InfoSec Insider

URM Consulting

The InfoSec Insider podcast brings you weekly interviews with practicing senior consultants, who draw upon their extensive experience to provide detailed and practical guidance on all things information and cyber security, data protection compliance, risk management, and more. In each episode, one of our experts takes a deep-dive into a particular aspect of their area of specialism, whether that be certifying to ISO 27001, outlining some top tips for GDPR compliance, making the case for alternative approaches to pen testing, or discussing how to conduct an effective business impact analysis (BIA). Enhance your understanding and professional skillset with the InfoSec Insider podcast, brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading provider of cyber security and governance, risk management and compliance consultancy. 

  1. Oct 22

    ISO 27001 Risk Management Explained: Practical Strategies for Better Security

    In this episode of InfoSec Insider Wayne Armstrong, Senior Information Security Consultant at URM, and Lisa Dargan, CEO at URM, discuss how organisations can gain greater value from their ISO 27001 risk management processes. Moving beyond compliance and certification, Wayne and Lisa explore how effective risk management can become a genuine business enabler, supporting informed decision-making, business growth, and continual improvement. They discuss: The mandatory ISO 27001 risk management requirements, including risk assessment, risk treatment, risk acceptance criteria, and documented information requirements. How to align information security risk management with business objectives, helping organisations support growth opportunities while managing risk effectively. Practical approaches to identifying and prioritising critical information assets based on confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements. Why transparency, inclusivity, and organisation-wide participation are essential for accurate risk assessments and successful risk ownership. The growing importance of threat intelligence, third-party risk management, and maintaining a dynamic risk management process that adapts to a changing threat landscape. Common risk management pitfalls, including risk aggregation, control-driven risk creation, and static assumptions about organisational context, together with practical advice on how to avoid them. Whether you are implementing ISO 27001 for the first time or looking to mature an existing ISMS, this episode provides practical guidance on transforming risk management from a compliance exercise into a valuable tool for improving business resilience and information security performance. This episode was based on our webinar, Getting More from ISO 27001 Risk Management. If you'd like to watch more of our webinars or find out about upcoming events, please visit  https://urmconsulting.com/events You can find more episodes of InfoSec Insider here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts            Brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading information and cyber security specialists.

  2. Oct 15

    Common Nonconformities in Clauses 4,5,6 of ISO 27001

    In this episode of InfoSec Insider, George Ryan and Jack Woods, both Consultants at URM, discuss some of the most common nonconformities they encounter when auditing organisations against the management system requirements of ISO 27001, focusing on Clauses 4, 5 and 6. Drawing upon their auditing and consultancy experience, they provide practical guidance on common mistakes and how organisations can strengthen their approach. George Ryan and Jack Woods discuss: Common issues relating to Clause 4, including keeping internal and external issues up to date, considering climate change, correctly identifying the needs and expectations of interested parties, and understanding how ISMS processes interact. Why leadership involvement and commitment are critical to meeting Clause 5 requirements, from aligning information security objectives with wider business objectives to ensuring information security policies are appropriately approved and endorsed by top management. Common pitfalls under Clause 6, including risk assessments without a clearly defined methodology, objectives that are not measurable or time-bound, and the importance of producing valid, comparable and repeatable risk assessment results. How organisations can avoid problems with their Statement of Applicability, including weak justifications for excluding Annex A controls and assumptions that physical or development-related controls do not apply to their organisation. Why changes to the ISMS need to be properly planned and recorded, and how overlooking business and organisational changes, rather than simply technical changes, can lead to nonconformities. And more. If there's a GRC or cyber security related issue you'd like us to explore, share it with us here here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts/common-nonconformities-in-clauses-4-5-and-6-of-iso-27001 We use listener questions to guide future discussions and ensure our episodes tackle the challenges that matter most to organisations like yours. You can find more episodes of InfoSec Insider here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts               Brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading information and cyber security specialists.

