PodcastSANS Cyber
Leaders Podcast
The go-to podcast for cyber enthusiasts.
Trusted Insights from the Leaders Shaping the Future of the Industry
Season 2 is here with a lineup that raises the bar.
Join us for an unfiltered journey into the minds of the leaders shaping the future of cybersecurity. In each episode, we embark on a curiosity-driven exploration to uncover hidden truths, share lessons, and offer critical insights to help you enhance your knowledge, sharpen your strategies, and lead the way in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Meet Your Hosts
James Lyne
Office of the CEO, SANS Institute
James has spent the last 20 years of his life chasing cybercriminals. As a self-professed “massive geek”, he has been involved in most cyber security disciplines from offensive security hacking tanks and planes; red teaming high-security organisations; digging into forensics; or defensive work safeguarding nation-states. A certified SANS instructor, James has taught countless students skills they need to protect their organisations and, ultimately, our wider society. He has also been in the middle of innumerable major data breaches helping to “stop the bleeding”. James has been featured on many TV programmes, delivered multiple TED talks and numerous major conference keynotes.
Professor Ciaran Martin CB
Director of CISO Network, SANS Institute
If there’s been a big cyber incident and you’re the type of person who tunes into the morning, you’re likely to hear Ciaran explain what’s happened. The Director of our CISO Network for the past two years, Ciaran is the founder and former head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Agency (NCSC), and served on the board of its parent agency, GCHQ, for seven years. In government Ciaran believed less in talking about sharing and collaboration and more about getting out and fixing things. He brings the same approach to leading the CISO network, and to this podcast.
Meet Our Season 2 Lineup
New Episodes Every Friday
Episode 9: The Fifth Domain: NATO’s Cyber Frontline with Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer
Kicking off series two, Ciaran and James sit down with none other than the CIO of NATO, Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, to discuss what collective defence means in the cyber domain. Manfred offers a rare inside look at managing security and information risk across NATO’s vast digital landscape and shares insights on emerging threats, evolving technologies, and how the Alliance is adapting to keep its members protected in an increasingly contested cyberspace.
EP 9 Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer - Release May 23
Episode 10: Insider Threat with Lisa Forte
In this episode, Lisa Forte, founder of Red Goat, joins Ciaran and James to discuss risk, security and the threat from within. Lisa offers her expertise on insider threat, crisis management, and high-risk adventures.
EP 10 Lisa Forte - Release May 23
Episode 11: Inside Pacific Rim with Ross McKerchar
In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Ross McKerchar, CISO at Sophos, to discuss one of the most significant – and to some, controversial – counter cyber operations ever carried out by a private company. Ross shares insights from the frontlines of the Pacific Rim campaign, as well as the shifting dynamics of the cybersecurity industry and what active defence really looks like in practice.
EP 11 Ross McKerchar - Release May 30
Episode 12: Securing the Supply Chain with Christine Gadsby
In this episode, Ciaran and James meet Christine Gadsby, Vice President and CISO at BlackBerry, to talk supply chain security; from exploding pagers to software liabilities. Christine reflects on how the industry is maturing around regulation, secure development, and vendor accountability as well as what happens when even hardware becomes a weapon.
EP 12 Christine Gadsby - Release June 6
Episode 13: Cyber Battlefield with Max Smeets
In this episode, Ciaran and James meet Max Smeets, Co Director of Virtual Routes and Senior Researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at ETH Zurich, to discuss how digital threats are reshaping geopolitics. Max shares his expertise on the cyber dimensions of modern warfare, and the impact of ransomware attacks on global security.
EP 13 Max Smeets - Release June 13
Episode 14: Translating Cyber Risk for a Chaotic World with Tarah Wheeler
In this episode, Ciaran and James sit down with Tarah Wheeler, scholar, campaigner and entrepreneur, to discuss risk, safety and security in an increasingly unstable digital world. Tarah shares her expertise on protecting the most vulnerable, navigating legal grey zones in cybersecurity research, and translating complex technical issues into action for policymakers and small businesses alike.
EP 14 Tarah Wheeler - Release June 20
Episode 15: Fighting Back with John Hubbard
In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Senior SANS instructor John Hubbard to discuss the ever-changing threat landscape and how SOC teams can stay ahead. John shares his expertise on spotting threats early, how to test your defences before the real attackers show up, and why he’s on a mission to simplify cybersecurity operations for the next generation of defenders.
EP 15 John Hubbard - Release June 27
Episode 16: Cyber Warfare, Disinformation, and Geopolitical Risks with Dr. Bilyana Lilly
In this bonus episode, Ciaran and James sit down with Dr. Bilyana Lilly, to discuss cyber disinformation, diplomacy and defense. Here Bilyana sheds light on how geopolitical risk affects technology, including cyber threats, information warfare, and the evolving global security landscape.
EP 16 Dr. Bilyana Lilly - Release July 4
Episode 17: Life, Limb, and Infrastructure with Tim Conway
In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Tim Conway, Technical Director of ICS and SCADA, to discuss the hidden systems that keep society running, from power plants to water grids. Tim sheds light on the unique challenges of securing industrial control systems, the dangers of complacency, and why the OT world is often overlooked until something goes terribly wrong.
EP 17 Tim Conway - Release July 11Never Miss an Episode
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