible. That ecosystem thinking matters when AI is moving faster than our ethical frameworks can keep pace. IEEE is developing standards to address bias in AI models. They've created certification programs for ethical AI development. They even have standards for protecting young people online—work that doesn't make headlines but shapes the digital environment we all inhabit. "Technology is a double-edged sword," Randall acknowledged. "But we've worked very hard to move it forward in a very responsible and ethical way." What does responsible look like when everything is accelerating? IEEE's answer involves convening experts to challenge each other, peer-reviewing research to maintain trust, and developing standards that create guardrails without killing innovation. It's the slow, unglamorous work that lets the exciting breakthroughs happen safely. The organization includes 189,000 student members—the next generation of engineers who will inherit both the tools and the responsibilities we're creating now. "Engineering with purpose" is the phrase Randall kept returning to. People don't join IEEE just for career advancement. They join because they want to do good. I asked about the future. Her answer circled back to history: the Renaissance happened when different disciplines intersected and people exchanged ideas freely. We have better tools for that now—virtual conferences, global collaboration, instant communication. The question is whether we use them wisely. We live in a Hybrid Analog Digital Society where the choices engineers make today ripple through everything tomorrow. Organizations like IEEE exist to ensure those choices serve humanity, not just shareholder returns. Jensen Huang's Medal of Honor isn't just recognition of past achievement. It's a statement about what kind of innovation...

In this Brand Highlight, we talk with Denny LeCompte, CEO and Co-Founder of Portnox, about how identity and access control are changing as AI-driven agents and synthetic identities become active participants inside enterprise environments. Passwords still sit at the root of many security failures, which is why the conversation starts with the fundamentals: controlling who can access data, from where, and under what device and policy conditions. Certificate-based authentication emerges as a practical way to reduce password dependency while keeping enforcement tied to managed devices and policy compliance. The discussion then shifts to what is changing for security leaders. CISOs may feel more confident managing traditional cyber threats, but uncertainty rises quickly when AI-generated and non-human identities enter the picture. Agentic AI turns automation into an entity that touches networks and applications, making access control a first-order requirement rather than an afterthought. A clear theme emerges throughout the conversation: synthetic identities are not hypothetical. They appear anywhere autonomous agents require permissions to act, from software development to workflow automation. Applying the same discipline used for human identities, including least privilege, scope limitation, and policy enforcement, becomes essential to maintaining control as AI adoption accelerates. Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more. Guest Denny LeCompte, CEO and Co-Founder of Portnox https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennylecompte/ Resources Learn more about Portnox: https://www.portnox.com/ Are you interested in telling your story? Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Keywords: sean martin, denny lecompte, portnox, identity, access, zero trust, passwordless, certificates, agentic ai, synthetic identities, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Across dozens of conversations centered on the CISO experience, one reality keeps surfacing: the role no longer exists to protect systems in isolation. It exists to protect the business itself. Today’s CISO operates at the intersection of operational risk, executive decision-making, and organizational trust. The responsibility is not just to identify threats, but to help leadership understand which risks matter, when they matter, and why they deserve attention. This shift changes what success looks like. It also changes how pressure is felt. During the early years of this transition, CISOs carry accountability without authority. They are expected to influence outcomes without always having control over budgets, priorities, or timelines. That tension forces a new skill set to the forefront. Technical knowledge is assumed. The differentiator becomes communication, translation, and relationship-building across the business. As organizations mature, the conversation evolves again. Security stops being framed around individual threats and starts being framed as an operational discipline. CISOs focus on prioritization, tradeoffs, and clarity rather than coverage for everything. This requires judgment more than tooling. The role also becomes deeply human. Fear shows up quietly. Fear of pushing too hard. Fear of slowing the business. Fear of being seen as the blocker. CISOs who succeed do not eliminate that fear. They learn how to manage it while building credibility with executive peers. AI enters the picture not as a replacement, but as a force multiplier. Automation supports scale, but judgment remains human. Security programs increasingly deny by default and permit intentionally, which demands a deep understanding of how the business actually works. That understanding cannot be automated. What emerges is a clearer definition of modern security leadership. The CISO is no longer a gatekeeper. This is a risk advisor, a translator, and a strategist who helps the organization focus its limited resources where they matter most. The role has not become easier. It has become more meaningful. Read the full article: TBA ________ This story represents the results of an interactive collaboration between Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence. Enjoy, think, share with others, and subscribe to "The Future of Cybersecurity" newsletter on LinkedIn: https://itspm.ag/future-of-cybersecurity Sincerely, Sean Martin and TAPE9 ________ Sean Martin is a life-long musician and the host of the Music Evolves Podcast; a career technologist, cybersecurity professional, and host of the Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast; and is also the co-host of the On Location Event Coverage Podcast. These shows are all part of ITSPmagazine—which he co-founded with his good friend Marco Ciappelli, to explore and discuss topics at The Intersection of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Society.™️ Would you like Sean to work with you on a topic/series to help you tell your story? Visit his services page to learn more: https://www.seanmartin.com/services Want to connect with Sean and Marco On Location at an event or conference near you? See where they will be next: https://www.itspmagazine.com/on-location To learn more about Sean, visit his personal website. Keywords: sean martin, marco ciappelli, steve katz, tim brown, jessica robinson, rob allen, rohit ghai, rich seiersen, steven j speer, chris pierson, mark lambert, jim manico, robin bylenga, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast, ciso, risk, leadership, ai, resilience, strategy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Show Notes Music placement has quietly become one of the most powerful engines shaping how audiences discover new artists. In this episode of Music Evolves, host Sean Martin speaks with Chris SD, music producer and founder focused on connecting independent songwriters with film, television, and media opportunities, about how music moves from personal creation into shared cultural moments. The conversation centers on sync licensing not as a shortcut, but as a parallel creative economy. Chris SD explains that music supervisors, the professionals responsible for sourcing music for screen, are not looking for imitation or trend chasing. They are listening for authenticity. Songs that already exist, written