Podcast

UnHack the News

Hosted by Drex DeFord

Drex DeFord translates complex cybersecurity risks into clear, actionable guidance for healthcare leaders navigating an increasingly threatening landscape.

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Episodes (37)

Mar 19, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Knowing Your Cyber Threats and X Takedown Impact with Troy Ament

March 19, 2025: Troy Ament , Industry Leader for Healthcare at Palo Alto Networks Joins Drex for the News. The conversation delves into the importance of establishing relationships with law enforcement before a crisis occurs and why including them in tabletop exercises is crucial. Troy examines why threat actors deliberately target healthcare systems during weekend hours when staffing is minimal. From DDoS attacks serving as distractions to threat actors contacting board members directly, this e

Mar 17, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): User-Centric Guardrails & the $75 Million Cyber Gap with John Kirkman

March 17, 2025: John Kirkman , VP of Government, Healthcare, and Education from Island , joins Drex for the news. With organizations managing an average of 76 different security tools—up from 64 the previous year—what approaches to rationalization and accountability might create more sustainable security postures? As John introduces the concept of user-centric guardrails rather than purely data-focused defense strategies, the discussion illuminates potential paths forward for an industry where s

Mar 5, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Building Clinician Trust and Beyond Keeping the Lights On with Christian Boucher

March 5, 2025: Christian Boucher , Head of Healthcare Strategy and Solutions at Island , joins Drex for the news. How can healthcare organizations better leverage cloud solutions to shift IT resources from merely "keeping the lights on" to actually improving clinical workflows? How might healthcare leaders create more meaningful partnerships with clinicians to ensure technology enhances rather than hinders patient care? The conversation explores the delicate balance between standardization and c

Feb 17, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Upcoming HIPAA Update and Third-Party Risk Next Steps with George Pappas

February 17, 2025: George Pappas , CEO of Intraprise Health , dives into the evolving landscape of healthcare cybersecurity. What separates mere compliance from genuine organizational protection as organizations grapple with increasing regulatory pressures and the imminent HIPAA security rule update? The discussion explores these critical questions while examining the convergence of various security frameworks and the industry's shift toward more rigorous security standards. Key Points: 03:41 HI

Feb 3, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): 2025 Acquisition Trends and Power School Breach Implications with John Kirkman

February 3, 2025: John Kirkman , VP of Government, Healthcare, and Education at Island , explores how enterprise browsers are revolutionizing data security in healthcare and beyond. How can organizations strike a balance between allowing AI innovation and safeguarding sensitive information from accidental exposure? The discussion also touches on third-party risks, the interconnectedness of education and healthcare, and the far-reaching implications of breaches like those the recent Power School

Jan 27, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): AI’s Blistering Pace and Chinese Hacks Continue with Cristian Rodriguez

January 27, 2025: Cristian Rodriguez , Field CTO of the Americas at CrowdStrike , joins Drex for the news. How do organizations navigate the blurred lines between groundbreaking innovation and the vulnerabilities of sensitive data co-mingling in AI models? Cristian shares insights on China's sophisticated adversary ecosystem, raising thought-provoking questions about the interconnected nature of global cybersecurity threats. The conversation also explores the delicate balance between collaborati

Jan 20, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Increasing Efficiency While Setting Security Guardrails with Christian Boucher

January 20, 2025: Christian Boucher , Head of Healthcare Strategy and Solutions Architecture at Island , Joins Drex for the News. Can healthcare organizations ensure patient data remains secure without stifling productivity? How do enterprises navigate the challenge of "Bring Your Own AI" and the risks of browser vulnerabilities? What role does human behavior play as IT security's weakest link? Through stories of AI misconfigurations, multimillion-dollar fines, and shadow IT's well meaning worka

Jan 6, 2025·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Salt Typhoon Impact and Smart TV Data Concerns with Mick Coady

January 6, 2025: Mick Coady , CTO of Armis , explores the risks of connected devices in healthcare systems to the unforeseen consequences of encrypted messaging apps, this conversation dives into the delicate balance between innovation and risk. How does Walmart's acquisition of Vizio paint a picture of the bigger intersection of consumer tech and privacy? And as global privacy laws evolve, are companies truly prepared to protect sensitive data, or are they playing catch-up? Key Points: 04

Dec 4, 2024·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): New Legislation, Unifying Health Systems, and CISO Protection with George Pappas

December 4, 2024: George Pappas , CEO at Intraprise Health joins Drex for the news. What must the healthcare industry do to finally turn its patchwork of tools into a unified, human-centric defense system? Can the recent legislative pushes in New York and the Senate, aimed at strengthening HIPAA and improving cybersecurity funding, truly protect patients and ensure compliance across diverse organizations? Join to explore the complex realities, untapped collaborations, and critical questions faci

Nov 27, 2024·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Microsoft’s Resiliency Plan and Phishing Training Debunked with Preston Duren

November 27, 2024: Preston Duren , VP of Threat Defense at Fortified Health Security , joins Drex for the news. They dissect Microsoft's recent security enhancements, born from the Crowdstrike IT outage, and question whether new technologies like remote repair and hot-patch updates can truly revolutionize healthcare IT resilience. The conversation turns to a shocking study on phishing training effectiveness—does annual training reduce risks, or are we simply checking boxes while leaving vulnerab

Nov 20, 2024·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): New York Cyber Mandate, HIPAA’s Future, and Workforce Inclusion with Kate Pierce

November 20, 2024: Kate Pierce , Senior vCISO at Fortified Health Security joins Drex for the news. As New York state enforces groundbreaking hospital cyber regulations, how will its leadership influence the rest of the nation? With a staggering skills gap and a workforce crisis, can the industry meet the rising challenges of AI and cloud security while addressing the underrepresentation of women in cybersecurity? The conversation further explores the long-overdue updates to HIPAA regulations an

Nov 6, 2024·UnHack the News

UnHack (the News): Unmanaged Credentials, CISO Role Shifts, and Chaos Engineering with George Pappas

November 6, 2024: George Pappas , CEO at Intraprise Health joins Drex for the news. The conversation delves into the challenges of maintaining robust cybersecurity practices amidst resource constraints and evolving regulatory burdens. Can a split CISO role better navigate the increasing demands of compliance and governance? The show also highlights Mainline Health's strategic use of chaos engineering to test vulnerabilities and improve resilience—how does such a proactive approach redefine prepa