  3. Oct 1

    Successful Business Continuity Exercises: From Planning to Practice

    In this episode of InfoSec Insider – Talk BC, Phil Knight, Senior Consultant at URM, explores the different types of business continuity exercises organisations can undertake and what makes an exercise genuinely effective. Drawing on his extensive experience supporting organisations with business continuity and resilience, Phil discusses: The different types of business continuity exercises, from walkthroughs and tabletop exercises to simulations and full-scale exercises How to choose the right type of exercise based on your organisation’s needs, objectives and available resources The importance of realistic scenarios, careful planning and securing stakeholder buy-in The role of effective facilitation in keeping participants engaged and ensuring exercises deliver meaningful results How to capture lessons learned and turn the outcomes of an exercise into practical improvements to business continuity arrangements Phil also shares real-world examples of business continuity exercises, demonstrating how realistic testing can uncover gaps that may otherwise remain hidden until a genuine disruption occurs. Have a question about business continuity? Submit your question using the link below or leave it in the comments, and we may answer it in a future episode of InfoSec Insider – Talk BC. Please use the form here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts/successful-business-continuity-exercises-from-planning-to-practice You can find more episodes of InfoSec Insider here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts Brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading information and cyber security specialists.

  4. Sep 17

    Cyber Security Training, Awareness and Benefits of Tailored Training

    In this episode of InfoSec Insider, George Ryan and Jack Woods, both Consultants at URM, provide practical advice on how organisations can improve cyber security training and awareness, and why tailoring training to specific roles, responsibilities and risks can help build a stronger security culture. George Ryan and Jack Woods draw upon their experience of helping organisations strengthen their information security to discuss: The difference between cyber security training, awareness and competence, and why organisations should understand the distinction Why a one-size-fits-all approach to cyber security training may provide a useful baseline, but often fails to address the different risks faced by specific roles, teams and sectors How tailored training can make cyber security more relevant to employees, encourage behavioural change and help organisations develop a stronger security culture How the growing use of AI is creating new security risks and training requirements, as well as new opportunities to make cyber security awareness more effective And more. If there's a GRC or cyber security related issue you'd like us to explore, share it with us here here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts/cyber-security-training-awareness-and-benefits-of-tailored-training We use listener questions to guide future discussions and ensure our episodes tackle the challenges that matter most to organisations like yours. You can find more episodes of InfoSec Insider here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts             Brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading information and cyber security specialists.

  5. Sep 10

    PCI DSS Compensating Controls vs. Customized Approach

    In this episode of InfoSec Insider, Alastair Stewart and Tibor Laczko, both Senior Consultants and Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) with URM, examine one of the most frequently misunderstood areas of PCI DSS: the difference between compensating controls and the customised approach. Drawing on their extensive PCI DSS assessment experience, they discuss: The key differences between compensating controls and customised approaches, and the specific scenarios where each can be used Why compensating controls are not a “get out of jail free” card for non-compliance and the strict conditions that must be met before they can be applied The legal, regulatory, technical, and financial constraints that may justify the use of compensating controls How customised approaches were introduced in PCI DSS v4.0 to support innovative and non-traditional methods of meeting security objectives Why customised validations require significant planning, documentation, evidence collection, and assessor involvement before they can be approved And more. If there's a PCI DSS related issue you'd like us to explore, share it with us here here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts/pci-dss-compensating-controls-vs-customized-approach We use listener questions to guide future discussions and ensure our episodes tackle the challenges that matter most to organisations like yours. You can find more episodes of InfoSec Insider here: https://urmconsulting.com/podcasts              Brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading information and cyber security specialists.

About

The InfoSec Insider podcast brings you weekly interviews with practicing senior consultants, who draw upon their extensive experience to provide detailed and practical guidance on all things information and cyber security, data protection compliance, risk management, and more. In each episode, one of our experts takes a deep-dive into a particular aspect of their area of specialism, whether that be certifying to ISO 27001, outlining some top tips for GDPR compliance, making the case for alternative approaches to pen testing, or discussing how to conduct an effective business impact analysis (BIA). Enhance your understanding and professional skillset with the InfoSec Insider podcast, brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading provider of cyber security and governance, risk management and compliance consultancy. 

You Might Also Like