without a brief or a pitch in mind, often resonate more deeply because they carry emotional truth rather than calculated intent. Why Indie Music Wins Screen Time Independent artists play a critical role in modern film and television. Budget realities often make major label catalogs impractical, while independent creators offer flexibility, ownership clarity, and creative alignment. This shifts the opportunity structure. Artists who control their masters and publishing are easier to work with and faster to license, which matters in production schedules driven by speed. Exposure matters as much as payment. A single placement can introduce an artist to millions of viewers in a context that builds emotional association rather than passive listening. That connection often leads to discovery, touring opportunities, and long-term audience growth. Technology as a Tool, Not the Author The episode also addresses the growing conversation around AI in music creation. Chris SD draws a clear distinction between technology as a production aid and technology as a replacement for human authorship. Current legal frameworks and copyright realities prevent fully AI-generated music from being licensed for film and television. More importantly, the emotional nuance required for storytelling still depends on human experience. The message is consistent throughout the discussion. Music that endures is not built on novelty or automation alone. It survives because it reflects something real. Sync licensing rewards that honesty rather than undermines it. For artists navigating visibility, rights, and sustainability, this conversation reframes placement not as selling out, but as participation in a larger storytelling ecosystem. Guest Chris SD, Musician, Producer, and Founder of Sync Songwriter | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-sd/ Host Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/ Resources Attend The Sync Songwriter Music Supervisor Panel: coming soon... More From Sean Martin More from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcast Music Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtW Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazine Be sure to share and subscribe! Keywords sean martin, chris sd, sync, licensing, music, film, television, independent, supervisors, creativity, art, artist, musician, music evolves, music podcast, music and technology podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Across 152 conversations this year, a set of recurring patterns kept surfacing, regardless of whether the discussion focused on application security, software supply chain risk, AI systems, or creative work. The industries varied. The roles varied. The challenges did not. One theme rises above the rest: visibility remains the foundation of everything else, yet organizations continue to accept blind spots as normal. Asset inventories are incomplete. Build systems are poorly understood. Dependencies change faster than teams can track them. The issue is not a lack of tools. It is a willingness to tolerate uncertainty because discovery feels hard or disruptive. Another pattern is equally consistent. Integration matters more than novelty. New features, including AI-driven ones, sound compelling until they fail to connect with what teams already rely on. Security programs fracture when tools operate in isolation. Coverage looks strong on paper while gaps quietly expand in practice. When tools fail to integrate into existing environments, they create complexity instead of reducing risk. Security also continues to struggle with how it shows up in daily work. Programs succeed when security is embedded into workflows, automated where possible, and invisible until it matters. They fail when security acts as a gate that arrives after decisions are already made. Teams either adopt security naturally or route around it entirely. There is no neutral middle ground. Context repeatedly separates effective leadership from noise. Risk only becomes meaningful when it is framed in terms of business operations, delivery speed, and real tradeoffs. Leaders who understand how the business actually functions communicate risk clearly and make better decisions under pressure. Finally, creativity remains undervalued in security conversations. Automation should remove repetitive tasks so people can focus on judgment, problem solving, and design. The same mindset that produces elegant guitars, photographs, or products applies directly to building resilient security programs. These five patterns are not independent ideas. Together, they describe a shift toward security that is visible, integrated, contextual, workflow-driven, and human-centered. Read the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-patterns-from-152-podcast-episodes-2025-changed-i-martin-cissp-st1ge ________ This story represents the results of an interactive collaboration between Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence. Enjoy, think, share with others, and subscribe to "The Future of Cybersecurity" newsletter on LinkedIn: https://itspm.ag/future-of-cybersecurity Sincerely, Sean Martin and TAPE9 ________ Sean Martin is a life-long musician and the host of the Music Evolves Podcast; a career technologist, cybersecurity professional, and host of the Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast; and is also the co-host of the On Location Event Coverage Podcast. These shows are all part of ITSPmagazine—which he co-founded with his good friend Marco Ciappelli, to explore and discuss topics at The Intersection of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Society.™️ Would you like Sean to work with you on a topic/series to help you tell your story? Visit his services page to learn more: https://www.seanmartin.com/services Want to connect with Sean and Marco On Location at an event or conference near you? See where they will be next: https://www.itspmagazine.com/on-location To learn more about Sean, visit his personal website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Show Notes Music careers are often discussed through the lens of performance, technology, or commercial success. Less visible is the connective tissue that sustains those careers: community, advocacy, and long-term support systems. In this episode of Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers, the conversation centers on how structured networks and intentional recognition shape opportunity across the music industry. Laura Whitmore, Founder of The Women’s International Music Network and Senior Vice President of Marketing at Positive Grid, shares how the organization was created to address a simple but persistent issue: women working across music often operate in parallel, rarely connected despite facing similar challenges. The network focuses on bridging that gap by creating shared spaces for visibility, mentorship, and collaboration across roles including artists, executives, engineers, marketers, and legal professionals. A central anchor of that effort is the She Rocks Awards, now in its fourteenth year. The awards, taking place during The NAMM Show 2026, highlight women contributing across all layers of the industry, not only those on stage. The emphasis is on storytelling and presence, giving space for honorees to speak openly about career paths, obstacles, and resilience. That visibility has a ripple effect, normalizing leadership diversity and encouraging others to see themselves as part of the industry’s future. The discussion also addresses how technology fits into this ecosystem. From AI-assisted music tools to digital platforms that broaden access, innovation plays a role when it amplifies creativity rather than replacing it. The focus remains on preserving human expression while using technology to remove friction and expand reach. Another recurring theme is generational continuity. Younger creators and professionals bring new perspectives on consumption, creation, and community. Engaging them early, listening closely, and building inclusive pathways ensures the industry remains relevant and