Deputy Managing Director at the Cyber Readiness Institute Lessie Skiba joins host Bryson Bort to discuss the CRI’s new program connecting small- and medium-sized water utilities with cyber coaches to strengthen their resilience.

What if the most effective cybersecurity solution isn't a new piece of technology, but a human connection? How can we empower small businesses to tackle cyber threats, even with limited resources? And if Lessie could wave a magic, air-gapped wand, what is one fundamental change she would make to our digital landscape?

Join us for this and more on this episode of Hack the Plan[e]t.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of their employers.

Hack the Plant is brought to you by ICS Village and the Institute for Security and Technology.

Our host Bryson sits down with Colin Ahern and Kirk Herath, two of the only cybersecurity experts working in Governors’ offices in the United States. Colin was appointed Chief Cyber Officer of the State of New York by Governor Kathy Hochul in June 2022, and Kirk stepped into his role as Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted the same year. In their positions, Colin and Kirk are responsible for coordinating their states’ cybersecurity capabilities, overseeing threat assessment and response, working with local governments to prepare for and remediate cyber attacks, and more.

What were the critical lessons learned in building statewide cybersecurity programs from the ground up? How do states navigate the shifting landscape of federal support? And what are the biggest challenges and opportunities on the horizon for cyber czars and strategic advisors across the country?

“You can't replicate these shared services unless you're doing it together. You just can't. We can either succeed together or we can fail separately. There's really not a middle ground where we can all have exactly everything we want all the time. Because like we've said, this is a risk management exercise in a world of limited resources,” Colin explained.

Join us for this and more on this episode of Hack the Plan[e]t.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of their employers.

Hack the Plant is brought to you by ICS Village and the Institute for Security and Technology.

Bryson Bort is joined by Jim Montgomery, Director, Industrial Cybersecurity Solutions at TXOne Networks. TXOne provides network-based and endpoint-based products to tackle security vulnerabilities across industrial environments. With decades of IT security experience, Jim now leads TXOne’s work protecting Operational Technology environments across critical sectors like automotive, oil and gas, pharma, manufacturing, and semiconductors.

How can we defend against threats that are already embedded within our systems? What are the most immediate and significant risks facing our critical infrastructure today? And how can operators begin to secure their networks?

“Let's start with the basics. Let's start with understanding. Let's start with making it hard to get into your environment, and let's start discouraging that type of behavior from attacking your environment,” Jim said.

Join us for this and more on this episode of Hack the Plan[e]t.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of their employers.

Hack the Plant is brought to you by ICS Village and the Institute for Security and Technology.