The Security Distillery Podcast

The Security Distillery
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The Security Distillery is an initiative from students for students. We aim to turn complex issues into simple matters in order to provide quality, accessible information for students and researchers. Find here the podcasts produced by the student-ran think tank around different thematic series: The Intelligence Espresso, Drone Warfare, Cyberdistillery..and so on! More information and content at: https://thesecuritydistillery.org Contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Want to contribute to a podcast, an article or organise an event with The Security Distillery Reach out to us on social media (@thesecuritydistillery) or via email (information@thesecuritydistillery.org).

  1. Cyberdistillery - Episode 5: Troll Farms in the MENA region with Dr. Marina Ayeb

    MAR 2

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 5: Troll Farms in the MENA region with Dr. Marina Ayeb

    In the last episode of Cyberdistillery, Giuditta and Andrea talk with Dr. Marina Ayeb about her research on computational propaganda and troll farms in the Middle East, understood through the lens of labour studies as real workplaces. First, Marina takes us through the history and origins of troll farms and computational propaganda, touching on the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections, Brexit, and WikiLeaks. Then she tells us how she and Tiziano Bonini managed to access Middle Eastern troll farms to conduct research on these “black boxes,” which were revealed to be highly organised, hierarchical places. Troll farm worker profiles differed across her research: trolls in Tunisia, Egypt, and Iraq were motivated by economic reasons and faced high psychological and moral costs in their jobs, while Iranian trolls were driven by ideology and patriotism. She concludes that the most unexpected and interesting finding of her research was how human the work of computational propaganda in the Middle East is: what emerged from their interviews was that behind a cyber troll, there were real humans with ambitions, doubts, and daily ethical struggles for being responsible for influencing the opinion of millions of people. At the end of the episode, we discuss the gender aspect of Middle Eastern troll farms, and Marina shares insights into her future research. Marina’s publication: Ayeb, M., & Bonini, T. (2024). “It Was Very Hard for Me to Keep Doing That Job”: Understanding Troll Farm’s Working in the Arab World. Social Media + Society, 10(1). Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    36 min
  2. Cyberdistillery - Episode 4: SheSpeaksCyber with Secure Practice CEO Erlend Andreas Gjære

    FEB 17

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 4: SheSpeaksCyber with Secure Practice CEO Erlend Andreas Gjære

    In this episode of Cyberdistillery, Giuditta and Andrea explore the human factor in cybersecurity with Erlend Andreas Gjære, co-founder and CEO of Secure Practice, and creator of SheSpeaksCyber. Erlend emphasises that security is about people and processes, not just technology. Moreover, he discusses the importance of storytelling to make abstract threats tangible, scalable training for leaders and coordinators, and interactive disruption exercises to familiarise employees with the effects of a cyberattack. Together, they also talk about SheSpeaksCyber, Erlend's initiative to provide a directory for female cybersecurity speakers, working as a catalogue to propose themselves as speakers for conferences and for conferences to find them. Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    26 sec
  3. Cyberdistillery - Episode 3, Part 1: Cybersecurity of the Healthcare Sector with Maria Vittoria Zucca

    12/23/2025

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 3, Part 1: Cybersecurity of the Healthcare Sector with Maria Vittoria Zucca

    In this second part of the third episode of Cyberdistillery, Giuditta and Andrea, joined by Maria Vittoria Zucca - a PhD candidate in the National Italian PhD program Cybersecurity, led by the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca - continue the "cyber-medical analysis” of the (Italian) healthcare sector.  Maria Vittoria takes us through the “therapy” that needs to be carried out to strengthen the cybersecurity of the (Italian) healthcare sector, building readiness against threats and assessing vulnerabilities before, during, and after a cyberattack.   Next, she provides a prognosis for the healthcare sector, looking ahead to foster a cybersecurity culture in hospitals by providing training and implementing professional cybersecurity roles, such as Data Protection Officers, in the healthcare. Maria Vittoria’s publication referred to in this episode: ZUCCA, M.V. (2025) Cyber(in)sicurezza in sanità: un ponte comunicativo tra medicina, informatica e diritto. BioLaw Journal - Rivista di BioDiritto, 1, pp. 291–303. Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    32 min
  4. Cyberdistillery - Episode 3, Part 1: Cybersecurity of the Healthcare Sector with Maria Vittoria Zucca

    11/20/2025

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 3, Part 1: Cybersecurity of the Healthcare Sector with Maria Vittoria Zucca

    In this first part of the third episode of Cyberdistillery, Giuditta and Andrea discuss with Maria Vittoria Zucca - a PhD candidate in the National PhD program in Cybersecurity, led by the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca - about cybersecurity in the healthcare system, specifically the Italian one.  Treating the healthcare system as a “cyber-patient”, Maria Vittoria identifies the main symptoms of hospitals in the cybersecurity domain, that is to say, their principal vulnerabilities; for instance, the uncontrolled circulation of data, the technological backwardness, and the fragile cybersecurity culture in (Italian) hospitals, among many others.  Moreover, after identifying the symptoms, Maria Vittoria provides a “cyber-diagnosis” of the most dangerous cyber threats to the healthcare sector, pinpointing the primary targets of malicious cyber actors within healthcare systems, including data, infrastructure, and medical devices. She also touches on the risks associated with AI.  In the next episode, part 2, Giuditta, Andrea, and Maria Vittoria will address the other two crucial steps in the cyber-medical analysis of healthcare systems: treatment and prognosis.  Maria Vittoria’s publication referred to in this episode: ZUCCA, M.V. (2025) Cyber(in)sicurezza in sanità: un ponte comunicativo tra medicina, informatica e diritto. BioLaw Journal - Rivista di BioDiritto, 1, pp. 291–303. Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    32 min
  5. Cyberdistillery - Episode 1: Interview with Giuditta Fiori, Women4Cyber Italia Youth Ambassador

    11/04/2025

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 1: Interview with Giuditta Fiori, Women4Cyber Italia Youth Ambassador

    In the second episode of Cyberdistillery, Giuditta and Andrea discuss with Ayah Tharwat, a University of Luxembourg PhD student, about the impact of psychological distance on the disclosure of sensitive company information when using GenAI tools, specifically ChatGPT.  The conversation builds on Ayah’s academic research at the University of Luxembourg, where she has reflected on how employees are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools to facilitate and automate work processes, and found that four main dimensions affect GenAI disclosure of sensitive company information: social, spatial, temporal, and hypothetical dimensions.    Giuditta, Ayah, and Andrea discuss how proximity can substantially affect threat perception, in any aspect of our life and in many different domains.  Together, they also address how other factors could impact the willingness of employees to share sensitive information on LLMs, such as general awareness of cybersecurity risks, human factors such as emotions and stress, and the specific company practices, guidelines, and culture concerning the use of AI to carry out tasks.  Ayah’s publication: Frank, Muriel; Tharwat, Ayah; and Pocher, Nadia, "Far Enough to Share: Impact of Psychological Distance on GenAI Disclosure" (2025). AMCIS 2025 Proceedings. 20. https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2025/sig_sec/sig_sec/20  Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    32 min
  6. Cyberdistillery - Episode 1: Interview with Giuditta Fiori, Wome4Cyber Youth Ambassador 2025

    10/27/2025

    Cyberdistillery - Episode 1: Interview with Giuditta Fiori, Wome4Cyber Youth Ambassador 2025

    In this first episode of the new podcast series Cyberdistillery, Andrea Bussini introduces our new co-host Giuditta Fiori , Women4Cyber Italia Youth Ambassador 2025. Giuditta describes what is like to be part of Women4Cyber the goals of the organisation and their vision for the future. Moreover, they touch upon the importance of integrating women in the development of Large Language Models (LLMs). Together they announce the beginning of Cyberdistillery, a new podcast series consisting of interviews to academics and practitioners in the diverse world of cybersecurity. Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori Editor: Andrea Bussini

    14 min

  7. 10/19/2025

    The Security Distillery at the CCOE: Our Experience at the Annual Cimic Foresight Conference 2025

    One month after the Annual Cimic Foresight Conference 2025, the Security Distillery Team reflects on their experience at the CCOE. Giuditta, Andrea, and Flavio discuss about the sessions they have taken part in. Furthermore, they debate on how their understanding of CIMIC has changed after the Conference. Photo credits: liveillustration.co.uk Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Andrea Bussini, Giuditta Fiori, Flavio Piemontese Cartier Editor: Andrea Bussini

    14 min

  8. 09/14/2025

    Waiting for the Annual Cimic Foresight Conference 2025: The Security Distillery at the CCOE

    In this special episode of our podcast, Andrea and Alberto have the pleasure to announce that the Security Distillery will attend and cover through our social media the Annual Cimic Foresight Conference 2025, “From Foresight to Action: Evolving CIMIC Capabilities”, which is organised by the CCOE, the Civil-Military Cooperation NATO Centre of Excellence. They introduce the theme of this year’s Foresight Conference, touching upon what the Security Distillery will be tasked with doing throughout the conference. Furthermore, they talk about their recent experience at the CCOE, where they attended a Summer School, organised by the OTH Regensburg an hosted by the CCOE, on intelligence analysis. Building on the experience, they discuss about what civil and military cooperation means to them, and their main takeaways from the experience. Stay tuned for more updates regarding the Annual Cimic Foresight Conference 2025 on our social media! Find out more about the Security Distillery and follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thesecuritydistillery For enquiries and feedback, contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Hosts: Alberto Aloni and Andrea Bussini Editor: Andrea Bussini

    14 min
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About

The Security Distillery is an initiative from students for students. We aim to turn complex issues into simple matters in order to provide quality, accessible information for students and researchers. Find here the podcasts produced by the student-ran think tank around different thematic series: The Intelligence Espresso, Drone Warfare, Cyberdistillery..and so on! More information and content at: https://thesecuritydistillery.org Contact us at: information@thesecuritydistillery.org Want to contribute to a podcast, an article or organise an event with The Security Distillery Reach out to us on social media (@thesecuritydistillery) or via email (information@thesecuritydistillery.org).

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