The Cyber Rants Podcast

On this episode, Silent Sector breaks down what cybersecurity really looks like beyond the buzzwords. We dive into CTEM and why continuous exposure management beats the outdated once-a-year pen test. You’ll hear how adversarial simulation, social engineering, and threat modeling work together to reveal real-world risk—not just compliance checkboxes. If you’ve ever felt overloaded by industry acronyms or wondered how organizations can actually stay ahead of evolving threats, this conversation brings clarity, strategy, and straight-talk insights from the front lines of cyber defense.

Cyber insurance is meant to provide assurance when incidents occur—but too often, organizations face confusion, denied claims, and unclear coverage. Attorney and cybersecurity expert, Matt Silverman, joins Zach and Lauro to break down why cyber policies are so complex, how evolving threats are outpacing the insurance industry, and what companies can do to navigate this uncertain landscape better.

In this episode, the Silent Sector team dives into the recent AWS shutdown, exploring what may have caused the disruption and the ripple effects it had across organizations relying on Amazon’s cloud infrastructure. They break down lessons learned from the outage, including how companies can strengthen resilience and prepare for similar incidents in the future.

Fraud happens when pressure, opportunity, and rationalization align. From data manipulation to asset theft, it often stems from weak controls—like lack of oversight or segregation of duties. In this episode, we’ll talk about common red flags, lessons from the Wells Fargo scandal, and how to spot and report suspicious behavior before it becomes a bigger issue.

In this episode, we explore the critical role managers play in protecting their teams from cybersecurity threats. From understanding cyber risk as a business risk to recognizing how attackers often target leadership, we highlight the areas of culture managers must focus on to build secure, resilient teams. Learn how leading by example, normalizing security practices, identifying insider threats, and incorporating IT considerations into daily routines can make all the difference. Whether you're a middle manager or senior leader, this episode offers practical insights to strengthen your team's cyber awareness and response.

In this cybersecurity awareness training episode, we’re digging into one of the most overlooked risks in any organization: insider threats. From malicious intent to simple negligence and even blackmail, insiders can pose serious security challenges. Learn how to recognize the warning signs—like job dissatisfaction, policy violations, or sudden lifestyle changes—and what you should do if something doesn’t seem right. With real-world case studies like Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, we’ll show why everyone plays a role in prevention. Don’t wait for someone else to speak up—know what to look for, understand how to report it, and help build a culture of trust and vigilance in your workplace.

This week, we're focusing on the cybersecurity risks tied to privileged accounts — the high-level access that IT professionals and admins hold. From major breaches at Marriott and Uber to lesser-known takedowns through personal Gmail accounts, attackers are targeting the people with the most access. We cover why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is non-negotiable for these accounts, the importance of bifurcated access, and why knowing every admin account in your ecosystem is step one. If you're managing systems, data, or SAAS platforms, this episode is a wake-up call to lock down your digital kingdom.

Let's face it, cyber criminals are trying to find the fastest route to the money. That route often involves directly targeting finance professionals. In this episode, the guys provide security awareness training in an unconventional, fireside chat format. You can use this material to help your organization's financial professionals learn how to stop cyber criminals through proactive awareness of social engineering tactics and other tactics.