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UnHack the Podcast

Hosted by Drex DeFord

In-depth conversations about cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and building resilient healthcare organizations in the face of evolving cyber threats.

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Episodes (208)

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UnHack the Podcast UnHack the News Executive Interview Solution Showcase Newsday 2 Minute Drill

Dec 10, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: The Importance of Community-Driven Care with Leigh Williams

December 10, 2025: Leigh Williams , VP and CIO at Augusta Health , shares how a 255-bed independent community hospital is reimagining care through strategic EHR transformation. In this conversation, Leigh discusses leading a MEDITECH Expanse implementation while maintaining deep community ties through comprehensive health needs assessments and patient advisory groups. She reveals how independence enables data-driven, nimble decision-making tailored to local populations, from mobile clinic initiatives to COVID response strategies. Leigh also explores leveraging emerging technologies to scale workforce capabilities, reduce operational costs, and improve the digital workday for every team member. Key Points: 02:01 EHR Implementation and Challenges 04:47 Innovative Strategies for Rural Healthcare 12:13 Leveraging Emerging Technologies 16:23 Advice for Healthcare Leaders X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Dec 3, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: How AI-Powered Scams Are Reshaping Healthcare Cybersecurity with Drex DeFord

Drex DeFord explores what he calls the "trust recession"—a era where deepfakes, AI-generated content, and sophisticated social engineering have made it nearly impossible to distinguish real from fake. From synthetic customer service agents to North Korean operatives using AI to pass job interviews at US health systems, the threat landscape has fundamentally shifted. DeFord shares practical strategies for healthcare professionals to protect themselves during the holiday season when cyber criminals are most active, including how to validate information, verify identities, and trust your instincts when something feels off. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 26, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: Insider Threats in Healthcare: Employee Recruitment Schemes with Drex DeFord

Drex examines the growing insider threat landscape in healthcare cybersecurity. The episode covers CrowdStrike's recent insider incident where screenshots were leaked to cybercriminals, new research showing 93% of organizations struggle to detect insider threats, and the Geisinger Health/Nuance $5 million settlement over improper data access. Drex also reveals how ransomware groups like Medusa are directly recruiting healthcare employees with financial incentives, highlighting that insider threats aren't just malicious employees—they're also your people being actively targeted through phishing and recruitment offers. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 20, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: Cybercriminals Weaponize AI: Self-Modifying Malware with Drex DeFord

Cybercriminals are escalating their tactics by deploying AI-enabled malware that adapts in real-time. Google Cloud and Anthropic threat intelligence reports reveal attackers using tools like Prompt Flux malware to contact AI APIs mid-attack, rewriting code to evade detection. Threat actors are bypassing AI safety guardrails through social engineering, tricking models into providing malicious capabilities. The underground cybercrime market now offers sophisticated multifunction tools, lowering barriers for less experienced criminals. Healthcare defenders must prepare for adaptive malware that uses generative AI to persist and survive longer inside target environments. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 19, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: How Complexity Kills Innovation and Lasting IT Leadership with Kurt Telep

November 19, 2025: Healthcare IT infrastructure has become so complex that teams have lost sight of the actual patient impact. Kurt Telep , Healthcare Field CTO at Nutanix , pulls no punches in this conversation about what's broken and how to fix it. From his personal regret about avoiding Kubernetes when it first emerged to explaining why 95% of healthcare organizations will consume AI rather than build it, Kurt delivers hard-earned wisdom on navigating constant technological change. He reveals why security tools become shelfware, how to reconnect IT decisions to clinical outcomes, and why the future belongs to leaders who embrace simplicity over complexity. Key Points: 02:21 A Better IT Infrastructure 08:09 Security Concerns with AI 09:40 Advice for Future Healthcare IT Leaders 15:22 The Importance of Simplicity X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 19, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: From Data Exchange to Data Utility with Dr. Steven Lane and Mike Cordeiro

