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In episode 184 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson sits down with Brock Boggs, Director of Technology at Cityscape Schools and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) member. Together, they discuss how Brock approaches cybersecurity policy development as a journey at his school. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:21. Brock's first attempt at drafting an IT security policy manual04:17. Fact or fiction? How the best "written" security program doesn't always translate06:35. A starting policy landscape of creating baselines for cybersecurity, ticketing, and more08:40. How Brock learned about a roadmap for his school at ISAC Annual Meeting 202311:07. Lean and to the point: The second draft of Brock's IT security policy manual12:37. The use of Center for Internet Security® (CIS®) policy templates to write procedures19:34. How Brock used regular updates about his policy manual to secure stakeholder buy-in28:42. Openness, willingness to fail, and adaptability as strengths of the community31:49. Approaching cybersecurity policy development as an ever-changing journeyResources CIS Critical Security Controls®Policy TemplatesFormalizing K-12 Cybersecurity Policies in Less TimeEpisode 163: K-12 Cybersecurity Made PracticalEpisode 176: A Cybersecurity Journey of Incremental WinsGuide to Implementation Groups (IG): CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1CIS SecureSuite® MembershipIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 183 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager discuss how the role of CISO supports risk translation across all levels of an organization. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:52. Describing the role of CISO in a single sentence03:43. The importance of storytelling in risk translation for an organization07:56. The need for CISOs to meet members of an organization where they are10:47. Why the function of translating risk matters more than sharing it14:41. The misnomer of "soft skills" and why they're a crucial part of professional life15:50. Tony's experience with cultivating "soft skills" and working with trusted truth tellers21:01. The importance of contextualization when framing risk to a Board of Directors24:20. How teaching and communicating differ25:05. Humility and empathy: Crucial skills in understanding another person's world26:34. How communication and public speaking can help to advance a mission29:08. The use of teaching to build mastery and writing to understand what we teach32:35. Public speaking tip: Don't let the first time you hear your words aloud be onstage36:10. Tony's "superpower" of geeky sincerityResources Episode 88: The Evolution of the Role of a CISOEpisode 121: The Economics of Cybersecurity Decision-MakingEpisode 166: Foundations of Actuarial Science in Cyber RiskCIS Community Defense Model 2.0If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 182 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson sits down with Brian Calkin, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss how organizations can strike a balance on their journeys of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:39. Introductions to Brian01:06. The risk of overbuilding governance when introducing an AI strategy02:36. Unknowns, data concerns, and other commonalities between AI and cloud adoption04:27. The utility of AI frameworks: General purpose recommendations as a starting point06:58. The importance of leading employees in getting the tools they need to be successful10:42. Listening as a key method for strategic leaders to remove roadblocks to AI adoption13:47. Final say as a means to make a strategic business decision and adapt as necessary17:35. AI as artificial intelligence and the role of humans as sources of actual intelligence19:56. Being a good Googler: An analogy for asking the right questions with AI prompting23:46. The increasing volume and velocity of cyber attacks leveraging AI24:00. The need to enhance defenders' skillsets using AI27:08. An invitation to play with AI capability and see what it can do for youResources Episode 120: How Contextual Awareness Drives AI GovernanceAI Playbooks for SLTT Cybersecurity LeadersEpisode 95: AI Augmentation and Its Impact on Cyber DefenseOWASP Top 10 for Large Language Model ApplicationsAn Examination of Generative AI and Physical Threat PlanningPrompt Injections: The Inherent Threat to Generative AIDisrupting the first reported AI-orchestrated cyber espionage campaignIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 181 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager sits down with Vilius Benetis, Director of NRD Cyber Security. Together, they discuss how Vilius applies his expertise as a CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) Ambassador to help to cultivate supply and demand for growing cybersecurity ecosystems around the world. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:11. Introductions to Vilius and recollections of how he met Tony for the first time02:06. The CIS Controls as a reasonable, logical approach that avoids generic language04:11. How the CIS Controls shaped Vilius' cybersecurity conversations with the World Bank05:26. A clear connection between knowing what you have and recovering from an incident07:55. A strategic look at how to build cybersecurity programs that will grow and evolve12:18. How the CIS Controls help to clarify reasonable cybersecurity and avoid victim blaming18:07. An encouraging sign: Governments enabling businesses, not competing with them21:13. Transportation: A lens for understanding how security culture and expectations change28:11. A brief look at how to make progress on operationalizing security31:54. The supply and demand forces that help to create cybersecurity ecosystems38:13. An opportunity for helping organizations to simplify governance42:02. Parting thoughts and thanksResources CIS Critical Security Controls®CIS Controls Ambassador Spotlight: Vilius BenetisEpisode 160: Championing SME Security with the CIS ControlsEpisode 168: Institutionalizing Good Cybersecurity IdeasEpisode 172: Helping CISOs as a CIS Controls AmbassadorReasonable CybersecurityGuide to Implementation Groups (IG): CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1The Cost of Cyber Defense: CIS Controls IG1CIS Community Defense Model 2.0If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 180 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Stephen Thomas, SVP of Sales and Business Services at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®), and Nick Rust, Director of Distribution at CIS. Together, they discuss how CIS supports secure by design by integrating it into operational practices. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:48. Introductions to Stephen and Nick02:20. The need to connect development and operational environments07:31. How CIS security best practices make cybersecurity standard and repeatable09:19. Navigating the complexity the cloud adds to secure by design11:44. The importance of removing guesswork for operating partners and development teams14:21. How CIS provides the professional infrastructure for collective action in cybersecurity16:00. Good configuration management: The bedrock of every successful security program17:29. The use of a common language to communicate security across an organization23:59. Shared responsibility, not shared accountability, in the cloud27:21. A look back at how CIS did secure by design using a projectized approach32:21. Conveying confidence around cybersecurity and compliance in the connected world36:16. Parting pieces of advice for organizations just getting startedResources Secure by DesignSecure by Design: A Guide to Assessing Software Security PracticesEpisode 164: Secure by Design in Software DevelopmentCIS SecureSuite® MembershipCIS SecureSuite® Product Vendor MembersCIS Critical Security Controls®CIS Benchmarks® ListCIS Hardened Images®Meet the Shared Responsibility Model with New CIS ResourcesCloud Companion Guide for CIS Controls v8.1Security in the Cloud with More AutomationImplementation Guide for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises CIS Controls IG1If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 179 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager conclude their discussion of 2026 cybersecurity predictions from seven CIS experts, as shared on the CIS website. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:09. How threat actors' adoption of Agentic AI is reshaping the defender's dilemma06:28. Public confidence: The primary focus for attackers seeking to undermine U.S. elections10:43. The surge in threat actors targeting operational technology and critical infrastructure12:29. Responsibility and the cost of fixing flawed things instead of secure by design16:29. Secure by design: An invitation to rethink architecture and plan for future adaptability17:24. Meeting cloud service prioritization with a foundation of defense for all things25:44. Supporting state and local cybersecurity maturity with both competence and character41:00. Feedback: The key to adapting security controls to evolving threats and technology use50:23. Embedding security into the heart of a businessResources Episode 169: 2026 Cybersecurity Predictions from CIS — Pt 1Episode 174: 2026 Cybersecurity Predictions from CIS — Pt 2Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center®CIS Critical Security Controls®How to Defend Against Iran's Cyber Retaliation PlaybookEpisode 178: Appropriate Defense to Iranian Threat ActivitySecure by DesignCollective SLTT Cyber DefenseEpisode 144: Carrying on the MS-ISAC's Character and CultureMonitoring and Support During the CrowdStrike Falcon OutageEpisode 110: How Security Culture and Corporate Culture MeshIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 178 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson sits down with Theodore "TJ" Sayers, Senior Director of Threat Intelligence at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss how to mount an appropriate defense to Iranian threat activity observed in February and March 2026. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:58. Iran's historical tit-for-tat style of cyber operations02:50. Regional targets: A primary focus of Iran's state-sponsored threat actors04:05. What the CIS Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) team is watching for05:19. Contextualizing a drop in precursor-related threat activity from Iran06:59. Sectors directly and indirectly affected by observed Iranian threat activity09:12. Password spraying, data wipers, and more: Common TTPs of Iranian threat groups11:50. The importance of cybersecurity awareness training in countering TTPs that still work16:07. Advice to SOC managers: How to detect what CIS CTI is expecting the most21:25. NASCIO's Top 10 Priorities as a guide for framing strategic risk of Iran's threat activity26:39. What an effective threat intel team does and does not do29:29. Community defense for U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) organizationsResources Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center®Snap Call: Public Sector Threat Update Amid Conflict in IranHow to Defend Against Iran's Cyber Retaliation PlaybookCloudflare | Traffic in IranEpisode 143: Iran's Growing Multidimensional Threat ActivityEpisode 142: SLTTs and Their Nuanced Cybersecurity NeedsMS-ISAC Guide to DDoS AttacksExploited Protocols: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)Commonly Exploited Protocols: Server Message Block (SMB)State CIO Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities for 2026If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 177 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager sits down with Bob Gendler, IT Specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Edward Byrd, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer of the CIS Benchmarks® at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they use the open-source macOS Security Compliance Project to discuss the power of community-developed security content. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:15. Introductions to Bob and Edward along with their first Mac devices03:24. Why CIS Benchmarks are needed for macOS05:49. The need to make security guidance a collaborative, ongoing exercise11:06. Inside the expanding community supporting the macOS Security Compliance Project16:59. A practical win: making daily security operations easier to manage21:40. An operational feedback loop of improving the CIS Benchmarks25:25. The implications of compliance pointing to assurance, not security30:53. Advice on how to prepare for an audit using the CIS Benchmarks34:18. The importance of rationale in defining reasonable cybersecurity behavior35:30. A teaser of upcoming changes and how to get involvedResources CIS Benchmarks ListMapping and Compliance with the CIS BenchmarksApple macOSCIS WorkBenchCIS CommunitiesEpisode 156: How CIS Uses CIS Products and ServicesReasonable CybersecurityIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 176 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Brock Boggs, Director of Technology at Cityscape Schools and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) member, and Maureen Kunac, Senior Product Manager at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss Brock's story of using incremental wins to advance his organization on its cybersecurity journey. Here are some highlights from our episode: 02:10. Getting started making the largest measurable impact with CIS-CAT® Pro Assessor03:52. Implementation Group 1: A filter for prioritizing secure configuration management efforts09:16. The use of essential cyber hygiene to build an on-ramp to a security controls program11:18. Navigating breakage, dependency, and other principles of change management13:37. Lessons learned from beta testing and enterprise rollout of security changes22:24. Advice: How to start on a journey of system hardening with measurable impactResources Episode 163: K-12 Cybersecurity Made PracticalFormalizing K-12 Cybersecurity Policies in Less TimeCIS-CAT® Pro AssessorCIS-CAT Pro Results Focus on CIS Controls IG1CIS Critical Security Controls®Guide to Implementation Groups (IG): CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1What SLTTs Should Know About the FREE CIS SecureSuite MembershipIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 175 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager sits down with Phil Reitinger, Chair and Senior Advisor of Global Cyber Alliance. Together, they look back on Phil's career and his dedication to exploring how to practically solve cyber problems at scale. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:57. How Phil got started in cybersecurity during the "infosec" era04:51. Old wine in new bottles: trust exploitation, authentication failures, and update challenges06:14. The lack of political will, not technology, in solving fundamental cyber problems07:33. How industry and government share similar challenges in cybersecurity10:09. The importance of metrics in incentivizing the right actions12:33. Scale: the biggest obstacle to collective cyber defense there ever was or will be22:50. The Global Cyber Alliance and a focus on practically solving cyber problems at scaleResources Episode 30: Solving Cybersecurity at Scale with NonprofitsEpisode 79: Advancing Common Good in Cybersecurity – Part 1Episode 80: Advancing Common Good in Cybersecurity – Part 2Quad9If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 174 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Kyle Leonard, Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®), and Randy Rose, VP of Security Operations & Intelligence at CIS. Together, they continue their discussion of 2026 cybersecurity predictions from seven CIS experts, as shared on the CIS website. Here are some highlights from our episode: 02:00. How cross-platform campaigns are becoming the norm03:09. Threat actors' use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to expand their attacks and gain efficiencies05:08. The blurring line of what separates today's script kiddies from nation-state threat actors07:47. Fully autonomous malware: in the realm of possibility but not here yet13:19. How specialization in the criminal ecosystem requires us to rethink analysis itself16:07. Shrinking dwell time: a product of the democratization of complex tools' availability18:02. The effective use of social engineering to lower threat actors' operational costs19:20. Malware's increasing use of trusted infrastructure to thwart cyber defenses20:25. The use of behavioral analysis to apply bottleneck security mechanisms22:40. Evolving threat actors' tradecraft: pseudo-random subdomains, GenAI models, and SEO poisoning26:39. What trust looks like today: something that's dynamic and negotiated at a moment's notice31:25. Supply chain attackers' pivot to edge device vendors and security appliance makers33:43. The ongoing work of CIS to support state and local governments' cybersecurity effortsResources Episode 169: 2026 Cybersecurity Predictions from CIS — Pt 1The Evolving Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Cyber Threat LandscapeSurge of QakBot Activity Using Malspam, Malicious XLSB FilesActive Lumma Stealer Campaign Impacting U.S. SLTTsEpisode 173: Scammer Jousting as Human Risk ManagementClickFix: An Adaptive Social Engineering TechniqueImpact of Federal Funding Cuts to the Value of MS-ISAC CTIEpisode 157: How a Modern, Mission-Driven CIRT OperatesIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 173 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Roger Grimes, CISO Advisor at KnowBe4. Together, they