sustainable. This episode frames music not only as art or business, but as a shared cultural system. Networks like this one reinforce that progress does not happen automatically. It is built through intentional connection, recognition, and sustained effort. Guest Laura Whitmore, Founder of The Women’s International Music Network and Senior Vice President of Marketing at Positive Grid | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabwhitmore/ Host Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/ Resources The Women's International Music Network: https://thewimn.com/ 2026 She Rocks Awards: https://sherocksawards.com/ The NAMM Show 2026 is taking place from January 20-24, 2026 | Anaheim Convention Center • Southern California — Coverage provided by ITSPmagazine — Follow our coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/cybersecurity-technology-society-events/the-namm-show-2026 The NAMM Show 2026: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/attend Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ Keywords sean martin, laura whitmore, women’s international music network, she rocks awards, positive grid, namm, music advocacy, music marketing, women in music, music leadership, music, creativity, art, artist, musician, music evolves, music podcast, music and technology podcast More From Sean Martin More from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcast Music Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtW Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ On Location with Sean and Marco: https://www.itspmagazine.com/on-location ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazine Be sure to share and subscribe! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

In this Brand Highlight, we talk with Michael Roytman, CTO of Empirical Security, about a problem many security teams quietly struggle with: using general purpose AI tools for decisions that demand precision, forecasting, and accountability. Michael explains why large language models are often misapplied in security programs. LLMs excel at summarization, classification, and pattern extraction, but they are not designed to predict future outcomes like exploitation likelihood or operational risk. Treating them as universal problem solvers creates confidence gaps, not clarity. At Empirical, the focus is on preventative security through purpose built modeling. That means probabilistic forecasting, enterprise specific risk models, and continuous retraining using real telemetry from security operations. Instead of relying on a single model or generic scoring system, Empirical applies ensembles of models tuned to specific tasks, from vulnerability exploitation probability to identifying malicious code patterns. Michael also highlights why retraining matters as much as training. Threat conditions, environments, and attacker behavior change constantly. Models that are not continuously updated lose relevance quickly. Building that feedback loop across hundreds of customers is as much an engineering and operations challenge as it is a data science one. The conversation reinforces a simple but often ignored idea: better security outcomes come from using the right tools for the right questions, not from chasing whatever AI technique happens to be popular. This episode offers a grounded perspective for leaders trying to separate signal from noise in AI driven security decision making. Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more. GUEST Michael Roytman, CTO of Empirical Security | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-roytman/ RESOURCES Learn more about Empirical Security: https://www.empiricalsecurity.com/ LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bellis_a-lot-of-people-are-talking-about-generative-activity-7394418706388402178-uZjB/ Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Keywords: sean martin, michael roytman, ed beis, empirical security, cybersecurity, ai, machinelearning, vulnerability, risk, forecasting, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand story podcast, brand spotlight Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Where has Santa Claus gone? Once upon a time there was Santa Claus's Village — but Santa Claus wasn't there. He had been missing for days and days… actually for months. Who would prepare and deliver gifts to the children as they did every year? That part of the North Pole which was usually very busy had become strangely silent — not an Elf could be seen around, no sounds of bells, the sleighs were covered in snow and all the reindeer dozed about confused. If you looked into his house you couldn't see a trace of life. The fireplace cold, the rocking chair covered in cobwebs, an empty cup on the wooden table and a candle stub burnt out long ago. Many were the rumours that had spread about Santa Claus's absence. Some said he was on another planet in a far, far away galaxy, some on the Moon, some on the vast oceans — and someone even said he had opened a bakery in Buenos Aires. The mystery was thick. Nobody could make sense of it and everything was silent and still. Meanwhile, many miles away, in the Southern Seas, a group of seagulls who spent their days fluttering above the bay spotted a small sailing boat in the distance. There was only one sailor on board who was hoisting the main sail up the creaking mast. The eldest seagull couldn't believe his eyes. He did a couple of acrobatics in the air, pulled out his spyglass, looked more carefully and said: "But I know him! That sailor comes from distant lands!" Turning to the other seagulls he told them: "One day, during one of my long journeys, I lost my way and found myself on the frozen rooftops of a village at the North Pole. I landed right on the house of that long-bearded man you see on the boat. He heard me calling for help, came to fetch me, fed me and told me about his work. I think this meeting has something magical about it. Our next adventure is about to begin." Gliding down, they headed towards the boat and all landed on the bow. The seagull and the sailor greeted each other like old friends. Shortly after, a group of dolphins arrived near the sailing boat, curious. They swam in circles around the boat, jumping out of the water. The youngest dolphin noticed something strange. "Look! Wood shavings are coming out of the hold and floating! And you can see little lights below deck." The long-bearded sailor smiled. "Come," he said in a warm voice, "I'll show you what I've done all these months." He opened the hatch to the hold and inside, by the light of two swaying lanterns, you could see a floating workshop full of wonders. With a sharp plane he had worked pieces of wood recovered from the sea, transforming them into toys — and he had done the same with shells, coconuts, cork stoppers, glass bottles, starfish and golden threads that had arrived from who knows where. "I travelled to learn new ways of bringing joy," the sailor explained. "But there's so much work to do and Christmas is coming. Would you help me finish?" And so they all set to work together. The dolphins brought special shells from the bottom of the sea. The seagulls gathered coloured feathers. The objects transformed into gifts were placed in large canvas sacks. The days passed quickly. On the first of December the captain, wearing his red warm hat with his pipe in his mouth, looked at the starry sky and said: "It's time to leave." The dolphins lifted the sailing boat until it rose above the waves. The sails filled with wind and it took flight, whilst the flock of seagulls guided it through the clouds following dreams. Together they continued the journey heading north, flying through the endless blue. Night fell quickly and in the sky full of stars one shone brighter than all the others. It was the North Star which with its light accompanied the sailing boat's descent to earth. By magic, as it approached the village, the sailing boat transformed into a sleigh loaded with gifts. The presents built in the hold arrived in the workshop to be delivered together with all the other...

