The Hilt

What exactly is the Presidential Executive Order 14028?Former Director of White House Cybersecurity, Rob Knake, breaks down the May 12, 2021 Executive Order by the Biden Administration, outlining the reasons and potential impact of new cybersecurity requirements, how Executive Order 14028 will be implemented, and what organizations who provide products or services to Federal agencies will need to know.In this episode, Rob will discuss:The cause and effect of new cybersecurity requirements.Timing and implementation plans for Executive Order 14028.What organizations who provide products or services to Federal agencies may need to know to prepare.Rob Knake has held many prominent cybersecurity roles, most notably, as the Director of Cybersecurity for The White House under the Obama Administration, where he was responsible for developing and managing U.S. cybersecurity policies. He now is a Sr. Advisor at Defendify, and is the co-author of The Fifth Domain and Cyber War.

As organizations become more aware of the need for stronger cybersecurity, they are searching for security IT professionals who not only have the technical acumen, but also the ability to effectively communicate needs and solutions to non-technical stakeholders.Defendify Co-Founder, Rob Simopoulos, speaks with Dr. Lori Sussman of the University of Southern Maine’s Technology and Cybersecurity program, about what skills employers are looking for that will help meet the growing demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals.Dr. Sussman’s experience spans from her role as CIO within the U.S. Army, to being the Presidential Communications Officer under the Bush and Clinton Administrations, to senior strategy positions at Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard. She currently provides research and guidance around cybersecurity awareness and policies, and educational programs for cybersecurity professionals that lead to CIO and CISO roles.In this episode, Rob and Lori discuss:• Operational skills (procedures) vs. People skills (collaboration)• Potentials changes to the NIST security framework• Cybersecurity compliance for small and mid-sized businesses• 3 key areas to boost your cybersecurity program

Industrial manufacturing is rapidly connecting the factory floor to the cloud, but as digital transformation becomes reality, how will Operations Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) teams work together to understand, build, and maintain a comprehensive security posture across people, process and technology?Defendify Co-Founder, Rob Simopoulos, uncovers some of the answers with Aron Semle, CTO of HighByte, a leading DataOps solution that helps industrial manufacturers address data architecture and security challenges created by Industry 4.0.Key episode takeaways include:How the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing manufacturingWhat cybersecurity vulnerabilities every industrial manufacturer should watch out forHow manufacturers can better defend themselves against sophisticated cyberattacks while strengthening overall cybersecurity

How concerned are you of the cybersecurity component of your projects? 46% of integrators surveyed earlier in 2020 by the NSCA said they are not interested in cybersecurity, but with new regulations rolling out in June of 2020, contractors, AV and systems integrators must now include cybersecurity in all projects:"If you sell it, you'll need to secure it."Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos interviews Chuck Wilson, the Executive Director of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) on what the new 2020 MasterFormat® regulations say about cybersecurity.This episode covers:Emerging changes within Construction/Building industryRecent Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat® cybersecurity updatesResources to better understand Division 27 and Division 28 requirementsHow to simplify cybersecurity to "check the box" without needed specialized skillsets

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos on a special episode of The Hilt! In this episode, Rob leads a panel of National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) members on their perspectives of cybersecurity issues impacting systems integrators and small businesses today. Brandon Conick, Christina DeBono, and Randy Johnson are all forward-thinking leaders in the systems integration industry who have led successful cybersecurity programs at their organizations. In this episode, Rob and the panel will address:The cybersecurity landscape in the integration industry and strategies for successTactics integrators and other small businesses can take to help protect their company and customer sensitive dataThe prevalence of third-party cybersecurity risk assessments and how panelists have handled themCybersecurity considerations around connected devices, cameras, and audio-visual equipmentThe value of multiple layers of cybersecurity protection and how to effectively deploy each layer to improve an organization’s cybersecurity postureCybersecurity threats are a growing issue in many industries, but this panel discussion helps break the topic down to provide valuable insight from real business leaders. Meet the Panelists:Brandon Conick: Chief Information Officer, Conference TechnologiesWith degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering, Brandon joined the CTI team in 2008 as a Design Consultant. As one of CTI’s top performers, he was promoted to Vice President of Integration in 2014. In 2016, along with completing his MBA, he was promoted to Chief Information Officer, taking responsibility to help facilitate CTI’s growth in IT offerings and strategy. Christina DeBono: President, ClearTech MediaChristina De Bono is President of ClearTech, a company established in 1983. Christina has 24 years of experience in the commercial AV (Audio Visual) industry holding key positions in sales and executive management. Over the years, she has worked with several clients including Sempra Energy, JPL/NASA, Southern California Gas Co., Pepperdine University, Caltech and USC to name a few. Christina has received multiple achievement awards including manager of the year as well as 13 top sales achievement awards.Christina has been elected to the Board of Directors for National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) to begin serving in July 2017. Christina also serves on the Executive Committee of Commission on Voluntary Service & Action (CVSA) tackling the problems of poverty, health care, housing and more. She has served on other Boards including International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), LA Chapter from 2006 – 2013, and for the Association of Strategic Planners (ASP), L.A. Chapter. Christina is also an IFMA Workplace Evolutionary (WE) leader for Southern California.  Randy Johnson: President, Sound SolutionsRandy Johnson is the President of Sound Solutions, a full-line integrator specializing in surveillance and AV. In his over 40 years with Sound Solutions, Randy has been dedicated to providing customized sound, video, surveillance, and music solutions to all types of businesses and institutions. Randy is also the past President of the International Business Music Association.  This panel discussion was originally produced as a webinar in conjunction with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA).