discuss "scammer jousting," a term coined by Tony Sager which describes empowering organizations to manage human risk using simulated phishing. Here are some highlights from our episode: 01:05. How simulated phishing and scammer jousting manage human risk03:48. The shift in perception of security awareness training over the past 20 years06:19. The need for testing to build capability and resiliency amongst employees09:27. The many faces of phishing attacks and the impact of generative artificial intelligence15:00. How gamification is proven to help users learn more in their cybersecurity training16:57. How data empowers organizations to communicate the potential impact of a phish19:57. The use of behavior engineering to foster a stronger security culture23:56. The value of customer feedback in continuously enhancing phishing training29:52. Continuous and hyper-personalized training as the future of spammer joustingResources Episode 77: Data's Value to Decision-Making in CybersecurityEpisode 98: Transparency as a Tool to Combat Insider ThreatsA Short Guide for Spotting Phishing AttemptsCIS Controls v8.1 Security Awareness Skills Training Policy TemplateSANS Workforce Security and Risk TrainingThe Evolving Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Cyber Threat LandscapeEpisode 110: How Security Culture and Corporate Culture MeshIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 172 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Chirag Arora, Cyber Security Executive Advisor and CISO at Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP. Together, they discuss how Chirag draws upon his experience as a CISO and his community work as a CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) Ambassador to help other CISOs with their cybersecurity programs. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:51. Introduction to Chirag and the early years of his work as a CIS Controls Ambassador06:03. The value of measurement and psychology when discussing assessments with CISOs09:00. Chirag's work on a CISO certification and vision for aligning it to the CIS Controls12:31. How open sharing of wisdom between CISOs makes the world more secure20:57. The importance of storytelling for CISOs, CIS Controls Ambassadors, and other leaders24:29. Chirag's use of law school to take his understanding of reasonableness up a level28:13. Regular opportunities for CIS Controls Ambassadors to discuss universal issues31:08. The heightened importance of nonprofit organizations bringing people togetherResources CIS Critical Security Controls®Episode 160: Championing SME Security with the CIS ControlsEpisode 168: Institutionalizing Good Cybersecurity IdeasReasonable Cybersecurity GuideSimplify Security Management with CIS SecureSuite PlatformCISO Certification by GlobalCISO Leadership Foundation™If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In episode 171 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Soledad Antelada Toledano, Security Advisor, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud at Google. Together, they discuss securing critical national infrastructure (CNI) in U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government organizations through artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:50. Introduction to Soledad02:48. How the convergence of informational technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) has created bigger attack surfaces04:10. The proliferation of threat actors targeting critical infrastructure sectors07:24. The challenge of legacy systems for U.S. SLTT owners of CNI08:13. Alert fatigue, limited visibility, and other challenges facing OT networks13:22. The value of automated cyber threat intelligence (CTI)24:46. Building strategic AI implementation around human in the loop (HITL)33:17. U.S. SLTTs' use of the cloud to test and build trust for securing CNIResources The Changing Landscape of Security Operations and Its Impact on Critical InfrastructureCybersecurity for Critical InfrastructureEpisode 139: Community Building for the Cyber-UnderservedEpisode 119: Multidimensional Threat Defense at Large EventsLeveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence for Tabletop Exercise DevelopmentThe Evolving Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Cyber Threat LandscapeEpisode 148: How MDR Helps Shine a Light on Zero-Day AttacksVulnerability Management Policy Template for CIS Control 7CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1 Industrial Control Systems (ICS) GuideIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

In Episode 170 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Douglas Holland, Senior Solutions Engineer at Akamai Technologies. Together, they discuss how U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government organizations can increase their visibility to obstruct the attack attempts of Typhoon advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. Here are some highlights from our episode: 00:49. Introduction to Douglas02:16. How Typhoon APTs are using trusted tools to target critical infrastructure08:30. Professionalism as a tell of sophisticated nation-state threat actors09:15. How U.S. SLTTs come up with creative solutions despite budgeting and staffing limits14:14. The "big credential playground" that is U.S. SLTTs' expanded attack surface16:46. Visibility into network activity as a way to continuously build defensive capability19:11. The use of context to connect technical visibility to defensive action23:20. Identity as the new perimeter, cloud and SaaS posture, and micro-segmentation29:18. One piece of advice: assume an attacker is already in the network or will beResources Malicious Domain Blocking and Reporting (MDBR)Living off the Land: The Power Behind PowerShellCybersecurity for Critical InfrastructureBuild a Zero Trust Roadmap for FinServ with CIS SecureSuiteIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].