As organizations race to adopt AI, many discover an uncomfortable truth: ambition often outpaces readiness. In this episode of the ITSPmagazine Brand Story Podcast, host Sean Martin speaks with Julian Hamood, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer at TrustedTech, about what it really takes to operationalize AI without amplifying risk, chaos, or misinformation. Julian shares that most organizations are eager to activate tools like AI agents and copilots, yet few have addressed the underlying condition of their environments. Unstructured data sprawl, fragmented cloud architectures, and legacy systems create blind spots that AI does not fix. Instead, AI accelerates whatever already exists, good or bad. A central theme of the conversation is readiness. Julian explains that AI success depends on disciplined data classification, permission hygiene, and governance before automation begins. Without that groundwork, organizations risk exposing sensitive financial, HR, or executive data to unintended audiences simply because an AI system can surface it. The discussion also explores the operational reality beneath the surface. Most environments are a patchwork of Azure, AWS, on-prem infrastructure, SaaS platforms, and custom applications, often shaped by multiple IT leaders over time. When AI is layered onto this complexity without architectural clarity, inaccurate outputs and flawed business decisions quickly follow. Sean and Julian also examine how AI initiatives often emerge from unexpected places. Legal teams, business units, and individual contributors now build their own AI workflows using low-code and no-code tools, frequently outside formal IT oversight. At the same time, founders and CFOs push for rapid AI adoption while resisting the investment required to clean and secure the foundation. The episode highlights why AI programs are never one-and-done projects. Ongoing maintenance, data validation, and security oversight are essential as inputs change and systems evolve. Julian emphasizes that organizations must treat AI as a permanent capability on the roadmap, not a short-term experiment. Ultimately, the conversation frames AI not as a shortcut, but as a force multiplier. When paired with disciplined architecture and trusted guidance, AI enables scale, speed, and confidence. Without that discipline, it simply magnifies existing problems. Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more. GUEST Julian Hamood, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer at TrustedTech | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-hamood/ Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Spotlight Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Highlight Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Keywords: sean martin, julian hamood, trusted tech, ai readiness, data governance, ai security, enterprise ai, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand story podcast, brand spotlight Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As NAMM approaches its 125th year, the conversation around The NAMM Show 2026 centers less on products alone and more on the people, relationships, and creative energy that sustain the music industry. In this episode, John Mlynczak, President and CEO of NAMM, joins Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli to frame the upcoming show as a moment shaped by resilience, adaptation, and shared purpose. Mlynczak positions NAMM’s history as a long record of responding to disruption. Musical genres shift. Technologies rise and fall. Companies appear and disappear. Music itself remains. That continuity shapes how NAMM views its role today, particularly amid global trade pressures and ongoing debates around AI in music creation. These pressures are not framed as endpoints, but as forces the industry has encountered many times before, each eventually reshaped into opportunity. A major theme is the renewed emphasis on human connection. While innovation remains central, differentiation increasingly comes through artists, creators, and authentic storytelling. Product launches are no longer just technical showcases. They are expressions of identity, collaboration, and trust between musicians and the tools they choose. According to Mlynczak, this shift is driving a larger presence of artists and creators at The NAMM Show 2026, reinforcing the idea that brands are ultimately represented by people, not specifications. Education also plays a defining role. With more than 200 sessions planned, alongside new half-day and full-day summits, The NAMM Show 2026 expands its commitment to learning across experience levels and professional communities. Retailers, educators, engineers, marketers, and performers each have distinct paths through the show, designed intentionally rather than left to chance. Data-driven planning allows NAMM to understand how attendees engage, enabling more tailored experiences now and in the years ahead. Underlying it all is energy. Not hype, but momentum built through in-person connection. The NAMM Show is described as a space where competitors share ideas, musicians find inspiration, and creativity compounds simply by being present. For those who attend, The NAMM Show 2026 serves as a springboard into the year ahead, shaped by music’s enduring ability to connect, adapt, and move people forward. The NAMM Show 2026 is taking place from January 20-24, 2026 | Anaheim Convention Center • Southern California — Coverage provided by ITSPmagazine — Follow our coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/cybersecurity-technology-society-events/the-namm-show-2026 GUEST: Guest: John Mlynczak, President and CEO of NAMM | View Website | Visit NAMM HOSTS: Sean Martin, Co-Founder, ITSPmagazine and Studio C60 | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder, ITSPmagazine and Studio C60 | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com NAMM Organization: https://www.namm.org/ The NAMM Show 2026: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/attend Catch more stories from NAMM Show 2026 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/cybersecurity-technology-society-events/the-namm-show-2026 Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ More from Marco Ciappelli on Redefining Society and Technology Podcast: https://redefiningsocietyandtechnologypodcast.com/ Want to share an Event Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://www.studioc60.com/performance#briefing Want Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.studioc60.com/performance#ideas KEYWORDS: sean martin, marco ciappelli, john mlynczak, the namm show, the namm show 2026, namm 2026, music industry, music technology, music education, artist collaborations, event coverage, on location, conference Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

⬥EPISODE NOTES⬥ Modern application development depends on open source packages moving at extraordinary speed. Paul McCarty, Offensive Security Specialist focused on software supply chain threats, explains why that speed has quietly reshaped risk across development pipelines, developer laptops, and CI environments. JavaScript dominates modern software delivery, and the npm registry has become the largest package ecosystem in the world. Millions of packages, thousands of daily updates, and deeply nested dependency chainsഴ് often exceeding a thousand indirect dependencies per application. That scale creates opportunity, not only for innovation, but for adversaries who understand how developers actually build software. This conversation focuses on a shift that security leaders can no longer ignore. Malicious packages are not exploiting accidental coding errors. They are intentionally engineered to steal credentials, exfiltrate secrets, and compromise environments long before traditional security tools see anything wrong. Attacks increasingly begin on developer machines through social engineering and poisoned repositories, then propagate into CI pipelines where access density and sensitive credentials converge. Paul outlines why many existing security approaches fall short. Vulnerability databases were built for mistakes, not hostile code. AppSec teams are overloaded burning down backlogs. Security operations teams rarely receive meaningful telemetry from build systems. The result is a visibility gap where malicious code can run, disappear, and leave organizations unsure what was touched or stolen. The episode also explores why simple advice like “only