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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 (403)

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

Nov 24, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: Merger Madness and Why Hospitals are Moving Back to On-Prem Data with Dave Dyell

November 24, 2025: Healthcare organizations are drowning in applications they can't even inventory, especially after mergers and acquisitions. But the real shock comes when they try to access archived data years later. Dave Dyell , Managing Partner at Innovative Consulting Group , reveals why cloud storage fees are forcing health systems to rethink their entire archiving strategy, particularly for medical imaging. With AI initiatives on the horizon, the way you archive data today determines whether you can afford to use it tomorrow. Learn why strategic planning for data archiving isn't optional anymore—it's the difference between controlling costs and watching them spiral out of control. Key Points: 03:12 Archiving and Data Management 09:30 On-Prem vs Cloud Storage 18:33 Future Strategies and Conclusion X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 21, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: Doing More with Less and Budgeting Wake-Up Calls with Bill Willis

November 21, 2025: What if your organization could reclaim millions of dollars just by rethinking processes you already have in place? Bill Willis , CTO of IDMWORKS , discusses the hidden costs plaguing healthcare IT, from runaway cloud storage bills to the shocking economics of password resets. Discover why identity management isn't just a security issue but a massive financial opportunity, how HR-IT integration is transforming onboarding from a week-long wait to day-one productivity, and why the cybersecurity crisis isn't really about technology at all. With real-world examples showing $2.5M to $5M in annual savings, this episode delivers the business case healthcare leaders need to drive change in 2026. Key Points: 01:06 Boston City Tour Highlights 02:36 Discussion on AI and Cloud Costs 10:05 Cybersecurity and Identity Management 19:12 Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings 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 17, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: Security Culture Saves Hospital and Resource Gaps with George Pappas

November 17, 2025: How does a 25-bed critical access hospital successfully stop a cyberattack when larger health systems fall victim? George Pappas , CEO of Intraprise Health , unpacks the Colorado hospital that shows how security culture beats expensive technology. The conversation reveals why vendor transparency remains elusive despite high-profile breaches, explores the harsh reality of hospitals that know their vulnerabilities but lack resources to fix them, and tackles AI governance challenges that traditional testing methods can't address. From Oracle-Cerner incidents to the frozen HIPAA NPRM, this episode delivers hard truths about healthcare security's funding gaps and the practical strategies that actually work for margin-pressed organizations. Key Points: 01:45 Vendor Contracts and Legal Challenges 06:21 Challenges with Cloud Security 11:26 Critical Access Hospitals and Cyber Preparedness 17:47 AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Risks 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 10, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: AWS Outage Exploration and Removing Risk from Your Data with Vik Patel

November 10, 2025: When AWS experienced a major outage affecting over 500 companies, healthcare IT leaders were reminded that cloud architecture isn't just a technical decision; it's a strategic imperative. Vik Patel, COO from Tido dives into the cascading failures that exposed vulnerabilities in healthcare's cloud dependencies. From Epic instances running on AWS to the emerging challenges of AI data lakes, this conversation reveals why simplicity in architecture might be healthcare IT's most un

Nov 4, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Passion Over Paychecks and Hidden Risk with Mary Dickerson and Gordon Groschl

November 4, 2025: Identity has become the foundation of healthcare security, but managing it is more complex than ever. In part two of this UnHack (the Podcast), Mary Dickerson , Associate VP and CISO of UTHealth Houston & Gordon Groschl , CISO and Director of HTM at Texas Children’s Hospitals , explore how organizations are shifting from prevention to resiliency. They also share candid career advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, challenging the industry's unrealistic entry-level requirements and explaining why passion matters more than credentials. From volunteer firefighting to CISO leadership, discover the unconventional paths and practical strategies shaping healthcare security today. Key Points: 00:24 Identity as the New Perimeter 04:09 Transition from Prevention to Resiliency 09:17 Behavior Analysis in Cybersecurity 12:17 Lightning Round: Personal Insights 15:35 Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Nov 3, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: The CxO Pulse - Insights and Lessons from 229 Summits with This Week Health

November 3, 2025: What are healthcare IT leaders really concerned about? Fresh from three 229 Project summits across the country, Bill Russell, Sarah Richardson, and Drex DeFord pull back the curtain on the most pressing conversations happening right now. From simplifying AI governance with a two-track vendor approach to rethinking hiring strategies for an agent-driven future, this episode captures the pulse of healthcare leadership in real time. Discover why some organizations are solving hundreds of problems while others struggle with their first five, and learn the one-word qualities leaders are seeking in their next hires to thrive in today's rapidly changing landscape. Key Points: 04:24 AI Success Factors 09:57 Balancing Moonshots and Practical Solutions 14:37 Sourcing Strategy and Engagement 22:32 Building Organizational Culture 26:27 Leadership and Succession Planning 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 28, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Zero Trust and the Identity Perimeter with Mary Dickerson and Gordon Groschl

October 28, 2025: Mary Dickerson , Associate VP and CISO of UTHealth Houston & Gordon Groschl , CISO and Director of HTM at Texas Children’s Hospitals , discuss the current research landscape. Identity has become the ultimate battleground in healthcare security, but most organizations still don't have the fundamentals right. From securing non-human identities to enabling research without compromising compliance, these CISOs share hard-won lessons from the frontlines. Key Points: 03:36 Challenges in Integrating Research and Clinical Services 06:10 Building Secure and Agile Research Environments 10:04 Collaboration Across Institutions for Research 12:11 Top Projects: AI in Radiology 14:58 Merging Identity and Security Operations X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 27, 2025·Newsday

Newsday: Why Constraints Drive Innovation - AI Agents and the Jobs They Can’t Fill

October 27, 2025: Bill, Drex, and Sarah discuss the realities of implementing AI agents across organizations. The group tackles uncomfortable questions about workforce displacement, the critical thinking skills being lost to automation, and the massive energy demands threatening AI sustainability. From simplifying complex systems to understanding what innovation really means under constraint, This Week Health explores the practical and philosophical challenges facing healthcare technology leaders today. Key Points: 01:28 Upcoming Summits and Expectations 05:22 AI Transparency and Critical Thinking 17:20 Economic and Quality of Life with AI 21:56 Balancing Innovation and Resource Constraints 25:57 The Role of Simplicity in Innovation 31:10 Healthcare System Complexities 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