Shot of Cyber

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ebrima N. Ceesay for a deeply reflective conversation that weaves together technology, identity, and global connection. More than just a cybersecurity expert with a remarkable career or a PhD from UC Davis, Dr. Ceesay brings a rare blend of intellect, humility, and global consciousness to the table. Born in The Gambia, educated in the U.S., and connected to friends across continents, his journey is as much about inner clarity as it is about outer achievement. Whether you're curious about the hidden human stories behind cybersecurity or simply drawn to soulful, cross-cultural dialogue, this conversation will leave you thinking long after it ends.

On this episode of Shot of Cyber, we sit down with Josh Keeley, co-founder of Trident Search, to explore his journey from military service to the cybersecurity recruitment industry. We discuss the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, the power of networking, and the cultural differences he encountered along the way. Josh shares his perspective on transparency in hiring, the impact of COVID-19 on recruitment, and the ongoing talent shortage in cybersecurity.

On this episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon host Ron Moritz who has over 30 years of broad operational, strategy and P&L experience in the industry. We discuss VCs selection process and the value they bring to startups. Ron's strategic insights from decades involved in scaling businesses and his understanding of technology make for one of the most rewarding conversations we've had in season 2.

On today's episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon host Errol Weiss, Chief Security Officer at Health ISAC. We discuss the genesis of information sharing in the industry and what makes or breaks such a key component of collective defense. Errol's experience is truly unique in this space and he helps us navigate the recent wave of attacks on the health sector with a cool mind and some valuable hindsight.   We support Health ISAC and its mission, their research and guidelines are invaluable ressources, see below: Health-ISAC Annual Threat Report --  https://h-isac.org/2023-health-cybersecurity-annual-threat-report/    Health-ISAC Information Sharing Best Practices Guide --  https://h-isac.org/h-isac-information-sharing-best-practices/

Gilad and Simon sit down for a chat with Mark Arena, founder and former CEO of Intel471.  We discuss his incredible trajectory, the birth of Intel471, what it's like competing and growing a bootstrapped business. We discuss the importance of proactively building a culture and enforcing it especially when it hurts.

In the 12th episode of Shot of Cyber, Simon and Gilad meet with Doron and Amy, respectively CEO and CMO of DevOcean. They share with us insights into marketing novel technologies in a crowded industry, wonderful tips and tricks on early stage funding and product launch as well as the need for founders to learn new disciplines by doing first.

In the 11th episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon meet Alon Arvatz, an entrepreneur, Co-Founder at IntSights that has been acquired by Rapid7. Alon speaks about his journey as an entrepreneur in the Israeli cybersecurity industry, and about what is the necessary change of mindset he had to make once his startup suddenly turned into a part of a large enterprise. Alon shares his views on the Israeli secret sauce to becoming a world-leading cybersecurity market and shares historical milestones that made it happen.

In the 10th episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon meet Sarfaraz Kazi, Co-Founder and CTO at Hive Pro. Sarfaraz shares his experience successfully taking to market innovation in the Middle East for more than a decade before founding a technology company himself. His thoughts on the Middle East cybersecurity market following the Abraham's accord are insightful and we discuss his views on leadership, scaling and « Letting go to grow ».

In the 9th episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon meet Yochai Corem. As CEO of Cyberint with great experience in product management, Yochai shares his many insights on running a fast growing business, what he considers important KPIs with clients and employees. We discuss the value of transparency and vision in leading successful teams as well as the impact of military culture on business in Israel.

Gilad and Simon meet Sagie Dulce and Dekel Paz, two experienced security researchers and team managers, to speak about the present and future of the cyber security industry, the process of a security product R&D, the importance of open-source and its crucial contribution to companies' security, and about their experiences in start-ups versus large corporates: what are the main differences between working in a big company comparing to a smaller one?

In this new Shot of Cyber episode, Gilad and Simon meet Salwa Rafee, Global MD for Accenture Security and VP of Health ISAC. Salwa's career path is truly inspiring, from a biomedical engineer to a Cybersecurity leader. We discuss the shared responsibility of public and private sector in defending healthcare, the value of information sharing, how STEM teaches critical thinking and the importance of crisis preparedness in mitigating the impact of attacks.

In the 6th episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon meet Patrick Coughlin. Patrick co-founded TruSTAR before joining SPLUNK - following their acquisition - where he now leads Intelligence and Automation. We talk about empathetic leadership, building a culture remotely as well the value of transparency and trusting people in a crisis.

In the 5th episode of Shot of Cyber, we sit down with Dr. Alex Tarter, Chief Cyber Consultant and CTO at Thales and a senior director and advisor at TurgenSec.  We discuss the limitations of standard cyber risk assessments, talent acquisition strategies, the joys of scaling up a business and competing for attention in a crowded market.

In the fourth episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon meet Michael DeBolt. Michael started as an infantry scout in the Marine Corps before combatting cybercrime in the public and then private sector. He currently leads an intelligence team and we discuss his passion, the future of threat intelligence but also what his field can teach any leader relying on information and the people who relay it. 

In the third episode of Shot of Cyber, we speak with Alex Blosser, a security engineer and previously held several security research roles within the industry, and learn about surprising career trajectories within cyber security, how WFH is reshaping the talent pool, the need for business and security to understand each other as well as how many potatoes it takes to build a SOC.  

In the second episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon speak with Susi Reitan. Susi is a senior trade and investment officer for the Israeli Embassy in London. She supports the development of innovative Israeli starts ups in the UK. We discuss the ecosystem she operates in, what makes Israel such a fertile ground for cybersecurity firms and the challenges associated with international expansion. We also learn about some of the impactful initiatives in place to encourage and support women in cybersecurity.

In the very first episode of Shot of Cyber, Gilad and Simon speak with Tony Clarke. Tony has held various leadership roles over the past decade in different industries, and is a strong advocate for information sharing. We discuss challenges associated with his role, the industry as well as the threats and opportunities AI will create in the near future.