use vetted packages” fails in practice. Open source ecosystems move too fast for manual approval models, and internal package repositories often collapse under friction. Meanwhile, attackers exploit maintainer accounts, typosquatting domains, and ecosystem trust to reach billions of downstream installations in a single event. This discussion challenges security leaders to rethink how software supply chain risk is defined, detected, and owned. The problem is no longer theoretical, and it no longer lives only in development teams. It sits at the intersection of intellectual property, identity, and delivery velocity, demanding attention from anyone responsible for protecting modern software-driven organizations. ⬥GUEST⬥ Paul McCarty, NPM Hacker and Software Supply Chain Researcher | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccartypaul/ ⬥HOST⬥ Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imsmartin/ | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com ⬥RESOURCES⬥ LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mccartypaul_i-want-to-introduce-you-to-my-latest-project-activity-7396297753196363776-1N-T Open Source Malware Database: https://opensourcemalware.com OpenSSF Scorecard Project: https://securityscorecards.dev ⬥ADDITIONAL INFORMATION⬥ ✨ More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast: 🎧 https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcast Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube: 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYq 📝 The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/ Contact Sean Martin to request to be a guest on an episode of Redefining CyberSecurity: https://www.seanmartin.com/contact ⬥KEYWORDS⬥ paul mccarty, sean martin, software, supplychain, appsec, npm, javascript, ci, malware, opensource, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Risk has always been part of doing business. What has changed is its scale, speed, and interconnected nature. In this episode, Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli are joined by Megha Kumar, Chief Product Officer and Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel, to explore how organizations can think more clearly about digital risk without becoming paralyzed by complexity. Kumar shares how digital resilience is no longer a technical problem alone. Regulations, infrastructure dependencies, geopolitical tensions, supply chain exposure, and emerging technologies such as AI now converge into a single operational reality. Organizations that treat these as isolated issues often miss the real picture, where one decision quietly amplifies risk across multiple domains. A central theme of the conversation is proportion. Kumar emphasizes that risk management is not about eliminating uncertainty, but aligning effort with value. Not every threat matters equally to every organization. Understanding who you are, where you operate, and where you are going determines which signals deserve attention and which are simply noise. The discussion also reframes geopolitics as a daily business concern rather than a distant policy issue. Companies operate inside global power dynamics whether they acknowledge it or not. Technology choices, supplier relationships, and market expansion decisions increasingly carry political and regulatory consequences that surface quickly and without warning. Rather than advocating for massive new departments or rigid frameworks, Kumar outlines a practical approach. Organizations can decide whether to avoid, mitigate, transfer, or tolerate risk, then revisit those decisions as conditions change. This mindset supports growth and innovation while avoiding the false comfort of static checklists. The episode closes on culture. Effective risk management depends on listening across roles, disciplines, and seniority. Internal dissent, diverse viewpoints, and external validation are presented as assets, not obstacles. In a world where uncertainty is constant, resilience comes from clarity, not control. Learn more about CyXcel: https://itspm.ag/cyxcel-922331 Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more. GUEST Megha Kumar, Partner, Chief Product Officer & Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmeghakumarcyxcel/ RESOURCES Learn more and catch more stories from CyXcel: https://www.itspmagazine.com/directory/cyxcel Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Spotlight Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Highlight Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

____________Guests: Suzy Pallett President, Black Hat. Cybersecurity. On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzy-pallett-60710132/ The Cybersecurity Community Finds Its Footing in Uncertain Times There is something almost paradoxical about the cybersecurity industry. It exists because of threats, yet it thrives on trust. It deals in technical complexity, yet its beating heart is fundamentally human: people gathering, sharing knowledge, and collectively deciding that defending each other matters more than protecting proprietary advantage. This tension—and this hope—was on full display at Black Hat Europe 2025 in London, which just wrapped up at the ExCel Centre with attendance growing more than 25 percent over last year. For Suzy Pallett, the newly appointed President of Black Hat, the numbers tell only part of the story. "What I've found from this week is the knowledge sharing, the insights, the open source tools that we've shared, the demonstrations that have happened—they've been so instrumental," Pallett shared in a conversation with ITSPmagazine. "Cybersecurity is unlike any other industry I've ever been close to in the strength of that collaboration." Pallett took the helm in September after Steve Wylie stepped down following eleven years leading the brand through significant growth. Her background spans over two decades in global events, most recently with Money20/20, the fintech conference series. But she speaks of Black Hat not as a business to be managed but as a community to be served. The event itself reflected the year's dominant concerns. AI agents and supply chain vulnerabilities emerged as central themes, continuing conversations that dominated Black Hat USA in Las Vegas just months earlier. But Europe brought its own character. Keynotes ranged from Max Meets examining whether ransomware can actually be stopped, to Linus Neumann questioning whether compliance checklists might actually expose organizations to greater risk rather than protecting them. "He was saying that the compliance checklists that we're all being stressed with are actually where the vulnerabilities lie," Pallett explained. "How can we work more collaboratively together so that it's not just a compliance checklist that we get?" This is the kind of question that sits at the intersection of technology and policy, technical reality and bureaucratic aspiration. It is also the kind of question that rarely gets asked in vendor halls but deserves space in our collective thinking. Joe Tidy, the BBC journalist behind the EvilCorp podcast, delivered a record-breaking keynote attendance on day two, signaling the growing appetite for cybersecurity stories that reach beyond the practitioner community into broader public consciousness. Louise Marie Harrell spoke on technical capacity and international accountability—a reminder that cyber threats respect no borders and neither can our responses. What makes Black Hat distinct, Pallett noted, is that the conversations happening on the business hall floor are not typical expo fare. "You have the product teams, you have the engineers, you have the developers on those stands, and it's still product conversations and technical conversations." Looking ahead, Pallett's priorities center on listening. Review boards, advisory boards, pastoral programs, scholarships—these are the mechanisms through which she intends to ensure Black Hat remains, in her words, "a platform for them and by them." The cybersecurity industry faces a peculiar burden. What used to happen in twelve years now happens in two days, as Pallett put it. The pace is exhausting. The threats keep evolving. The cat-and-mouse game shows no signs of ending. But perhaps that is precisely why events like this matter. Not because they offer solutions to every problem, but because they remind an industry under constant pressure that it is not alone in the fight. That collaboration is not weakness. That sharing knowledge freely is not...

Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker Pen Densham on Writing, Cinematography, Photography, Creativity and the Freedom of Breaking the Rules There's a particular kind of magic that happens when a storyteller stops trying to please the market and starts listening to their soul. Pen Densham knows this better than most—he's lived it across three different mediums, each time learning to let go a little more. Densham's creative journey spans decades and disciplines: from screenwriting to cinematography to, now, impressionist photography. When I sat down with him for Audio Signals Podcast, we didn't dwell on credits or awards. We talked about the vulnerability of creativity, the courage it takes to break the rules, and the freedom that comes when you stop asking for permission. "Those scripts that I wrote out of passion, even though they didn't seem necessary to fit the market, got made more frequently than the ones I wrote when I was architecting to hit goals for a studio," Densham told me. It's a paradox he's discovered over and over: the work born from genuine emotional need resonates in ways that calculated formulas never can. His thinking has been shaped by extraordinary influences. He studied with Marshall McLuhan, who opened his eyes to the biology of storytelling—how audiences enter a trance state, mirroring the characters on screen, processing strategies through their neurons. He found resonance in Joseph Campbell's work on myth. "We're the shamans of our age," Densham reflects. "We're trying to interpret society in ways that people can learn and change." But what struck me most was how Densham, after mastering the craft of writing and the machinery of cinematography, has circled back to the simplest tool: a camera. Not to capture perfect images, but to create what he calls "visual music." He moves his camera deliberately during long exposures. He shoots koi through blinding sunlight. He photographs waves at dusk until they fragment into impressionistic dances of light and motion. "The biggest effort was letting go of self-criticism," he admitted. "Thinking 'this is stupid, these aren't real photographs.' But I'm making images that blow my mind." This is the thread that runs through Densham's entire creative life: the willingness to unlearn. In writing, he learned to trust his instincts over studio formulas. In cinematography, he learned that visual storytelling could carry emotional weight beyond dialogue. And now, in photography, he's learned that breaking every rule he ever absorbed—holding the camera still, getting the exposure right, capturing a "correct" image—has unlocked something entirely new. There's a lesson here for anyone who creates. We absorb rules unconsciously—what a proper screenplay looks like, how a film should be shot, what makes a "real" photograph. And sometimes those rules serve us. But sometimes they become cages. Densham's journey is proof that the most profound creative freedom comes not from mastering the rules, but from having the courage to abandon them. "I'm not smarter than anybody else," he said. "But like Einstein said, I stay at things longer." We left the door open for more—AI, the creator economy, the future of storytelling. But for now, there's something powerful in Densham's path across writing, cinematography, and photography: a reminder that creativity is not a destination but a continuous act of letting go. Stay tuned. Subscribe. And remember—we are all made of stories. Learn more about Pen Densham: https://pendenshamphotography.com Learn more about my work and podcasts at marcociappelli.com and audiosignalspodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

⬥EPISODE NOTES⬥ Artificial intelligence is reshaping how public health organizations manage data, interpret trends, and support decision-making. In this episode, Sean Martin talks with Jim St. Clair, Vice President of Public Health Systems at a major public health research institute, Altarum, about what AI adoption really looks like across federal, state, and local agencies. Public health continues to face pressure from shifting budgets, aging infrastructure, and growing expectations around timely reporting. Jim highlights how initiatives launched after the pandemic pushed agencies toward modernized systems, new interoperability standards, and a stronger foundation for automated reporting. Interoperability and data accessibility remain central themes, especially as agencies work to retire manual processes and unify fragmented registries, surveillance systems, and reporting pipelines. AI enters the picture as a multiplier rather than a replacement. Jim outlines practical use cases that public health agencies can act on now, from community health communication tools and emergency response coordination to predictive analytics for population health. These approaches support faster interpretation of data, targeted outreach to communities, and improved visibility into ongoing health activity. At the same time, CISOs and security leaders are navigating a new risk environment as agencies explore generative AI, open models, and multi-agent systems. Sean and Jim discuss the importance of applying disciplined data governance, aligning AI with FedRAMP and state-level controls, and ensuring that any model running inside an organization’s environment is treated with the same rigor as traditional systems. The conversation closes with a look at where AI is headed. Jim notes that multi-agent frameworks and smaller, purpose-built models will shape the next wave of public health technology. These systems introduce new opportunities for automation and decision support, but also require thoughtful implementation to ensure trust, reliability, and safety. This episode presents a realistic, forward-looking view of how AI can strengthen the future of public health and the cybersecurity responsibilities that follow. ⬥GUEST⬥ Jim St. Clair, Vice President, Public Health Systems, Altarum | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimstclair/ ⬥HOST⬥ Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imsmartin/ | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com ⬥RESOURCES⬥ N/A ⬥ADDITIONAL INFORMATION⬥ ✨ More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast: 🎧 https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcast Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube: 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYq 📝 The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/ Contact Sean Martin to request to be a guest on an episode of Redefining CyberSecurity: https://www.seanmartin.com/contact ⬥KEYWORDS⬥ sean martin, jim st. clair, ai, interoperability, public health, data governance, population health, cybersecurity, ciso, automation, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Steve Mancini: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-steve-m-b59a525/ Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com/ Nothing Has Changed in Cybersecurity Since War Games — And That's Why We're in Trouble "Nothing has changed." That's not what you expect to hear from someone with four decades in cybersecurity. The industry thrives on selling the next revolution, the newest threat, the latest solution. But Dr. Steve Mancini—cybersecurity professor, Homeland Security veteran, and Italy's Honorary Consul in Pittsburgh—wasn't buying any of it. And honestly? Neither was I. He took me back to his Commodore 64 days, writing basic war dialers after watching War Games. The method? Dial numbers, find an open line, try passwords until one works. Translate that to today: run an Nmap scan, find an open port, brute force your way in. The principle is identical. Only the speed has changed. This resonated deeply with how I think about our Hybrid Analog Digital Society. We're so consumed with the digital evolution—the folding screens, the AI assistants, the cloud computing—that we forget the human vulnerabilities underneath remain stubbornly analog. Social engineering worked in the 1930s, it worked when I was a kid in Florence, and it works today in your inbox. Steve shared a story about a family member who received a scam call. The caller asked if their social security number "had a six in it." A one-in-nine guess. Yet that simple psychological trick led to remote software being installed on their computer. Technology gets smarter; human psychology stays the same. What struck me most was his observation about his students—a generation so immersed in technology that they've become numb to breaches. "So what?" has become the default response. The data sells, the breaches happen, you get two years of free credit monitoring, and life goes on. Groundhog Day. But the deeper concern isn't the breaches. It's what this technological immersion is doing to our capacity for critical thinking, for human instinct. Steve pointed out something that should unsettle us: the algorithms feeding content to young minds are designed for addiction, manipulating brain chemistry with endorphin kicks from endless scrolling. We won't know the full effects of a generation raised on smartphones until they're forty, having scrolled through social media for thirty years. I asked what we can do. His answer was simple but profound: humans need to decide how much they want technology in their lives. Parents putting smartphones in six-year-olds' hands might want to reconsider. Schools clinging to the idea that they're "teaching technology" miss the point—students already know the apps better than their professors. What they don't know is how to think without them. He's gone back to paper and pencil tests. Old school. Because when the power goes out—literally or metaphorically—you need a brain that works independently. Ancient cultures, Steve reminded me, built civilizations with nothing but their minds, parchment, and each other. They were, in many ways, a thousand times smarter than us because they had no crutches. Now we call our smartphones "smart" while they make us incrementally dumber. This isn't anti-technology doom-saying. Neither Steve nor I oppose technological progress. The conversation acknowledged AI's genuine benefits in medicine, in solving specific problems. But this relentless push for the "easy button"—the promise that you don't have to think, just click—that's where we lose something essential. The ultimate breach, we concluded, isn't someone stealing your data. It's breaching the mind itself. When we can no longer think, reason, or function without the device in our pocket, the hackers have already won—and they didn't need to write a single line of code. Subscribe to the Redefining Society and Technology podcast. Stay curious. Stay human. My Newsletter? Yes, of course, it is here:...

What Security Congress Reveals About the State of Cybersecurity This discussion focuses on what ISC2 Security Congress represents for practitioners, leaders, and organizations navigating constant technological change. Jon France, Chief Information Security Officer at ISC2, shares how the event brings together thousands of cybersecurity practitioners, certification holders, chapter leaders, and future professionals to exchange ideas on the issues shaping the field today.  Themes That Stand Out AI remains a central point of attention. France notes that organizations are grappling not only with adoption but with the shift in speed it introduces. Sessions highlight how analysts are beginning to work alongside automated systems that sift through massive data sets and surface early indicators of compromise. Rather than replacing entry-level roles, AI changes how they operate and accelerates the decision-making path. Quantum computing receives a growing share of focus as well. Attendees hear about timelines, standards emerging from NIST, and what preparedness looks like as cryptographic models shift.  Identity-based attacks and authorization failures also surface throughout the program. With machine-driven compromises becoming easier to scale, the community explores new defenses, stronger controls, and the practical realities of machine-to-machine trust. Operational technology, zero trust, and machine-speed threats create additional urgency around modernizing security operations centers and rethinking human-to-machine workflows.  A Place for Every Stage of the Career France describes Security Congress as a cross-section of the profession: entry-level newcomers, certification candidates, hands-on practitioners, and CISOs who attend for leadership development. Workshops explore communication, business alignment, and critical thinking skills that help professionals grow beyond technical execution and into more strategic responsibilities.  Looking Ahead to the Next Congress The next ISC2 Security Congress will be held in October in the Denver/Aurora area. France expects AI and quantum to remain key themes, along with contributions shaped by the call-for-papers process. What keeps the event relevant each year is the mix of education, networking, community stories, and real-world problem-solving that attendees bring with them. The ISC2 Security Congress 2025 is a hybrid event taking place from October 28 to 30, 2025 Coverage provided by ITSPmagazine GUEST: Jon France, Chief Information Security Officer at ISC2 | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonfrance/ HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder, ITSPmagazine and Studio C60 | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com Follow our ISC2 Security Congress coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/cybersecurity-technology-society-events/isc2-security-congress-2025 Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage ISC2 Security Congress: https://www.isc2.org NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/post-quantum-cryptography ISC2 Chapters: https://www.isc2.org/chapters Want to share an Event Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrf Want Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.studioc60.com/performance#ideas KEYWORDS: cybersecurity, ai security, isc2 congress, quantum computing, identity attacks, zero trust, soc automation, cyber jobs, cyber careers, cyber leadership, security operations, threat intelligence, machine speed, authentication, authorization, sean martin, jon france, identity, soc, certification, leadership, event coverage, on location, conference Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spy's Mate: A Conversation with