February 7, 2021 marks Super Bowl LV - or 55 for those of us not well-versed in Roman numerals. And just like any other major event, there are cybersecurity implications. We explore them in a pop quiz featuring Tom Brady, the Kansas City Chiefs, Windows,  and even Armenia. Listen on to find out how cybersecurity and football intersect.

In Ransomware Reckoning, learn just how much ransomware cost last year, and what the outlook is mo...

As now President Biden enters office, his administration faces a variety of major issues, not only related to the pandemic, but also to cybersecurity and the online world. The continually developing SolarWinds supply chain attack that led to breaches of multiple federal agencies is still making headlines. And data privacy concerns, ransomware, Section 230, and net neutrality all count themselves as significant as well.

How will the...

We like to look forward at Ping, even when the view isn’t always rosy. So for our first episode of 2021, we take a look at predictions by top security firms to give us an idea what to expect in network security for the coming year. After all, knowing is half the battle when it comes to preparation. Andrew and Kevin talk ransomware, AI-enhanced phishing, remote work related dangers, and more as we ring – or ping – in the new year.

Fi...

Here at Ping, we like to celebrate the holiday season by sharing stories. And since we’re in the network security business, they tend to have a bit of an unusual twist. Last year, we presented a CyberSecurity Christmas Carol (check it out here: https://www.firewalls.com/blog/cybersecurity-christmas-carol-ping-podcast-episode-9). And this Christmas, we offer a twist on another classic tale. Gather ‘round as we recite the holiday poe...

The cyber threats of this year aren't going away when the calendar flips to 2021. They'll just continue to evolve. For a primer on the online hazards you can expect next year, we welcome back WatchGuard's Marc Laliberte, who - along with his team - has released a set of 2021 Cybersecurity Predictions. We start off by looking back at WatchGuard's 2020 Cybersecurity Predictions and how the pandemic influenced their ou...

In a year unlike any other, holiday shoppers are dealing with changes as well. The tradition of a one-day Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) sale, has been replaced with a month-long drip of deals. Our guest Dan Lohrmann dubs this COVID-19-related change, "Cyber November." On this episode, Dan discusses why things have gone even more online than inline, and why that may lead to new cybersecurity concerns. He also goes over som...

A broad federal warning outlines how hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country are in the crosshairs of a wave of ransomware attacks. To discuss this unprecedented coordinated threat, we welcome SonicWall's Barbara Vibbert, who provides context on the variety of vulnerabilities healthcare organizations face, why a successful attack can be so devastating, and what can be done to improve hospital and healthcare cyber...

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and that means it’s a great time to take a hard look at your online posture, protection, and habits to see where there’s room for improvement. Among the organizations with resources to help, is the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA. On this episode, we welcome James Stanley of CISA to talk about why raising awareness of cybersecurity is so important this m...

Ransomware gets the spotlight on Episode 30 of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast. We start with our latest edition of Ransomware Reckoning, spotlighting a case that affected COVID-19 clinical trials.

Then it's onto headlines. We discuss a Europol survey suggesting many victims don't report ransomware attacks to authorities, and why that's a bad thing. Plus how U.S.-based organizations may face major penalties for paying rans...

The need for strong cybersecurity is ever present, but the needs of specific organizations – and the challenges they face – vary. State & local government agencies are responsible for a wide variety of essential services and data. And that makes finding the right fit for securing their networks against online threats complicated. We welcome Fortinet Field Chief Information Security Officer Jim Richberg to discuss how state &...

The firewall is the cornerstone of any network security setup. But a firewall without the right configuration can cause a world of problems. On this episode of Ping, Firewalls.com Director of Sales Anthony Mercho tells Andrew & Kevin what to consider when it comes to specific configuration scenarios, why the setup wizard (and one size fits all) is a no go, what settings are generally best to avoid, and why the right professiona...

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, cyber threats are ever evolving. Yet the evolution has been particularly notable in the last six months, as the coronavirus pandemic has affected every aspect of day to day life, with cybersecurity no exception. To talk about the state of the threat landscape, Kevin and Andrew welcome back returning guest SonicWall’s Brook Chelmo – armed with the Mid Year Update to SonicWall’s Cyber Threat...

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on and back to school time is upon us, districts are facing decisions about reopening in person, offering virtual learning options, or doing both. To talk about the challenges of distance education including access, funding, student learning, and, of course, cybersecurity, we welcome Amy McLaughlin, Cybersecurity Project Director for the Consortium for School Networking – www.cosn.org. Amy discusse...

Compliance is a vital piece of the network security puzzle for many businesses, so we thought we’d spotlight the compliance requirements that people are most familiar with in the US – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act more commonly known as HIPAA. So who better to discuss HIPAA on our podcast, then the cohosts of a podcast about HIPAA. Donna Grindle and David Sims from the Help Me With HIPAA podcast join us to...

We continue our examination of the cybersecurity career field and why diversity matters on Ping Episode 24. Roderick Chambers, Cyber Threat Intelligence Consultant with Recorded Future and Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project, joins us to talk about his presentation available now on YouTube, called Blacks in Intelligence and Threat Hunting. The presentation is part of a video series of Lightning Talks, hosted b...

The gender gap is great in cybersecurity careers. So what can be done to bring more women into the network security workforce? On Ping Episode 23, we welcome Dr. Nir Kshetri, professor at University of North Carolina-Greensboro & fellow at Kobe University, to talk about his article, “The lack of women in cybersecurity puts us all at greater risk.”

We discuss the raw numbers, why the gender balance is so off in cybersecurity care...

We’re back just a week after our headlines-only episode with a special interview-only edition, welcoming Mike Weaver with Sophos to Ping Episode 22. Mike joins us from home to give some updates on why businesses should prioritize cybersecurity now more than ever. He also shares some tools that can help, including Sophos Home, Intercept X with EDR, and the new SD-RED line of remote ethernet devices. Plus, he provides a primer on the...

Cybersecurity headlines get the spotlight in Episode 21 of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast. What’s in the news this week? Andrew and Kevin cover PonyFinal ransomware and explain how it waits patiently to strike – come for the story, stay for the pony puns. We talk about about an Indonesian electoral records breach and why it should worry others as well. Then, it’s a story about a business email compromise (BEC) guru whose guruing day...

You may have heard of the FCC's recent decision to open up space on the 6 GHz wireless spectrum, but what does that really mean for the future of wifi performance? On episode 20 of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast, Andrew and Kevin welcome an expert in the wireless world, Sundar Sankaran, VP of Engineering with CommScope’s Ruckus Networks to fill us in on the implications. He provides an explanation of how the new spectrum will al...