between2firewalls

Ashley Knowles

Between Two Firewalls with Ashley Knowles In networking, the space between two firewalls is the DMZ: where the inside of a business meets the outside world. That's where this show lives, at the point where security meets business. Most cybersecurity talk is either vendor noise or tick-box compliance. This show is neither. It's real conversations about cyber, business, leadership and the people behind the industry, told through the stories that usually don't get told. Not the CEO on the news after a breach, but the engineers who handled it. Not the certificate on the wall, but what it really cost, and whether it won the deal. For business owners: security and certification in plain English. ISO 27001, Essential Eight, security questionnaires, the attacks small businesses actually face, and what to do about them on Monday morning. Effective security isn't only for big companies. For cybersecurity professionals: how to talk to executives, lead with confidence, and make an impact without burning out. For students and people starting out: honest career paths, the boring bits included, and what employers really want. Two kinds of episodes: conversations with Australian founders, operators and practitioners about how security shaped their business, and unpacking episodes where one topic gets tested properly. Is it tick-box, or does it really reduce risk? Your host, Ashley Knowles, has worked in IT and security since 2003, for Deloitte, Avanade and Leidos, and with clients including BHP, Rio Tinto and ANZ. Today he's a vCISO and the founder of Securitribe, bringing that experience to businesses that don't normally get access to it. Security is like the gym. You don't get strong by buying the membership. You get strong by turning up, again and again.

Episodes

  1. Oct 11

    Episode 1 – Security Is a Second Language

    In the first episode of between2firewalls, Joel Benesha from Reality Creation turns the mic on host Ashley Knowles. Ashley went from an IT support job the week after grade 12 to 20+ years in IT and cyber, consulting to Australia's biggest miners, banks and government agencies, to founding Securitribe. They cover what an ISO 27001 management system actually is (it isn't a pile of tools), what you owe the people whose data you hold, and why you should learn cyber as a second language. Plus wiping the family PC with Linux, a Lime scooter side hustle, and a real case of staff walking out with company data. Before you buy another security tool, understand what you're protecting. 🎧 Listen and subscribe YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMQ94BUM3nA0Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YbbON01h3RiW2i0E8Sg8dAmazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f7527d5f-48c7-43cb-bc02-a5cdb5b23c31/between2firewallsWebsite: https://between2firewalls.com👤 Guest: Joel Benesha, Reality Creation https://realitycreation.co/ 🔗 Mentioned: Australian Privacy Principles (OAIC), ISO/IEC 27001, Vistage, EOS, VirtualBox, Proxmox 📸 Follow the show: https://www.instagram.com/between2firewalls 📌 Follow Ashley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyknowlesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashknowles_vciso📘 The Honest Guide to ISO27001: https://ashleyknowles.gumroad.com/l/honest-guide-bundle 🛡️ Securitribe: https://securitribe.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/securitribe ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Cold open00:46 Welcome to between2firewalls01:28 Joel's Cyber Security Challenge04:49 IT support after grade 1206:10 What an ISO 27001 management system is07:54 Crown jewels: tools vs managing risk10:33 The cost of not prioritising security13:12 Getting into cyber: sysadmin, AD, firewalls15:47 From firewalls to GRC18:30 Big business vs small business23:56 Personal browsing on work computers26:02 How do you climb the ladder?30:04 What should students study?31:18 Breaking the family PC with Linux37:17 Cyber as a second language42:13 The pen-testing myth48:12 Mentors and asking better questions52:21 Why Securitribe: scooters, Vistage, EOS59:12 The mission: obligations, risks, roadmap1:01:30 Insider risk1:06:50 One thing to do tomorrow1:08:24 Subscribe and follow

About

Between Two Firewalls with Ashley Knowles In networking, the space between two firewalls is the DMZ: where the inside of a business meets the outside world. That's where this show lives, at the point where security meets business. Most cybersecurity talk is either vendor noise or tick-box compliance. This show is neither. It's real conversations about cyber, business, leadership and the people behind the industry, told through the stories that usually don't get told. Not the CEO on the news after a breach, but the engineers who handled it. Not the certificate on the wall, but what it really cost, and whether it won the deal. For business owners: security and certification in plain English. ISO 27001, Essential Eight, security questionnaires, the attacks small businesses actually face, and what to do about them on Monday morning. Effective security isn't only for big companies. For cybersecurity professionals: how to talk to executives, lead with confidence, and make an impact without burning out. For students and people starting out: honest career paths, the boring bits included, and what employers really want. Two kinds of episodes: conversations with Australian founders, operators and practitioners about how security shaped their business, and unpacking episodes where one topic gets tested properly. Is it tick-box, or does it really reduce risk? Your host, Ashley Knowles, has worked in IT and security since 2003, for Deloitte, Avanade and Leidos, and with clients including BHP, Rio Tinto and ANZ. Today he's a vCISO and the founder of Securitribe, bringing that experience to businesses that don't normally get access to it. Security is like the gym. You don't get strong by buying the membership. You get strong by turning up, again and again.