Bradley W. Buchanan About Chess, Cold War Intrigue, and the Stories That Save Us After a few months away, I couldn't stay silent. Audio Signals is back, and I'm thrilled that this conversation marks the official return. The truth is, I tried to let it go. I thought maybe I'd hang up the mic and focus solely on my work exploring technology and society. But my passion for storytellers and storytelling—it cannot be tamed. We are made of stories, after all, and some of us choose to write them, sing them, photograph them, or bring them to life on screen. Brad Buchanan writes them, and his story brought me back. I'll admit something upfront: I'm not particularly good at chess. I love the game—the strategy, the mythology, the beautiful complexity of it all—but I'm no grandmaster. That's what made this conversation so fascinating. Brad has created an entire fictional world where chess isn't just a game; it's a matter of life and death, set against the backdrop of Cold War espionage and Soviet propaganda. His debut novel, Spy's Mate, weaves together two worlds I find endlessly intriguing: the intellectual battlefield of competitive chess and the shadow games of international espionage. But what makes this book truly compelling isn't just the plot—it's the man behind it. Brad is a retired English professor from Sacramento State, a two-time blood cancer survivor, and what he calls a "chimera"—someone whose DNA was literally altered by a stem cell transplant from his brother. He was blind for a year and a half. He nearly died multiple times. And through it all, he held onto this story, this passion for chess that manifested in literal dreams where the pieces hunted him across the board. When we spoke, what struck me most was how deeply personal this novel is beneath its spy thriller exterior. The protagonist, Yasha, is an Armenian chess prodigy whose mother teaches him the game before falling gravely ill. In a moment that breaks your heart, young Yasha asks his mother to promise she'll live long enough to see him become world chess champion—an impossible promise that drives the entire narrative. Brad wrote Spy's Mate after his own mother's death from blood cancer in 2021. When he told me he was crying while writing the final pages, I understood something essential about storytelling: we write to process what life won't let us finish. He gave Yasha the closure he wished he'd had with his own mother. But this isn't just a meditation on loss. Brad brings genuine chess expertise and meticulous historical research to create a world where the KGB manipulates tournaments, computers calculate moves at the glacial pace of one per hour, and Soviet chess dominance serves as proof of communist superiority. He recreates famous chess games with diagrams so readers can follow the battlefield. He fictionalizes Soviet leaders (his Gorbachev character is named "Ogar," his Putin figure has "the nose of a proboscis monkey") but keeps the oppressive atmosphere authentic. What I love about Brad's approach is that he wrote this novel almost like a screenplay—action and dialogue, visual and kinematic, built for the screen. Having taught Virginia Woolf while secretly wanting to write page-turning thrillers tells you everything about the tension between academic life and creative passion. Now, finally free to write full-time after early retirement due to his medical challenges, he's doing what he always wanted. We talked about the hero's journey, about Joseph Campbell's mythical structure that still works because it mirrors how our minds work. We reminisced about the 1982 World Cup and Marco Tardelli's iconic scream (we're the same generation, watching from different continents). We discussed whether characters should plot their own paths or whether writers should map everything from the beginning. As someone who writes short, magical stories with my mother, I understand the pull toward something bigger, something that...

This episode focuses on a security incident that prompts an honest discussion about transparency, preparedness, and the importance of strong processes. Sean Martin speaks with Viktor Petersson, Founder and CEO of Screenly, who shares how his team approaches digital signage security and how a recent alert from their bug bounty program helped validate the strength of their culture and workflows. Screenly provides a secure digital signage platform used by organizations that care deeply about device integrity, uptime, and lifecycle management. Healthcare facilities, financial services, and even NASA rely on these displays, which makes the security posture supporting them a priority. Viktor outlines why security functions best when embedded into culture rather than treated as a compliance checkbox. His team actively invests in continuous testing, including a structured bug bounty program that generates a steady flow of findings. The conversation centers on a real event: a report claiming that more than a thousand user accounts appeared in a public leak repository. Instead of assuming the worst or dismissing the claim, the team mobilized within hours. They validated the dataset, built correlation tooling, analyzed how many records were legitimate, and immediately reset affected accounts. Once they ruled out a breach of their systems, they traced the issue to compromised end user devices associated with previously known credential harvesting incidents. This scenario demonstrates how a strong internal process helps guide the team through verification, containment, and communication. Viktor emphasizes that optional security features only work when customers use them, which is why Screenly is moving to passwordless authentication using magic links. Removing passwords eliminates the attack vector entirely, improving security for customers without adding friction. For listeners, this episode offers a clear look at what rapid response discipline looks like, how bug bounty reports can add meaningful value, and why passwordless authentication is becoming a practical way forward for SaaS platforms. It is a timely reminder that transparency builds trust, and security culture determines how confidently a team can navigate unexpected events. Learn more about Screenly: https://itspm.ag/screenly1o Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more. GUEST Viktor Petersson, Co-founder of Screenly | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vpetersson/ RESOURCES Learn more and catch more stories from Screenly: https://www.itspmagazine.com/directory/screenly LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vpetersson_screenly-security-incident-response-how-activity-7393741638918971392-otkk Blog: Security Incident Response: How We Investigated a Data Leak and What We're Doing Next: https://www.screenly.io/blog/2025/11/10/security-incident-response-magic-links/ Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Spotlight Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight Keywords: sean martin, marco ciappelli, viktor petersson, security, authentication, bugbounty, signage, incidentresponse, breaches, cybersecurity, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand story podcast, brand spotlight Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.