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos on The Hilt! In this episode, Rob leads a discussion with Nate Jalbert, Cybersecurity Instructor at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) and two of his students, Quinn and Maxim. Their conversation covers the cybersecurity program at PATHS—the first CTE program in the state of Maine focused solely on cybersecurity—and students’ experiences. Cybersecurity is a booming field currently experiencing a talent shortage, and programs teaching cybersecurity to students are critical in training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.Nate Jalbert is the Cybersecurity Instructor at PATHS where he works to train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in the skills and certifications they need to kick off a successful career. Nate has a background in Information Technology, with 6 years of IT experience in both the public and private sectors, before starting in the education field. Prior to his position at PATHS, he taught for 7 years in the Information Technology program at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center. Nate is currently based in Portland, Maine.PATHS is greater Portland’s career and technical education (CTE) high school. Maine’s CTE schools are centers for hands-on, technical education and career-focused programs. Today's CTE programs (previously known as vocational) prepare students for a wide range of high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers. Students have the opportunity to attend PATHS to learn a career pathway of their choice while still in high school. Students who attend PATHS graduate with a high school diploma from their sending school while potentially having obtained a national certification and college credit in the field of their choice. The PATHS cybersecurity program is an introduction into the exciting world of careers in cybersecurity, taking students into many directions highlighting roles as an analyst, penetration tester, systems administrator, and computer crime investigator. Students learn skills to help keep themselves, their family, and their eventual employer safe on the internet for many years to come.

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos on The Hilt! In this episode, Rob speaks with Sid Bose, attorney with Ice Miller’s Data Security and Privacy Group. Their discussion hones in on the legal aspects of cybersecurity for Small Business.Sid Bose is an attorney in Ice Miller's Data Security and Privacy group. With an information systems and security background, Sid counsels clients on various data security and privacy issues dealing with online privacy, vendor contracts and agreements, data security and privacy audits, regulatory compliance, data breaches, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Prior to joining Ice Miller, Sid was an IT Performance Engineer, tackling the assessment, testing and delivery of business-critical applications and IT infrastructure services.Rob’s conversation with Sid covers the critical intersection of cybersecurity, law, and business. You’ll learn about a variety of intriguing legal aspects including the importance of having an attorney who specializes in cybersecurity, preparing for the unexpected, and navigating state and federal laws with the help of your legal counsel in the case of a cybersecurity incident.

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos on The Hilt with special guest Justin Riehl of CastleHill Managed Risk Solutions. Their conversation looks at how small businesses are increasingly under review by their larger customers, vendors, and partners. In this episode, Rob and Justin explore third-party risk assessments and the importance of being prepared as a small business.Justin is a Principal Consultant and Managing Principal for Service and Platform Delivery at CastleHill, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Enterprise Architecture. As a Certified Third-Party Risk Professional (CTPRP), Justin works closely with Small Business and enterprise vendors to implement best practices in their relationships. His role in Vendor Risk Management solutions entails the deployment of business processes that allow for efficient risk management within companies and among vendor partnerships. This is a job that brings together business guidance with technological expertise to improve the security of interactions between organizations.Justin's technologist background distinguishes his specialization in the world of Vendor Risk Management and provides great insight into enterprise operations, particularly as relates to those doing business with large organizations. CastleHill offers services to document and analyze the environments, policies, and behaviors of corporations to create a protection plan against risks. These internal and external risk assessments allow enterprises to defend themselves, their data, and their customers from threats.

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos on The Hilt! In this episode, Rob speaks with Ginny Lee, Founder and Managing Partner of a boutique privacy law firm and former privacy leader at several Fortune 500 companies, discussing the ways privacy and cybersecurity intersect and what that means for Small Business.Previously, Ginny was Head of Global Data Privacy and Director, Senior Corporate Counsel at ServiceNow and before that, Director – Global Privacy at Starbucks. At both companies, she was responsible for the establishment of global privacy programs. She was also Sr. Attorney – Privacy/Security at Intel Corporation, responsible for providing legal guidance on privacy and security matters, especially as they relate to "Privacy By Design". Prior to Intel, Ginny was also the Director of Platform and Product Privacy at Yahoo!.Ginny serves on the IAPP Privacy Bar Section Advisory Board and has worked on policy, regulatory and compliance issues for the Network Advertising Initiative, a self-regulatory association for the third-party advertising industry. She's also held positions in engineering, product management and technical support, and, is a Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, /G, IT) and Manager (CIPM) in addition to being a registered patent attorney.

Join Defendify Co-Founder Rob Simopoulos with the inaugural episode of Defendify's podcast, The Hilt, where he speaks with Rob Knake, who served as Director for Cybersecurity Policy at the National Security Council. In this role, Knake was responsible for the development of Presidential policy on cybersecurity, and built and managed federal processes for cyber incident response and vulnerability management.Rob Knake's extensive work focuses on cyber conflict, internet governance, and public-private partnerships. In this episode, he discusses his extraordinary background and experience as a cybersecurity professional on the front lines.Knake now serves as Senior Fellow for Cyber Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Senior Research Scientist at Northeastern University. He is also co-author (with Richard Clarke) of "Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It" and has an exciting new book set to release mid-July, 2019, titled "The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats."