Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

Latest Episodes:

Protecting Journalism and Free Speech Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

Runa Sandvik, a modern-day hacker and computer security expert joins Ann Johnson on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Having a reputation as a staunch proponent of strong encryption, Runa was hired by The New York Times as their first senior director of information security. Ann and Runa discuss instituting new high-tech security measures at The Times, what types of skills she believes all journalists should possess today, and what she believes the tech industry should be doing more of when protecting against disinformation.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

How journalists conduct research while dealing with online threats
When journalists need to start worrying about disinformation
Why we have an increase in cyberattacks on journalists

Some Questions We Ask:

How did you implement various security advancements at The New York Times?
Why are criminals attacking media companies?
What types of cyber skills should all journalists possess today?

Resources:

Glitch-Cat

View Runa Sandvik on LinkedIn

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Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

Girl Security Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

Lauren Buitta, co-founder and CEO of Girl Security, shares how advancing girls, women, and gender minorities in national security leads to better cyber defense on today’s episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson. Lauren began as a policy analyst with the National Strategy Forum, a nonpartisan think tank, focusing on a wide range of national and global security issues, including domestic terrorism, transnational threats, and cybersecurity. Ann and Lauren discuss what led her to launch Girl Security, what the industry could do differently to help women grow in security, and why it is crucial to engage young girls in discourse about disinformation?

In This Episode You Will Learn:

How to become involved with Girl Security
The barriers women face when searching for a security career
Why we are having issues finding new security talent

Some Questions We Ask:

How can we remove barriers for women in security?
Why is it important to involve young women in uncovering misinformation?
What are the reasons behind women only taking up 20% of our industry?

Resources:

Girl Security

View Lauren Buitta on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

Inside Microsoft's Security Response Center Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

Aanchal Gupta, Vice President for Microsoft Azure, joins Ann on today's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Aanchal is an executive with more than two decades of experience leading geographically distributed teams developing secure and trustworthy software used by billions of people. Aanchal joins us to discuss her work leading Microsoft's Security Response Center, giving our listeners a behind-the-scenes look into how the company’s security team tackles issues. Aanchal also talks with Ann about different lessons learned when tackling recent threats, her philosophy on cybersecurity, and how important she believes diversity and open work culture for diverse people are when trying to maintain trust and clarity in a crisis.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Challenges as a cyber security leader
Guidance when trying to improve security posture
Behind the scenes look inside the Microsoft Security Response Center

Some Questions We Ask:

What are some lessons you’ve learned when tackling recent threats?
When it comes to cyber issues, what should customers know first?
How important is diversity and open work culture for the future of cybersecurity?

Resources:

View Aanchal Gupta on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

The Next Cyber Defender Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Jessica Gulick, Founder, and CEO of KATZCY, a woman-owned cyber consulting firm driven to help cybersecurity experts become great leaders, joins Ann Johnson on today's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Ann and Jessica discuss the evolution of cybersecurity gaming competitions, why these events are crucial to inspiring young people, and who she believes is the next generation of cyber defenders. As the founder and commissioner of US Cyber Games, an organization committed to informing and inspiring the broader community on ways to develop tomorrow's cybersecurity workforce, Jessica also shares how the cyber industry can help train and retain the next generation of cyber defenders.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The evolution of cybersecurity gaming competitions
Real time cyber skills training through eSports
Why we need to attract more women to the tech industry

Some Questions We Ask:

How can tech companies help maintain the pipeline of future cyber security talent?
What do you believe is the first step to alleviate the talent shortage?
When will the next generation of defenders catch up to the sophistication of attackers?

Resources:

Katzcy Digital Marketing Agency

View Jessica Gulick on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

IoT-Based Infrastructures Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

Diana Kelly, the co-founder, and CTO of SecurityCurve, a cybersecurity consulting firm, joins Ann Johnson on this episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Diana is a globally known security expert who donates much of her time volunteering in the cybersecurity community while also serving on the Association for Computing Machinery Ethics and Plagiarism Committee. Diana talks with Ann about helping inexperienced organizations get up to speed on the cybersecurity landscape, some of the current significant security and privacy hurdles currently plaguing the field, and some of the best practices to assist network defenders and users trying to combat botnet threats.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

How companies can protect themselves from new unsecure devices
When security risks correspond with access management and IoT devices
Why we need security programs to grow to a new level

Some Questions We Ask:

How should network defenders and users combat botnet threats?
What types of universal IoT standards need to be created?
What privacy hurdles are currently plaguing the field of IoT-connected devices?

Resources:

View Diana Kelly on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

The Rising Ransomware Risks Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Rinki Sethi; Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer for Twitter joins Ann Johnson for this conversation focused on the recent rise in cybercrime. Rinki was an Information Security Executive at IBM from 2018 to 2019 before joining Twitter in September 2020. She is responsible for protecting Twitter's information and technology assets and managing the company's continued product innovations in the security space. Rinki talks with Ann about the significant uptick in ransomware attacks, what she enjoys most about her career in cybersecurity, best practices when raising consumer awareness, and Twitter's approach to cybersecurity.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

Rinki’s cybersecurity philosophy
Best practices to apply when trying to keep your company and customers safe
The challenges when readjusting data into a functional and quick risk management strategy

Some Questions We Ask:

What are some best practices when raising consumer awareness?
Do you believe ransomware attacks are rising or just becoming more high-profile?
What guidance would you provide to organizations that lack sufficient protection against cyberattacks?

Resources:

View Rinki Sethi on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

The Rising Risks of Cybercrime Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Amy Hogan-Burney, General Manager of Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit, and former attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation joins Ann Johnson to discuss how to address the leap in cyberattack sophistication seen in the new Microsoft Digital Defense Report, and the steps needed to establish new rules for cyberspace. As the leader of a global team of attorneys, investigators, engineers, and analysts Amy shares the strategic vantage point that these insights reveal about the increase of imposter domains attacking a variety of industries, and what guidance she has for organizations trying to protect themselves during a new wave of cyberattacks unlike any we have seen in the past.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

New global cybercrime trends
Why we are seeing an increase in imposter domains
How to keep data safe while employees continue to work remote

Some Questions We Ask:

What can we learn from the latest digital defense report?
Why are we seeing a shift to more phishing attacks?
When should we start establishing new rules for cybersecurity?

Resources:

Fighting an emerging cybercrime trend

View Amy Hogan-Burney on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

Defending Our Infrastructure Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

Wendy Nather, the highly respected cyber strategist, CISO, research director, and former industry analyst, joins Ann Johnson on Afternoon Cyber Tea to talk about the strategies helping defend against human-operated ransomware. Wendy has served as a CISO in both the private and public sectors leading IT security for the EMEA region of the investment banking division of Swiss Bank Corporation (now UBS) and the Texas Education Agency. Her specialties are security program management, threat intelligence, risk analysis, identity and access management, security operations, and incident response. In this episode, Wendy and Ann also discuss the Digital Extortion Task Force, which specializes in combating these attacks, and how the threat landscape has continued to widen and evolve.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

What is so alarming about the recent rise in ransomware attacks
How human-operated ransomware is a threat to organizations in every industry
Why threat actors have become remarkably successful

Some Questions We Ask:

What are your thoughts on the new Digital Extortion Task Force?
Can you elaborate on what has evolved in ransomware and the threat actors behind it?
What should organizations concentrate on to protect themselves against ransomware?

Resources:

View Wendy Nather on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The Cyberwire Network.

Addressing the Spread of Disinformation Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Fiona Hill, former intelligence officer and one of the United States' most incomparable Russian experts, joins Ann Johnson in the Season 5 premiere episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Dr. Hill addresses disinformation, the connection to cybersecurity, and how adversaries are mastering technology to undermine U.S. interests at home and abroad. She also talks with Ann about the critical need to stay aware of our adversaries' scientific and technical capabilities, digital threats to women online, and the importance of including individuals with diverse perspectives and sensitivities to address cyber threats in the future.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The importance of including individuals with diverse perspectives
What limits the United States' ability to understand and respond to global issues
The value and importance of a role model for young Americans

Some Questions We Ask:

How do we stay aware of the scientific capabilities our adversaries are pursuing?
What has to happen to ensure that digital threats to women do not control their social and educational engagement?
Why can we only benefit from the younger generation believing in themselves?

Resources:

There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century

View Dr. Fiona Hill on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.

The Adversary of the Future: The Ongoing Evolution of Cybercrime Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

Ann Johnson, Corporate Vice President, Security, Compliance, and Identity at Microsoft sits down with Rick Howard, Chief Security Officer and Chief Analyst for CyberWire, to talk about the future of cybercrime. Reflecting on recent cyberattacks, they discuss historical approaches that still hold true, the strengths and weaknesses of standard industry practices, and which principles of cybersecurity they feel aren’t getting enough attention today.

Resources:

View Rick Howard on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn

Related:

Listen to: Security Unlocked

Listen to: Security Unlocked: CISO Series with Bret Arsenault

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of The CyberWire Network.