November 19, 2025: Healthcare interoperability has evolved far beyond simple data exchange—but are we truly unlocking its potential? Dr. Steven Lane , CMO from Health Gorilla , and Mike Cordeiro , Senior Director of Interoperability Market & Product Strategy from MEDITECH join Bill Russell to explore how the industry is shifting from moving data to making it actionable. Discover why structured, normalized data is critical for clinical decision-making, how TEFCA is transforming payer-provider collaboration, and what AI integration means for overwhelmed clinicians. From the hidden costs of inefficient data exchange to patient empowerment through individual access services, this conversation reveals where interoperability stands today and the exciting developments shaping tomorrow's data-driven healthcare delivery. Key Points: 05:40 Challenges in Data Usability and Integration 08:04 Payer-Provider Interoperability 14:19 Patient Empowerment Through Data Access 18:09 Governance and Data Quality X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 12, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: CISA Extension, Oracle Breach Fallout, and the Wiz Acquisition with Drex DeFord

CISA 2015's temporary extension buys time until January, but what happens next? Drex breaks down the Oracle E-Business Suite ransomware attack affecting 29 victims—including potential third and fourth-party partners in your supply chain. Plus, Google's $32B Wiz acquisition clears a major hurdle, and Armas' $435M funding round signals where security investment is heading. Keep your threat intel pipelines hot and your radar up. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 5, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: Making Big Innovations Without Risking It All with Mark Galea

November 5, 2025: Mark Galea , SVP and CIO at Willis Knighton Health , shares how they achieved world-class EMR results at a fraction of typical costs, proving that digital transformation doesn't require unlimited budgets. Leading a $1.4 billion health system in northern Louisiana, Mark deployed MEDITECH Expanse to 140 clinics in just 14 months while cutting IT operating costs to the lowest quartile. He discusses a "follow the leader" approach to AI adoption, explains why most hospitals can't afford to place bets on unproven technology, and shares impressive clinical outcomes. His philosophy: technology should be about getting our doctors “back to even”, not adding more stress. Key Points: 01:07 Challenges and Opportunities at Willis Knighton 07:18 Stabilizing and Deploying Expanse 10:43 Embracing Innovation 18:05 Cost-Effective Innovations and Results 25:19 Advice for Healthcare IT Leaders X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 29, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: Empowering Healthcare with New Age Networks with Perry Welch

October 29, 2025: Cellular networks are transforming healthcare delivery, but what makes 5G truly different from its predecessor? Perry Welch , EVP and Chief Revenue Officer at Airwavz Solutions , discusses creating a robust network infrastructure that can handle the demanding requirements of modern medical technology. As healthcare systems begin exploring what's possible with this upgraded network, the question shifts from "can our phones work?" to "what new capabilities can we unlock?" Discover why focusing on your network is becoming essential for healthcare environments. Key Points: 03:20 WiFi vs DAS in Healthcare 06:21 The Future of 5G and Beyond 09:47 Implementation and Coverage Challenges 15:34 Airwavz's Healthcare Focus and Conclusion X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 28, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: Pokemon Go's Hidden Agenda: How AR Apps Map the World With Drex DeFord

Drex explores how Niantic's Pokemon Go used gameplay to crowdsource geospatial AI training data, including strategically placing Pokemon at hospitals and clinics to map sensitive facilities. Players unknowingly volunteered location data, camera scans, and movement patterns through terms of service agreements most never read. A cautionary tale about digital consent and the hidden costs of "free to play" apps in healthcare settings. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 22, 2025·2 Minute Drill

2 Minute Drill: AI Infrastructure Power Crisis and AWS Updates with Drex DeFord

The future of AI resilience isn't just about firewalls and backups—it's about ensuring power grids, chip fabrication facilities, and cloud infrastructure can withstand attacks and disruptions. As AI becomes critical infrastructure, the question isn't whether it will change everything, but whether we can power and protect it without creating catastrophic business liabilities. Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 22, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: The Overlooked Opportunity in Call Center Automation with Scott D’Entremont

October 22 – In this episode, Bill Russell sits down with Scott D’Entremont , CEO at Parlance , to explore the evolving role of AI in healthcare communication. From tackling rising operational costs to addressing the hidden issue of referral leakage, Scott shares how automation is reshaping call centers and front desks across healthcare systems. They unpack why integration is still a major hurdle, what most health systems get wrong about call routing, and why deep healthcare knowledge—not just flashy tech—is critical for real-world impact. With smarter AI models and better call navigation, the path to streamlined patient communication is clearer than ever. But with so many new players jumping into the space, how do you separate innovation from noise? X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer